Here’s how America got so fucked up

[Cyrano]

We were never perfect or even close to it. After wiping out every Native American possible, our forebears tried to slam the door shut on everyone else who was trying to get in. And let’s not forget that slavery thing. It was one of the greatest evils that ever existed. Yet, there are those among us today who would actually love to see its return.

We’ve had robber barons, the KKK, paranoid militias and every flavor of hate group imaginable. Yet, for the short period between the end of WWII and the day that St. Reagan took office, we were a relatively sane country which others around the world envied and wanted to come to. The haters were still here, but they were relegated to the back row.

And then St. Ronnie took office and that was the start of American getting so fucked up.

For some reason beyond my comprehension, liberals cringed in fear as wingnuts grabbed every ounce of power they could. And we now have reached the point where the most ugly human traits and inclinations can be shouted out through hate radio, cable “news,” and the bumper stickers of morons. There’s literally no despicable idea they can’t be publicly screamed out, as long as it’s not a four letter word.

I can’t conceive why many around the globe would still want to come to America. Empathy and basic human decency have become subjects to be mocked by the 1%, the Jesus freaks, and every ignorant toad they’ve conned into backing them and keeping them in power.

But here’s the thing. If you believe (as I do) that America is totally fucked up, what do you think it would look like if the GOP ends up with the Presidency and full control of congress next year? I, for one, really don’t want to be here to see just how deep the rabbit hole goes.

I've really only covered the tip of the iceberg here and would welcome any and all opinions on how we got so fucked up.

[dawg]

1. You're wrong about our forebears.

There were only three bears. And one of them was *just* right. :P

[dawg]

2. You sound pretty right about everything else though.

I think the fall of the USSR really did a number on the American worker. Took away the scary downside to corporations shifting labor overseas. No more threat of Communist revolution and nationalization of their property, so globalization took over.

[Amonester]

3. "can be shouted out through hate radio, cable “news,” and" ...

the Internetz.

Also, you forgot all those violent PUNKS (only the haters) who f*cked up the Peace And Love movement.

:yourock:

[FarCenter]

4. Agree, except about the short period from WW II to St. Reagan

Senator Joe McCarthy and the House Unamerican Activities Committee,
the Korean War,
killings of blacks in the South,
race riots in the cities in the '60s,
the Vietnam war,

I think you have selective amnesia.

The reason that America was attractive in that period was that much of the rest of the developed world in Europe and East Asia had been devastated by WW I, hyperinflation, the Great Depression, the invasion of China by Japan, and WW II.

We were rich and they were heavily damaged.

[Cyrano]

9. That period of time was far from Utopia

Nonetheless, McCarthy was ultimately destroyed, the civil rights movement took place in full force, the killings of blacks in the South was televised and on the front pages of newspapers, and the race riots of the 60s were fully justified and helped bring about some degree of justice.

The Korean War and Vietnam were crimes against humanity.

My point is that liberals/progressives like us were out there in the streets fighting back in that era. But until OWS, we have all been in a coma.

[PETRUS]

12. plus

-CIA-backed coups against democratic (but ideologically unsympathetic) foreign governments.

-Pillaging of weaker nations' natural resources.

Basically, we successfully exported some costs of MIC profit seeking outside our borders during that period, and/or deferred the costs to future generations.

[leftstreet]

5. So what's the plan to unFuck it?

:shrug:

[Cyrano]

8. Ahh, that is the question, leftstreet.

And it's possible that those involved in the OWS movement, and all the spinoff demonstrations countrywide (and worldwide) may have found the beginning of the thread that, once unraveled, will lead to the answer.

Every one of us should be joining them in any event that's taking place near where we live. Many people are in a position where they can only do so much. But whatever any of us can do will help.

[lutefisk]

6. Look at Wisconsin to see what happens when the GOP gains full control

One year ago Wisconsin was a state to be proud of- a leader in progressive, democratic ideals and practices, a state that valued its people and natural resources. Since the day GOP took control they have been merciless and lawless (no one to stop them- they control everything) in their relentless drive to destroy social services, public education (including higher education), workers' rights, and on and on. The push to take from the public and turn our state resources over to private interests has been stunning.

Wisconsin is screwed and if the GOP has control of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of our federal government, it will be worse than we can imagine. I think the country will be stripped of its assets and finally just collapse under total Republican control.
:hi:

[AlinPA]

7. One of the things that put us into the slimy hole was the Bush admin's Abu Ghraib horror.

It was seen as a badge of honor by the conservative Fox News types who have no shame.

[Cyrano]

11. In justifying torture, the evil scum that comprised Bush/Cheney & Co

took us to a horrible place from which we can never return. We all bear the guilt of having done nothing. I know there's not much we could have done, nonetheless ...

[defendandprotect]

10. Granted NEW DEAL gave us something akin to economic democracy, but '44 election gave us violence

which removed VP Henry Wallace -- and put in Truman -- and four months after the

election FDR was dead abd HST was president.

There is, of course, every reason to question what FDR's health actually was --

but also seemed to be a dramatic change in his health.

Did the RW finally pull off its coup vs FDR?

At any rate, the RW got what it wanted in the McCarthy ERA -- the killing of the

Rosenbergs -- and the COLD WAR and the CIA.

There is this feeling still that HST was a good guy because he was a Democrat.

But was that true? After all this is also the guy who dropped two atmoic weapons

on Japan -- despite even Eisenhower telling him it was unnecessary.

Who was HST's closest personal advisor? The notorious RW John McCloy.

This wasn't the end of WWII so much as the beginning of our warprofiteers finding

a way to keep themselves in business at the end of the war -- and to preserve the MIC!

North Korea/South Korea separated based on 48th parallel drawn up by Henry Kissinger?

This was horrid time for America and we shouldn't forget it.

The RW played the "Commie" "pinko" game for decades after.


We also got Nixon compliments of Prescott Bush and other wealthy RW Repugs --

The agreement was $50,000 slush fund every year over and above his Congressional salary.

And very soon Nixon was Ike's VP!

At the END of Ike's 8 years, we heard his conspiracy theory re the MIC -- and Ike

intended to add "intelligence complex" to that description but it was taken out of the

draft twice by others -- but it was little pursued by our already complacent press.

Eventually, we got Project Paperclip, Operation Mockingbird and even Operation Northwoods,

but the public really didn't know anything about those fascist programs.

We also had President John F. Kennedy taken from us by RW political violence which also

took our people's government from us.

That wasn't the end of the RW political violence, either -- on and on it went -- and

continues on even now.


About the time we got to Nixon/Humphrey the electronic voting machiens were coming in and

delivery odd and unverifiable returns. Our press by then also had their own LARGE computers

which gave them new powers to predict and call elections -- winners and losers -- even to

call an election for a new president! What we saw in 2000 was simply that new power being

reversed.




VOTESCAM -- THE STEALING OF AMERICA
http://www.constitution.org/vote/votescam__.htm

Two journalists in Florida began to investigate computer voting in the late 1960's and wrote

a book -- they also reported their finds in the early 1970's to Larry O'Brien at the DNC

at the Watergate. Unfortunately O'Brien was away at the time so the info was left for them.

You can read the book at the link above -- and it's available here and there for $3.