Howdy all my DU sisters and brothers

[maxpower]

I love you all, regardless of our various views on this and that. I hate the feeling that no one is looking out for us. This government doesn't care about us. This is obvious. I honestly believed that Mr. Obama wanted to make a change. Unfortunately he is a puppet of the power elite, he is prisoner of his position. He has been compromised on everything, not only by the GOP; but his own party. I really worry about what America is becoming. Let's face it we are suffering through an oligarchy, a short step from fascism.

The bottom line is our elected representatives, with a few exceptions, don't give a shit about us. What are we going to do? We need to take it back. How? I really don't know. This is a call to minds. We are smarter than them. They have the money and power, we have our minds and words. How are we going to take it back.

I honestly believe our country can lead the way. We have have great people that inspire us to greater things. I trusted Mr. Obama. I am disappointed, along with a huge member of the DU population, in what has happened the past two + years. What is the answer? I don't know. But our system is broken. We have watched our democracy turn into a joke. What do we do? Any ideas?

Peace,
Max

[ProSense]

1. "Unfortunately he is a puppet of the power elite, he is prisoner of his position. "

"What do we do? Any ideas?"

Spend two years repeating Obama is a "puppet" and a "trojan horse" until more people believe it? Then spend another two years repeating it until some people give up?

That's all I could come up with.

[maxpower]

Prove me wrong

He has given in to Wall Street, the corporate elite. Look at his advisers, Goldman Sachs et al. About that getting out of Iraq thing, how's that going? 50,000 plus troops still there. Afghanistan, ten years later, how's that going. Libya, really? Compromised. Where is the progressive, take it to the bank Obama?

Peace,
Max

[ProSense]

7. "He has given in to Wall Street, the corporate elite. Look at his advisers..."

The President's record and the clowns who attack it.

[maxpower]

8. Progressive?

Where is the public option on health. Wall street regulation, they are still up to their games, hence the bonuses. Education, I'm a teacher, are you fucking kidding me? Teachers are being let go on an alarming scale. Where is his support of unions? Claiming he inherited the Bush crimes, and continuing them, he is part of the same hypocrisy. He is a continuation of the demise of our great country.


Peace,
Max

[ProSense]

15. What nonsense

"Where is the public option on health."

California, Vermont and the teabaggers

"Wall street regulation, they are still up to their games, hence the bonuses."

Did you expect all the problems to suddenly disappear? S.E.C. Proposes Crackdown on Wall Street Bonuses

Education, I'm a teacher, are you fucking kidding me? Teachers are being let go on an alarming scale.

What does the President have to do with laying off teachers?

Where is his support of unions?

Here and here.

"Claiming he inherited the Bush crimes, and continuing them, he is part of the same hypocrisy. He is a continuation of the demise of our great country."

Yeah, he picked up where Bush left off with health care and Wall Street reforms.

Oh brother!

[maxpower]

17. Where is he when public workers are being vilified

He is continuing the Bush crimes of rendition and torture (Gitmo). His reigning in of Wall street is really paying off. Why hasn't Obama given some relief to the states. A stimulus, like the wall street and banking ones, given to the states would certainly help. NCLB is a federal program set up to benefit the haves, not the have nots, is federal program. He is a great orator. FDR must be rolling in his grave to see what has become of the party. He welcomed their hate, where is Obama's backbone?


Peace,
Max

[ProSense]

19. What?

"He is continuing the Bush crimes of rendition and torture (Gitmo)."

More nonsense.

[maxpower]

20. Sorry he closed Gitmo

And he has not pursued the crimes of the previous administration. Nonsense, how so? He sure is enjoying the Bush Patriot act. Or am I wrong? Please point out where he has changed, if not expanded the act.

Peace,
Max

[unkachuck]

2. primaries, primaries, primaries....

....every Corporate Dem across this country should have a bonafide Progressive Dem challenger....every Republican should have a bonafide Progressive challenger....

....shotgun the system with Progressives and hope for the best....if you're a Progressive, run for office, any office, anywhere, any way you can....

[maxpower]

3. Right on, right on

Peace,
Max

[unkachuck]

4. I'm convinced....

....Progressives are the majority in this country....we need to start thinking like a majority and use our numbers to our advantage....

....every office in this country should have a Progressive Democrat, a Republican and five additional Independent Progressives competing for it....

[patrice]

5. Each of us should strategically prioritize the issues for ourselves, then work our asses off for

our issues and, once some productive accountability is established on your issue(s), diligently pursue strategically co-operative ACTIVE coalitions between the issues.

IMO, the highest priority issue is campaign finance and voting reform; these issues affect so much, like the ability of Labor candidates to rise to positions of power and get elected, so that they can then defend Unions. Once some progress is built in these domains at whatever level of organization, that progress should be used to begin efforts in support of Monetary Reform.

[maxpower]

6. Agreed

Campaign finance is key. That would certainly level the playing field. Vote for the most progressive candidate you can.

Peace,
Max

[BeFree]

9. heh

What do we do? Good question. The status quo is not working.

Our problems are so large there may be no fix. Besides, apathy rules. Most people are blissfully unaware and blissfully ignorant. Just glad I am an old man. When I was younger this future was foreseen and some of us worked for change but it just wasn't enough.

If just ten percent of the people worked for real change on their local levels that would alter the destiny of our country. But as a long time activist, it has become evident that less then one percent are ever gonna get off their ass and fight, so, well, that's it, eh?

What will be is that those who can buy government will decide what will be.

[maxpower]

10. Agreed

Most people have no idea how bad it is. Keep watching Fox and shop at Walmart, and all is well.

Peace,
Max

[BeFree]

12. DU has been a blessing

and maybe a bit of a curse?

It has raised the hopes of many but also brought about a lot of un-blissful awareness.

It has brought wisdom but also shown the ignorance that abounds.

Peace to you, too, maxpower, we're all gonna need every bit we can muster, for a hard rain is gonna fall, me fears.

[maxpower]

14. Thank you BeFree

I fear the rain too. Peace to you and all here on DU. We will prevail, we are the majority. Love and peace are the only answer. Let's give a try. Why not, nothing else has worked.

Peace,
Max

[lonestarnot]

11. Here's three in order

1. Richie rich reform. (End corporate rule; legalize democracy)
2. Campaign reform. (No more bought politicians)
3. Fair elections. (paper ballots)

[maxpower]

13. Ding, Ding, DIng

You got it right. I still like Obama. I'm just disappointed. Anyone want some stickers and t-shirts from '08?

Peace,
Max

[MrMickeysMom]

16. Max, I have bumper stickers that are fading...

They tell the story.... The one that has faded the most is the one I like the best... It simple has a sign that is a circle with "Danger" above it... "informed citizen" has all but faded away.

Let's keep informing ourselves any way we can in the most local way we can. I don't care if it's a coffee clutch, or a meet up meeting about the Marcellus Shale Industry, or local government issues... we MUST keep telling people that they have to become informed.

It's the only thing left to get them to the polls and insist on a lot of these good ideas I've been reading on this thread.

Peace to you, too.

[maxpower]

18. Local meetings

That is the answer. When people get away from the noise of the bullshit that is engulfing their lives they think. Face to face is the way to change this. People are people. Strip away ideologies, and we are the same. We want our children and loved ones to flourish and prosper. The powers that be want no part of that. Hence...war....war....war. I weep for our planet.


Peace,
Max

[MrMickeysMom]

21. You and I weep....

But, like the Cubs and Pirates (in my case), there's always another version of tomorrow!

:-)