So, the ax is falling. How are we going to help one another?

The corporate masters are cutting off our only means of defending ourselves: first, class-action lawsuits; second, "bankruptcy" reform. If they succeed in dismantling Social Security...god, I don't even want to think about that.

We're all going to suffer under the weed's economy.

My question: so if we can't do anything to stop the dismantling of our society, can we create our own society?

This week I was turned down for in-home health services for the fourth (fifth?) time. I'm in such pain that I cannot function normally on some days. On those days, I cannot get groceries. I cannot clean my house. I cannot take out the garbage. When I am able to do those things, I run the risk of aggravating my condition to the point where I must stay in bed for several days. There is no one to help me.

I point this out not so you will pity me, but so that you will see there are many people in dire circumstances, who with just a little help could find a way through. Even those who are much worse off could find their way with a little bit of help.

So, who did my doctors, nurses, counselors, psychiatrists, etc. send me to? Interfaith Church.

I don't know much about Interfaith Church, but my experience has been that "help" is accompanied by proselytization. I am thankful to the Quakers who absolutely forbid any form of proselytization, but with other sects, how can you know?

Why aren't there more non-religious charities run by liberals?

It seems like we're not organized enough. We're not organized enough to fight this legally. We're not organized enough to help one another through the hard times.

I see how this could be abused. There are hundreds of "Bev Harris" types out there trying to get our money. How can we bring into being organizations of help without falling prey to the schemes of the dishonest and greedy?

Something came to mind. It's just a start. But, for example, I could use a tempur-pedic bed to alleviate my constant pain. I've tried other kinds, but they just don't work. Of course, tempur-pedic is horribly expensive, so I would settle for a good-quality visco-elastic bed topper and pillow. OK now, I'm not asking for the money to get this. :) In fact, I plan to ask a friend for help in this area and if he can't afford to help me, then I'll just make do with what I have. Right now, it's really hard for me to bring myself to ask for assistance. I'm saving it for when I really need it because I can see that day coming, friends. I see it coming for all of us, I'm afraid.

But suppose someone else needed something like this to alleviate pain. Instead of giving him or her money, we could donate to a fund to buy the needed device. At least we would know where the money went, correct? Or perhaps someone could donate the needed device? Or could get it at cost?

I'm just thinking and typing at the same time, hoping I'm better at that than walking and chewing gum. :shrug:

It has occurred to me that the ax is falling. We'd better find ways of defending ourselves and building a sub-society of a sort would be a good thing. I'm just not sure about the details.

Respectfully Submitted,

Your Friendly Neighborhood Ladyhawk

Love, truly is, all you need.

It will not feed the hungry. It will not provide needed items for the poor.

I don't know how to start a sub-society, but it's an interesting concept.

It's confounding how America has gotten so far from "core American values."

This country has never been perfect. We've always had our problems. But this is the first time that I can recall that our ruling majority has been on a quest to actively destroy all the progress that has preceded us. These are truly scary times in America.

Perhaps it is not too late to reverse this fatal trend, but I have my fears.

in Canada?

Is there any way you can leave the US for Canada?

Also, she smokes cigarettes and I have a really bad reaction to cigarette smoke and cigarette smoke residue.

I think I would "pine for the fjords" as it were. I am a native of California, an extremely neo-conservative / religious reich part of California, but I love the state. I would pine for the pines. And cry salt water for the oceans.

The person I knows lives in the middle of the prairie. I think I'd die for lack of mountains and oceans.

They will realize that the "tax cuts for the wealthiest of Muricans" don't bring them the numbers they need.
It is so bass akwards, retailers will start feeling the pinch real soon.
Mercedes dealers, yacht dealers, and such will have higher numbers....for awhile.
People can only buy so many of these luxury items, then things will run dry.
Retailers will probably start screaming soon.
If the middle class has no money to spend...they are up shit's creek.
Pardon my language.
Living on Spaghettios and Raman Noodles,
Digit

Once I ate nothing but Cream of Wheat for ten days.

A sub culture is what we have to build as soon as possible, even as we try to tilt with the mainstream.

I take care of a disabled partner, haven't had health care in ten years, work with the homeless in our 'hood. Peace to you. Let's see how we do.

:shrug:

Let's see if something comes of it.

as a core base to start more aggressive, proactive campaigns to get the truth out and wake the people in this country up. The corporate media, with rare truth-speaking exceptions like Sy Hersh and Keith Olbemann, are in the neocon bag, so we have to end-run them to bypass the Kool Aid propaganda.

I expect suppressive attacks on the free internet and also believe we need to act proactively to protect this last bastion of the free press and vital venue for fund-raising, information exchange, and activism. To this end, one step is to start a DU Forum, which I have been pushing and which looks like it is going to happen. I am hoping it will happen soon and will be named something like
Free Internet/ Free Press/ First Amendment Issues Forum

We need to fight, and the internet has become and will remain vital to this effort. I believe that part of the progressive society that needs to be built will be organized and maintain contact through the internet, plus active outreach to people who are not using computers this way. THIS will be the crucial community, and it had better come together soon are we are all going down the tubes.

that will be used to threaten the populace much like the terror alerts. They HAVE to restrict the net; we're the biggest threat at the moment.

I think I got here in 2002.

They will try to change the Internet. They will try to censor the Internet. They will try to stop the power of the Internet.

They will try to bring big changes to the Internet.

No doubt about it.

Will we allow them?

And though that movement to do these things is being led by the Republicans, it is also being aided by supposed Democrats. Democrats in name only.

I've been saying it for years now, and I stand by my prediction.

That being said, can we stop it? That remains to be seen.

My best guess is that it will become a commercial-only venue, but I hope and pray that I'm wrong.

I'm with you guys. They WILL go after the 'Internets' ... but first, they'll stop the filibuster in the Senate, make a few draconian decrees, start another war (after another domestic attack?), and declare martial law. THEN they will clamp down on the Internet for good. Folks better start making plans for protests, setting dates ahead of time, etc. so we can coordinate our efforts..

I'm not sure if you're making fun of me or not.

But the Internet is a very powerful force in the world today. And the big governments in the world today don't like it... including our own.

The subject line was influenced by the flash in my mind of a "Black Adder" episode (British comedy series with Rowan Atkinson).

I agree with you. I'm worried, that's all... I was raised on black comedy, and life at moment seems to be just that. :(

I think I'm going to try to sleep now, and hope I have sexy, or at least soothing dreams. :hi:

peace

:boring:

I'm planning to start a thread in GD-P that would be brainstorming on the use of the proposed new forum so that we can hit the ground running when it becomes available. Here's my recent exchange with Skinner, with links to some of the background threads where this was discussed.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=120&topic_id=30907

Would you like to be included in this? I think it's tremendously important. If you like, I can PM you and anyone else with an interest when the pre-Forum thread is started.

The internet must be the core connection of new community. It's the only way.

Edited - give the wrong thread link, sorry

and agree that we can't wait on this.

I wonder, considering the vastness of the Internet if it can be policed. The only way is to make costs prohibitive. Then we might end up back in the days of bulletin board services and if these BBS's hooked up with one another, we really might have two Internets. :)

Ever wish you were healthier so you could make a bigger difference??? (How does Andy Stephenson manage???)

I suffer from a condition which causes chronic, unremitting pain. I do have insurance, though, and as for the rest, I am blessed to be one of the members of a large, caring family. We constantly help each other in any way we can.

My husband, may God bless him, sees to my physical needs, and my three children, and my wonderful stepdaughter, have offered to do anything they can to help.

My family's solution is to widen the family, from those of us who are related by blood, or marriage, to include those who we make family because we love them. We include several gay couples as part of our extended family, and are all happier and richer in experience for it.

I wish I could help...I can only offer my prayers and positive thoughts, and the wish that we can somehow find a way to develop our own society, based on love and caring. We can and must find a way to help each other out in this selfish, uncaring society that Bush and the rightwing have created. There is too much beauty and love to let them defeat us.

As I said, I don't know how to help, but you will have my constant prayers and positive thoughts. We all need to find a way to build another America, one who cares about the most meed each other the most. My best wishes to you, from one who knows what it is like to suffer from pain from one day to the next. Truly, I wish you well, and to be

I just had an appointment with my neurosurgeon, who recommended surgery. I expected as much, but he is making it sound like there is a fairly high risk I will lose my ability to sing if I have the surgery. His assistant says otherwise. They promise to get back to me. He's never operated on a singer before.

He says there's an 80% chance of alleviating the pain. I've done the odds. I hate the pain. I hate the idea of losing something I've worked on for years.

Why can't life be easy for just a little while...please?

I live alone. Since it is a split level, the living room is available and at least one bedroom.
I use the family room and my bedroom.
I had offered it to my aunt who is disabled, but instead is living in an assisted living arrangement in Va. I gained alot of points with my dad for offering this, which is hard to come by, but I did it out of adoring my aunt as much as I do.

Grapes of Wrath!
I think of that story every time I think about what the regime is doing to this country.

That's a good question. Why aren't there? And why do religious organizations do it? Other than proselytizing, I mean. Or is that all. I think we all need to look into our hearts and try to figure it out. I'm going to. We can still make a difference in people's lives, even if we hold no governmental power.

I'm a secular person. That doesn't mean I don't care.

I have a lot to offer a sub-society, a society not born of corporate greed. I'm the artistic sort, which usually isn't too good at making money, eh? But before corporate times we had a vital role to play. That role is being cut from the fabric of our existence. Wouldn't you like to hear more live music? Wouldn't you like to explore art and nature and the written word?

Shame on the USA for losing its artistic self.

(Catholic Charities, Lutheran Social Services, Episcopal Church Services, and others) do not proselytize.

thhey're not secular, either.

and they're decent people. They don't try to convert their 'clients" to anything, they just do what the job calls for.
They're very good at taking care of the least among us, they run homeless shelters, food pantries, health care for the disabled and elderly. I think you should give them a chance, if they send someone who doesn't agree with you, you can always refuse the person.
Most of the employees who work for her company are not religious, or don't wear it on their shoulder if they are. There is a very outspoken fundie, but people don't like her very much and she loses quite a few clients.

I know they're gunning for us (the disabled and elderly) first they're going to pay off the big supporters by getting rid of the lawyers who won't do the dirty work for them.
The financial institutions banks, credit, and insurance cos, are these "peoples" bread and butter.

I don't have much hope for the future, if I'm still here connected at this time next year I'm going to be very suprised. I suppose I'm resigned to being high on the list, and now after they've taken care of the special interests they can turn the sites on people like me and you.

So, I don't know what to do, but, I see bad times coming and there's not a damn thing I can do to stop it. Like I've said before I'm pissed to the max with very little left to lose, and when I lose what little I do have, then...

...weight on those who care in the middle class, who will be next in line to falter.

Like you, I've wondered how long I'll be able to survive. I had dreams, but they seem unattainable now. All we can do is make do with what we have. I don't even have a spare fiver to help others now...sigh.

just starting to get bad and I'm afraid it's all down hill from here...the downward spiral is deep, maybe we'll find crags to hold on to, but if not hang on tight until we get to the other side. Wish I could help you with the bed...maybe some rich freepuke will donate to the faithbased referral you have and they'll steal the money and forget the bed...so hope your friend comes through.

doesn't matter if you are Jewish or not, and there is no proselytizing.

Meanwhile, I will keep you in my thoughts.