I think that the real problem with Republicans is

[klyon]

I think that the real problem with Republicans is their top down attitude. I think this comes from their business world thinking. There is nothing democratic about business, all decisions are made from on high and no one should question the edict. They run the economy, “trickle down”, the military, “I’m the commander” and the government as if it was commanded by god and no one shall interfere. This thinking has lead to an economy that is unsustainably top heavy, a military situation with no good outcome and a government that cannot begin to understand what responding to a disaster is all about.

Clearly building from the bottom up is a fundamental place to begin. Responding to natural disasters starts with boots on the ground not management. Creating a vibrant economy can only be done by fueling the bottom, putting the money where it is needed. With the military it was the commander/ decider thing that got us into Iraq but it is the setting up of the top down government that has led to this horrible end. Power should have been built from the bottom up. Local leaders should have been included and built around. The already defined areas should have been the starting point, not an imposed imperial government. The top down government of Iraq will fall because nothing is holding it up. The green zone will soon collapse because it has no real support on the people.

The Republican don’t even acknowledge that labor has anything to do with production or should have any voice. To them it is all about the bottom line and labor costs are no different than material costs. Get it as cheap as possible no matter what. We have let them create non-person corporations to hide behind and legal loopholes to avoid responsibility. They own our “free speech” media and have bought our government with campaign money. These capitalists are running our government and our country off a cliff and into the ground.

Capitalism can be used to benefit our society. A fair and just economy that includes everyone will build the community and give people dignity. All people should share in the wealth that is created by our capital system. Just as in everything working together gives better results than selfishness and greed. When the results of Republican leadership become clear to the people they will fall, they will return to their to their natural minority status position. The only way they came to power was by cheating and if we clean our elections up and the people reclaim their country, Republicanism will be curbed. The people/ worker is beginning to see the light and in time they will understand how bad the policies that the Republicans have brought us are and what the consequences will be.

History tells us of the rise and fall of the elite money interest, each time the bottom rises up and smacks them in the face and it will again. Just as they will rise again and try spreading their failed policies, history will be ignored and we will repeat this moment. This is the same battle that has gone on since the beginning of our country and before. “God save the Queen and let them eat cake” will never die. The people must stand up to tyranny but it takes some time for the crowd to grow to a mob. “No one expects the Spanish Inquisition”.

KL

[MichiganVote]

1. The problem is greed. And there is more of that than there is money.

The bottom is starting to drop out of the Walmart/Target/K-Mart crowd. And that is much more meaningful than the drop in the housing market. The spoiled tax cut rich children are going to lose.

Bush=Hoover, Hoover=Bush

[Double T]

2. Therefore, rethugs should not be allowed to govern or lead a nation.

American history over the last several decades has proved this to be true.

[elocs]

3. Unfortunately, we have these pesky things called "elections".

When it comes to the whole pie, Democrats are a minority just as much as Republicans are. We cannot cry "we was robbed" everytime we lose an election. I am not convinced that if Democrats had total control and ran things for decades that this country would turn into a Nirvana. The danger is that in one way or another we would become what we claim to hate as absolute power would absolutely corrupt us. Only the tension between ideas and philosophy and winning of the peoples' hearts and minds will keep us honest. Otherwise we would have the paternalistic "we know what's best for everybody" attitude that the Republicans accuse us of having. I have no desire to be a member of the ruling party in a benign dictatorship disguised as a democracy.

[klyon]

13. no matter who is in charge it must be the peoples choice

honest, fair elections is required

any party whose plan to win is to stop people from voting should never lead

Republicans need to change their tune. Maybe get some real religion?

KL

[elocs]

4. An insightful comment. I especially like the "Spanish Inquisition" reference. n/t

[DinahMoeHum]

5. Bottom line: They can't govern and they can't legislate.

You can hardly govern or legislate well if you don't believe in government to begin with.

:evilfrown:

[RandomKoolzip]

6. Actually, the problem with republicans is that they're

EVIL BLOOD-SUCKING LIZARDS FROM ANOTHER PLANET! AND THEY HAVE RAY-GUNS!!!

[dave_p]

7. It's called class - and then some

It's not so much top down, it's simply that what's down there doesn't matter, it's not "real" people. Republican policymakers don't have a clue what real people are, their business is big business. That's the saddest thing about the pro-Bush redneck, it never occurs to him that those he cheers on don't even perceive him as human.

It's a frightening development, a White House closed to all input, a Republican Party in thrall to a fundamentally anti-human clique for whom "the people" is just a voting herd to be manipulated for the benefit of those who've done well out of capitalism's most dysfunctional deviations.

It's all the more reason for Democrats to question everything and to commit to tearing the guts out of the barrage of lies the neocons and the religious right have built up over the past 30 years. These people offer nothing for Americans, and it isn't their intention to, because Americans don't count in their world.

[Lost4words]

9. but from the look of things Dems offer nothing either, just SOS

Face it if you are hoping for the Democrats to reverse the damage done to our country you will be dissapointed,I sure have been.

[dave_p]

10. I share your fear but hope for better

That's why folk have to look beyond the glitzy ads and soundbites and take the fight to the heart of the beast, which is all the bullshit Americans have been told for decades.

Democrats can reverse at least some of the damage. They sure won't do it just by easing some of its most obvious extremes. They can do better than that. And I think the American people want better than that.

[Sgt Bilko]

11. Oh yeh!

I'm a traditional conservative who is in transformation. I'm am completely against the "War in Iraq" and think that Bush & Co. are deceitful, opportunistic, warmongering nation destroyers. (including our own)

I have seen the effects of Republicans on the economy and on people's lives. They truly don't care about individuals and families, especially those who are in the lower income brackets. They treat everyone exactly the same, assuming they either are prosperous or have failed in life and don't deserve any consideration at all.

They want to eliminate welfare and have the "church" take over the responsibilities of the government to help people in their time of need.

When someone complains about gas prices, they say that they're not that bad, about the same as a gallon of milk, and you should buy a new, more economical car. Riiiiighht.

I'm not comfortable with some of the more "liberal" aspects of the Democratic party, but I'm completely lost as a conservative. Hillary scares me, Gore panics me, and I'm not convinced that Global Warming is human caused. However, again I'm just a lost conservative.

[dave_p]

12. And you're hugely welcome, Sgt!

I don't subscribe to all Democrat notions either.

It's difficult to prove that we made global warming. I think the indications are growing, but I'd ask whether it isn't better that we put the safeguards in place now rather than wait till it's too late. We're free to gripe, but government has the duty to protect us. And I think we all share a duty to other nations that are willing to help.

DU's a broad church. If they'll have me, you shouldn't have too many problems. ;)

[klyon]

15. Welcome my friend I value your input

please speak freely you are among friends

KL

[Lost4words]

8. a Republican is just a Democrat that tells the truth about their intentions

there is no difference other than that. And that is my experience talking. Just look at the progress the new Dem leadership have made.

Just more shaft for the working classes.

8643

[CrispyQ]

14. This is key:

"To them it is all about the bottom line and labor costs are no different than material costs."

When one allows oneself to think of labor as merely a commodity, it is so much easier to decide to layoff x "units." How convenient for the CEO, BOD & shareholders that x is just a number in a column, not living, breathing people whose lives will most likely be seriously affected by their decision. It goes hand in hand with our society's value of money & things over people. What I find sad is how many have convinced themselves that they are fine, decent people.

Here's a good article.

Published on Monday, April 30, 2007 by CommonDreams.org
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/04/30/865/

Anti-Capitalism in Five Minutes or Less
by Robert Jensen

snip...

We know that capitalism is not just the most sensible way to organize an economy but is now the only possible way to organize an economy. We know that dissenters to this conventional wisdom can, and should, be ignored. There’s no longer even any need to persecute such heretics; they are obviously irrelevant.

How do we know all this? Because we are told so, relentlessly — typically by those who have the most to gain from such a claim, most notably those in the business world and their functionaries and apologists in the schools, universities, mass media, and mainstream politics. Capitalism is not a choice, but rather simply is, like a state of nature. Maybe not like a state of nature, but the state of nature. To contest capitalism these days is like arguing against the air that we breathe. Arguing against capitalism, we’re told, is simply crazy.

[klyon]

16. You are so right....

Capitalism must be control left unchecked it will destroy everything and everyone.

We seem to comfuse the goal of democracy with capitalism. We are spreading capitalism not democracy to the world. We are making the world safe for capitalism to take over, not democracy. Democracy comes from the ground up not decreed from on high. Republicans care nothing for democracy, that is why they like to call the US a republic.

KL

[Sgt Bilko]

17. Schools

those in the business world and their functionaries and apologists in the schools, universities, mass media, and mainstream politics

This is where the "No Child Left Behind" comes in. Every child is seen as part of the group, not as individuals with different talents and "gifts". Train them all in the highly sophisticated and difficult maths and sciences so they are prepared to enter the upper echelons of business. If they don't pass the ground, then they're dismissed to the lower forms of employment, where they have no real value as individuals and therefore as living beings.

[leftofthedial]

18. the problem is they have created and sold many Americans on a political worldview

that is based on lies and half truths in order to mask their own greed and utter lack of morality.

to still be a repuke today you have to be either mentally incompetent (and not fit to vote), insane (and not fit to vote) or a criminal (and not fit to vote).

The GOP is an organized criminal enterprise. It should be illegal to be a repuke.