The Reality of War - Democrats should be the ones to end our continuous wars.

[tecelote]

Afghanistan has been the longest war in US history. What a terrible legacy.

2016 is our opportunity for change.

We need to pressure every candidate to say they will end the wars.

[sabrina 1]

1. The ONLY candidate likely to begin the process of ending these Neocon Wars For Profit is Bernie

Sanders. If this IS a major issue for people, they have no other choice. But it looks like the Anti War Wing of the Dem Party disappeared once Bush left the WH.

Some of us though have remained consistent on this most important issue.

[tecelote]

3. "But it looks like the Anti War Wing of the Dem Party disappeared once Bush left the WH."

The apathy amazes me. Both for our veterans and for the indiscriminate killing that is called "Collateral Damage" so it doesn't sound like killing babies to the general public.

[sabrina 1]

5. Yes, and it amazes me that when Bush was running things in DC we had no problem posting

pictures of the victims, in fact I remember people stating how important it is to 'bear witness' to what was being done to so many innocent people.

NOW I'm seeing OBJECTIONS to acknowledging the victims here.

Which means, for some people in the end, it's all about politics.

What a shame, because it is going to take millions of people who DO have a conscience regardless of who it may bother, or whose career may be affected, to end the killing that has now gone on for one and a half decades. All those human lives, gone.

[Maedhros]

7. The 'Anti-War Wing' of the Democratic Party is only 'anti-war' if such a stance can be used

to gain advantage over Republican rivals. Once it's no longer politically useful to be 'anti-war', or if being 'anti-war' causes discomfort to Democratic office holders, then war is perfectly acceptable.

Look at all the hypocrites that screamed at Bush for attacking Iraq, but defended Obama for destroying Libya under false pretenses.

[sabrina 1]

8. Yes, we needed to see it all play out to get the full picture. It was shocking to me at first, but

now I get it, like so many others, and they wonder why people are so thoroughly disgusted with the whole rigged system.

[Maedhros]

10. The oligarchs have made a great effort to convince the citizenry that there are two tribes

fighting for dominance: Democratic and Republican. As the country becomes more and more partisan, and the rancor between the two tribes grows more intense, the oligarchs have more leeway to quietly implement their agenda. The 'useful idiots' on both sides of this schism play along with (and into) the charade, because their primary political motivation is emotional attachment to personalities rather than the betterment of society.

Indeed, the most 'pragmatic' among the Democratic partisans have concluded that we cannot make things better, we can only hope to slow down the complete transition to a corporate-capitalist hell hole. Thus the never ending demands that those of us who still have hope should just shut up and vote for corporate-capitalist candidates because, though they still pull the country to the right they at least pay lip service to a few social issues.

[sabrina 1]

12. I think you are correct re the 'team' player routine. But part of that is because people rarely are

allowed any other choice. That is why we see all the 'parties matter' stuff lately, because things are actually changing. To many people now, parties do NOT matter as much as they once did.

OWS eg, scared them to death because they refused to label themselves as one or the other. That made it possible for people from across the political spectrum to get involved, to UNITE on issues that are important to ALL Americans and it showed the Oligarchs they were WRONG when they thought their takeover was complete.

Just looking at the stats on political party affiliation shows a huge shift away from both parties.

The largest voting bloc in the country right now and in living memory from what I recall, is Registered Independents up to approx. 42% while both parties have LOST membership, Repubs now only 29% and Dems down to 32%

This makes it possible for a different kind of politician, Bernie eg, to appeal to that larger demographic. AND to those who have given up altogether and don't vote at all. A HUGE demographic now.

And that is why they are so scared of his campaign. It is ANOTHER sign that they don't have the grip on the country they thought they had and they are going to have to FIGHT hard to hold onto it.

[Maedhros]

13. You're right - the Party is bleeding those activists and idealists who understand that the fight

is between The People and The Oligarchy, not Team Blue vs. Team Red. What is disheartening is that the Party, in trying to bring these people back into the fold, has relied on fear and chastisement - scaring us with the specter of a Republican Presidency, and sneering at our 'far left' ideas.

What they have NOT done is lay out a plan for correcting the course of the nation and then follow through with it once elected.

[tecelote]

14. I didn't know this...

"The largest voting bloc in the country right now and in living memory from what I recall, is Registered Independents up to approx. 42% while both parties have LOST membership, Repubs now only 29% and Dems down to 32% "

Thanks - it gives me hope!

[Thinkingabout]

2. The reality of war also extends to voting for defense contractors. We could have our infrastructure

Repaired, replaced or upgraded with the Defense budget.

[tecelote]

4. Totally agree.

With $8.5 Trillion Unaccounted for, Why Should Congress Increase the Defense Budget?

http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/2015/03/19/85-Trillion-Unaccounted-Should-Congress-Increase-Defense-Budget

---

Increase? How about a 30% decrease with another shift in what goes to building more war machines for the largest military in the world already, to supporting veterans.

[sabrina 1]

6. Because so few are williing to stand up and FIGHT the war profiteers.

[tecelote]

9. Yes. Our "Democracy" is so tainted by corporate interests it's barely a Democracy anymore.

Money trumps morality every time.

[sabrina 1]

11. Yes, it has pretty much taken over our government. I was thinking eg, that this OP would have

received hundreds of recs during the Bush era on DU. Just goes to show how people are influenced by stuff that really should not have any effect on issues like this.

Wrong is wrong, that war was a massively wrong. That hasn't changed, in fact it only got worse.

And yet, something changed ...