How far to the right can this country go and not fall off into a political abyss?

The march to the right has been going on for decades. When and how does it end? What if it doesn't?

The most recent major shift was under Newt's stint as Speaker. We have yet to recover, and instead we're stumbling ever faster, lurching and bouncing ever rightward.

...and are on our way down.

And I'm not sure we'll like hitting the bottom of the abyss...

Not one bit farther is my thought. Obama calls himself a "centrist" and we can neither escape the Great Recession, or the War on Terror or Drugs, or "free" trade, all of which are going to bankrupt the country in less than 10 years. The way out of the burning building is a quick, hard LEFT turn. Anything else and the USA will not survive as a world power. Maybe we end up like Portugal, or Italy post empires.

I think Obama and the Democrats have made a small beginning, but thy can only move left as far as the people who vote want them.

Since only about 39% of American's vote reliably (Presidential elections are unusually high) politicians are beholden only to the Americans that vote for them.

Once in, the highly polarized government spends more time growling at each over their toast than doing something. What they do is generally very watered down.

There was a fork in the road. America made the wrong turn. (Or rather the SCOTUS did. Whichever way you choose to look at it). This was the final straw. I don't believe it can be reversed.

I'd love to be wrong, but at the moment, I'm not seeing anything that is knocking my socks off that change is really beginning.

Ike (small and gentle change)

Nixon (failed attempt)

Reagan

Gingrich

Still waiting for the next *big* lurch.

would not see that as a bad thing. We are not the good guy anymore - if we ever were.

Let us back-up a bit and become simply a member of the world community. What would be wrong with that?

Only here and on the right wing news joints do I read all this 'down with Obama' shit that is so prevalent here. I don't think it's anywhere as bad as some here make it out to be. Most of us out here in the real world are relieved that we have a smart articulate President and I don't for the life of me see how the right can make any gains at all this next two elections. Most of us knows it is going to take some time to change the tone in washington and to undo all the shit that's been done all the way back to the nixionian time. We'll be fine as long as we get up off our duffs and vote.

And we are having a devil of a time trying to climb back out.

we are there.

Since then, it's been abyss city.

Telecommunications Act of 1996
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 is the first major overhaul of telecommunications law in almost 62 years. The goal of this new law is to let anyone enter any communications business -- to let any communications business compete in any market against any other.

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 has the potential to change the way we work, live and learn. It will affect telephone service -- local and long distance, cable programming and other video services, broadcast services and services provided to schools.

The Federal Communications Commission has a tremendous role to play in creating fair rules for this new era of competition. At this Internet site, we will provide information about the FCC's role in implementing this new law, how you can get involved and how these changes might impact you.

This page will include information listing the proceedings the FCC will complete to open up local phone markets, increase competition in long distance and other steps. You will find copies of news releases summarizing action, announcements of meetings where these items will be discussed, and charts describing the work ahead of us and where (within the FCC) and when it will be completed. Please note: some of the links on this page lead to resources outside the FCC. The presence of these links should not be taken as an endorsement by the FCC of these sites or their content.

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a chance to turn things around and move in a new direction. I am not so sure now. I don't think any democrat could have changed anything given the way of the party of "no".

That being said, I think that we slowed the move towards the abyss and have just postponed the inevitable.

Only time will tell.

Democrats, liberals, independents and even sane Republicans(all six of them)need to IMMEDIATELY respond to the unAmerican, racist, elitist sewage spewing from wingnut radio and Teabagger politicians.

These assholes do NOT deserve "equal time". They do not deserve respect or the benefit of the doubt.

They should---figuratively speaking, of course---have the ever-lovin' shit kicked out of them by every decent person they encounter until they get the message that what they are preaching is not what America is about.

When nearly every 500 person Teabagger rally draws 1000 smiling sign-toting peaceful counter-protesters, the Teabaggers will wilt away.

When Glen Beck's sponsors acually have to PAY for promoting his hate-speech, he'll slink away to count his money.

When the MSM hire actual JOURNALISTS to give us an accurate and even-handed account of what the hell is going on, maybe the outrage will grow into the irresistible force it should already be.

If it DOESN'T end?

Those of us who can cut it will survive to sabotage the sons-o'-bitches in every possible way. Most will simply surrender to totalitarianism in exchange for cheap beer and reality TV.