Oh Wow... This Paragraph From From Digby...

[WillyT]

While the Democratic Party very well "win" from time to time and the party will play its role in the kabuki dance -- that of "protector" of an ever dwindling handful of ever smaller signature programs to keep the desperate progressive faction on board --- liberalism itself has suffered a terrible and perhaps mortal blow. To have a Democratic president of the United States adopt austerity and extol it as an historic victory the midst of ongoing high unemployment and a moribund economy means that the argument is basically over. This is not Franklin Roosevelt's puny GOP opposition and the Democratic Party does not have the middle class loyalty it had in 1937 to withstand making this kind of monumental error. Neither are we likely to be rescued by a war machine --- it's already cranked. No, the Democratic Party is formally relinquishing its historic claim to represent the economic interests of working families. The best we can hope for is that they "protect" us from a full blown Theocracy or a return to Jim Crow. (After all, they need to get elected somehow or they won't get a share of the spoils.)

Link: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/protection-racket.html

:wow:

[inna]

1. very mildly and diplomatically said

k&r for Digby though, her heart is definitely in the right place

[bjobotts]

58. What an idiotic post. The Goverment has already been bought and sold.Lobbyists write the bills

[bjobotts]

59. Been done for yrs.Dems are surrounded and trying to create back doors to poison this plutocracy

[bjobotts]

60. Obama is a very smart hostage.Only alternative is violent killing of wealthy 1%

[bjobotts]

61. A corrupt SC, a paid for republican party, & a dysfunctional senate rrequires a super majority.

[bjobotts]

63. Every part of our nation buckled under the Bush mess and you want Obama to do what?

[bjobotts]

64. btw..Repubs kept IRS from hiring when IRS claims they are owed $334billion in taxes

[bjobotts]

65. which is 5Xs the revenue these spending cuts will provide.Only cuts should be in defense spending

[bjobotts]

66. Republicans have no business even being near government.They are the problem.

[Hestia]

72. Well said, and something I am sure a lot of people making the connection

if they...then=fighting chance

[AsahinaKimi]

2. I can see

a full blown Theocracy in our near future, especially if people don't bother to care what our government does.

[nashville_brook]

3. well, maybe then our leadership will grow a spine.

[cui bono]

44. We need to make them. If the people don't care they don't need to either. n/t

[wial]

48. we need new leadership

the question is, how do you determine in advance if they have spines? Is there some way we can define clearly what "walking the walk" means? Because I don't see any comfortable shoes in Obama's size out there at the protests and picket lines.

[Hestia]

75. It's going to come from the local level. Unfortunately, while they have kept a

constant vetting process through the local level throughout the years, we are going to have either start is or actively press for it.

[Raster]

49. democratic leadership is an oxymoron

We are entering into the Gilded Age Redux - complete with digital robber barons. Tell me Paul Allen, how big is that yacht? I weep for America.

Oh, yeah... FUCK YOU RONALD REAGAN!

[inna]

4. I just LOVE your sword! (in your sig line) - any story behind it? :)

it's seriously cool. :)

[AsahinaKimi]

6. Its a death poem.

Samurai who were ordered by the diamyo to commit seppuku, ritual suicide, often wrote poems before their death. This one was always my favorite, and it turns out, Shiaku Nyudo may have been a long lost relative in my fathers family line. The last name appears in our family tree.

[inna]

8. awesome, thanks!

:thumbsup:

[AsahinaKimi]

9. oh sorry!

You meant the sword. It's just a samurai katana. I found it looking in google images, I had been looking for a nice one to go with the death poem. Sorry I misunderstood..

gomen ne!
Kimiko yori

[inna]

13. you're so sweet, and you didn't misunderstand anything! sorry for being confusing,

it's all my fault. :) of course, i meant both the (somewhat generic) sword - but much more so the mysterious, ancient, powerful poem that went with it. (i even knew/thought somehow it was connected to your family...) anyway, i communicated very clumsily, but you read my mind perfectly. :yourock: - and it's so cool that you have all that fascinating history in your family.

[AsahinaKimi]

19. you are very kind, thank you..

doumo arigatou gozaimasu, inna san wa totemo yasashii desu ne! ^^

Yoroshiku ne!
Kimiko yori

[progressoid]

22. A Theocracy might have a hard time seizing control from the impending Corporatocracy

Or maybe well have a combination of both.

[HillbillyBob]

73. Thats my take a theofascist mess.

We already have corporate type churches....

[Hestia]

76. Isn't that the plot of "A Midwife's Tale"? Too close for comfort

:scared:

[TBF]

43. It's not that they don't care -

it's that they see it doesn't matter. No matter what poor and so-called middle class folks do, the wealthy own and run this joint. They'll let us argue back and forth about economically inconsequential matters like abortion and gay marriage, but they control the purse strings.

The fix is in, the rich own it, and the rest is theatre.

[Hestia]

77. You'd think Anonymous would jump on something like this - draining the ones and zeros

[Exilednight]

71. I see more of a Plutocracy in our future. People of wealth are only using the dumbed down

christian right as a means to the end.

[Hestia]

74. Should that be in our future, then people should be copying books into pdf's.

Kindle, Nook, have access to your book list. Everything needs to be copied, except for Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilley (sp?) et al, and Milton Friedman, which should go without saying. If these materials are ever needed, then we are the Keepers of History this time, not them. Library of Congress needs to be seized for the common good.

[tex-wyo-dem]

5. Wow is right....

Of course that is often my reaction when I see the actual truth in black and white. The poor, middle and working class has turned into fodder for the wealthy ruling class. To say it plainly: they care only about ever expanding their own personal wealth...what the rest of us suffer through, they couldn't care less. They see this all as a game.

The DLC dems occupying congress and the executive branch are the worst for selling us all down the river.

[Poboy]

7. Sam Seder interviewed Digby about this on Monday- (audio link)

Monday April 11th 2011

It’s Monday, the start of another wonderful week!
We’re kicking this week off with Digby

http://traffic.libsyn.com/majorityfm/4-11-2011-Digby_The-Budget-PUB.mp3


===

To Sam's page-
http://majority.fm/2011/04/11/monday-april-11th-2011/

[democracy1st]

11. +1

[mmonk]

21. Thanks for the links.

[smokey nj]

24. It's a great interview. I urge everybody to listen.

Thanks for the link, Poboy!

[Poboy]

26. Thanks for the endorsement. Sam Seder has a fantastic show. Great guests mixed w/ wit and humor.

[smokey nj]

28. I love it! I'm proud to be a Sederista!

[Poboy]

29. I'm at that level membership as well.

Sammy is the man.

[DeSwiss]

10. He's only saying out right....

...what many have been saying for sometime.

And have been ignored.....

K&R

[Cowpunk]

14. Digby's real name is Heather Parton NT

[cliffordu]

12. As soon as the Democrats and Liberals get off their dead asses and take to the streets

things will change.

Until then I will mock them for the chairborne rangers they are.

Snarking the Prez on DU does not an activist make.

And Digby brought up Liberalism and equated it with the Democrats, not me.

[Truth2Tell]

39. Liberals and Democrats would have to believe,

in large numbers, that we are in crisis and that the crisis merits taking to the streets. Most don't. Until we build that awareness talk of taking anything to the streets is pointless. We have to educate and get our message out somehow. I don't know the answer and clearly circle-jerking on DU doesn't count. But some forms of caheirborne rangering strike me as equally as useful as a dozen hippies standing in the rain with signs.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

53. So when do we start organizing here ?

I'm ready.

[okieinpain]

15. agreed, but we're to blame just as much. where is the million man

march, where is the dem tea party taking over meetings scaring the shit of repugs and their supporters alike. why are we not boycotting shows that support hannity. don't say dem reps have no backbone when we are the backbone.

[Hestia]

78. Yeah, we are all waiting for the next person to take charge, which is sad but I think

everyone doesn't want to be the only one in their area especially if you live in a small town.

[okieinpain]

81. yeah, I can understand that. I just wonder why everyone complains

about president obama and dems. but there is no mention of why where not progressive/liberals are being more vocal like the tea nuts. why were we not out in mass to equalize the tea party when health care reform was voted in, whether you like the bill or not. just let them repugs know this is a 50/50 country and we will be respected.

[Ramulux]

16. Exactly

Obama literally ended the debate by flat out adopting the republicans agenda. Its not about job creation, its not about funding education and social programs, its now about austerity and the continued destruction of programs that many in this country have come to rely on.

I have never felt this politically hopeless in my life. We no longer even have the facade of a two party system. Democrats at least used to pretend they were on the side of working people, now they dont even bother.

[kath]

17. +1000. Ramulux. "We no longer even have the facade of a two party system."

It makes me feel so hopeless and angry as well.

[Citizen Worker]

35. Turn your disillusionment and anger into action and work for an alternative political party.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

56. So when do we start organizing here ?

I'm ready.

[Poboy]

23. A pathetic excuse for a human being, let alone "Democrat".

[Cameron27]

31. "I have never felt this politically hopeless in my life."

Same here.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

57. So when do we start organizing here ?

I'm ready.

[defendandprotect]

18. Let's keep in mind this has only happened by Dems collaborating with GOP ...

to overturn New Deal --

The Rightwing Koch Bros. Funded the DLC --

http://www.democrats.com/node/7789

http://upload.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x498414

If you knew about this, why didn't you tell us?

If you didn't know -- pass it on--!!


:)

[mmonk]

20. Unfortunately, that's how I see it.

We've been offered up in the sacrifice to corporate rule.

[Renew Deal]

25. The voters don't seem to agree.

The poll I saw had Democrats and indipendents liking Obama's moves the most.

[PassingFair]

27. Yes, that surely was borne out in the MID-TERMS.

:crazy:

[OwnedByFerrets]

34. The VOTERS also voted enough in number for Monkeyboy

to steal two elections. I dont put very much faith in the VOTERS.

[2banon]

37. Voters as defined by Diebold, et al.. computer program that gives

phony results.

[OwnedByFerrets]

41. I do understand what you are trying to say....

however, the machines say that Monkeyboy got 62 million votes in 2004. Even if the machines cheated by 10% across the board, that would still mean that over 55 million idiots voted for him. I still dont trust American voters to know how to vote in their own interests.

[2banon]

67. good point.. sad and pathetic.. n/t

[neoralme]

38. Yeah, right...

[BulletproofLandshark]

45. The only poll that matters will be on Election Day 2012. n/t

[rpannier]

51. For the last 25 years the polls have also told us that voters hate divisive and negative campaigns

Yet, since 1988 the most negative campaigns always seemed to win

[leeroysphitz]

30. Kicked for sad truth. n/t

[OwnedByFerrets]

32. I doubt that there will ever be truer words written

[EFerrari]

33. Yep.

[2banon]

36. The Veil is finally lifting. the Rose Colored Glasses are finally being Discarded..

It's taken an awfully long time, but now I have a glimmer of hope that we have finally arrived at a point in time to actually make real change. Getting off our dead asses & hitting the streets, en masse across the country calling for a National General Strike, so much can be done now and actual change could be had, but we'd have to abandon the comfort of our living rooms, and actually be prepared for civil disobedience and on and on. Now are we ready??

[SusanaMontana41]

42. Absolutely. n/t

[Hestia]

79. Yes n/t

[MissDeeds]

40. K&R

The military complex, corporations, and the wealthy are all that matter in this new world order.

[Hestia]

80. No they are not. n/t

[DirkGently]

46. Yes The Republicans do want too much of the right thing as Obama suggests. They want the WRONG THING

[bertman]

47. I tend to agree with Digby's comments; HOWEVER, what I heard was a President

who was speaking, first and foremost, to the independents and the Republicans who are NOW (thanks to his eloquence) quite aware of what the GOP is trying to do. Basically, he was calling them out for being the heartless bastards they are.

The speech was eloquent and he said many of the right things. I sure as hell didn't expect him to act like a flaming socialist (even though I would have loved it) and start excoriating Wall Street or GE or Exxon-Mobile, but neither did I expect him to sound like someone who was throwing down the gauntlet. Which I think he did.

No, it wasn't the gauntlet that I would like to have him throw down, but it was a tough stance from someone who has not been good at tough stances or even tough rhetoric, so I'm going to be a Hope filled person and wait to see if he walks the walk.

[radhika]

50. When did WE THE PEOPLE start settling for 'protection'

It is apalling how WE sit huddled in front of out TVs hoping and waiting in vain for Mr O or the Dems to fight for us, to do something and to stop them. Of course they never do. There is no money or spoils in doing more than a teensy gesture for the little guy, gosh darn it.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

52. So when do we start organizing here ?

I'm ready.

[upi402]

54. If only I could die more than once for the rich elites

I would die a thousand agonies if it gave the wealthy elites the slightest chance at an even more opulent life!
:sarcasm:

[Arkana]

55. Well, I guess we should just pack up and throw in the towel then.

No point continuing. Digby's Blog has spoken.

[WillyT]

69. You Really Should Read The Article...

It might just be helpful...

:shrug:

[deaniac21]

62. It will be George Crow this time.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

68. The party has gone from protecting the people to protecting itself. K&R

I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the State, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally.

This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy.

The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.

Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight), the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it.

George Washington - Farewell Address 1796

[gtar100]

70. I disagree that liberalism has been dealt a "perhaps mortal blow".

Liberalism doesn't die. People may turn away from it but that's at their own peril. We ought to stop crying over the condition of the Democratic party and start taking it over for progressive and liberal values. This paragraph sounds too much like somebody giving up. He talks about our history but, at least in this paragraph, he doesn't put today into perspective with the terrible, terrible, oppressive conditions people of the 1800's struggled against to end slavery and to bring forth all the elements of the New Deal. Heck, imagine the struggle to end slavery. Can you imagine how the slaves felt when their faces were pressed to the dirt, hands and neck in shackles being whipped and beaten by some racist asshole - perhaps only for the want of something we take for granted? Don't forget this. We must not give up because they did not give up.

The Democratic Party is nothing but a vessel for those who occupy its positions. Yes, it's been overwhelmed by a bunch of republican-light representatives but Progressives and Liberals still have a strong foothold in it. We can make of it what we want. We need to keep fighting and now is better than later because if we do give in to these fascists, the struggle will only be that much more bloody down the road. We still have the option of using the power of public discourse and the ballot box to effect change. Maybe not as a means of doing an about-face, but we *can* make it better over time and avoid having to go into a full-blown civil war. I think there is still time. Let's keeep waking each other up.