Life as we know it is gone….Really?

[BuckIGirl]

How free are we to choose what and how we as Americans do things in our lives? Can we in fact overcome what the government and the corporate world has done to so many Americans?

Life used to be simple. Go to work, come home, do it again the next 4 days and then have the weekend to do whatever was needed to be done. Now with the influx of corporate shenanigans and governmental controls it has made the life that we knew hard and complex.

The American worker must watch the jobs that once were abundant in their communities vanish. Whether it be to oversees or to the rising costs of competitiveness in the market place. These companies should be ashamed of themselves. Yes capitalism is and has always been the American way but what happened to corporate responsibility. How can the decision-makers look at themselves in the mirror? I image that the millions can justify that but what do they see.

Millions out of work and the twits in Washington do not understand that agony. It is very hard for folks to keep faith in a government that lies to them. Both Democrats and Republicans alike have made it Washington DC about money and power. It has been taken away from the people. You can not even drive down Pennsylvania Ave. It is sad when the American taxpayer can not enjoy the beauty and sanctity of what once was a district of change and hope. A district built on the blood, sweat and tears of the American worker. A district of the people, for the people, and by the people.

At a very young age I was exposed to the glory of the area. I remember traveling to Washington DC to watch a parade for the Unknown Solider. I was awestruck. Now, well things have changed. Places that once were free and open are barricaded and now there are air defense cannons on the mall. What kind of message is that sending? Yes there is a need of Homeland security but do the politicians actually think that the images of major weaponry and barricades provide security. It is frightening. What is more frightening then that is that the leader of our country has such a fear of the American public that he runs home to Crawford every time there is something important enough for people to gather and voice an opinion about.

So what becomes of the American? We are arrogant and rude. We are fat and greedy. We are conservative and narrow-minded. What indeed is our fate?

I believe that in the idea of those who do not learn from history are bound to repeat it. What is going to happen next? I guess we will see.

[Divernan]

1. The war against the forces of evil is never over.

Whether you're talkiing about the big picture, or individual issues, the forces of greed and self-interest are never totally defeated. You can beat them down at a given point in time, and win a battle, but they will always spring back up like crab grass. I've learned to treasure the victories but to remain vigilant for the next attack. Legislation can always be reversed. Court precedents can always be overturned. On the other hand, when groups I've worked with have been defeated, I remind them that it is the norm that it takes many legislative sessions to get a bill enacted, and that we're in it for the long haul.

Unless and until GWB, his GOP House and Senate and his conservative dominated Supreme Court manage to rip our Constitution and Bill of Rights from our cold, dead hands, there is hope and the potential for this country and this society to reach new heights and to achieve the quality of life envisioned by our founding patriots.

[zbird]

2. Welcome to DU, BuckIGirl. Well stated.

I wish I knew the answer too.

[newyawker99]

3. Hi BuckIGirl!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[VolcanoJen]

4. Hi, fellow Buckeye!

Great to have you aboard!

Be sure to visit the DU Ohio Forum... get involved, we could use more bright minds to fight for our battleground state!

DU State Forums - Ohio

[Robbien]

5. You beautifully describe what I have reluctantly come to believe

Today we are a little more free than we will be tomorrow. And tomorrow we will be a little more free than we will be the day after tomorrow.

That trend is going to continue for a while to come. And it is disheartening. Since the control of the media has been slowly taken over by the corporates, it is hard to get the word out to the general public about what is happening to our country. There are just not enough people who are aware of the corporate take-over of our country and its assets.

[JDPriestly]

6. What has caused the change?

Is it globalism? I don't mean just free trade, but also easy travel. Is it that we have become too big and too separate from each other? Or is it conflicts about values? Some combination? What do you think?

[madfloridian]

8. Corporate access to politicians.

We are a corporate nation for sure. The things that happen now benefit corporations, not the people themselves. You may have noticed that our politicians don't listen to us now. Maybe a little now and then, but overall...no.

[Hoping4Change]

11. I think that the anti-intellectualism that has always been part of

America has hit full stride for a number of reasons. People, thanks to the media and popular culture feel proud that they're ignorant evidenced by the popularity of such movies like Forrest Gump and by the utter ignorance of general affairs revealed during Jay Leno's Jaywalking segments.

Although Cosby was exceedingly blunt, this is what IMO he was alluding to when he slammed black youth for regarding book learning as selling out and being white. But his comments could be equally applied to white kids who may outperform in school but lack intellectual curiosity and general knowledge.

The Pulitzer Prize winning historian Richard Hofstadter documented anti-intellectualism in America in his book titled Anti-intellectualism in America.

[NJCher]

7. home phony-baloney home

What is more frightening then that is that the leader of our country has such a fear of the American public that he runs home to Crawford every time there is something important enough for people to gather and voice an opinion about.


The pathetic thing is that it's not even "home." It's a made-up home, a fantasy "home" that his handlers invented for him, a la' Reagan Ranch.

What does it say about our country that we have a "president" who has a phony house designed to appeal to certain segments of the population?

So we have a phony, fake president going to his fake home to escape REAL opinion and dissent?


Cher

[TeqBert]

9. The People must stand together

I agree that it is very sad to see what is happening to the American worker. As a boy my dad was a member of the printer's union. I remember how he grew a beard in protest of a fellow member being fired for facial hair (that was in the late 60s). Today as a school teacher the first thing that I did was seek out the union. Through a union the worker can have a chance to level out the playing field. During the Enron blood letting, I was at a union function where I met someone from Houston. Before the blood letting at Enron, his friends were ripping the union. However, when the blood began to flow they were all interested about the union.

[jgardner]

10. American Values?

I keep hearing soundbites from both sides that include the words "American values". Of course every voter wants to uphold them while opposing any person who threatens them, but I KNOW that Georgie's definition of those values would be vastly different than mine. Will we, as a country, ever hold a unified vision? Probably (sadly) never again. I'd like to think that ANYone, when asked, would describe a "good" person as someone who is open-minded, helps those less fortunate, is able to see both sides, and is accepting of different races, religions, etc. But point out that those are Democratic or (gasp) liberal ideals, and half of the country would cover their ears and start humming. I, like you, am shaking my head and wondering what happened to the country I was taught about it high school civics class. I really hope we're at a turning point, but only time will tell.

Thank you for your post, and welcome to DU!

[theantisheep1]

12. Life as we "knew" it ...never really existed

The machinations of those who NOW rule have required the intense nurturing of several consecutive administrations, the willful blessings of the masses obtained through indifference, or worse, the malevolent distortion of reality by these same purveyors of fear who have assumed the mantel of power, (the government, with the help of "media," and the church), seemingly soul-less imperialists who hold a simple goal, keeping the incredible power and wealth they have amassed in perpetuity at the expense of those they pretend to protect. This mass-manufacturing and subsequential distribution of fear has replaced human instinct with paranoia, a screaming infant within the brain that would rather suckle from the quieting teat of nationalistic fervor, or worse still, religious zealotry, than from the loving breast of informed, (or deductive), reasoning. Satiating an all-consuming and ravenous appetite to rationalize a faux perception of self-worth and validation, (images also distorted by our society), through some bizarre form of osmosis. A feeding frenzy of hysteria, that to me, resembles a perverse orgy of the un-informed "fundamentalist mindset," that seems prevalent among those who find the "lowest common denominator crowd", preferable to the seemingly unreachable "intellectuals." Strangely enough, this exact type of person, under a different dynamic, may board a school bus wearing a belt of explosives with the sole intent of shedding blood of innocents. The alleged perks conveyed to the doomed patsy, prior to the horrific deed, include promises that, (upon the completion of the "mission"), can never be realized by said individual, a restoration of an ill-perceived illusion of one's "honor," a perception of right and wrong as mangled as the corpses left in it's wake. This particular diet is rich with the sweetness of ignorance, leaving those who compulsively consume it to be obese with an unfounded self-righteousness. This "model" of bait and switch government ultimately requires the re-tooling and constant adjustment of the PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE. Thusly molding the designed intent of free will, (the "starter-kit" of inalienable rights, granted by GOD himself), into an illusion. Transforming this same inalienable right into something that the perceived majority regularly tries to cow the true majority into NEVER USING, just ask Christ. This particular brand of bullshit has had "fine retailers near you" since THE BEGINNING. The mob rules.

[Hoping4Change]

13. Very interesting post. It reminds me of Moyers interview the other day

with George Lakoff who wrote Moral Politics. Lakoff talked about the use (misuse) of the phrase "war on terrorism", saying that it creates continual paranoia. Furthermore since fighting terrorists is unending this means the president always is a war president with the additional power that confers. But what makes Lakoff so interesting and why your post reminds me of his point of view is that Repukes have been for the last thirty years carefully studying and crafting words. For instance 35 years ago no one wanted the label "conservative", however they have through much concerted and consious effort redeemed the word and by deliberate plan "liberal" is now a loathesome term. Repukes he said have invested huge sums in think tanks studying language and how it should be used to best effect, knowing which words trigger specific emotions that can then be manipulated. These thinks tanks have put repukes light years ahead of democrats.


BTW Great to have you here. Welcome.:hi:

[indigobusiness]

14. We are our own reward....sadly.

Great post BuckIGirl. Welcome to DU.

Keep up the good work. I like the way you think.

[mongo]

15. Welcome to DU BuckIGirl!

Keep the faith! The people of the United States are starting to take notice. I think we can all get ready for 12 years of Democratic leadership.

[FattyMcCraigs]

16. it's simple really

You express your extreme dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs, yet bemoan the fate of what you see as the 'golden age' which in truth is the major cause for the way things are right now.

Life used to be simple. Go to work, come home, do it again the next 4 days and then have the weekend to do whatever was needed to be done.

Complacency. Perhaps between slogging through the work week and gulping down beers on the weekend the American people should have found the time to ask a few questions of their government.