The most dire predictions on DU have not come to pass

[cali]

the 2006 elections were not canceled or stolen. Martial law has not been declared. Liberals and progressives have not been thrown into camps, etc, etc.

Lots of bad law, plenty of flouting of the law by the admin, a weak opposititon, but the catastrophic predictions above have failed to be fulfilled, time after time. And DU posters have been making these predictions regularly.

Anything's possible, but those making the direst predictions have been wrong repeatedly.

Just sayin'.

[marmar]

1. Yet.....

Just sayin'

[MrCoffee]

jam tomorrow, right?

[Az]

4. Unless you got a way back machine

I think the 2006 elections are pretty safe.

[CreekDog]

10. How can a 2006 prediction that didn't occur not happen *yet* ? n/t

sounds like a post-modernist definition of yet.

[LSK]

27. it happened here

[Rex]

2. Hmmm

:popcorn:

[ruiner4u]

3. i agree....

k&r

[LakeSamish706]

5. Does anyone think that Pakistan may be a test case for the US? n/t

[MrCoffee]

6. no.

[LakeSamish706]

15. What makes you so sure is what I want to know? I assume that you think...

that people like Naomi Wolf are just idiots then!

One big problem that I have is, We can't even wake up most people on DU so how the hell are we expected to wake up the sleeping populace of the US?

[muriel_volestrangler]

191. Pakistan is a completely different country from the USA

It was already under martial law within a few years of its coming into existence. States of emergency, coups, and generals in charge, are a way of life there. There's no way of projecting what's happening there to the US. If Naomi Wolf is saying that Pakistan is a test run for the US, she is indeed being idiotic.

Here's a potted history of Pakistan:

http://asadodo.blogspot.com/2007/11/democracy-in-pakistan-1947-1953-1958.html

[IronLionZion]

198. Their military has overthrown democratically elected governments many times

and the military has controlled that country for most of its existence. The Islamic fundamentalists are very powerful in that country. Their military has committed a systematic campaign of genocide, murder, and rape of its own civilian citizens before and during the Bangladesh liberation war.

How could you possibly compare that to us? That would be trivializing what happened over there and does the Pakistani people a tremendous disservice.

[Deja Q]

90. Or Iraq?

:eyes:

[LeftishBrit]

133. Why would that be likely?

Pakistan has never had real democracy, and has a totally different history. For example, the military have far more power in Pakistani government than they have ever had in American government.

Why choose Pakistan as the 'test case'? Why not Guatemala which has just elected what seems to be a comparatively reasonable government, after some bad ones? Why not Poland which has just elected a centre-right leader to replace a far-right one? Why not....? Or why any other country, if it comes to that?

[La Lioness Priyanka]

203. no. not at all. the idea itself is pretty insane.

[IndianaJones]

7. rantings of the fringe left. nt.

[Zywiec]

8. Recommended 100% n/t

[Mojorabbit]

9. Like a dog

with a bone :)

[cali]

105. woof. n/t

[rucky]

11. And who would've guessed that Iraq didn't have WMD's?

just sayin'

[rateyes]

16. Or that a Democratic Majority would write a blank check

for the continuation of the Iraq War?

[Lasher]

12. War with Iran seems highly possible.

That one was met here with skepticism awhile back.

[cali]

21. I agree that that is likely

but for over two years, predictions were made that it was imminent. I do however, buy into the idea that bushco thinks that no prez following him, will have the "fortitude" to face down Iran.
And it certainly does worry me that he may bomb Iran.

[ThatPoetGuy]

13. How do you know...

that the fear of these outcomes didn't energize us to prevent these outcomes?

I never made those dire predictions, but I saw each of them as a possibility. This is a great motivator.

[cali]

25. There may be some truth in that but

I happen to believe that absolutist predictions rather than explaining possible outcomes, is a fool's business.

[Poll_Blind]

215. LOL! Don't you mean "A mug's game"?!

PB

[angstlessk]

14. I think you should say "the MOST dire predictions" cause ALL the less dire

predictions have come true!

[Boojatta]

17. When a member of the board makes a specific prediction, perhaps

it's worthwhile to ask that member: "Overall, how accurate have your past predictions posted on DU been?"

If the member has on average a good accuracy, then perhaps a good follow-up question would be: "How many times did you predict that it would be warmer in July than in January?"

I'm wondering what percentage of those who made predictions such as those described in the OP were banned. It's not against the rules to make such predictions, but there might be some correlation between making such predictions and breaking some rules.

[BornagainDUer]

18. You don't have any sources to back this hyperbole up do you?

Just askin'

[cali]

31. LOL!

here's one for you:

"There will be no elections


Sorry... but now that bush is gonna rule by fiat... nope, no elections are in the future

You do not amass this power to let it go"

Anyone reading this board over the past few years knows that there have been thousands like that.

[truebrit71]

52. Have the '08 elections happened yet? I must have missed them...

...The "most" dire warnings have been about military drafts and cancellation of the '08 election...not the '06 one...

I can confidently predict that the 08 elections will occur UNLESS * bombs attacks Iran, or has one of it's client states intitiate hostilities, then, and ONLY then all bets are off...

[LakeSamish706]

56. I totally agree with you on this... And that in of itself is enough to want to keep my eyes open. n/

[JuniperLea]

129. I thought it was 08 too...

I don't recall seeing any of these predictions for 06.

And I agree with the last bit too.

[hfojvt]

137. plenty of predictions that the 2006 elections would be stolen

also predictions from at least August 2006 that war with Iran is imminent.

[muriel_volestrangler]

192. There were quite a few around the 2004 election

Try a google search like http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&safe=off&hs=TpO&q=+site%3Awww.democraticunderground.com+draft+2004++election&btnG=Search&meta=

[BornagainDUer]

117. Keep laughin', but you didn't leave a link.

[tammywammy]

170. See post 145

[Downtown Hound]

19. True, because of the efforts of people on this board

and all across America to see that they don't come true. I often find myself at odds with doom and gloom types, but the truth is, we need them. We need those to sound the alarm. I've often heard many comparisons between Bush's America and Germany of the 1930's. If only more of those Germans had been willing to make dire predictions about the horror that was to follow, even if it meant they would be labeled a nut and part of the fringe.

I think this administration is capable of anything, including putting Americans in camps and launching nuclear first strikes. But we have had a powerful movement of resistance in this country ever since he took office, working time and again to bring this administration down. Thanks to them, much of the more dire predictions of the left never came true, and for that, we can all be proud. And thankful.

[2rth2pwr]

32. "working time and again to bring this administration down.."

which issues would you be referring to?

[Downtown Hound]

35. You're kidding me right?

The Iraq War, voter fraud in 2000, Enron, either gross incompetence or outright involvement regarding 9-11, lousy economy, torture, war crimes, lying to the American people, environmental rape and destruction, the violation of tens of thousands of American's civil rights, illegal spying, the shredding of our constitutional rights...shall I go on?


Give me a few days and I'm sure I could come up with several pages worth of crimes this administration has committed.

[2rth2pwr]

47. The Iraq War, voter fraud in 2000, Enron,...

Those were all stopped by people on this board and elsewhere by bringing this administration down time and again?

[Downtown Hound]

55. Oh. My. God. Are you just looking to pick a stupid, pointless fight?

You asked me what issues led people to try and bring this administration down. I told you. I never said they brought this administration down or that they stopped those issues in particular. What in the world possessed you write that? I said in my original post that those that were sounding the alarm of more dire things to come in the future deserve some credit for being vigilant in making THOSE MORE DIRE PREDICTIONS NOT HAPPEN. And they were motivated by all of those things that I listed above. If we hadn't been out there making noise, we never would have swept the Republicans from power in '06 and never would have turned the country away from Bush. Fascism takes time to fully implement its sinister designs. Hitler's Germany didn't happen overnight. It was a gradual process. If more people had sounded the alarm in the early days, maybe things would have turned out different.

We had a lot of people sounding the alarm here, and while everything is not yet okay in the U.S.A., those dire predictions that the OP was talking about haven't come true, and I think a lot of that is because of people that raised holy hell about this administrations actions.

[2rth2pwr]

63. No. I'm. Not.

I disagreed with your premise. This administration has not been slowed down at all. His agenda has been passing even with Dem majorities.

But it is easy to say things like "he wanted to put us all in Concentration Camps, and since we are not, that means we stopped him".

[Downtown Hound]

70. Heh, you really think this administration hasn't been slowed down?

The original plans of this administration were for us to be in Syria and Iran by now pumping out the crude oil by the billions and the Republicans enjoying sky high approval ratings due to their unprecedented success. Don't remember all the talk about moving on to Syria after the statue of Saddam fell? I do. We may yet attack Iran, but I can guarantee you it will be an air attack, not a ground invasion, because to do that Bush would need many, many more troops. And to get those he would need a draft.

And he's not going to get one because he no longer controls Congress and his approval ratings are in the tank. Why is this so? Hmm, dunno. Maybe all of the opposition to him had something to do with it? A possibility perhaps?

I know it's easy to get frustrated with the lack of real progress being made against Bush because he's still there and the Democrats are wimps. But don't think for a minute that he hasn't been slowed down, and slowed down considerably.

[cuke]

109. You're using the "Tiger Preventative" argument

"There are no tigers here, so it must work!!"

[Downtown Hound]

111. I'm sorry did you say something that made a modicum of sense there?

Because if you did, I missed it.

[2rth2pwr]

148. "May This House Be Safe From Tigers" nt

[BornagainDUer]

119. That's exactly what (s)he is doing DH. Good post.

[Telly Savalas]

144. So people typing on the internet can avert a nuclear attack by Bush

or the imposition of martial law, but are totally helpless to have a single constraint placed on Bush's Iraq policy and are unable to make sure children have health insurance? I'm not buying it.

[Freddie Stubbs]

20. "The US is quietly preparing to reintroduce a military draft, perhaps as soon as the spring of 2005"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/04/05/p/21_voting.html

[walldude]

22. DU is nothing if not a catalyst for dire predictions

Last week I was told we were all going to die if Al Gore was not the next president. Which would have been hilarious if the poster had not been dead serious.

[defendandprotect]

23. And, up to what point could Germany have said the same thing . . . ????

[cali]

36. Do you know when the Nuremberg laws were passed?

Two years after Hitler was elected. Concentration Camps established? Within one year. Complete control of the Media? Within 2 years. Control of the police? Within 2 years

Internally, the shift in Germany was swift. Granted, Hitler didn't wage war until he'd been in office for over 6 years, but that had to do with the neccessity of building up Germany's armaments.

Bush has been in office for almost 7 years. He's done terrible things to this country and the world, but internally, we're not at an equivalent place to Germany in 1940- or Germany in 1936.

[defendandprotect]

60. When the actions of your government are FASCISTIC -- what time the curtain goes up .....

and the play actually opens may be irrelevant ---

Is not what we are inflicting upon other nations FASCISM --- ???

Germany was not a superpower ---
nor as economically strong as American has been --

Basically, it was one state in comparison to the size of America ---

The strength of American democracy is naturally more difficult to bring down --
but it's been being worked on for decades --- perhaps longer considering immediate Post WWII
activities/CIA and McCarthy Era -- John Birch Society and attacks on the United Nations.

It took some time, as well, for them to overcome what they called the "VN War Syndrome" . . .
attacks on Grenada/!!! and Panama/!!! -- Gulf War I --

We had basically stopped wars --

We have attacked another nation in an "illegal" war of aggression --
unpopular throughout the world.

With more wars of aggression planned on Syria -- did we join the Israeli attack? -- and Iran.

Control of the ME is obviously of major importance/primary importance to these fascists ---

When the actions of your government are FASCISTIC, then you have fascism -- and
corporate-fascism which we have long had --

No two event are going to be exactly the same --

We have had stolen elections for 40 years via computers --
We've had an open steal of the 2000 election with the assistance of our Supremes --
We've had GOP sponsored fascist rallies to stop the vote counting in Miami --
We have plans for building areas to hold human beings ---
We have laws in place to bring martial law -- with the stroke of a pen ---

Rethink this one ---

[Snarkturian Clone]

86. Wow! Look everyone! Alex Jones posts here! NT

[cali]

88. and we should fight against all those things.

Heaven knows the demise of this country will happen sooner or later; my argument is simply that making absolutist dire predictions about this or that happening next week or next year, are simply foolish. Recognize the possibilities, know and understand history, and work from there.

If other people want to be drama queens making such prediction, they're free to do so, and I'm free to point out that they're almost never right about such things as concentration camps for liberal and the cancelling of elections.

[defendandprotect]

139. Heaven forbid you should be a "drama Queen" . . . !!!!

What is clear is that you have no ABSOLUTE idea of "when" ---

Looking at history, we see that we are walking a familiar path of fascist activity by our government.

[PassingFair]

206. So he doesn't suck as much as Hitler.

What's your point?

It doesn't excuse your putting up a poster of him over your bed.

[ronnykmarshall]

24. It's hard to keep up.

Every day a new one is released.

[LakeSamish706]

26. And I don't agree totally with this line either...

"the 2006 elections were not canceled or stolen" I think that there very well may have been an attempt to steal the 2006 election, and it may very well have altered the number of seats that the Dems got in both houses. Don't know that for fact, but I think that.

[cali]

38. of course you don't

I wouldn't for a split second think you would.

[LakeSamish706]

43. Well good your not disappointed then, I was worried about that! n/t

[unpossibles]

49. I don't either

there were still plenty of problems from this election. Just because they were not successful doesn't mean they didn't try.

[LSK]

28. 6/6/06

That was quite a day. Not.

[mudesi]

29. The Iraq war DID happen, and is STILL happening

Sometimes the predictions are right...

[Deja Q]

93. Well, one time out of a million isn't terribly bad I suppose...

After all, all the kow-towing to Scott Ritter, whose big Iran prediction got him an unprepared omelet slushed into his face... fresh from the chicken's butt too. July of 05, was it? Or was it July of 06? Keep throwing out dates, Scotty Nostradamus, one day you may or may not be right. :crazy:

[Parche]

30. What About Paul Wellstone?

:shrug: :shrug:

[2rth2pwr]

33. Was there some prediction here at DU about him? nt

[cali]

39. did anyone here predict that Paul Wellstone would be murdered?

And of course, I think it was a tragic accident, but whatever.

[Jackpine Radical]

34. Why steal an election

when you can buy the winners...cheap?

I think votes were stolen in 2006; just not enough votes to block a squeaky Dem majority in the Senate. They miscalculated. The pre-election polls were wrong (mostly because a whole lot of "unlikely" voters came out to vote Democratic), Rove didn't set his sights high enough.

[cali]

54. Virtually no one predicted that the Senate would turn over

and heaven knows, I didn't see anyone on DU predicting it. In any case, I certainly remember all the predictions that the election would be cancelled. And what you're stating is opinion, not fact. could be true, could be false. What I'm stating is fact: The election wasn't cancelled, and it wasn't stolen.

[bread_and_roses]

83. Exactly (n/t)

[rateyes]

123. Now, that's a damned good observation..

"Why steal an election when you can buy the winners cheap?"

Most excellent observation!!

[Ezlivin]

37. And that is GREAT!

Because if they do come true, each of us won't be chatting up the next dire prediction on DU. If the internet(s) go dark, what will you do? How will you organize to stop the evil bastards? It's good that we are warned and kept alert, lest we sleep the sleep of the naïve.

Right wingers don't believe the dire predictions of Al Gore and the "Global Warming Cabal", either.

[cali]

42. freepers believed that Clinton wouldn't leave office and

that the Clintons murdered Vince Foster and dozens of others. They predict that if Hillary Clinton wins, freepers will be persecuted and thrown in camps.

[Downtown Hound]

48. The difference is, freepers really have nothing to fear

We do. Bush has jailed thousands for months and even years on end without any trial or due process. A man who can do that to one person is capable of doing it to anyone.

If the Democrats ever did such a thing or advocated doing such things, I would turn on them in a hearbeat. The Republicans can't say the same thing, because they had their chance with Bush, and they practically licked his ass while he did all these things and more.

[NNN0LHI]

40. The chimpanzee is still in possession of the Football cali

Can't get no worse than that. Except for him opening the dang thing up.

Don

[rucky]

41. I'd rather be vigilant and wrong,

[cali]

45. OK, I can buy that and I'm into being vigilant

with such a dangerous admin, but why make absolutist predictions instead of saying that this or that is possible?

[rucky]

50. you know which threads get the most attention.

[Common Sense Party]

81. So, you're just starved for attention?

:)

[ret5hd]

107. I think somebody is. That, or i missed the point of this thread.

[rucky]

125. Mom bottle fed me.

everything after that is not my responsibility.

[Telly Savalas]

146. Getting attention and promoting a constructive dialogue aren't the same thing.

[IronLionZion]

199. There was a front page article saying the CIA would overthrow Bush before 2004

because of outing Plame...but that never happened either. It was a nice dream though.

[zabet]

44. What is the ratio of..

incorrect predictions to correct predictions overall
on DU? What is the correct/incorrect ratio of "those
making the direst predictions"?
Just askin'.

[cali]

46. That's pretty meaningless in light of

of specific predictions that have been made repeatedly and yet have not happened.

[DCKit]

51. Not ALL of the 2006 results were (or are) undisputed.

They just didn't walk over us so easily as in 2000 and 2004.

A few more independent thinking Dems in both houses would make Dino and Chuck irrelevant.

[cali]

78. didn't say they were.

I said it wasn't stolen. Or cancelled. And it wasn't and it wasn't.

And I agree that a few more independent dems in both houses would be a huge improvement.

[redacted]

53. Oh come on. You're completely ignorant about their martial law plans, aren't you?

How dare you say something like this when, with the Insurrection Act rewritten and signed into law, all it takes is a stroke of the pen for the Federal government to shut down transportation and prevent you, sir, from leaving your own house. How the hell much worse can things get than that?

Your kind of ignorance is why over at Free Republic they dub us "DUmmies." This government's secrecy is NO excuse for your kind of disgusting ignorance.

[MrCoffee]

57. DUzy! DUzy! DUzy!1!1!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[cali]

58. LOL!

Are you making a prediction? And sorry, I'm not ignorent about the revision of the Insurrection Act last year. Yes, I consider it deplorable and ominous. That doesn't mean that the points I made about dire absolutist predictions in my OP, aren't factual. They are. It's better to point out the possible repercussions of such a thing, instead of seeing it as an absolute indicator of bush declaring martial law. Is that too complex a notion for you? Apparently it is.

[redacted]

71. BULLSHIT! You're saying that unless an ultimate outcome takes place, correct predictions of all the

events which led up to it are irrelevant. Many people here at DU predicted the Insurrection Act would be rewritten and signed into law. They were right, and they were right about the repeal of Posse Comitatus and hundreds of other steps this administration has taken on the way to dictatorship.

But to folks like you, unless the ultimate final outcome takes place, everything is "just fine" and you're happy. That's not logical. It makes zero sense.

Your mindset is one of nature's ways of weeding out the stupid.

[cali]

77. Whoa,

got a temper problem? Try reading my posts. I don't say anything's fine at all. And I most certainly am not happy about the state of the nation. And no, I didn't see anyone predict that the Resurrection Act would be rewritten. Post one of those predictions.

And I hate to break it to you, bub, but I have offspring- and though I'm too modest to brag about my IQ (not that I see IQ as that meaningful), I will brag that I have a son with an IQ of 148.

So, you're fucked on that little prediction.

[rateyes]

126. What's the "Resurrection Act?" nt

[cali]

180. self delete

[cali]

181. insurrection act- thanks.

[rateyes]

124. You're not

"ignorent?" :rofl:

[JuniperLea]

132. I'm series!

:rofl:

[cali]

178. ooh, you caught me. i made a typo

I try and avoid playing that kind of gotcha, but hey, whatever floats your frail little boat.

[rateyes]

189. Just a classic place to make a typo.

[bread_and_roses]

59. "not with a bang, but a whimper"

It has not been necessary to the aims of our Corporate Masters to do any of the above. We now have government of, by, and for the Corporations. We have seen torture legitimized, innocent children dismembered and incinerated by our fellow citizens acting at the orders of our government, the destruction of Habeus Corpus, our elections corrupted, the starvation of those areas of the government concerned with the common good rather than with distributing Corporate contracts, the now blantant buying of the press and the consequent replacement of journalism with propaganda, the abandonment of the poor, and the triumph of the permanent war-for-profit economy. Now, even the poisoning of our children is blatant and we meekly go to work so we can buy more stuff from China at the Company Store.

These things have always gone on, of course. What is new and amazing is the total lack of any attempt any more to disguise them. Control that confident doesn't need Camps.

[cali]

68. Corporate corrruption and control is a real problem

and yes, critical, but they don't have to do with the point I made in my OP- and that is simply that absolutist dire predictions made on DU have not been correct yet.

I do think that the concern about bushco attacking Iran is very real, and a distinct possibility. I still don't have the hubris to state that it absolutely will happen

[bread_and_roses]

108. Then perhaps your point is so narrow as to be

insignificant? Personally, I fail to see the point your point at all, despite trying. It seems obvious to me that those making predictions are expressing fears of the tactics and outcomes of a Corporate-Militarist-Totalitarian State: they express the logical outcomes of the acts we already see. Their fears are hardly based on chimera, are they? I see "predictions" as exaggeration for effect - a literary device in a medium largely dependent on the word - and not as pretensions to prophecy.

I am somewhat reminded of a parallel in the environmental movement. More than thirty years ago, some of us were saying that unless we stopped poisoning the planet with pollutants from the internal combustion engine and Agra-business, we were going to create an environmental catastrophe that would poison/kill us along with the tigers and whales and rain forest etc. We begged for sustainable farming, for subsidies to alternative energy research, for conservation, for the rain forest.... We were, I would describe it now, predicting from a not yet fashonable "systems" approach to the environment.

And every year that passed the near-universal answer was "it hasn't happened yet." Until, almost over-night, of course, the news is full of the catastrophic consequences of Global Warming already impacting our lives.

Well, of course, the problem is that once it happens, it's pretty much too late. Nor does it affect the outcome that our predictions and analysis did not describe the exact time-table or mechanism.

So, I can't quite fathom the point of "it hasn't happened yet." What purpose does it serve? Are we to conclude that all is "normal?" To take one small - and in these times insignificant itself - example: when it becomes public knowlege that an agency of the Federal Government, charged with serving the people, conducts a fake news conference with its' own people posing as reporters and it is barely a blip on the national radar, things are not normal.

[Rex]

112. Things have not been normal for years now.

It can either spiral out of control or move back towards some sort of center.

I think we are seeing a spiraling out of control, globally and it is hard to link these things. Meta-analysis of seemingly unrelated events and different correlations are hard for people who cannot understand the concepts.

Not everyone is a social anthropologist.

[Oilwellian]

150. VERY well said

Thank you!

[nashville_brook]

168. ding ding ding --- we have a winner!

thank you kenzee, for putting exactly the right point on this!

[Cerridwen]

61. So if we somehow avoid the most dire predictions about global warming...

due in part to the fact that some very serious people have warned us and we've adjusted accordingly, will you sit back and gloat that it was no big deal?

Or will you, perhaps, realize that by warning of dire consequences we sometimes avoid the very things we warn against?

Kinda tough to prove a negative, don'tcha think?

Can you prove with 100% certainty that we would have avoided those predictions had we only remained silent? No more than I can prove that speaking out may have helped avoid the worst; at least, so far and for me. I can't say the same for those who've been detained, imprisoned, denied the right to "peaceably assemble", been detained at U.S. borders, or for those who have had to file lawsuits to fight for rights once freely enjoyed.

So, have we avoided the most obvious worsts because people spoke out or because they would never have happened? I don't know. I doubt you do either. I'll err on the side of "screaming bloody murder", thanks.

[JuniperLea]

134. Well said...

Oh, keeper of the cauldron!

[Cerridwen]

140. Thank you.

That is a great graphic! Is that your work? I think you're the first to put the Cerridwen with the Cauldron around here. :D

[JuniperLea]

142. No, not mine... but I love it...

I have a thing about Pagans, Witches, Goddesses, etc. Mesopotamian, Celtic, Nordic, you name it, I love the lore, and the artwork it inspires... ancient and modern. I used the name Inanna on another board many years ago... she is another of my favorites. Every time I see you post I mean to mention:)

:hi:

[Cerridwen]

147. I love it, too! Wonderful image.

I'm glad you shared it here. It appears we have similar interests and tastes in artwork. What a nice thing to discover in the middle of GD. :D

:hi:

[AuntPatsy]

62. I think you forget the most dire one of all early on, you know the ones saying Bush would

steal the election back in 2000 which many people Pooh poohed saying it was impossible, that one came to pass and low and behold the rain did fall.

God Cali, you take all the fun out of the enjoyment of worrying about catastrophic predictions, have you noticed lately how the discovery channel and history channel and science channel etc seem to have at least one show a week dedicated to what ifs, even the weather channel has had them lately like what if New York got a major hurricane etc, etc etc...

Its no wonder so many Americans are seeking out anti depressants in droves lately, all they hear is about what could happen or what might happen and even the good ones, not if but, "when"....


100 year Floods, earthquakes, 60 thousand year mega Volcano eruptions, alien invasions, gamma ray burst, the sun dying, the moon leaving our orbit, comets, striking, well you get the picture, not only Dur's are into giving predictions and running with them nor do they only pertain to politics...

[cali]

76. I never heard anyone saying that bush would steal the election

before he, well, stole it.

I don't watch TV, but I am aware of the apocalyptic nature of out times. More than aware of it, actually. I have a MA in in history with a focus on Millenarianism in the 20th century.

[AuntPatsy]

85. Interesting stuff they throw out there, so many predictions sometimes one cannot keep track but

I recall a few predictions that Bush would steal the election in 2000, I began reading Du but did not post until after the election, that was around the time I began to take a bit more interest in politics, took me too long, I am sure there are many americans like me which doesn't say allot for our country, I don't even recall in High school that studying politics was thought to be all that important, sad. very sad.

But back to those Bush predictions, I recall people laughing at those saying anything remotely close to such an action by Bush and company was impossible, laughable and a waste of time, they were told they were uniformed. I honestly remember those posts only because 2000 was the first time I ever even voted and I voted for Gore so for once I began to listen or perhaps it was the big deal being made about Clinton in that last year that finally garnered my attention since some news people could talk about little else at the time, not sure when my attention span began to expand beyond my own backyard.

[onenote]

87. someone on DU predicted that chimpy would still the 2000 election?

Wow. Did they also predict that DU would be created on January 20, 2001, after the election. And how did they defeat the time/space continuum to make this prediction on DU before DU existed?

[AuntPatsy]

110. I know I saw those posts, I know I did, now your making me feel as if I am making it up

I can be forgetful, who cannot but I am not making up people making fun of those swearing the election could be stolen.

[muriel_volestrangler]

194. We can guarantee you didn't read them on DU

DU was not founded until after the 2000 election.

About Democratic Underground, LLC

Democratic Underground (DU) was founded on Inauguration Day, January 20, 2001, to protest the illegitimate presidency of George W. Bush and to provide a resource for the exchange and dissemination of liberal and progressive ideas.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/about.html

You could be thinking about the 2004 election, of course.

[AuntPatsy]

210. I guess I must have confused the years, don't feel very foolish though considering the years I have

had to deal with since, a lapse surely but one not all that important, nor was anyone's life held in the balance...

so though I could feel foolish, some might think I should, I don't, I'll just say I am sorry for not ensuring what I said held more merit.

[enki23]

64. one would imagine the *most* dire predictions almost never do

either that, or our predictions are pretty damned skewed positive.

[bvar22]

92. Under this administration,

it is better to be prepared for the WORST than to just blindly trust that everything will turn out OK.
There are always lazy, shallow assholes that tend to gloat when someone's preparations turn out to be unnecessary.

I grew up in New Orleans. Every year, when threatened by hurricanes, some of the more careful people would pack up their families and move inland until the storm passed. Those of us who stayed behind would laugh and gloat and feel superior to the ones who were more cautions, just like the OP is attempting in this thread.
No one is laughing in New Orleans now.

With the Corporations and the NeoCons in power, it is wise to speculate on "the worst that can happen" and take reasonable precautions.
On an open discussion board, there are those who will fall on the extreme edge. The OP sounds like Fox News as she uses "some" from the extreme to broad brush an entire philosophy.

Many "Dire Predictions" have come true.
In 2005, I predicted that even if the Democrats achieved a Majority in Congress, nothing significant would change due to the infiltration of Republicans(DLC) into the Democratic Party.
I was called a Freeper, fringe leftist, extremist, and a hater of Democrats.


My name is bvar22, and I approve the above message.

[David Zephyr]

65. Gonzales & Rove did try to steal the '06 elections, cali.

Karl Rove and Alberto Gonzales made methodical, extraordinary and illegal attempts to steal the '06 midterm elections in races all over the country. That is a fact. By punishing and firing Justice Department attorneys who would not pursue criminal investigations and charges against Democrats in the House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate and even in the governorships (such as in Alabama), we know that there was an attempt to "steal" or illegally influence the elections in 2006. Moreover, real criminal investigations into wrong-doing by Republicans by the Justice Department were hindered and suppressed all over the country such as with Representatives Doolittle, Lewis and Miller here in California. The U.S. Attorney who prosecuted Duke Cunningham was fired. David Iglesias was bullied into charging Democrats in New Mexico with voter fraud by Karl Rove and Republican Senator Pete Domenici, who is also resigning from the Senate now.

Both Karl Rove and Alberto Gonzales resigned nearly simultaneously because of their exposed antics (being the nice word) or crimes (being the more truthful word.

I agree with the premise of your O.P., cali, in that there have been way too much crying wolf about martial law, tanks in the streets, etc, but there is more than ample evidence to conclude that there was an orchestrated and systematic attempt to steal the 2006 elections which fortunately didn't work. The election in 2000 was stolen in Florida. And the election in 2004 was stolen in Ohio.

[cali]

73. Thanks for the thoughtful post, david.

I tend to agree that they did try and manipulate the 2006 election, but they did not succeed. Vesting the admin with near supernatural powers, as many here did before the elections, just wasn't realistic then, and it isn't realistic now. But your point is valid and you do a good job of making it. Thanks.

[DCKit]

99. And, it is only because we have been pushing BACK that there aren't any tanks in the streets. nt

[cali]

104. you can't know that. n/t

[SDuderstadt]

151. I see...

because we've "pushed back", there aren't any tanks in the street? And, who, exactly, would be operating these tanks? I am a lifelong liberal dem, but I think this claim is pure hyperbole.

[Whisp]

66. give it a bit more time

and all will unfold. As Naomi Wolf said, the steps are taken in staircase-like increments (and we have seen Plenty of those, haven't we or do you need a refresher list?) Then the end of America and a takeover comes like a quick theif in the night.

unfortunately none of us will be able to do a 'I told you so, cali', because one of the things that will be taken away is our ability to communicate as we do know. So put this up on your fridge now: We Told You So.

[MrCoffee]

69. and a bit more...and a bit more...and just a little while longer...and any day now

[cali]

75. I think it's a riot that you're making this prediction in this thread

I also see the adoption of Wolf's thesis as proof of something as, well, interesting. I know all the dangerous things that have happened in the past 7 years, and the possibilities they enable. Being aware of those possibilities is a good thing. Being convinced that this will happen, or that will happen, not so much.

And no, I save space on the front of my fridge for interesting things such as good New Yorker cartoons, but thanks anyway.

[Odin2005]

67. I'm still waiting for thar strike on Iran that was supposed to happen on 6/6/2006.

:eyes:

[Ripley]

72. The most dire assertions on DU that "it ain't that bad"

come from people with either their heads in the sand or with an agenda to maintain the status quo.

The latter being that the Democratic "win" one year ago has not resulted in any tangible change in the direction this country is heading with regards to The Occupation of Iraq, the War Machine, the tanking Economy, the Corporate outsourcing of good American jobs, the loss of civil liberties, the acceptance of torture, and a myriad of other severe problems.

The escalation of flagrant abuse of power by not only the Federal Government, but by police and local government authorities is a reality and some of us choose to call it for what it is. The path to Fascism.

Just sayin'.

[cali]

74. There's something in between

making absolutist doomsday style predictions and sticking one's head in the sand. Pointing out the possibilities is not the same thing as saying "the elections will be cancelled", for example.

[Ripley]

80. Something in between

A robot and a real person. Hmmmm.

[cali]

82. do you know what a non-sequitur is? n/t

[nashville_brook]

162. Naomi Wolf calls it the "fascist shift" --

not everyone has a history degree with a concentration in Millennial studies. Not everyone has the jargon down, or the TONE, that would suit you, Cali -- but the fact is, people EVERYWHERE see a shift in US policy away from the freedom that is supposed to define us a country. Not just DU'ers... not just Democrats... not just Americans.

By all means, be pleased with your intellectual superiority, with your ability to speak clearly and concisely -- but realize also that the inarticulate fears you deride in others are real.

you don't have to be a history major to see which way the wind blows.

[Common Sense Party]

79. Nor was Rove indicted in 24 business hours.

Oh, wait. That prediction wasn't made here.

Never mind.

[stirlingsliver]

84. Just Wait

Just wait.

You are doing exactly what they want.

They want to lull us into a flase sense that everything is OK.

They don't want to take over all at once.

Slowly -- so no one will really notice -- that's how they want to take away our rights.

Get us used to certain "restrictions" -- for our own good, of course.

Then impose more restrictions -- again, for our own good.

Pretty soon, we'll have NO rights left.

And we'll be unable to do anything about it.

[cali]

94. why do people have such a hard time reading?

I suggest you familiarize yourself with my posts in this thread and elsewhere. I don't think things are remotely fine. I'm full aware that dangerous things are happening and have happened over the past 7 years. That was not the point of the OP. Being aware of what's going on in the here and now, and the dangerous possibilities of the future? Good thing. Making absolutist doomsday predictions? Foolish thing.

[nashville_brook]

163. you just take issue with people who fail to articulate themselves as well as you

[cali]

182. what? I don't know how you come to that conclusion.

Come to think of it, I don't know what you're actually saying. Are you saying that I only take issue with people who "fail to articulate" themselves as well as I do? That's absurd. I take issue with people I disagree with. It's that simple.

[Deja Q]

98. Then do something about it.

If you think there's a problem, then go out there. Just don't whine, do something.

I see a possible change in my career ahead; probably in a matter of months if not a year. As much fun as it is to worry, I'm not going to. I'm using my strengths and am working on projects and portfolios for perspective employers or even become a consultant. I am multi-talented and capable.

In short, I'm getting on with my life.

Others can worry and embellish and cry doom and gloom all they want, based solely on inference and conjecture and omitting details such as "illegal" or "foreign" to make it sound like what's going on is for native-born citizens.

BTW: The civil war, World War 1, World War 2, and others have had temporary restrictions imposed. They're not always pretty, but they had to be done.

BTW2: On DU, a lot of people say something is being planned. On DU, a lot of people also claim Bush is a dingaling who can't do anything right. Just HOW does it work both ways? From all the stomped flowers, inability to open doors, misquoting phrases, amongst so many other failed attempts at diplomacy, failed domestic plans, and so on, and some people STILL think something big is deliberately going on? Something so big and calculated? Give me a freakin' break. Again, just how can it work both ways? It can't.

[stirlingsliver]

101. Do I Know You??

Or, perhaps more to the point, do you know me?

I think you suggested that I stop whining and do something.

How is it that you know me well enough to think that I am not already doing "something"???

Do you know me?

BTW: Good for you for being "multi-talented and capable". That's real nice.

BTW2: Some of the rest of us are (and I'm sure you'll have a difficult time believing this) also multi-talented.

Some of us are even capable.

[Downtown Hound]

106. It can easily work both ways

Bush is a man who has huge plans. Always has. And then the fact that he's a dingaling constantly causes him to fuck them up. The whole history of his life is like that.

He was given Harkin Energy. He fucked that up. He was given a baseball team. He fucked that up. He was given the presidency of the United States at a time in her history when she was the most respected, prosperous, and feared nation on Earth. He fucked that up too. Permanently.

He was given a blank check to wage war in our name after 9-11. He fucked that up.

Yes, Bush is a man with deep plans and ambitions. But his lack of real intelligence always causes him to blow it, not only for himself, but for all those around him.

[Mojorabbit]

149. Why can't one worry about

doom and then also get on with their lives. I do both. I keep a good balance while being viligent.

[Deja Q]

89. K&R

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[cali]

96. thanks. n/t

[Snarkturian Clone]

91. Right on.

:bounce: :toast:

[onenote]

95. You've posted something I've often considered posting

The chicken littles on DU can be downright embarassing. I don't have a problem with someone asking whether something is possible. But a there are any number of attention seeking posts on DU that make absolutist statements and predictions that are downright silly. Is there often a tiny grain of truth somewhere underlying these predictions? Sure. But that doesn't justify the lack of critical thought that goes into some of these absolutist statements.

Here's one from 2005: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4937287

[cali]

97. yes.

it's really just a riff on apocalyptism- and ever popular human pastime.

[liberalla]

100. Say it again in November 2009... and we can talk.

I hope they never come to pass, but I'm not breathing a sigh of relief until after the next election and inauguration. There's still time for plenty to go wrong, and there's good reason to expect it from this maladministration.

[cali]

103. I'm not making specific predictions

that was my point.

[otherlander]

102. People like to think that the government wants to kill them.

It makes them feel like they actually pose a threat to the power structure. It makes them feel important.

[Blashyrkh]

113. How do you know the 2006 weren't deliberately skewed?

What's the easiest way to shut people up about voting irregularities? Let them win one.

It astounds me that people treat this administration has a blip, as an anomaly, and everything will go back to normal in 2008. Some people are in for a shock.

I don't think you will be though.

[tammywammy]

114. Every few months there's always a thread

Predicting the attack on Iran on a specific date. I've seen that at least 4 times since I've been here.

You're right Cali, the dire predictions that come out have been wrong over and over again.

[dkofos]

115. Give them time. The reign of * & the dick is not over yet.

[bvar22]

116. I grew up in New Orleans.

Every season when threatened by a hurricane, some of the more careful people would pack up their families and move inland until the storm passed. Those of us who stayed behind would laugh and gloat and feel superior to the ones who were more cautions, just like the OP is attempting in this thread.
No one is laughing in New Orleans now.

Just sayin'.

[nashville_brook]

165. instead of a hurricane party, Cali can host our "Fascist Shift Party"... it'll be great!

[bvar22]

169. LOL!

We don't have to worry about big, hard things that only Cali can understand.

I'll dress as Nero and bring a fiddle.
I can play, "Don't worry. Be happy"!!!
:rofl:

[cali]

183. aww, how cute.

I have the sense that your feelings are injured. too bad.

[KoKo]

195. LOL's.....

[applegrove]

118. Yup. The worst case scenario has not come to pass. There is no way

we need to worry about Bush declaring marshal law in January 2009. That just isn't going to pass because it would be obvious treason. And the penalty of that is death (I don't belive in the death penalty but Bushco does).

[stirlingsliver]

120. Yeah, And There Are Plenty Of Courageous Folks In Congress

You're quite right.

Bush would never delcare martial law. Because that would be treason.

And there are currently lots and lots and lots of people in Congress who are courageous enough to stand up to Bush and tell him "NO!".

Just look at how they have been able to say "NO!" to Bush so far.

[Rex]

121. He would have to disolve Congress and tell the SCOTUS

to fuck off. His unitary branch would control the country in a soft-porn dictatorship. I can't see those steps over Cheney bombing Iran.

[stirlingsliver]

122. I Can.

The current occupier of the White House is a madman.

He is getting crazier and crazier with each passing day.

If you saw him on TV today, then you saw how crazy he looks.

But he is crafty. He knows how to line up pure power behind him -- people who will do anything -- anything -- he wants.

He is quite capable of -- and quite likely to -- declaring martial law.

[Rex]

128. No no, I saw him today talking to the Turkish PM.

His body motion was strange and his pitch and tone altered. I guess they had to drug him up for the news about Turkey and Pakistan. I mean, look at this shit. I still think his handlers won't let him cross the rubicon.

I'm not so sure about Cheney.

[JuniperLea]

136. Makes a person wonder what it is he has on so many...

Seems he must have something... his complete control makes no sense.

[SDuderstadt]

152. I knew someone would say....

"marshal" law....hysterical

[JuniperLea]

127. Seems to me those were predictions for the '08 elections

I don't recall seeing that for '06.

[tammywammy]

130. I remember them for 2006 as well

[Lurking Dem]

145. A small sample

http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/04/01/22_not.html

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=printer_friendly&forum=102&topic_id=678663&mesg_id=680029




http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:WgkxRr7X6LUJ:www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php%3Faz%3Dprinter_friendly%26forum%3D125%26topic_id%3D110310+suspend+elections+site:democraticunderground.com&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=87&gl=us&client=firefox-a

110350, I'm Not Sure...
Posted by Tace on Thu Aug-24-06 08:30 PM

It looks to me like they're prepared to take advantage of another domestic attack to declare Martial Law and suspend elections.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2314#31122

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2496182#2498904

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

131. Thankfully, the most dire have not happened. However, many anti-democracy predictions have occured.

Non-violent political dissidents placed on "terror" lists and threatened with years of imprisonment, for example.

Unconstitutional spying on Americans, as another example.

Secret gulags (lawless detainment and torture), a third example.

Refugees in our own country (KATRINA),...happened and is still an aweful reality.

Increased economic, social and political oppression,...is still happening.

National bankruptcy,...technically, PAST that place.

Threat of this administration creating another world war is, certainly, still a prediction that stands this day.

Housing bust,...it's still in its "last throes".

The other most concerning (dire) predictions remain possible for another 14 months, more or less. There is a far greater threat of terrorism here due to the administration's "amoral" predatory policies. The fears of how this administration will react is legitimate, I believe.

[nashville_brook]

166. Don't worry, be happy!

[eridani]

135. Our 2006 victory was much weaker that it would have been--

--had everybody been allowed to vote and had all the votes been counted. That turnout can be high enough to cancel their shenanigans is not something we should be relying on.

[lumpy]

138. Much ado about nothing

x

[ThoughtCriminal]

141. Compare DU's record to any right-wing pundit

You know, I could bat 1000 just be reversing predictions made by any neo-con.

[Rex]

143. Actually, I think very few DUrs out and out declare they know the future.

However, the night is still young.

[Islander Expat]

153. Hahaha! Our money's collapsing, on the verge of WW3, and you're happy....

pass me what you're smoking homey.

[Neshanic]

154. Many here were calling the housing crash waaay before it happened. Just sayin.

[depakid]

155. Not to mention petroleum prices and dollar devaluation

The signs were there (and often obvious) to those who did a little homework.

Same with some of the other issues- though one can never be too sure about timing... so many things rationally predicted can and very possibly will come to pass.

When they happen, those of us who were paying attention will go from being prophets to being historians.

[IronLionZion]

204. Anyone with common sense could have seen that coming way ahead

I am very disappointed in my fellow Americans. But the media and Bush admin did continue to pretend like everything was just peachy and often touted the dishonest but technically true line that "home ownership is up".

I saw the housing bubble way ahead although I didn't know much about the subprime mortgage business.

[Xenotime]

156. wrong just not in the way you were thinking.

the 2006 elections WERE stolen. Kerry conceded too soon.

Martial law IS Being considered. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lruuz_RJWUg

Liberals and progressives HAVE not been thrown into camps. Just look at the recent RW attack from Rush-tard and others.

[BattyDem]

157. There are 14 months left

I truly hope nothing happens, but I won't stop worrying about it until they're gone. :scared:

[Name removed]

158. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mmonk]

159. We need to go over what has been lost

and what powers the unitary executive has. It's a worst case scenario at any time because we have no checks and balances currently working. Therefore, as far as I'm concerned the worse case scenario is here. Our government is broken and our constitution is not adhered to. We live in essentially a different kind of country today than we had in the year 2000. You aren't sufficiently worried enough.

[bobthedrummer]

160. "The most dire predictions on DU have not come to pass"

OK, it's not totalitarian fascism yet.

But it is HOMELAND (tm) ruled by the BFEE. Domestic enemies of The United States of America are still occupying unelected office and following the "policies" of a culture of death.

IMPEACH CHENEY FIRST-IMPEACH CHENEY NOW!

[leftofthedial]

161. yep

things are just great

[uppityperson]

164. Israel still stands.

[BurtWorm]

167. I (and a lot of DUers) predicted Dems would cave on Mukasey.

You can pretty much take any bet against Congressional Dems showing spine to the bank. I think that's pretty dire.

[Hissyspit]

171. DU has predicted MUCH MORE stuff that has come to pass. There are many dead

who, if we could ask, would say the direst predictions have come true. (Course we can't ask them...)

If DU hadn't been so successful at making predictions, I wouldn't be here.

And most people making dire predictions were actually posting warning more than actually predicting (as mentioned in an above post).

Actually I'm amazed at how much bad shit has happened that we've predicted, stuff I never would have thought would happen.

It is entirely possible to critically read through speculative hyperbole. Why are you making such a big deal about it?

[Dark]

172. You forgot about the draft.

Heard a lot of "Do I feel a draft?" in 2004-2005.

No, I didn't then and I don't now.

[and-justice-for-all]

173. Are you saying the Apocalyps has been cancelled or

just postponed? :evilgrin:

[tammywammy]

174. That's over at the

Rapture Ready board. :)

[file83]

175. Cali, if you're not worried about it, then DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE WORRIERS.

You see, if you're worrying about the worriers, then why, you're a worrier yourself. Ah, paradox.

This all goes without saying, liberals have been thrown into "Free Speech Zones". Is that not "dire" enough for you?

The U.S. dollar is tanking. Waterboarding is considered a reasonable method of interrogation (read: torture) by our President, yet Congress does nothing. Even if it were 100% true to say the 2006 elections were NOT stolen, would it be "dire" enough for you to realize what is scarier is that they didn't HAVE TO steal them because both sides of the aisle are already bought and paid for? And never mind the rise of corporate mercenary armies like Blackwater in the last 5 years and the future that entails.

What could possibly go wrong?

I don't doubt your convictions that the water doesn't feel hot, it just depends on what temperature you're comparing it to. You seem adjusted to the rising temperature. I don't like it at all. It's the slow incrementalism and other's lack of awareness to it that urk the worriers.

Denial isn't going to make it go away.

[cali]

179. do try reading what I wrote.

I've never said I wasn't worried, or that there isn't ample cause for concern. To the contrary, I've often state that there is a crisis in the country do to the extralegal activities of the admin.

I addressed something quite specific in my OP, and it's really supplemental to the OP I wrote about secular apocalyptism of the left- a field I've studied (yes, millenarianism and and its relatives are an actual field of study). It's natural that I'd comment on it, given how widespread it is here.

[alittlelark]

176. We're all wearing the 'tin foil' now.

:evilfrown:



Many of us have been made of for too long.

[truedelphi]

177. Is there a need for martial law when the coup has already occurred??

Studs Terkel doesn't think so - http://tinyurl.com/36c5fx

[Warren Stupidity]

184. Yes the *most* dire predictions have not come to pass.

It turned out, as some of warned, that there was in fact no need to steal the 2006 elections ass the Corporate Kleptocracy and War Party would remain solidly in control of both houses of the legislature no matter which side of the Duopoly was the winner. Presidential elections are a different matter and the last two of those suffered from massive fraud and outright theft.

Martial law has not been declared. On the other hand the constitution has been ripped up and tossed away. From the Patriot Act to the Military Commissions Act to a myriad of revealed executive actions in violation of constitutional rights and internation law and an unknown set of unrevealed abuses, the Republic is no longer a nation run by rule of law, it is a nation run by the authoritarian decrees of an abusive regime, aided and abetted by a compliant Congress and Judiciary.

We have a secret prison system. We have no idea how many people are in our gulag being tortured and held without charges for the duration of the regime's phony and endless war on terror. So far that system has not been used against domestic opponents, but they are working on bringing their special courts and detention centers inside our borders.

Yes your set of 'most dire predictions' has not come to pass. If that gives you comfort, if it quells the anxiety that we all feel, the dread of knowing that things have gone too far to simply return to normalcy, if that is what gets you through the night, then you hold on to that. Good luck. I've always preferred to take the rose colored glasses off and face the world as it is.

[Perry Logan]

185. Liberals just love to predict disaster for themselves.

When the disasters don't occur, they predict more disasters--or say everything is going bad anyway, as with the post preceding this one.

[idgiehkt]

186. because the right figured out those things weren't necessary?

I wonder about this more and more, what is that George Carlin quote about "when fascism comes it will be wearing reeboks" or something along those lines? So many generations have been schooled on a "1984" scenario and yet the right's been able to pull off all its aims with only the precise application of religiosity and jingoism.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

187. I see little difference...

...between the prophets of doom on DU and the crazy guy on the street with the placard declaring that the end is nigh. Crazy is crazy.

[cali]

188. that's actually a fairly well studied phenomenon

Secular apocalyptism doesn't differ in many ways from religious apocalyptism.

[Terri S]

190. yes, little froggies... the water is still rather comfortable

ok, it's a little warmer than yesterday, and the day before, and the day before...but we are adapting.. getting kind of used to it now. What's the worry?

;)

[cali]

197. do try logic.

one can be aware that dangerous things are happening without falling into the trap of making apocalyptic and specific predictions. But hey, who am I to stop anyone from being a fool?

Lots of things to worry about, lots of bad possible routes we may yet follow. that's not the same thing as saying "There won't be elections in 2008 because bush will have imposed martial law". It's important to distinguish between what's probable and what's possible.

[LanternWaste]

193. There were to be a few cases...

There were also to be a few cases of the people revolting due to (whatever), with the end result being civil war.

Without directly pointing a finger at any one poster, I did get a chuckle out of a most serious prognostication that dramatically foresaw a worldwide financial cataclysm. He was quite adamant about his position and would brook little dissent.

The irony of his post lay in a post he'd replied to earlier that same week ridiculing Revelationists and Christian End-Timers.

Six of one and half a dozen of the other.

[bigtree]

196. many of these 'predictions' are based on moves by the administration

. . . which has demonstrated they know no bounds for their anti-democratic grabs for power. The best defense against those abuses is the sunshine provided by these 'predictions.'

Keep them coming folks!

[rocktivity]

200. You don't have to actually throw people into jail

to incarcerate and disenfranchise them.

:headbang:
rocknation

[Basileus Basileon]

201. Also, we have not invaded Iran, despite many predictions of such, down to "leaked" dates.

[Basileus Basileon]

202. Also, there has been no draft, and no new terror attacks.

[lame54]

205. a lot of Pakistanis would have agreed with you a few months ago

http://youtube.com/watch?v=gU5gA6IcIpk

[yodermon]

207. What was the point of this post, and this thread? Just sayin'.

You admit throughout the thread that things have been bad, are currently bad, are getting worse, and have the potential to get much worse.
Yet for some reason you feel the need to, um, "point out", that the kooky "catastrophic" and "direst" predictions haven't occurred.

Well, fucking yay.

What are we supposed to do with this trite, self-evident observation? "Well, the situation is showing some characteristics of {Fascism|Martial law|Corporatocracy|suppression of rights|police-state-ish} but don't worry! Since we're not actually there yet, we can at least take the time to sit back and laugh at those kooky chicken little DUers who make us all look so silly with their gloom & doom scenarios. Oh, and they do it 'regularaly'! (*gasp*) Silly DUers! It is I, cali, who shall point at you and say 'Hah!' Now begone, or I shall taunt you a second time!"

News flash: It's a fucking message board. People will post all sorts of shit. Most of us are content to roll our eyes and let the shit sink to the bottom, or at least force it to the bottom with the ignore button. You, for whatever reason, bend down, pick up the shit, fling it about, point to it, get outraged by it, mock it, and laugh at it before dropping it and moving on to the next piece. Good for you. Rome is on a slow smolder, and you're choosing to fiddle because it's not a full-fledged inferno. Great. Whatever floats your boat.

Thanks for trying to give DU a little more street cred, though. I'm sure you mean well, although guess what: you'll be mocked anyway.

[Poll_Blind]

211. But, hey, if the OP didn't take the time to belittle DU on DU then...

...who would? I think they perform a very useful service, like a sin-eater. Problem is, they just can't keep it down.

PB

[cali]

214. yes, it's just like a sin-eater. Or not.

look the OP was straightforward and it's in response to the burgeoning amount of secular apocalyptism seen in GD. Don't like it? That's fine.

[lumberjack_jeff]

208. Because the sky only fell as far as ceiling height, doesn't make chicken little wrong. n/t

[Sabriel]

209. And who was that Negative Nellie who predicted oil at $100 a barrel?

Sheesh. What a twit....

[cali]

213. right back at you

twit. Read the OP again, or are you totally incapable of reading for comprehension? Fuck, I knew oil was going to go sky high the minute we attacked Iraq. That hardly falls into the "martial law" category, or today's immiediate assumption that bushco sent a threatening letter fake bio attack to a FL Congressman. Oh never mind, return to playing with your....

[Leo 9]

212. "These things have to be done carefully."