General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Thomas Franks, the Clintons and "phony" Democratic populists in the New Gilded Age [View all]merrily
(45,251 posts)And that is where I get into trouble on message boards.
There are so many billions of dollars at stake for them. So many well-organized, well-funded organizations like ALEC. So many lobbyists willing to make big donations.
Posting at DU is not going to change any of that that. Neither is calling your Congressional Rep or your Senators or the White House, though you may give them a giggle. Neither is your little 50-500 person demonstration.
And get even a little obstreperous, and you may find a bullet in your head. Or get your life ruined, like a high schooler who tried to attend the early days of OWS in NYC and got himself an arrest record he was terrified might keep him out of high school. And, of course, a vet in Boston and a vet in Oakland landed in the hospital. For demonstrating peacefully.
OWS did a lot in my opinion because it changed the national conversation.
We can do things like boycott because, now, we're talking money. (But good luck getting the left to agree on anything.)
Aside from that, I honestly don't know what we can do. And, I consider posting a hobby or pastime. Especially here where the views on both (all?) sides are pretty ossified.