Thoughts about fairness, equality and justice for all

[Cyrano]

America wasn’t founded on fairness, equality and justice for all, since some of our founders were slave owners. Yet, over the past two plus centuries, many, if not most of us, have come to think of those words as a large part of the definition of democracy. For every two steps forward, there was always one backward, so progress seems to have been a stumbling, struggling constant throughout most of American history.

Yet, somewhere in the last century, starting with Nixon’s “Southern Strategy,” and then, growing with the ideas of those controlling an amiable imbecile named Ronald Reagan, a new excuse for greed and suppression was invented. It was dubbed, “Reaganomics,” and it provided a cover for miserable human beings to plunder all the wealth they could, by impoverishing us all.

And now, today’s Republican Party is not content with owning every tangible asset in sight. They also want to own our beliefs and every thought that passes through our minds. This has been the desire of every tyrannical dictator in the history of the world. And at this moment, is seems as though the Republicans, or, more accurately, their billionaire owners, are on the verge of realizing their dreams – which are our nightmares.

Is there still time to stop them? We have less than nine months until the next election. If they take over the House, we’ll be hamstrung. And if they take over the House and Senate, we’ll be totally fucked, because they’ll then have the power to win/steal the presidency in 2024. (Keep in mind that they already own the Supreme Court.)

They have built a powerful, horrifying propaganda machine that we can’t hope to match in the next nine months. Nonetheless, allowing them and their diseased ideology to control our government and all of us is not an option we can accept. Unless we want to dwell in a hell of their making, we must, MUST, find a way to stop them and hold onto our freedoms.

And one more thought. I defy anyone here on DU to call this post, “defeatism.” These are the facts of our current reality. We either face it, deal with it and conquer it, or we will end up in a world run by the ignorant, the amoral, and the evil.

[calimary]

1. Ronald Reagan was the beginning of the end.

I remember when my dad turned to me at the dinner table (while I was still living at home) and said "well, what do you think of Reagan NOW?" It was after that bastard had been in office long enough to start doing damage. I wanted to try to keep the peace and not make a stink during dinner, but replied something like "what I still think of Ronald Reagan probably shouldn't be repeated at the dinner table."

To his credit, he left it there. Didn't raise objections or scold me or anything like that. He was far from perfect, but he did always seem at least somewhat interested in what I thought about things.

Ronald Reagan still makes my lip curl and my teeth go into snarling position.

[Cyrano]

2. Reagan as "the beginning of the end."

Hopefully, not. But maybe so.

I find it incredible that ignorant people such as Reagan and Trump have defined today's America. Think what that says about the strength and durability of decency and the better instincts of humanity.

[calimary]

5. Yeah, no kidding!

[William769]

3. Well said.

[Cyrano]

4. Thank you. Unfortunately, words seem to be insufficient to

stem the time of the onrushing tidal wave of fascism that is coming at us.

Perhaps about 1/3 of Americans aren't even paying attention and are clueless as to what can possibly come about to change their lives forever.

Another 1/3 are all for it.

And the rest of us "get it" but don't know how to stop it.

I know that our Democratic leaders see the threat are doing their best to head it off. I am hopeful. But as each day passes, and the clock keeps ticking down, I become more and more anxious about what the future holds.