Anyone Else Feel So Depressed and Angry?

I realize that Kerry has done well in the debates but I still feel angry and saddened that 50% of the people in this country are too naive or stupid to see what's going on. They are so brainwashed that they can't see we are sliding into a fascist society. Otherwise good and decent people are so blinded by loyalty to Bush that it's like a strange cult. :grr:

This must've been what it was like living in Italy during the 1920s or in Spain during the 1930s during the fascist takeover. The media is on their side. It's a propaganda war. I jumped out of my seat cheering when Kerry used the phrase "Orwellian" last night. Right on the mark.

The only way Bush can win this election is by stealing, and if he does I hope millions will take to the streets. So far I haven't seen anyone organizing protests or marches. It might be our last chance to save our democracy.

I hope it's not a trend.

Other than that, I'm kinda cheerful.

out of me last night. And, although Kerry is on the rise ..I still feel sick about the amount of major stupidity in this Country and they're still in Power and plan on doing as much shit as possible before we get them the hell outta there!

Howard has enjoyed a relatively healthy Economy. Many people hated Clinton (as hard as that is to believe) but he beat Bob Dole who was much more palatble as a person (of course I didn't think so) by a landslide.

But then, the rift in this country has been obvious for a while. This election just blares a spotlight on it.

Perhaps if we get 4 more years of Big Business with all the sacrfices that entails for common people, maybe then people will wake up and quit acting like "Big Government" is out to get 'em and realize at least they can be a part of that.

seen the country so divided and polarized. Families and friends are becoming estranged.

It's very frightening and depressing.

And I just don't understand why. There must me some grounds for compromise, but no one seems to be able to lead in that direction. No one wants to move an inch.

Don't worry the Truth always prevails.

Is it true Truth always prevails? Isn't it also True that history is written by the victors? If so, then how would we know if the Truth is what we know of the past?

I'm wary of any Truth with a capital "T". That's what Dubya thinks he's leading with. IMHO, any absolute about truth is a form of fundamentalism.

there are many people I know who for some reason continue to support Bush despite all the evidence that he is a scumbag. It's mystifying and frustrating.
Personally, I'm looking forward to this election being over. I'm tired of worrying about it. If the majority of Americans vote the Chimp back in, I hope they're happy with what they get - they'll deserve it!

it is probably going to take something really catastrophic and terrible like the destruction of this country for people to wake up. Just like the destruction of Germany, people finally realized that Hitler led them to their ruined lives. It may have to be like that here too. I hate to say this but it's true.


John

I'm sick of the people I have to deal with. I want to move away from this nest of Kool-Aide drinking pod people.

I feel the same.

It dawned on me today why it is so depressing.
Before the country became so polarized, I rarely saw the evil intolerance of my neighbors. I've changed industries a few times in my career, but my work has always had a huge focus on my communicating ideas, such as giving presentations, teaching, and writing.

I have never felt as uncomfortable presenting an idea as I do hanging around these people in this angry time. Always a lover of spirited debate, I have no idea how to handle those who won't or can't explain their positions, only spew hate.

I wish we had not just bought a house.

Vote encourage everyone you know to vote help drive people to the polls.
Do what you can to help Kerry\Edwards.

Have Faith in the 50 plus % that knows they are a bunch of Thugs.

Cheers

is not necessarily reality. Rove, the ultimate spinmeister, is using all his media tools, including polls, to give an impression that America is populated by KoolAid drinking dolts.

It might help to look locally. Find local Dems, exchange stories. This election will be won locally, one voter at a time.

http://waltdatedworld.bravepages.com/id223.htm

http://www.suitedisney.com/id156.htm

:nopity:

read the stories here about what is happening in predominant repug terrorities. Listen to your friends and neighbors. Pay attention to what is happening around you in your community.

Too many are finding Kerry/Edwards bumper stickers and yard signs where they would only find gw*. Too many are hearing others that normally vote Republican saying they will not vote for him.

At our monthly Democratic Party meeting this morning an attendee was relating a story about seeing so many Kerry/Edwards signs in her parents neighborhood up in Michigan. A predominantly Republican area.

This afternoon I found it odd that the restaurant/bar turned on the debate from last night. This was between 1 and 2pm.

That's how am feeling about Kerry these days. The constant attacks on Kerry is an attack on my principles and core beliefs and it's really pissing me off.

I quit many jobs because I worked with really, really stupid people or had to answer to a moronic boss. Everytime I see a Bush/Cheney bumper sticker, I figure the idiot behind the wheel is a vapor brain, with no individual thought of their own.

And to think that the media manipulates the sheep, the stupid, the feeble minded and whips them into a frenzy of E over I to actually believe that George Bush is doing a great job. I never thought I had such hate in my heart for things I cannot control. I need help.

but my situation is different. I'm not a citizen, so I can't vote and that makes me feel so helpless. What's more I don't feel right about voting in the UK either, so I'm in a political limbo. I didn't really care about politics until the invasion of Iraq, and now I'm in a state of disbelief at what this administration have been able to get away with. I'm furious most days!

I'm in exactly the same position. Although I have no qualms about having my .02c when it comes to the UK GE next year, I'll be voting, by proxy and poodle boy will not have my vote. I feel like I'm watching this situation with outsiders eyes, wondering if this is what it looked like in Germany in the 1930's, hoping like hell that its not, and fighing the sick feeling in my gut that it is. I just hope that by the time my citizenship is approved, there'll still be a vote to have.

(where we both live but he can't vote) I'm holding him personally responsible. He said if Bush wins he may have to move back to France. :-)

...god help us it just might be.I was born here,grew up here,I have never seen things so bad and if Bush wins I will seriously consider moving out of the US forever.
The thing is I know Kerry is doing well and I feel some hope because of that but sometimes.....well its like with the pro Bush media.I know that the media spin hasn't worked as well as the Bush camp wants but its what it represents.One gets the feeling sometimes like a fix is in,like Bush has got the right people in key places and he could get away with damn near anything.If Bush wins or steals it the world as a whole is in serious trouble,damn it how many more wars can the man start with 4 more years at least to do it?How many more civil rights can be trampled?It just may be that the worse it gets the more blindly his supporters will follow him.

I haven't fully made up my mind about not voting in the UK, and I do despise the poodle, so I may just do it...but I believe my neck of the woods goes Conservative anyway and there's no way in hell I'd vote for them. My Dad would disown me!

I'll admit I'm unusual, but I feel like a complete alien here. At first it was just my lack of religion or being a vegetarian, aside from the accent, but now I feel like I'm surrounded by bigoted morons (morans). On top of that, (and I'm sorry if it offends anyone), but patriotism has gone too far here. I'm sick of seeing the flag on my hamburger bun bag and "God Bless America" on the inside of my egg carton.

I've had my green card since 1989 and have only recently considered becoming a citizen in order to vote, but my heart's not in it. It's bad enough being British.

How about you?

Just wondering. Some of the others on this thread have recommended activism as a good way to find likeminded friends... and I'd agree... just here in Texas I have found more D's than I ever thought existed. You do not have to be a citizen to blockwalk, phonebank, do computer data entry at the local DP headquarters, put up signs, or any one of a dozen things. There are probably more people than you think who are liberal leaning in your area and you could make some great friends.

And every time I go out and take positive action, I come home feeling better. It's the best medicine!

Although Delaware is a blue state, the further away you get from Wilmington the worse it seems...just the rural mentality I guess. My husband is active duty AF stationed at Dover AFB and we live on base, so you can imagine how lonely it is. Having said that, there are very few Bush bumper stickers to be seen, so I'm hopeful. It's a surreal atmosphere where politics is a taboo subject. I'll admit I haven't gone out of my way to seek out like-minded people in the area, and I don't think I'd be very helpful as a volunteer (too shy and a dunce with technology), but I have donated to the Kerry campaign and I wear my Kerry t-shirt as often as I can get it washed. Other than that I just curse a lot!

you can always stuff envelopes, cook, build signs, or something like that! :)

Seriously, use your internets (heh) and find a D club nearby. You'll feel better. This looks like a good place to start:
http://www.deldems.org/template/local/local.htm

Speaking as a blue girl in a red state... having likeminded friends is INVALUABLE.

If I can get up the nerve I'll contact them and ask if I can be of any help. I just need to get a bit of self-confidence!

Ask if they have any envelopes they need stuffing. That's easy-peasy. :D And only likeminded D's in the office to chat with. :)

though I've lived in the U.S. for decades--and served a 3-year term in the U.S. Army--I'm still not a citizen either. Despite paying taxes here since I was 15, I can't vote--but as other DUers advised, you can still phone-bank, canvass, do data entry etc. for either the Kerry/Edwards campaign or a progressive local candidate. Being involved and pro-active in something positive will help re-direct your emotional energies, as well as putting you in contact with more sympathetic people.

I have to concur with the suggestion that the GOP's current grip on this country is emotional rather than intellectual, and I can understand why/how it's happened; recent news articles are reporting an increase in divorce rates, and particularly in the UK, attributing these to people re-connecting via sites like Classmates.com and abandoning their spouses to hook up with old high school sweeties.
People, 9-11 messed with our heads most profoundly. If we're not divorcing due to the depression and grief being expressed above, maybe we are emotionally reverting to the state we remember from our late adolescence, returning to those companions in an effort to recapture that feeling of optimism.
Many people are struggling with un- or underemployment, suffering from long tedious expensive commutes, returning to houses they're not sure they can continue to pay for.
Fox gives their lives simplicity, and assures them that if they just cleave to President Simpleton, whose utterances seldom challenge them to recall who Orwell was, everything will be taken care of, all will be well.
They're fatigued, they're frightened, and the GOP are feeding on and encouraging that.
Rouse yourself and escape their grip!!!!!!!!!!

I have to agree with what you said about people trying to recapture the safe and happy feelings of their younger lives. I myself often feel like giving up and going home, but I know that's not the answer. I am happily married, so it wouldn't be for a former boyfriend (who would probably run screaming at how much I've aged!) My husband loves England and would live there for the rest of his life, but I know we'd have serious financial difficulties (it's bad enough here) and my daughter is too far into the American education system to uproot her.

When we moved to the States in 1998, it was a culture shock for me but the atmosphere seemed so much better then. I wasn't at all interested in politics and can remember not caring who won out of Bush & Gore. I always knew I would be a Dem if I had the opportunity to vote because my Dad was a staunch Labour man and Thatcher hater, but my USAF husband had always told me that Republicans were better for the military. Well, we all know how that turned out and he has already cast his vote for the right man!

Anyway, I may not be able to vote, but I'm raising two fine Democrats!

then perhaps we must let (or even urge) our candidates (to) play the populist card.

Time is short. And there is a whole bushel of ugliness coming our way. -- Some of it might turn out to be erosive.

But this is just my opinion... and: "Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me".

Canvassing is especially energizing. You meet people. The weather is lovely this time of year. You'll meet Kerry people. Lots of 'em.

feel is borne of frustration which is a direct result of your repression. There is a trend in this country for big business to own everything and a smaller group of people are deciding what you can see and hear.

Witness the effort to get pray into the schools and on to government property. Look at the efforts by big companies with the consent of congress to decide what you can and cannot do with the hardware and software you buy. Look at their efforts to control your use of consumables like refilling printer ink. MS is going to start charging for emails and is already charging you to use outlook or outlook express with their own hotmail.

Look at the GOPs successful efforts to stiffle debate on bills (just vote for it even though it contains things that will help companies and hurt ordinary americans, controlling the media so they report only what they want you to hear Get rid of this movie because you might see something they don't agree with. Get rid of this disc jockey because he might say something they don't agree with. But it's find to produce stuff with their lies in it and leave Rush on because Rush supports the message even though he is lying through his teeth(it's okay to attack and call into question a democrat or greenie with charts and graphs and studies to back up what they are saying, but demand no proof from the GOP who says well I just don't believe it and the guy is talking like he's from France.)

Schools are more and more controlling what kids graduate and what kids will never make it through under the guise of standardize test that in no way improve what they actually learn.

Companies are allowed to collect information about you free of charge and then charge you to see what they collected (so they in effect own it.)

Guess what? I could go on and on about how things are changing for the ones with money and power for the good and how things for ordinary citizens are changing for the worse. But that would depress me.

People in this country at some point are going to have to wake up and understand nothing is always as simple as it seems. When you dealing with people from diverse backgrounds and in large numbers you can't pass bills without debate on their cause and effect. You need more then "you can run but you can't hide" type answers from your leaders. You have to demand that they be able to explain and take responsibility for what they do in your name.

If it's not okay for them to lie about their private life then don't turn around and tell me it's okay for them to lie about life and death, hunger and disease, air and water.

believe your own eyes and ears?

It's getting increasingly hard to find a Bush supporter in the real world. I have found ONE in the past 3 weeks (yeah, he was dumb as dirt). I have seen ONE car with a Bush sign on it in the past week, and plenty of Kerry signs. The lone flag waver in my nieghborhood is displaying a Badnarik sign this year insted of the usual "Support our troops and President Bush" sign.

I think you're underestimating the anger this bunch is facing out here in the real world.

They got handed the economy on a silver platter and they threw it into the toilet. They started a terrible war they cannot finish. They were asleep at the switch (being charitable) in the months leading up to the worst terror attack on US soil in history. And they are completely out of ideas except "stay the course."

They have lost the military's support, the CIA, the FBI, and a good portion of their own party. They will not prevail.

I wish we lived where you are! Clark county has voted for every repug president since Eisenhower. Thank goodness Washington state will go for Kerry.

We all know that was no accident that that CD (if indeed it WAS found in Iraq) just made the news, when it was "found" in July. It was timed, all right, by you know who.

Same way the Swift Boat ads were carefully crafted with lies and timed to come out right after the Dem. Convention, to hurt the Kerry bounce, if possible. (they did)

That is the most corrupt group of people. And to think our country is in their hands. It's pathetic.

he said that he is "not sure about Kerry"- saying he should respect Bush* more, that Kerry didn't support the troops....he watches Fox all the time. What an asshole.

and keep our eyes on the prize. We still have the power to prevent it.

The media is on their side, and that is why we must smash the corporate media complex into a thousand pieces when we get into office.

Sadly, I think Bush can win without stealing it. They've stolen people's minds and hearts by using fear - like the Nazis did.

At this point I mostly avoid Bush supporters for my own good. I've had arguments that have gotten way out of hand. I don't need to end up in jail for punching some stupid Bushbot.

It's just too difficult for me to associate with these people while they enable the fascist takeover of our country. The Bush supporters seem to know all of the un-American/un-democratic things he has done/ is doing, yet they still support him. These people are the real threat to America.

"those who give up freedom for security deserve neither freedom or security."

I live in the middle of repug hell. But over the past month, I've noticed that fewer and fewer people flip me off or tailgate my Kerry-sticker-emblazoned car. My own dad has never voted Democrat in his life, yet he's undecided now, simply because Bush is so clearly an idiot. Many of the Bots are hiding a basic point about themselves: they don't believe in their convictions, when you get to the core of the issues.

In 2000, if you had asked me to describe my political beliefs, I would have answered "conservative Christian." I hate to admit it, but I'm partly responsible for the simian we have in the White House today. (Changing my vote wouldn't have made a whit of difference in my state, but I voted for him too, so I'm answerable.)

Something Bush commented on in 2000 should have given me pause then, but it didn't at the time. When asked about executions of criminals in Texas - which, if I'm not mistaken, leads the nation in this unhappy statistic - Bush answered "We executed them!" in his best fake Texas drawl. He seemed awfully sanguine about it.

It wasn't until 2002, two years later, that it occurred to me that in all the Gospels, Jesus is described in only one situation involving an execution (other than, of course, His own). If you don't know the story, it's in John 8:1-11. If you have a Bible, please read it and contrast Bush with this response.

This is only one example. There are many more examples of how this president does not live his faith. I chose this one because this was the tipping point issue for me.

This is the point: much of Bush's religious base knows in their collective heart of hearts that this man is not what he says he is. I left a conservative church for a much more moderate one (finding a liberal church where I live is a recreational impossibility) when it became apparent to me that I couldn't stomach this falsity any longer. I've talked with a number of people from this church since then. As the months have passed, and I've been asked why I don't want to go back, I've seen the response my answer gives. At first it was the patient look of the faithful with an errant friend. Now it's much more haunted. My answer has become an echo of what I know these people hear in their own souls. They're irrational because they're afraid, and their leader feeds that fear. It's addictive, too. When I got out, it was a shock to me how much more worthwhile my life seemed to become, simply because I had banished the fearmongers from my mental and emotional space.

We are in a political war with more than just fascists. We also battle the same Pharisees and Sadducees that were extant in the Jerusalem of Jesus' time. A very apt comparison can be drawn between the Roman/Pharasaic power axis of 30 A.D. Jerusalem and the corporate/evangelical power axis of 2004 America. I won't go into all the particulars, but if you look at their respective spheres of influence, their mutual love of money, and their pushes for control over their repsective spheres, you should see the parallels. No wonder these folks think Armageddon is near. But it's my belief that wisdom is on the side that opposes them.

Last point - I promise! My post examines the Christian viewpoint for one reason: this is where my knowledge is. I wish people would be more open in this forum on their faiths and the effects these have on their values and ethical judgments. We can work together far more effectively if we all understand one another more fully.

Mac in Ga

I admire your faith and your Christian viewpoint even though I do not share them. And I think that your analysis and conclusions are valid independently of your religious viewpoint. Your post deserves wider publication than just as a response within a thread on DU.

Very interesting, well-expressed, and different.

I think some religous people have a misconception about Democrats hating religion. That is not true. Most Dems are secularists - which means we respect all religons and the freedom of religon *while also* respecting the wall between church and state. We understand the need to protect religion from government and government from religion.

What Dems deeply dislike are the fundamentalists who advocate religious control of government, fundamentalists who judge and sometimes commit violence against whole groups of people in the name of their God. Democrats don't believe in oppression, and dislike when religion is misused as a tool of oppression, as it has been for much of human history. We see the value of religion when it is practiced in the private sphere and is used to uplift, not oppress or control. Although I do not, most secularists believe in God and many are religous.

I'm a reformed fundamentalist Christian. Grew up in a Nazarene church (which is about three notches right of S. Babtist). I now go on and off to a Unitarian church, which is a church that is extremely liberal and does have room for Christians and in fact folks of all faiths, although I tend to believe Unitarians are disheartened Christians. It is in fact, people like Bush who destroyed my Christian faith (not to mention the idiots who told me I either had to pick science or religion when I discovered that Adam and Eve was a myth). Here in Houston, where I live, I can tell you there are plenty of progressive communities, you just gotta find one.

I am afraid that the election may be stolen from the electorate once again, but I heard a rumor (sorry, can't cite a source) that voter registration among young people has increased over 200%. I suppose some may intend to vote for Bush, but I suspect and hope that this trend is an indication that the polling data is misleading ... that the VOTERS will put this election out of reach of Jeb & Cronies, Inc. of Florida.:D

than it was in the 60's and 70's. I lay the blame on the "kick your ass" culture and the Bush cartel which, along with corporate media, has
convinced a large part of the country that those who disagree with the current president are personally threatening their security and dishonoring the country. People don't understand how close to fascism this govt is becoming. Right here in Corvallis, OR we had a Bush supporter rip up a Kerry sign and throw it at the person's house it was at. "Little things" like this I see repeated in other ways where deep seated anger and violence has taken over discussion and civility. I'm sure all of you have seen someone get yelled at for wearing a Kerry button or having a bumper sticker on their car. Bush has deliberately
associated dissent with being a traitor (e.g. "emboldening the enemy, etc.)-I don't think you need to be a history scholar to see where that attitude leads. Don't believe that it can't happen here. If you love your country you must fight for it-and the front lines are closer than you think.

And WELCOME TO DU! :toast:

The intraveneous drip of overt hatred that has impaled the arm of Amerikka's body politic since Nixon has taken a severe toll...

I experienced the "peace, were all in this together" thing as a young adult in Manhattan. The country was indeed polarized. Experiencing the polarization vicariously, having long since been out of the country, I believe these times are so much worse. America's citizens are angry to irrational and HEAVILY ARMED.

Every day in my practice to visualize peace, I get caught up in a BIG SCREEN, 3-D TECHNICOLOR, SURROUND-SOUND PICTURE OF A TRAIN-WRECK. I guess I have to try harder...

It doesn't happen over night. Some of us are feeling depressed and angry about what has happened. But some of us have been here for thirty years. This has been a long long time in the making. I wondered just where everybody was. And then along came the internet, and I searched and searched in vain. Then suddenly there were political forums. Phew. What a relief, for me. For us. But the damage is done.
I have noticed that people in other countries are a lot less anxious to buy the crap, or drink the cool aid, as Americans. And as Australians, also, it appears. My honest opinion is that it has a lot to do with comfort. So many people in Afghanistan were up in arms over the latest voting uncertainties there. Yet, half of America doesn't even vote. We are so comfortable that there appears to be no need to worry, or pay attention, or think about politics. This is just my opinion. But when people have to struggle through life, they are a lot more attentive to violations of their lives. What America needs is a big dose of discomfort. Another Great Depression. A war, even. On OUR soil. To see blood. Then, maybe then, people will come back to reality, and their senses. But as it stands, I have witnessed a land of walking dead. Well dressed, power wielding, dead. That is what I saw, starting in Reagan's term. At this point in time, I could almost care less. I've spent a fair percentage of my life in the state that many are finding themselves in now. And quite frankly, I'm ready to get on with it. But I know that it's a never ending struggle, to keep Democracy democratic. I'm glad we all have a voice now. Thank god for the internet.

This situation has not occurred over night. I, too, have seen people become more concerned about their creature comforts and less questioning about what's going on. In my small corner of the world I have been a union member working for a large corporation for 30 years and saw changes of fellow workers during that time that I think reflect
what has happened. We've gone from "standing up for what's right " or "sticking together against corporate power" to " I'm just lucky to have a job so I'll just keep my mouth shut" or "everyone else is out for themselves so why not me?". Anyone who has worked for a large corporation has got to see the merging of govt and corporate strategy.
See my "Mussolini" tag.

is part of the PNAC-divide and conquer.

the more we hate and mock them the worse it gets. the only way to stay above that crap is with compassion for the unenlightened. this is our nation and our administration is killing innocent people in our name. if we fight one another it takes the attention off the horrific actions of the dictator and his administration. thank god for the internet from me as well.

Four years ago I sold all my possessions and my house on an acre of land to move 1/2 way across the country to get a masters in Peace & Justice Studies. Four days after I arrived in my new hometown was Sept. 11, 2001.

Talk about despondent! What a crappy time to go into peace studies! What a crappy time to move from a blue state to a red state! But I knew what the country was in for immediately, having experienced marshal law at Dubya's inauguration earlier that year.

I keep from sinking too far into cynicism and despair by trying to keep it all in historical perspective. Every turn of the century in US history has been a time of conservatism and conquest. For instance: around 1800: we displaced/killed millions of American Indians by taking their lands and forcing their conversions to Christianity. Around 1900 the robber barons ruled industry and Teddy Roosevelt had us annex part of Mexico for his "splendid little war." And of course, we all know what happened in 2000 as Dubya swept conservatism into the White House, and then in 2003 when we "annexed" Iraq for its oil.

The point is, throughout all these attempts by the right to squash the rights of the people (and peoples), resistance has always been right beneath the surface--and in fact, muffled by the media.

In the 1800's, Native Americans fought back, and kept practicing their spiritual traditions in secret, and in spite of the Christianity that was being forced down their throats.

At the turn of the last century, labor, health, racial, and women's movements fought for fair working conditions, public health, public education, and equal voting access across race and gender lines.

And now, there's DU and Code Pink and United For Peace And Justice, Not In Our Name, Democracy Now! and everyone else working for a better world during these trying times. So take heart--you are not alone and the movement left is gaining acceptance and strength. I believe history will bear this out.

Americans, on average, are too lazy to do a little research when it comes to political candidates. Instead, they believe in the things the candidates say in tv ads and at the debates. They also believe what the media says and don't realize most of the media is owned by republicans.

It's a shame and it makes me depressed also. :(

I just finally saw F911. That sums it up for me. Get them scared enough and then brainwash them. That's the ticket. Then they don't notice everything else their doing. Scared blind.

I grew up in Europe, moved around a few countries. Laziness is not only an American feature. It's a human feature. Most people are lazy and dumb. It's a normal distribution, so most people are in the middle... Mediocre... Way stupider than the average DUer...

I spent the day at a campaign rally where we had John Glenn speak then John Kerry. After that I went out canvasing undecided voters.
When I was done, there was only two voters out of the 30 that I hit, that are still un-decided. Those two things will excite you.
CNN, FAUX, ABC and all the whores don't have a clue.
There were 20,000 people at that rally and I just counted 28 votes that were Kerry was not counting on before.

If you are depressed and worried, get out and do something!
I guarantee you that if you go to the local campaign office, they will not turn you away (unless you are a total creep).
They are practically begging people to help!
I even ended up volunteering to be precinct captain before the day was up.
YES, I had better be excited!
The media whores will not bother me for the next 3 weeks.

But not as much as when I was part of the 10% who DID NOT support bush post 9-11 01.

How could 90% of the population be so damned stupid??

As much as I hate the thought -- this nation has got to go through some sort of cleansing -- similar to the Truth and Reconciliation. Bush and all the bad guys have got to do some serious jail time. We are seeing the criminals from the Reagan/bush years recycled in the bush 2 administration. If these guys don't pay for their crimes -- then they will come back to haunt us yet again.

For gods sake if what Martha Stewart did was so horrible that she is raped by the government on her way to jail -- then the bush gang deserves the same treatment and then throw away the keys.

I keep hoping that people will wake up and see that the whole bush gang is evil and that every minute they are in power we and the whole world are in danger.

I don't see a shift of the population to respect for education and learning and intelligence.

Kerry did a great job of dumbing down is language -- and don't you think that that shows great intelligence to be able to speak different "englishese"? He certainly was able to communicate with his crew in Vietnam and while he was in the Navy. One talking head complained that Kerry used Orwellian -- when speaking of the way this bush administration says the reverse of the truth. (bush gang says: The Iraqi war is going great. Truth- situation is dangerous and falling apart day by day. Or the "Clean Air Initiative" or "Healthy Forests") What is wrong with making the people of American think -- and why can't the media help EDUCATE the public???

I've traveled Internationally -- and there is great respect for people from the US with college degrees. However -- in the US as a general rule I don't mention the fact that I have a college degree and I have to constantly dumb down what I say.

Reagan began this dumb down process -- and it is continued by the right wing talk show nuts.

Thank god for the few brave Liberal talk show hosts -- and for Air America Radio.

How can anyone even think that bush won last night's debate??? Can't people believe their own ears and eyes? bush was barely under control -- much of what he said made no sense. He isn't living in reality.

So I go through ups and downs -- but I will never get over the fact that 90% of the people of this nation were suckered by bush -- post 9-11 04 -- that fact will always depress me.

The day before the debate, it come out that SH ridded his country of WMD in 1991-92.

The day of the debate, the jobs report comes out, and it's a train wreck.

So, in other words, if Kerry was the president while this was all occurring, there would be calls for impeachment. As it stands, Bush is slammed in the debate, and the media falls over each other praising him.

People, wake up, this is NOT America anymore...

if kerry is elected great, if not dont worry. its not our fault. its not on our shoulders. america will get a nice lesson. and then the age of conservatism will be dead.

and have the vaguest idea what is Orwellian....all is not lost. I know he is still required reading in OUR school district.

but I got over it. Once you accept the probable you can get on with your life. Think of the stages of grief. Depression is a stage that comes after anger and denial. I've always expected a Bush win and I still do. I actually thought he'd be further ahead than he is at this point. If Kerry wins I'm pleasantly surprised. If he doesn't, I've already learned to live with the fact. You just have to internalize the fact that you're living in bizarro world and there's nothing you can do about it.

OK ,I know you will always have the extreme right wingnuts ,however I know some moderate or at least past moderates that say they are voting for bush ,cause they bought into the whole Kerry a flip flopper B/S ! How can they still support bush after seeing him in the debates. I have a feeling alot of moderate and even repugs are sick of bush lies and may pretend to like him ,however they know he is an idiot and are going to vote for Kerry.

Please go buy or borrow George Lakoff's book "Don't think of an Elephant." It will help you understand why people vote conservative. Lakoff is a cognitive linguist who posits the "strict father" and "nurturant parent" ideological frames of thinking which explains where both left and right are coming from.

Here's a snip:

"The vehemence of the culture war provoked and maintained by conservatives is no accident. For strict father morality to gain and maintain political power, disunity is required. ... This has been achieved through the recognition that many working people and evangelical Protestants have a strict father morality in their families and/or religious lives. Conservative intellectals have realized that these are the same values that drive political conservatism. They have also realized that people vote their values and their identities more than their economic self-interests. What they have done is to create, via framing anad language, a link between strict father morality in the family and religion on the one hand and conservative politics on the other. This conceptual link must be so emotionally strong that it can overcome economic self-interest." (87)

Do not be depressed about the state of this country be angry and energized. Go out and vote and get others to also vote. I live in Florida in an area that is staunchly Republican yet the bumper stickers and lawn signs for Bush that were everywhere in 2000 are rare this time around. The media lean right but they also want a race. Pay no attention to all the bull.

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

Oh, please, don't give into depression or fear. That is what they want. We can win. Picture Kerry and Theresa waltzing at the inauguration ball, along with Edwards and Elizabeth. See them all in the White House, things coming back to reality and to what our forefathers planned for this country. Don't listen to polls,get out the right voters.
Watching debates and other shows, I find myself wondering just what people truly want for our country. For myself, I want to have the confidence that we are a great country, that we can succeed in our daily lives have independence and confidence that we are not going to have the floor pulled out from under us like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. I want my children, grandchildren to have an education and opportunity, no matter who they are. I want the rest of the world to be able to get to the place where they have their basic needs answered. Because until that is done, nobody will rise to their human potential. I want our values to be about our families, our inner growth, our support of individuality and our understanding that God is the example, who doesn't reward or punish. It is only us, the human race that is responsible for what will happen. I want our country to be run by the people,and for the people, not by corporation and stockholder payments. I want people to remember we are all one, all connected and that what I do for and to the other I do to myself. I know it's a big WANT, but we mus all begin to know what we want, not what we don't want. When we don't want, we are ruled by fear. Juicy Crone Sometimes known as Princess Pollyanna
but it has worked for 70 years and I expect to continue for lots more.

about a third of Murkans have been brainwashed by a cult.

They need to be deprogrammed.

There is one far right wing idiot at my work, there could be more but she is the only verbal one. She is constantly quoting Rush and Drudge, I used to get pissed, I have confronted her in the past and she does not talk politics with me because I can respond to her point by point with facts I have learned from here at DU, internet research, and Randi, but you know what, she is so off the wall that she is doing a better job of turning the average person to Kerry's side with her rambling blatant raft of shit than I could ever do. I see the eye rolls and people stampeding out of the break room after her rants. In Hillsborough, county alone there were 13,000 new registrations on the last day. If people were satisfied with the status quo why would they be registering? We are going to win, talk to friends, if there is time to register people in your area yet do it, direct them to websites to register and tell them to Vote. If everyone that was registered voted, it wouldn't even be close. We are going to win, and Kerry's team is not going to allow what happened in FL last time, happen again. Kerry in a landslide!

Personally, I think these people are pre-disposed to vote Republican, but given Bush's track record, they can't really give you a great argument to support him, unless you pigeonhole the entire election on the abortion issue. Then, you get a virtual "pure" Republican support base and they hang their hat on that issue.

These same people will decry abortion as murder, but say nothing about the tens of thousands of deaths caused by Bush's wars based on lies, his support of capital punishment and his cavalier attitude on accessibility to health care, which can become a life-or-death issue for many if trends continue.

If Bush does steal the election, I will take to the streets,too - however, I am hoping for a fair election, which I am confident Kerry will win. Why? Because everywhere I normally expect to find Bush supporters, I find Kerry supporters instead.

Here's a joke that posted recently on a discussion forum for veterinarians - a group commonly assumed to be conservative(apologies if you've already read it - it's new to me):


One sunny day in 2005 an old man approached the White House from across Pennsylvania Avenue, where he'd been sitting on a park bench. He spoke to the U. S. Marine standing guard and said, "I would like to go in and meet with President Bush."

The Marine looked at the man and said, "Sir, Mr. Bush is no longer
president and no longer resides here."

The old man said, "Okay" and walked away.

The following day, the same man approached the White House and said to the same Marine, "I would like to go in and meet with President Bush."

The Marine again told the man, "Sir, as I said yesterday, Mr. Bush is no longer president and no longer resides here." The man thanked him and, again, just walked away.

The third day, the same man approached the White House and spoke to the very same U. S. Marine, saying "I would like to go in and meet with President Bush."

The Marine, understandably agitated at this point, looked at the man and said, "Sir, this is the third day in a row you have been here asking to speak to Mr. Bush. I've told you already that Mr. Bush is no longer the president and no longer resides here. Don't you understand?"

The old man looked at the Marine and said, "Oh, I understand. I just
love hearing it."

The Marine snapped to attention, saluted, and said, "See you tomorrow."