A time capsule full of memories of what this night was like ten years ago.
Because tonight is bad. For real bad. But if you have been to the rodeo a time or two, you know it's not as bad as the free-falling, gut-punch horror of watching a mob of rage-amped swine and terrified "moderates" gleefully hand the worst President in American history a chainsaw and tell him to please, please go right on wrecking the place.
Because remembering is the Liberal's special burden.
From the late Steve Gilliard:
The worst possible outcome
We have a buggered election.
People doubt the results, there is ramapant mistrust. This is the worst possible outcome.
I don't know how the polls could be so wrong, I mean really wrong. Maybe I underestimated Dielbold, maybe we blew our ground game, maybe people are more scared of gays than the draft.
I simply don't know.
What I do know is that the outcome of this election, win or lose, screams for electoral reform. People simply will not trust the result. And that is FAR more dangerous than four more years of Bush. If he had won cleanly, I wouldn't like it, but I could live with it. Not trusting elections, more than any one man, is the true road to dictatorship and a Handmaid's Tale.
Also, American religious mania comes and goes like malaria. To see it in play is disturbing, but not unexpected.
To wake up, after the longest year of my life, to find that lawyers will chose the president again, well, that isn't what I or anyone expected. But that is the case. But thank God, this isn't 1972, when Nixon ran the table taking 49 states.
And unlike 1972, we have the means and tools to organize and fight. Not just the results, but what comes after, whether it's Kerry or Bush.
I would plead with our European and Asian friends, as disgusted as they are by this, they need to remember Americans are insular. Most will not ever travel outside the US. Their opinions are discounted. Americans think America matters the most. And, I fear, they will come to find out that is not the case. But most of the Americans you meet and who live in yuour countries, worked very hard against Bush. They've seen the world and they understand it. Instead of raging against Americans or sending them condescending letters, encourage them to see more of the world, so they can get beyond the suburb and office park.
Remember, Goldwater was defeated because of Vietnam, which Johnson then led us into. But all this whining and angry is stupid. It's not over and may not be over for a while. What we cannot do is quit.
My god, I know some of you are young, or new to politics, but change takes time. It took ten years from the Montgomery Bus Boycott to the Civil Rights act. It may well take eight years to hammer the GOP back. But we will fight that fight, together and organized. And with better tools and we will all be smarter.
No one got the America they wanted without struggle, not just one election. So stop crying in your beer and do some reading. Find out how we really built this country and people who suffered to do so. You not getting the right candidate is not the worst thing that has happened. They used to hang black people for looking at white women. We're a better country than that that today, and we will be better after this mess is over.
Jen,
Yes, I'm worried too. But we're a little older and wiser. And I hope you enjoy that $50 gift certificate when they decide this mess. But you told me how you contribute and if you continue to do that, well, you'll feel better. You did Clinic Defense. You may have to do it again and get up early on Saturdays. We all must sacrifice.
And there is a mayoral election for us next year, and some really good candidates. And a stadium to opppose.
Politics never ends.
OK, after a long year, a major illness and a long night, I'm going to post lightly today and maybe tomorrow. And to be honest, I'm going to post up non-politics as well. Why? We all need a break for what comes next.
However, a couple of things.
Thank you for your lavish support of this site. I am honored to have as many people as do read my words. It's been a source of comfort and support over the last year.
Second, we're going to start to raise money for Operation Truth. They need to be on TV and need to be supported. When that starts, I'll let you know. But while this fight goes into overtime, the fight to end the war in Iraq continues. Our soldiers need our support and prayers and best wishes.
We're going to play Political Machine on the site as well, as soon as the word politics doesn't make our stomachs knot up.
But, for the next day or so, if you have a political screed, send it to me and I'll post it up, as long as it isn't blaming people for what happened. I, however, will be talking about anything but politics for a while. Not disgusted, not angry, just tired of the whole discussion for a while. We've been talking about this election since August, 2003.
Oh yeah, the pcitures will be back. I just didn't want to take the time last night or bother this morning.
Now, excuse me, I have a Roman Empire to build.
14 comments:
Try to picture everybody in the world being a better football player than professional football players. Or everybody being a better mathematician than professional mathematicians.
Or everybody knowing that there aren't any moderates anymore - except democratic strategists.
It's not the losing that sucks, it's the dumbasses who can't fucking look at it. If the obvious lesson from this election is actually observed, it'll be worth it. But it won't be, because stupidity is now a moral failing.
I once thought Bill Clinton's greatest achievement was exposing the bottomless insanity of the republican party and the media. Then I found out no one was watching.
It's not just that we lost, or the margins. It's that America just gave a rubber stamp to turn 2/3 of the country into Kansas.
Speaking of Kansas, EVERYONE in that state agreed Brownback drove it 150 mph into a brick wall. This was universally accepted. And they voted for him anyway.
This isn't just about Democrats being craven pussies as campaigners (they are) or the voter suppression efforts (which played a part) or even the money funnel connecting the Koch Brother's ass to Scott Walker and Mitch McConnell's mouth. It's all of those things, but more than anything this is our modern day version of the white backlash that swept Nixon into office in '68 and '72, and that Reagan rode for an entire decade. Obama's election and the subsequent 6 years have dug this nation's original sin up from it's rancid grave, and tonight is a night where it's made itself heard at the polls. The only question now is if they decide to put the cherry on top vile sundae we call a country and see if they will actually impeach the first African-American President for the temerity of existing. It seems more likely today than it did yesterday.
God, I miss Gilly.
So, yeah, I remember that night ten years ago when I cheerfully tuned in to the Daily Show election coverage for the victory parade, only to choke on horror and disgust when I realised that not only had that idiot not lost yet but that he very well might come out on top.
And that wasn't my first ride at the rodeo neither. This hurts, and I can't believe some of the races that we lost, and we are going to be torment by cackling demons for the next two years, but we survived the reign of Bush and the Theocrats as we survived the reign of Reagan - angry and embittered and impoverished and burdened with the task of cleaning up the disaster before we could think of embarking on any positive reforms - so I expect we will get through this as well. Not that we will enjoy it.
But I do get some bitter enjoyment from the angst of the unicorn ranchers over at the Daily Kos and FireDogLake. According to their snap post mortems, everyone is to blame except for them and their brilliant analyses and their perfect taxes. Yup, a defeat of this magnitude is perfectly well attributable to that dastardly Obama and his incomprehensible refusal to enact a $15/hr nationwide minimum wage by Executive Order.
If only we would put them in charge, they promise, we would never lose another race from president to dog catcher. Who am I to gainsay such a stellar record of prospective achievement?
There is no Doubt in a world of Citizens United that thoroughly corrupted our government. That money just didn't go to Rience Prebus to distribute to candidates and their ads. Not that the Ads are not important because many people watch the campaign ads and the bought media highlighter and re enforces them. Others voluntarily submit themselves to the propaganda and rhetoric, But the money is used in courts, The GOP has worked on voter suppression for a long time, just ask Lee Atwater.
All the hype of the power of the female vote. Ha! What happened "emily's list"?
What was the progressive/ democratic battle cry?
The so called MSNBC never showed a Dem candidate with fire in their bellie?
Did Democratic really stand up and fight?Was there any dem candidate (that comes to mind ) that called out their opposition on the issues? The Economy?
Sure republican money scared their base with Ebola, ISIS, Children on the border. The base went out and bought more guns and ammo.
Many folks I no in the GOP base are in dire drooling straight that if only the GOP can take the Senate, they will 'Impeach" the President. It is highly possible the GOP does exactly that.
What will we see from the dem minority in the Senate?
Will the new opposition party filibuster like the GOP Senate Minority?
Can you wait to see the legislation the House and Senate send to the president?
Can Obama say, VETO?
The one thing that makes me laugh into tears is the media talking about how the republicans NOW will have to show how they can govern?
I think the new GOP control will be extremely do nothing.
As Mitch McConnell avoid going to the table to work compromise and legislate. He now say Obama will have to come to the table and negotiate.
I guess I am not the American patriot the Tea party exemplifies.
Here is what I really want to know,
how long before the Billionaire masters get what they want?
What is it they will get?
I Already know it will hurt and cost me dearly.
I know have to hear Sen James Inhofe from the Science committee tell me how God is such a magnificent magician.
I am already in a red state but, I am disappointed in my fellow progressives.
maybe later someone can point out how it can't get any worse because the President isn't the ideal perfect liberal.
A stat,
After 9/11 22 percent of Americans were polled as very scared.
This year over ISIS, Americans are 59% are very scared of ISIS.
I haven't even looked at the results yet. I knew they would be disastrous, and I just am not in a position right now where I can let what little emotional energy I have be drained away worrying about the rise of fascism in America. I avoided the TV and news sites all night last night, and this morning I figured if I was going to hear the news, I would like to hear it from you, driftglass. So this is my first stop on the internet today, and you've told me all I need to know.
I actually remember that old Gilliard post. I'm one of those old readers of his from way back, and still remember how you were once a commenter there at his site.
But, yeah. This is a sick country. It amazes and depresses me that after everything they have done in the past 6 years -- the past 14 years -- Republican extremism and Republican tactics were vindicated last night. They were rewarded for holding down the economy, for demonizing about Obama, about a non-stop firehose of lies about everything.
Fuck the Republicans. They have their knee on this nation's throat, and they are not going to let up until they control the entire government. We will never be able to fix this country until we can find some way to solve the Republican problem.
And let's face it: We're not going to be able to do that. There is too much money against us. Too much rigging of the machinery of politics. Too many far right judges on the Supreme Court, and other courts.
The decades to come are only going to get worse and worse. Just as Reconstruction was stopped and rolled back, so to are Republicans determined to stop and roll back all the civil rights gains of the past 50 years. And the Democrats are in no position to stop them. Nor is the public going to be any help: the public doesn't understand the problem, much less the solution. Now we find that the youngest voting generation has flipped to support the GOP.
We're doomed. It's that simple.
But hey, there was no reason America had to go on forever being the shining beacon to the rest of the world. And the rest of the world seems to be carrying on just fine. While this country succumbs to the deranged likes of Sarah Palin and Ted Cruz, the rest of the world will take over as the cultural, economic, and scientific leaders. We will become Palinland.
Will Obama complete his term? Will Chuck Todd bring up impeachment during MTP before the republicans bring it up?
@CM Chuck will blame Obama for the Brawndo shortage and tell Rethugs to include it in the articles of impeachment.
Jack, in case you need a silver lining, consider this:
Modern capitalism depends on the war machine of the USA (not only the overt military forces, but the intelligence and "covert action" forces) to force what used to be called "Third World" countries to submit to the systematic plunder of their labor and natural resources, without which capitalism would die.
The 1% (though I prefer the classic term "Malefactors Of Great Wealth") refuse to tax themselves sufficiently to maintain the war machine.
The 1% have destroyed the USAmerican middle class by busting unions and shipping every job which can be shipped outside of the USA, to countries where they can enjoy what amounts to slave labor. Hence, the middle class can't support the war machine, either.
This leaves only massive sustained borrowing as a way to support the war machine. That bubble will burst sooner or later.
The day will come when the USA can no longer afford its war machine.
How will the capitalists replace Uncle Sam as their chief enforcer--the Lord of the Nazgul to capital's Sauron?
Who will suppress wave after wave after wave after WAVE of rebellions against capitalist plunder?
Some other country? Not even Russia or China is capable of the sustained and massive military projection which would be necessary to maintain the hegemony of Capital. Plus, those nations are not exactly fond of foreign capitalists. I doubt they would be willing to step into the role even if they could do so by then.
Mercenaries? Once the rebels capture a few luckless mercs, kill them on video, and post the videos on YouTube, ISIS-style, then I rather think Erik Prince and his fellow Orc-lords will find it hard to recruit fresh thugs.
The blind greed of the 1% will have caused the destruction of the war machine which makes their dominion possible.
Babylon's own lords, unwittingly, will have chanted down Babylon.
Selah.
How do the Dems even retake the senate? All those southern states (North Carolina, Arkansas, Louisiana) that voted for Romney, how did they even have Dem senator in the first place? Given that these (Louisiana will go in the run off) are gone how is it that Dems can get these back. Seems to be an impossible proposition. Kochification will not allow it.
God, I miss Steve. His site was the first one I ever commented on ever and I learned so much. He must be spinning in his grave so hard plasma bolts are shooting through the ground and into the sky.
I'm rather torn about the situation, since for years I've watched the sequential and linear thinkers deceive and be deceived, when I've tried to get them to see the systemic "big picture" I get ignored or told I'm wrong. OTOH, I'm almost convinced that they actually would have no problem living in a feudal state and maybe I'm the one that has the problem.
Let's see how long the military-industrial complex can keep the balls juggling before someone decides to repudiate the US dollar as the world's reserve currency and we all head for Bosnia/Somalia.
"Oh, it can't happen here!"
I hope it's not famous last words.
Drifty, ya done good.
NYT says that key to GOP success was that they controlled the extremists elements in their party better this time.
Joni Ernst and Tom Cotton and Thom Tillis are not extremists apparently.
Being of the "whatever will happen can't be stopped now" school, I mostly agree with Jack. This country has too many irreconcilable social, political, and cultural dichotomies not to dash itself to pieces once it no longer has unlimited access to cheap and abundant energy and resources. In fact, I think it's very unlikely it will emerge from the twenty-first century (assuming homo sapiens survives the twenty-first century) as one country because it really isn't a single nation and never has been.
I think you can also make a case that the caucasian working class didn't much care for Obamacare. I know a lot of people here would say "Well, they should have!" to that, and these objectors might even be able to make a good case for their contention. But the fact remains that the caucasian working class just didn't.
**I think you can also make a case that the caucasian working class didn't much care for Obamacare**
I tend to agree with this. Just too much evidence around me to support this claim. People like the government benefits and all. But the idea of others (not like them) getting those benefits as we'll simply is not agreeable to them. It is a waste they say.
"...the Caucasian working class didn't much care for Obamacare."
Riverdaughter on that subject
Post a Comment