Anyways...
I was going to elaborate on my thoughts on the current administration, but I decided to close that post and start fresh here.
As I was saying in the last post, I have lost faith in the Democratic Party actually doing anything about the far-reaching corruption in the Bush administration. What seems to me to be happening has been a complete shutdown of opposition to this war machine that is the Bush monarchy. Why? There are so many signs that point to a perfect time to strike, ( i.e. Bush and Cheny's poll numbers, 34 and 18% respectively according to a current CBS poll, growing dissent in the repub ranks over the ports deal and the NSA scandal, and alluding to Glenn Greenwald's blog, the swift turn from conservatism to federalism). What is the issue that is stopping the Dems from actually fighting on these issues? Is it really the internalising of criticisms from mainstream sources and pundits? I don't think so. I think it's something else. I think the issue is scandal fatigue.
Look, there have been so many scandals emanating from the WH since Bush took office that it really is hard to keep up, and I know others have elaborated more on this, but I really think that the Democrats and us in the leftfield of the spectrum have grown so numb, even while being disgusted and outraged, to the plethora of issues that this admin. has either faltered, lied or completely fucked up on.
So how do we move past the quagmire of scandals that we find ourselves in?
Well, one way is obviously to vote. I know we liberal-trending citizens are in the Majority, so the most effective way to get past this it to vote Democrat. I know, I'm ripping the dems for not having a backbone on one hand, and tellng you to vote dem on the other, I'll get to that in a minute...
Another way is to contact your Congressmen, It may seem obvious, but you'd be surprised at how many don't write or call or email their congressmen when there's an issue they care about.
Which brings me to my next point...
I have noticed that there have not been many serious protests in the streets by citizens who are fed up with all the lying, and misleading going on, but then I start thinking, and I truly believe that we as a nation have actually become quite complacent in our lives as we advance technologically. As we become more advanced in our technology, we ultimately become more compartmentalized and less sympathetic (as in communicatively) and synergistic with our fellow citizens. Now, I believe we should push towards a technological singularity that will break all class barriers and extend our lives as well as enrich them, but there are pitfalls.
In the 60's protests were widely attended and in fact, were shown on the television (which would and probably accounts for part of the lack of them now), and people seemed more mobilized to do something about the situations they found themselves in. I believe part of this stems from computers (and I am surprisingly very pro-computer!!!). I am noticing as the blogosphere becomes more influential, the standard of demonstrative power changes. We have just as many dissenters in America as we did during the Vietnam War (if not more), but now we aren't going out and voicing our opinions in the streets, we are doing so in our offices, our homes and elsewhere through the internet. Just as I type here during my lunch break, so to would I not move to organize a street protest specifically because I feel like I can get my views heard better through the Blog. This can be both positive and negative.
While the blogosphere has been a conduit for lightning-fast whistle-blowing and fact-checking,
so to has it been a hindrance to organized protest, which is much more visual in nature. Blogs seem to have the visceral impact of "Yeah, I just vented my criticism and WILL be heard!!!" while the sheer impact of an organized demonstration by 100,000 people on the steps of the Capitol is much more telling to a Congress disconnected from its constituency.
I hope we find the strength to overcome this almost tyrannical rule with the numbers of citizens willing to sacrifice time and money to make a "Regime Change" in Washington (to borrow a phrase), but it will take much more than the power of blogs to enable us to do that. I feel we will need a Party willing to stand up to the 'majority' and quite possibly the only way to get the Dems to hear us it to march down there and tell them to their faces.
I was going to elaborate on my thoughts on the current administration, but I decided to close that post and start fresh here.
As I was saying in the last post, I have lost faith in the Democratic Party actually doing anything about the far-reaching corruption in the Bush administration. What seems to me to be happening has been a complete shutdown of opposition to this war machine that is the Bush monarchy. Why? There are so many signs that point to a perfect time to strike, ( i.e. Bush and Cheny's poll numbers, 34 and 18% respectively according to a current CBS poll, growing dissent in the repub ranks over the ports deal and the NSA scandal, and alluding to Glenn Greenwald's blog, the swift turn from conservatism to federalism). What is the issue that is stopping the Dems from actually fighting on these issues? Is it really the internalising of criticisms from mainstream sources and pundits? I don't think so. I think it's something else. I think the issue is scandal fatigue.
Look, there have been so many scandals emanating from the WH since Bush took office that it really is hard to keep up, and I know others have elaborated more on this, but I really think that the Democrats and us in the leftfield of the spectrum have grown so numb, even while being disgusted and outraged, to the plethora of issues that this admin. has either faltered, lied or completely fucked up on.
So how do we move past the quagmire of scandals that we find ourselves in?
Well, one way is obviously to vote. I know we liberal-trending citizens are in the Majority, so the most effective way to get past this it to vote Democrat. I know, I'm ripping the dems for not having a backbone on one hand, and tellng you to vote dem on the other, I'll get to that in a minute...
Another way is to contact your Congressmen, It may seem obvious, but you'd be surprised at how many don't write or call or email their congressmen when there's an issue they care about.
Which brings me to my next point...
I have noticed that there have not been many serious protests in the streets by citizens who are fed up with all the lying, and misleading going on, but then I start thinking, and I truly believe that we as a nation have actually become quite complacent in our lives as we advance technologically. As we become more advanced in our technology, we ultimately become more compartmentalized and less sympathetic (as in communicatively) and synergistic with our fellow citizens. Now, I believe we should push towards a technological singularity that will break all class barriers and extend our lives as well as enrich them, but there are pitfalls.
In the 60's protests were widely attended and in fact, were shown on the television (which would and probably accounts for part of the lack of them now), and people seemed more mobilized to do something about the situations they found themselves in. I believe part of this stems from computers (and I am surprisingly very pro-computer!!!). I am noticing as the blogosphere becomes more influential, the standard of demonstrative power changes. We have just as many dissenters in America as we did during the Vietnam War (if not more), but now we aren't going out and voicing our opinions in the streets, we are doing so in our offices, our homes and elsewhere through the internet. Just as I type here during my lunch break, so to would I not move to organize a street protest specifically because I feel like I can get my views heard better through the Blog. This can be both positive and negative.
While the blogosphere has been a conduit for lightning-fast whistle-blowing and fact-checking,
so to has it been a hindrance to organized protest, which is much more visual in nature. Blogs seem to have the visceral impact of "Yeah, I just vented my criticism and WILL be heard!!!" while the sheer impact of an organized demonstration by 100,000 people on the steps of the Capitol is much more telling to a Congress disconnected from its constituency.
I hope we find the strength to overcome this almost tyrannical rule with the numbers of citizens willing to sacrifice time and money to make a "Regime Change" in Washington (to borrow a phrase), but it will take much more than the power of blogs to enable us to do that. I feel we will need a Party willing to stand up to the 'majority' and quite possibly the only way to get the Dems to hear us it to march down there and tell them to their faces.
posted by Diatomesque at 7:54 AM
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