That was truly one of the comments for the ages (she posted at Relaxed Politics, it was grand). . . detailed, supported by linky, complex, thoughtful, with your own opinions interspersed thru out.

Well done.

My take is the game’s rigged, and has been for a long time now.

For We The People to reclaim anything we had from the 50′s-60′s in terms of quality of life for the masses is likely impossible, given the rigged systems in place.

Our elected officials are rigged, gamed and bought.

The MIC has a lock on creating tensions worldwide in order to keep the weapons research and development flowing budget wise thru Congress.

Big business is so big it’s bought off the elected offals and THEY make legislation to benefit big business.

Corporate ag is destroying and wasting our diversity nationally and internationally.

The wealth has flown upwards, and the masses are poorer, with the divide growing larger each decade almost as if it was intended.

Given that broad view, it’s impossible to rock this cradle and affect change to benefit the many, as opposed to the few.

And Obama fits in there somewhere . . . . on torture, on every single issue progressives believe are important for our speciest to survive, thrive and grow and develop as a species.

I just don’t see it . . . the games rigged too hard, top to bottom, to change it.

It will take monumental upheaval to FORCE change upon the system in place.

And that monumental upheaval may sadly be the blowback onto the 1% as it all come crashing down cus mama nature takes charge, a viral illness goes wild, or someone loses it and tosses nukes.

Those upheavals aside, it’s a steady descent into a lesser and lesser quality of life for us all, on the planet. From cradle to grave . . . education falls, work falls, food and water fall . . . .

Obama is one of 1%. It’s pretty plain . . .

And only we the people can affect change, and when we try, there will be troops in the streets, and not the National Guard to protect black kids going to school.

Game’s rigged. To unrig it will require great, great calamity and upheaval.

I’m not sure I see that happening soon . . . other than mama nature or a loose nuke exchange . . .

Again, Pel, one of the great comments ever to grace this forum, or any other.

But, I have more to say.

Ok, Pel (and Betsy, and the FDL folks) got me goin on the torture thing.

It seems to really impact a lot of people, more so than other issues. Either that or it’s just the issue du jour to rail about, given all the issues we DO have out there to rail about.

Perhaps one thing that makes this torture issue so top of mind for folks is our educational history of learning about the Magna Carta, established back in 1215. The original habeas corpus.

That’s an ages old concept to have usurped in OUR lifetime, given many of us came thru and were part of Selma, AL, McCarthy, Civil Rights Act of ’64, Vietnam, NOW, and all that’s happened since.

So it’s a HUGE shock to our rock. The pedestal we stood on, thinking decent people had recourse.

But there I was at Crooks N Liars, and Gordonskene is lettin loose on Che.

Given recent postures to Cuba, Raul Castro and such, his take is kewl. And wow, to listen to Che being interviewed in what, ’64? By mainstream media from USA. Wow. Make sure you click the linky, and listen.

And that led me to a wiki . . . . about Che.

Died at 39. Born in ’28, died in ’67.

But that led me to THIS Where We Took Out Guzman In Guatemala In ’54!

Phreakin ’54, and the Dulles brothers were already ginning up the game, using the CIA to wreak havoc, bouncing that commie laden GOP ball of fear to do so.

So what’s my point?

Game’s been rigged for a long, long time, now.

We forget how long it’s been, don’t we.

Game’s rigged, been rigged, and will be absolutely hell to change barring huge acts of nature, man, or we the people.

Been rigged long before ’54 in Latin America, but I thought I’d start with a date that most of us were at least born by.

History, she’s a harsh mistress of our present and our future.

And with that, here’s to new relations with Cuba, and anyone else we can get new relations with.

But here at home, relations are strained, I fear, and will stay that way barring great upheaval.

Game’s rigged.

And we’re all left to the game and its masters.

So all that’s left to do is to make our personal sitch’s as good as we can, embrace all we can, and try to fend off the devil, the evil, the pain and the hurt as best as we can.

At Betsy’s Place, I said that this is what community is all about.

I’ll say that here.

This is community, this is what it’s all about.

This is the only chance we have to affect change the way progs want.

As a community.

Build it, they will come.

I have.

Thanks, Pel, Betsy, all Beach Bumz, and FDL and all pups.

We Be. Community.

-Namaste AND Harumph