Late in January, 100,000 people participated in a peace rally on the Mall in Washington DC. This week the estimate was only 20,000 but with the added fun of a loud, vocal counter demonstrations to "protect our hollowed ground" and "our historic monuments" from pinko seditious criminals. Not only were these fine conservative Republicans screaming "Commie!" while giving just about everyone the finger, they were also carrying large banners that screeched "GO TO HELL YOU TRAITORS!" and individual held signs poignantly explaining conservative ideology in just two words "PEACE SUCKS!" I found this somewhat reminiscent of my time protesting the Vietnam War and suffering getting pelted with good hearted beer cans tosses and cheerfully being spit upon by real Americans. Oh and not to forget the sign of those conservative times, "NUKE THE GOOKS!" Same pleasant people, same pleasant ideology.
In the 40 years since those days Ronald Reagan, AM talk radio, 12 years of conservative control of congress and K-Street, our fall into religious silliness and an electorate too lazy and disengaged to care, the dynamic has changed. In 1971 the polls showed that 60% of both Democrats and Republicans were against the war in Vietnam. Today in Iraq, 91% of Democrats and 25% of Republicans say its time to leave.
Over the past generation we have witnessed THE RED take over about 90% of our geographical map while THE BLUE receded further into urban enclaves. But last November's wake up call which so many of us had been awaiting for so long finally arrived, a dynamic political change is taking place. The Right is still alive and well, as horrible, disgusting, organized and populated as ever. What has changed is the now must not only suffere Democratic oversight for all their shennigans, but they have lost the affection of the no longer lazy and complacent independents and moderates, they have lost the electorate.
On the other side, with the recent makeover of The New Republic from mush mouthed center to a move to the Left and the fall of the concept of the "New Democrats" the Left has woken from its slumber. About time I say! More investigations! More subpoenas! More fighting in the streets! And let's keep it that way forever.
when even sleepy Seattle had two days
of protests.
Of course, they rarely report on them
until they are over, and I do not know
what underground contact system is used
to notify those who might be interested,
but it was encouraging just the same.
Amen to this statement of yours Rackjite. " About time I say! More investigations! More subpoenas! More fighting in the streets! And let's keep it that way forever."
Hey, at this point, I'd settle for really and truly investigating any ONE
of the travesties on the long laundry
list which are ALL high crimes and
misdemeanors!
It appears as though they may just creep out of there in '08 with a very few
token firings...then again, my cup is always half empty. ;)
We also need more dancing in the streets.
They're dancing in Chicago ... down in New Orleans.
--
Torture: Stop it. Investigate it. Prosecute it.
and they're be dancin'.........
On second thought, and speaking of torture; Having watched the last
two major party conventions, perhaps
"All they need is to get their boogey
down", isn't the answer for everyone.
I'd give the Dems a "7" for effort,
which I'm told is generous. Some did
make the effort though, and the overall
score was boosted greatly by Stephen
Colberts' lively rousting of the Party
People, bumping, grinding, and groaning
gamely through.
Not one to let my own views skew empirical data. I'm sorry to report that the most we could award the Repubs
was a stiff and uncooridinated "2",
for those who at least got out of their
chairs. Even Mr. Colberts' encouraging
and apparently surprising booty bumps
with some matronly yet foxy dames was
not enough to take this group "Dancin' With the Stars".
Need that in conventions, they other side does it with flags of course.
I remember the most emotional moment for me watching the 2000 Dem convention was the camera panning to a figure with his back to the wall next to a girder at a quiet aisle in the rear, as it panned in you realized it was Momamid Ali looking on...
That with the macarana worked the emotions as well as the republicans have learned to do. Its emotions...
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