I am finding myself just moving away from the political spectrum. There really isn't anyone,

[EV_Ares]

anything or either party that seems to really look hard for the solutions that will help the people who need it or our own country improve. It is all negative politics, nobody is right and everyone is wrong as the words in the song says. The corporations and rich seem to have taken over the reins of running the country with little leftover for anyone else.

You can go out & work your ass off for a candidate but once that candidate is in the halls of power, priorities change from what they were when the campaign was on.

WTF do you do? Nothing seems to work anymore, you have the message boards, blogs, bitching (like me here) but nothing seems to get past that along with all the chatter in Washington.

Tomorrow I might feel different. I just need a good win from the left's side.

[muffin1]

1. K&R

It's very depressing. Some days I feel like I can't go on, either.

[Bonhomme Richard]

2. The only legal way I can think of is....

to get more like minded democrats elected.
I must admit that I am getting into a funk about our whole process and I do believe Washington is bought and sold. They need to be knocked out of their comfort zone. That includes Washington and the top 1%.

[valerief]

3. First you need to destroy every last friggin' electronic voting machine. nt

[marions ghost]

18. that is key

--we have no elections that mean anything with e-voting.

[MindPilot]

7. A couple of years ago we had a Democratic majority.

That worked out pretty well. Oh wait, never mind.

[marions ghost]

20. OK so it hasn't worked as well as hoped

the Titanic isn't able to turn on a dime. Because the Titanic is fatally flawed. The rivets are popping.

OK so now what?

After you go through the pain of all that, the grief, the feelings of powerlessness, the realization of being unfairly and unjustly marginalized--THEN what?

So we have learned something important and valuable lately. We have learned that the Repugs are so crazy they will sink the whole ship to destroy Obama. We have learned that Obama and co. are not going to fight fire with fire for myriad reasons.

So what do we do now? Get rid of the idea that somebody is going to rescue us, do it for us. They aren't. It's time to build a new voice for the people and take advantage of our numbers. It really is the people vs the PTB. Forget political parties for the present. Don't get hung up on labels. We have to speak as one, no matter where we are coming from.

[MindPilot]

4. Agreed. I'm taking a more Carlin-esque view as an impartial observer.

There is no longer even any pretense that what happens in DC is about anything more than making the other side fail. You can write, call and visit your "representatives" all you want but they only pretend to listen because, quite simply, they do not represent you. This is no longer a participatory democracy; it is an observational clusterfuck.

[electropop]

10. The apparent rivalry between sides is fake, like WWF or NFL.

The real objective of both sides is to make money, and they put on a show to do it.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

5. We have to get money out of politics first.

Don't know if that's possible now.

[FSogol]

Go local. Improve you street, your neighborhood, your neighborhood school, fire department, etc

Good luck.

[Proud Public Servant]

14. This is not only good advice...

...it's also how the Right got where they are. They understood the value of a school board election.

[marmar]

6. Totally.......

Honestly, my focus has turned to local issues, working on community-building and awareness independent of politicians. I just think the political system (and the Supreme Court) have been so corrupted by corporate money that a system collapse, which seems well in the works, is the only thing that will let us recharge and rebuild.

[HereSince1628]

8. Volunteering isn't empowering...its service to the chosen.

You've learned what it means to be on the outside. It never really puts you in a position to influence the direction or choices of The Party.

So, I'd say if you don't like the direction things are going, the WTF you can do is GET INSIDE THE MACHINE.

[electropop]

12. I'm inside the machine, but it's big and broken. I feel like this:

[Enrique]

9. it's called alienation

and i'm right there with you, like never before. I've always been cynical but not like this.

[City Lights]

11. I hear you.

My "hope" well has run dry, and I become more cynical with each passing day. Congress is bought and paid for by corporate America. The people have no power. I've written so many emails/letters and made so many phone calls, and it doesn't really make a difference. My "representatives" do as their corporate masters wish. All I get is justification for why they're voting this way or that.

[janet118]

13. Take a break . . .

It sounds like you've earned it. We are fighting powerful forces with unlimited funds and resources. Of course you're tired and frustrated.

But, please don't give up.

:hug:

“I am overwhelmed by the grace and persistence of my people.” Maya Angelou

[EV_Ares]

15. Hey, thanks, no I realize there are others out there like myself along with you

& we have to find a way to break through it all. That is exactly what I am doing "taking a break" from all of it for a while. Too discouraged so have some books to read, movies, some weekender's with family & ignore all of the politics of today.

Thanks for allowing me to bitch about it.

[MrMickeysMom]

16. May I suggest an article to get your bitch-on justified?

Chris Hedges in the latest (August, 2011) Progressive is interviewed by David Barsamian.... I just finished it this AM, and although it offers nothing about who progressives may vote for this next year, it DOES a good job of placing you in a reality based attitude I can best describe as, .... "Well, shit, I guess Huxley and Orwell WERE right... so, it's time to raise some serious shit with the Democrats, now isn't it?"

An excerpt ...

..."The question is, how do you stop the power elite from doing as much damage to you as possible? That comes through movements. It's not our job to take power. You could argue that the most powerful political figure in April of 1968 was Martin Luther King. And we know Johnson was terrified of him. We have to accept that all of the true correctives to American democracy came through these movements that never achieved formal political power and yet frightened the political establishment enough to respond."

I may even MEET this guy in October's march, based on this reality check. We need to see the political spectrum for what it's become (again), and move on from there for those in our future... if we have a chance for a future, it's because we do something now.

MMM

Edit: spell

[marions ghost]

19. Absolutely--it has to be a movement

and MLK is an excellent example of how it's done.

This is a "cold civil war" and it should be seen like that--should be taken that seriously.

I think Chris Hedges is right. A non-violent movement --for justice, for truth, for morality, for vision, for new solutions.

Create it. Don't just run away. Come together. Oct 6 would be a good time to start.

[EV_Ares]

22. Good suggestion, thanks for the info, will read it, Hedges does good stuff. eom.

[sendero]

17. I'm standing back..

.. and waiting for it to fall. Because until it does Americans are asleep at the wheel.

[blindpig]

21. The 'political spectrum' is nonsense

There is only the working class and the capitalist class.

[paulk]

23. as far as voting, I think it's business as usual - that is,

you end of voting for the candidate who you feel can do the least amount of harm.

Getting involved with the campaign? for me - no more. I was a big supporter of Andrew Romanoff in the CO Dem Senate primary last year - the Obama administration and Obama himself, in an unprecedented move, got involved in a competitive primary - raising money for and lending his OFA organization to Romanoff's opponent. That was the final straw for me... I mean, what's the point of even being a party member anymore if the powers that be are going to choose the candidate?

Our political system is dysfunctional and can't solve our problems .

WTF to do? I don't know any more. Right now I'm more involved in trying not to lose my house than anything else. If I can keep it I'm going to put in the largest garden I can next year. Try to get off the grid, or at least try to get as far away from it as I can. Look for like minded people.