Dammit I have given it my best.. tried as hard as I can.. but I CANNOT

[Peacetrain]

get depressed and demoralized about the direction the country is going in. My brother still have no health insurance.. but Mike and I both still see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The jobless rate sucks eggs.. and then some.. but I see improvement locally.. and thank GOD every day for the Roosevelt safety net of unemployment insurance.. We lost the meat packing plant, but a new call center is coming in?

The wars are still going, but Iraq is in a definite wind down and they are on notice we are on the way out.

The word is on the ground, that as soon as we find bin laden, we are out of Afghanistan..

And the underwear bomber is singing like a canary without being tortured.

DADT is on its way out.

And I just cannot for the life of me throw in the towel.

I just feel the warmth of a new direction finally starting to play out on the national stage... and no matter how the media wants to downplay it for financial gain.. (nothing like angst and worry to keep everyone tuned in) things are just feeling better..

I really do think we have turned that corner.

The only downside.. Besides coming to the BOG or leaving a post here and there in DU.. I am kind of off the internet politics and getting back into the local connections more.

You know what.. I think I am not the only one.. even the most discouraged of our DU fellow posters seems to be having a hard time keeping the downers going.


EDIT TO ADD!

:) :) :) :) :) :)

[goclark]

1. K

[Peacetrain]

2. How is that for a rant

;)... I can get as upset as anyone, and pretty po'd.. but I cannot stay that way.. I just think we have turned the corner.. I mean really turned the corner

[Fire1]

3. I have to agree, Peacetrain. People have had to actually

leave my state to find work but there is at least some work to be had. It may not be in one's backyard but you do what you've gotta do. I'm going back to do some post graduate work to upgrade my skills and possibly relocate. People are not making the salaries they used to make but, here again, at least they're working. I'm definitely optomistic.

If there can be an end to the tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas, we'd be in even better shape.

[Peacetrain]

12. I know we had to leave Minnesota in the 70's to come to Iowa..

it was harder on my husband, because my parents lived here.. but we have been here 35 years now.. and it was the best move we ever made. Not everyone can do that, I realize..but sometimes it is what a person has to do at that point in time!

[RoyGBiv]

4. Local connections ...

I harp on this, and most people think I'm nuts, but that's the best thing you can do.

For many, the sense of hopelessness would, if not evaporate, then at least be mitigated significantly if they would just get involved *locally* and remain focused there. I don't mean ignore the national scene. I do mean understand that an individual's ability to affect the national scene is better served by becoming directly involved in local politics.

Tip O'Neil, love him or hate him, was a brilliant political animal and was not just blowing hot air when he said this. So did Molly Ivins. So have a lot of our most effective voices and activists over the years.

[Peacetrain]

11. Oh my GOD that is so true..

Getting in touch with what is happening in the "real" world around a person.. can really start to put things in perspective and actually get things accomplished.

I know, it makes me feel a ton better. If all the connections I had were so on the net, I think it could be dismal. You would just feel so hopeless.

[Fire1]

19. I've noticed that, as well. If you take too much of this internet

stuff in, you tend to lose perspective.

[Hekate]

5. Thank you for that cheery note!

:yourock:

[Peacetrain]

16. And a piece of cup of coffee to book

Hekate.. (_)o.

:yourock: also :hi:

[goclark]

20. BOG Rocks ~

:thumbsup:

[azmouse]

6. Even during the Great Depression people had hope.

This terrible time wasn't (and still isn't) as bad as that time.

This country will pull through. :)

[Peacetrain]

13. Yep we will..

That I have no doubt of :hi:

[Cha]

7. Hell, I never gave up hope when the evil bushcheney

conglomerate was calling the shots..I sure as heck wouldn't give up when we finally got REALITY in the White House!

That's what I hated the most..was that Orwellian crap that the corporatemedia still feeds the populace through the airwaves~

:):):):):):):)

[Peacetrain]

14. That I can see Cha..

You are in the mix of going forward.. Someday we are all going to look back, and it will be na na na boo boo.. to the goofballs on the right.

Negativity always seems to win the battle.. but always loses the war. I am all about winning the war..:)

[Clio the Leo]

8. I appreciate your optimisim....

.... as always BUT "as soon as we find Bin Laden"?

I wouldn't hold out hope on that one. ;)

However I would LOVE to be wrong and you're spot on with everything else you said.

[Peacetrain]

15. You know Clio

I really think we will.. I can't give you an reasonable proof of that.. just a gut thing :hi:

[Cha]

22. You mean now that we're reallly

Looking?!

[HopeOverFear]

9. maaan, if we found Bin Laden...

they'd have to change the amendment so Obama could serve 8 more years. :)

that would be SCHWEEEEET!

[Peacetrain]

10. No kidding.. When they do find Bin Laden or what ever is left of him

and we back out of Afghanistan.. It is going to be wonderful!..

[euphoria12leo]

17. McCain knows how to catch Bin Laden

but since he didn't get elected he's not telling anyone anything. Well I guess we should have voted for McCain. :sarcasm:

[grantcart]

18. If your not depressed that just means your not trying hard enough lol

[treestar]

21. I love your relentless optimism

It is what President Obama is made of.

[NYC_SKP]

23. There you are!

I forget sometimes to visit the BOG, so busy fighting with the seventh grade contingent of pouty people1

:toast:

[Peacetrain]

24. Hey!!!

Yep it can be a little grim up top!!.. good to see you..:toast: