Thank you all, but I've had it...

[Javaman]

I believe I'm honestly through with politics or anything to do with our political system.

I remember once years ago, when I was a little kid and I asked my dad who he was voting for. He said, "Son, it doesn't make a difference any more".

It was just after nixon was reelected. I was little and optimistic. Even at that age I thought, my dad looked beaten. I changed that day. I began to read the papers and follow things in washington, voted in mock elections in school, read and kept up to date on the candidates, wrote to my congressman when I thought something was wrong or when they did a good job. I felt involved.

I had hopes for this country. Although, I was only 4 months old when Kennedy was assassinated, I read much about his life and what could have been.

I valued the day I was able to legally vote in my first election. I thought my voted really mattered.

As an adult, I was delighted when Clinton was elected. I felt that hope that I had felt when reading about Kennedy. I believed in the system. We had a productive country again based on forward thought and making a free and equal society.

Then came his second term. I never felt Clinton's personal life should have been an issue, but what appalled me, was the viscous attacks by the republicans. I have seen partisan attacks before, but this was something altogether different.

This was an organized full frontal assault. So, while Clinton should have been running the country, he was swamped in media made controversy.

Looking back, it was all manufactured to set the stage for what we have today.

One by one the republicans knocked down our Democratic domino's. Peeling away our skin and letting the sun back our hides.

After Clinton and the bizarre investigations, came the thrown election of 2000. I protested, wrote letters, complained to my congressman, but for what? Nothing was done or investigated. Gore gave a half hearted try, but rolled over and let the republicans have their way. He tried to rise above, but that concept of not lowering yourself to their level was his undoing. It was then, that the republicans had shown themselves for who they are; people who have no problem with sinking as low as they can to get the result they want.
Whine, cheat and steal. Nothing is beneath them.

So like the rest of America, I suffered through the last 4 years, waiting for the 2004 election. Fully confident that the people of this great nation would finally have seen our appointed president for who he is, a thief.

Alas, it was not to happen, because for the last for years, the republicans have been sowing fear and feigned morals into every corner of the nation.
They know they can't win with the truth, so they have to constantly keep the nations collective eye off the ball.
Just when things would start to come into focus, they would knock us off balance.

So now four years later, he has been reappointed through another sham election. Knowing full well that he could never get reelected with his record.

There was a period of time in this country in the 1830's-40's when all a president elect had to be was a hero from the Indian wars. The vice prez or the secretary of state actually ran things. Here we are again. We don't vote for a prez, the spin masters shove an image down our throats, whether we like the person or not.

With the sham hearings of abu gonzalez and the soon to be prime timed hearings of condi, I haven't had an original thought ever, rice coming soon, I know it will just be another exercise in futility for the democratic party.

Today, I hit the wall. After the "protest" by Boxer. And how * was breezily approved into another term. I just saw the Democratic party for what it is, a paper tiger.

Until people are willing to put their jobs on the line and actually do what they are supposed to do, take a stand for the betterment of this country, we are just going to see more of the same, until all we have is a one party rule.

I'm so depressed about this whole mess. It has just sucked the life out of me and my interest in politics.

Thank you for listening. For the rest of you, fight the good fight. I've had it.

The Democratic Underground is such a wonderful site and forum. Please keep up the good work. You are a voice in a ocean of stupidity.

I believe this will be my last post.

[Fiona]

1. If every democrat

in the House and Senate stood up today, the result would've been exactly the same.

[tuvor]

4. The symbolism would not have been the same.

[Fiona]

8. So what?

symbolism doesn't really mean anything.

Did people here REALLY believe that the congress was going to install John Kerry today? I don't understand all the "I'm leaving" stuff I've seen here.

[tuvor]

21. That's the same attitude that says my choice is someone who can't win

so why bother voting?

Or can you point out the difference that I'm obviously missing?

Besides, aren't these people supposed to represent you guys?



P.S. Do you really believe symbolism means nothing?

[Redneck Socialist]

13. Wouldn't you prefer

that our leaders make at least a pretense of opposing bush? If the Democrats unanimously said we do not accept what happened in Ohio it would have sent an immensely powerful message that the party was united and was willing to challenge the bush machine.

Saying only that the system is broken but we are going to accept the results of that system with only a token protest is hugely demoralizing, at least to me anyway.

No one, well at least no one I know, expected the election to be overturned. What we had hoped for was a powerful symbolic show of resolve by the Democratic leadership. That didn't happen and many of us are disillusioned right now.

[Fiona]

14. But two days ago, we didn't even have ONE

senator. Was it realistic to expect we'd end up with 45?

[Redneck Socialist]

17. And that is exactly the problem.

Speaking only for myself here, I feel the Democratic leadership abandoned its post four years ago when bush was first selected. I was so disillusioned that I didn't even expect one senator to stand up. When Boxer took her courageous stand my optimism was rekindled, perhaps overly so. Her courage was unfortunately not matched by her colleagues today.

I'm tired of being let down.

Is it too much to ask to expect my so called leaders to at the very least make a symbolic gesture of opposition to the regime that is destroying this country? It would have cost them nothing to back up their rhetoric with a symbolic but meaningful vote and they couldn't even muster the courage to do that.

[Mr_Spock]

2. Take some time off - we all do from time to time

You'll be back :D

[Deja Q]

3. We, ultimately, are a one party rule. Ruled by $. Also,

if we all quit our jobs, where do we go? Where do we sleep? Where do we eat? People are selfishly clinigng on to whatever hell job they have because there's nothing out there.

Let's face it, friend. Our society is dead. People just want to live as long as they can before change is thrust upon them. And once that happens to a large degree, then your guess is as good as mine.

[Goldeneye]

5. Don't quit yet.

I know you've put in a lot of time. Try to make it to 2008. Take a break if you need one. But come back. We need everyone to get things done. I know there are some who are discouraged, but hold off on giving up all hope. This last election was amazing and today was amazing and I firmly believe amazing things are going to keep happening.

[Just Me]

6. Giving in, for awhile, does not mean giving up.

Know that you are an important part of this particular wave.

Know that you can rest in the tide.

Rest.

Never give up.

[Maat]

7. Ahhhh...rest for awhile.

It will be fine. We had our Democracy for America meetup last night, and it was very cathartic. It really helps when I direct my attention toward building a local progressive network. I may not be able to impact much, but I can help there.

And, I think that those speeches being on the record will help later. I don't kid myself - I know that there are secrets in Washington - secret rules and alliances - we probably don't even know about. But I can't help but think that a strong progressive local network, whose affiliation with other DFA's in the state will do me a whole lot of good.

Join the local DFA, and, if there isn't one, organize one. That is what I recommend. But only when you are ready. If you are tired, rest. But if you're bummed out, then you need to do the littlest positive thing, take that tiny step, and you'll feel much better. I was feeling the same way. Now go join that DFA now!

[solinvictus]

9. Opposition..

I agree with you and am equally disillusioned with the current party leadership's nature to remain content to be an "opposition" party that, except for a few principled members, does little except for rubber stamp the current regime's policies. I tried to show enthusiasm for Kerry, but I sincerely believed he, like Dole in 1996, was a non-candidate that everyone knew would not win and had neither the personality, aggression, nor initiative to conduct an effective presidential campaign. With the exception of Iran-Contra, Kerry wasn't that effective of a senator and his patrician demeanor is not conducive to national elections. Kerry approved the war, then tried to back down and rescind his opinion when the election was imminent. Face it, the man showed few priniciples

Our republic has been purchased by corporate donors. Nearly all members of our legislature have been purchased through campaign donations. I imagine the Founders would have never imagined that a company would wield such unprecedented and limitless power over the lives of American citizens. I can't offer any hope because I've seen the entire spectrum of opinion and emotion here and, after today, I must revert to my cynica realism when I discuss national politics. With few exceptions, they have all sold us out for their own interests.

[rocktop15]

10. Take some friendly advice from Noam Chomsky my friend.....

Q: Someone reading this interview may say, "Chomsky has all this command of facts and history. But what do I do as an individual?" How would you respond to that?

Chomsky: The first thing you ought to do is verify what I present. Just because I say it doesn't make it true. So check it out, see what looks correct, what looks wrong, look at other material which wasn't discussed, figure out what the truth really is. That's what you've got a brain for.

If you think that the general thrust of it is correct, there should be no problem in doing something about it. We're not going to be thrown into prison and face torture. We're not going to get assassinated. We have enormous privilege. We have tremendous freedom. That means endless opportunities.

I should tell you that every night I get many letters, and after every talk I get many questions from people who say, "I want to change things. What can I do?" I never hear these questions from peasants in southern Colombia or Kurds in southeastern Turkey under miserable repression or anybody who is suffering. They don't ask what they can do; they tell you what they're doing.

Somehow the fact of enormous privilege and freedom carries with it a sense of impotence, which is a strange, but striking, phenomenon. The fact is, we can do just about anything. There is no difficulty, wherever you are, in finding groups that are working hard on things that concern you.

But that's not the kind of answer that people want. The answer that they want, I think, in the back of their minds is, what can I do that will be quick and easy and bring about an end to these problems? They remind me of Columbia students whom I used to argue with back in 1968, who literally thought, "Look, we're sitting in the president's office for a couple of weeks. After that, it's all going to be peace and love." Or people who say, "I went to a demonstration, and it's the same as it was before. Fifteen million people marched in the streets on February 15, and the war went on. It's hopeless."

That's not the way things work. If you want to make changes in the world, you're going to have to be there day after day doing the boring, straightforward work of getting a couple of people interested and building a slightly bigger organization and carrying out the next move and suffering frustration and finally getting somewhere. That's how the world changes.

[Beam Me Up]

20. GREAT Chomsky quote! Thanks for that. n/t

[knowbody0]

11. try to look at this:

it's apathy that led to this state. the attack on the towers frightened us all. this administration with its imperial hubris has manipulated the fear, turning our nation into an insatiable war mongering bully of the world, with the PNAC as its bible. they are omni potent and we are as david against goliath.
it is we, the truth seekers who are inspired to fight. we must fight. both parties are corrupt. power corrupts. our constitution is being shattered, voting is an illusion, MSM is a joke. we are killing people trying to defend their own country.
the deal is what we do about all the wrongs will be our legacy.
after vietnam i watched hippies become yuppies, putting their newborns into day cares 10 hours a day for that great car and grand house. apathy is cancer.
you'll be back

[Bouncy Ball]

12. I hear ya.

I've had a lot of thoughts lately of just chucking all this.

Take a rest, as long as you need to. We'll still be around, fighting the good fight.

Take care!

[For PaisAn]

15. Feel exactly the same as you

Why bother trying to "figure out" how to "win" next time. All the opinions floating around such as:

Move left, move right, compromise, stand firm, back off, speak out, frame the debate, focus on moral values,get better candidates, raise more money, get out the vote, blah, blah, blah.

NONE of it matters if the vote is rigged.

We either find a way to ensure the election process is legitimate and to make the media a vehicle for truth or we can just pack it up.

Perhaps it has to get much worse for enough people to realize what's happening and turn this around but I fear then it will be too late.

These people want our country to comprise of only rich and poor, destroy the middle class.

Will these criminals really allow us to take away all they've stolen? Do we have what it takes to make them? I just don't see it happening. People are too busy working harder and longer and cowering in fear. And moral values, my ass. What's moral about lying us into an illegitimate war, polluting the environment, keeping people poor and sick and uneducated, etc., ad nauseum.

For me, I'll only continue to work on supporting truly progressive groups and individuals. Not one more minute or penny to anyone who backs down and gives in. Our only chance is to fight back hard and fight back now.

I guess seeing Boxer stand up was finally a bit of encouragement. Let's see where it goes from here. I've got one nerve left so I'm disgusted but not ready just yet to give up and therefore DU is still a haven for me.

Hope you stick around but if not I wish you peace.

[artemisia1]

16. Giving up?

Geeh, I'm sure glad the abolitionists and suffragettes didn't give up so easily. How much time passed between Wolestonecraft and women's suffrage. I suppose they should have given up after the first six thousand setbacks, huh?

- On edit, my post sounds harsh. We've all been where you're at and, as others have suggested, perhaps a break is in order. Remember the RW nutjobs obtained power by taking small steps over a thirty year period. We can do the same. Take care and see you next year, refreshed and ready for battle!!!

[Lexingtonian]

18. yeah, take a break

I've been there.

The right way to look at it is as changing expectations. It's too easy to invest too much faith in particulars- in particular people, in particular institutions, in particular groups and laws and rules and ideals and ideas. People always disappoint our expectations- and surpass our hopes.

These things all turn out to be idols, and in bitter fights both sides smash each others' idols. We've wrecked a lot of them over the past couple of years. The American People remains, battered but with expectations that the future will be better than the past.

You've spent about 20 years involved in Cold War politics and about 15 in post-Cold War politickings. Most of this time- the more recent ~25 years, since Carter stalemated the Cold War definitively- the politics that have taken place are in large parts attempts to revise the arrangements of the past rather than deal with the present for what it is. Reagan's was the first Presidency whose essence was about the past- his argument was with FDR and Bush Sr. took it to Eisenhower's time. Clinton had to deal with attempts to bring back the mid-Fifties socially- Republicans mined the resentments about the Sixties and Seventies. (About the Eighties against Gore, the Nineties as part of their game against Kerry.) Dubya's (well, Cheney's and Rummie's) argument was initially with JFK and LBJ mostly; the threesome is now hard at work recapitulating Nixon's most unexcellent Vietnam adventure and got a 1972-ish election 'logic' to work for them.

But we are running low, if not out, of built up Cold War era resentments and unresolved major problems emanating from it (i.e. the post-1945 Middle East conflicts). In short: it's never really been about the here and now and people like you or me, yet. It's all about rehashing fights the reactionaries lost back then, fights that pre-date most of us here. Fights about an American society that is fading away...because it's easier than dealing honestly with the transitory state of the present, let alone the unbearably different forms the future requires.

There are lots of casualties in this fight, which must go on, against the colonialist society of the past the other side is trying to revive and reimpose. You deserve an honorable discharge and time to be Not Responsible for the madness of the Many. In any case, do take a furlough and heal up the old battle wounds right. In a year things will look very different- I think much better. Come back for when we storm the Petersburg before us and collapse the insurgency.

[Book Lover]

19. If you change your mind

please consider giving your local and municipal authorities your time and attention. Don't go above county level. I have been where you are, that's what I did, and though I'm still banging my head against a wall 90% of the time, I know that I actually am making a difference.