The U.S.: What the hell happened? Some questions...

[Postman]

When extremists seize power, is there a tendency by the opposition to become radicalized in order to bring about democracy?

Why hasn't this happened with the Democrats?

Regarding reporting of the news from mainstream sources, what would be different about the reporting of this administrations shenanigans if the media were state run as opposed to corporate owned? Is there a difference when it comes to US foreign policy coverage?

Confusion of the terms (whether deliberate or not) "democracy" with "imperialist capitalism" : I here Bush using the term "democracy" when applying it to Iraq or anywhere else the US Army plans to invade. If he really meant democracy in the real sense of the word, elections would be held today. It's not democracy he wants it's "free market capitalism". And the term "free market" is misleading also. If it were really a free market, corporations wouldn't need to be handed no-bid contracts. That's welfare in my book.

The propaganda game has been mastered by the neo-fascists and the American people (particularly-the middle class)have, with the help of shills like Limbaugh-Hannity-Savage-Colter-Fox News, been snookered into believing things that go against there own best interest.

[Postman]

1. oops, typo...should be "hear" not "here"

n/t

[DUreader]

2. Well it seems you answer your own question, I don't disagree

sad

[theivoryqueen]

3. coup

coup coup de doop doop doop

[Minstrel Boy]

4. The opposition hasn't radicalized because

most Americans, including the Democratic leadership, are living in it-can't-happen-here denial. The radicality of the regime is not admitted. If it were, then a radical response would be in order, which makes a lot of people uncomfortable. Far easier to delude oneself that this is just another bad Republican administration and it's still politics as usual.

[Atman]

5. I was about to type the same thing

From my warm home in front of my broadband-connected computer, with a big-screen teevee glowing from across the room.

To think the unthinkable is to admit you must do something. Like quitting drinking...the impact of your action could be so profound, your life could really change forever. The irony is, it will change forever, either way.

We may not go kicking and screaming. The nation will dutifully eat its soma and fade to black watching the Bush Administration's IMAX presentation of Happy America. To do otherwise would be so...so...messy.

[Postman]

6. It's nice to have all those consumer goods, but if you try to change ..

things politically, socially, economically - you're attacked as being anti-american (whatever that means). You're supposed to shut up and play with your electronic gadgets and let all us rich elite dictate your REAL lives.

[Snow]

7. Dunno guys - the Korean experience would argue otherwise......

The two turkeys that followed Pak Chunghee, namely Chun Doohwan and Roh Taewoo, were about as nasty a pair of fascist tyrants as you could hope to see. They were followed by the election of a fellow whom they had imprisoned and tortured to such an extent that he still walks oddly (multiple broken legs) - Kim Daejoong. Kim, however, was a long way from what is possible in Korea in left-wing politics. There are people there who consider themselves communists - not stalinists, like the North - but real old-fashioned idealist communists. Kinda cute. But Kim was much more centrist. I guess the contrast between him and his predecessors was so huge because of how very far to the right they were. Having said all that, one wonders what the relevancy to the US situation is - dunno - maybe none - but sometimes even the center looks pretty lefty if you're far enough out on the right.