I Sense a Disturbance in the Force vs. the French Revolution

[catnhatnh]

Those are the two courses I see as possible outcomes of the next election.The only two outcomes I can foresee involve either a total capitulation by Republicans to a progressive agenda or a near violent revolution.
Let's take the second course of action first-without a HUGH societal correction, within 12 months, totally unprecedented numbers of Americans will be homeless and hungry, and freshly so. The northerners may watch family members freeze to death.Healthcare will not be saved in time.Jobs will get no better. As Kris Kristofferson said "Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose..." and the last time this country experienced complete freedom was when even dieing in confrontation seemed no worse than the status quo.What would you do when your people are on the street without food?
The only alternative I see is a vast displacement of the republican ideal,and this supported by much of the republican party.Even a republican need not be an oracle to see that collapse is just steps away or that collapse will punish the upper class worse than the lower.Cable TV and Internet connections won't get it done once actual cold and hunger become the norm.
So I try to remain hopeful-I think big changes are coming and soon.A few hundred billionaires can run offshore and try to retain what they stole.But within the country, the people and resources will remain and I believe we will reach the wisdom necessary to control and allot them.
The only thing I don't see happening is more of the same. Their plan called for forever war and Orwellian control and instead we got a shabby curtain and a few failed wizards who were not even "very good men", just a league of medicine hucksters we failed to prosecute after Nixon.
So this time,with the help of those republicans who fear the loss of station we must prosecute the criminals. Otherwise, tell us to "eat cake"...go ahead, I DARE you.

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. I have another scenario and one that gives me no pleasure

the RIGHT knows that they are THIS CLOSE to reaching their fascist state

It is so close that they can literally taste it

Once they loose... them militias are coming back, with a vengeance... and... internal terrorism followed by a short, but violent civil war with the ever so popular USSR type of dissolution.

They have been mightily quiet (with a few sharp exceptions, like Schiavo) over the last seven years

And I do hope I am dead wrong.

Of course there is another scenario, which again gives me no pleasure

There is a good chance (read Somalia) that Junior will attack Iran... and once he does that if he gets riots, he gets executive order and suspension of elections... same goes if they pull off the riots in Denver...

And yes, they will try all they can to get an excuse to get those Executive Orders enacted...a gain they are THIS CLOSE

[NewHampshireDem]

2. I hate to say it, but I agree ... and raise you

Attack on Iran followed by 'terrorist activity.'

I don't think the morans in charge can pull of an actual false-flag terrorist attack within the United States. There are too many good people who would have to remain silent, and even a few not-so-good ones for whom such an action would be over the line.

However, 'threats' of a 'major operation within the US border' and the 'necessity of a higher state of vigilance' could lead to a similar outcome. That they could pull off--you and I both know, I'm sure, how many of these 'terrorism' arrests and prosecutions are nothing more than vaporware.

[ColbertWatcher]

3. The fact that we can still post these kinds of things...

...is a sign for me that the GOP has not yet given up on their final solution to democracy in America.

The GOP are playing chess. Losing one election for them is like losing one pawn; they don't care. It's a sacrifice they are willing to make in order to protect their queen: the Supreme Court, control of banking and privatizing infrastructure.

The GOP may sacrifice the 2008 election if they can keep enough of their minions in Congress and state offices to muddy politics for another four years.

The one thing they love to do is play victim, so don't put it past them to lose this and cry to their donors how badly they were hurt.

Oh, boo, hoo.

The only way we can insure that America does not go GOPist is if we can get a veto-proof majority in Congress (for at least 12 years) and clean up every mess the GOP has made since Reagan.

Otherwise, it will be a slow bleed and they will give us a pawn again and again until they win.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. With a DEM in the WH and control of hte house and senate

the USSC goes away... and they know it.

We can still post these things because a fascist state does not necessarily look like Germany in 1940... that is a late phase actually.

Trust me... having grown up in a nation that had more than one totalitarian streak I can smell them a mile a minute

For example, this post is going into the party line at AT&T.. yes, yes it is... and not to assume that after all that has been revealed is naive beyond belief.

And I have assumed for a long time that any call I make internationally is intercepted, and these days even national ones

Sadly, been to a rodeo like this before. And this time I have chosen NOT to let me be afraid... that was a decision I made early on... and there are reasons why I made that very conscious choice.

Oh and even worst, having a dem in charge does not necessarily mean the end of this and full restoration of democracy... it will take us fighting for it... and perhaps even dying... and I hope folks realize this... and don't expect miracles just because somebody has a D behind their name

[yurbud]

5. problem with your scenario: which way to the Bastille?

The wealthy have done an excellent job of obscuring the locus of their power and to a large extent, even their identity.

It's hard to have a revolution when you don't have someone tangible to revolt against.