14 Responses to We are political chumps

1. Casual Observer November 7th, 2009 at 6:33 am «

   Dear TPAZchump,

   Couldn’t agree more.

   Signed,

   CasualObserverchump
• TPAZ November 7th, 2009 at 6:41 am «

  The Chump Club; rule #1: there is no chump club.
2. ART45 November 7th, 2009 at 7:48 am «

   Chump, here.

   In 2007 and 2008, I gave money to lots of Dems.

   I was a chump.

   No fucking longer.
3. selise November 7th, 2009 at 7:58 am «

   chump here too.
4. ubetchaiam November 7th, 2009 at 10:45 am «

   Was a chump until the election of 2000 when the SCOTUS showed me that there isn’t ANY REAL DEMOCRACY IN THE U.S.

   It’s why I rail on about public financing, voting machines, not voting for the lesser of two evils, not voting for who you think will win, and the hypocrisy of the pledge of allegiance and the star spangled banner. It’s been quite awhile since this was the ‘land of the free and home of the brave’ and even longer when it comes to ‘liberty and justice for all’.

   Try flying the flag upside (signaling ‘distress’)and tell others why you do such; don’t stand or recite when it comes to the pledge or anthem and let others know why you are doing so.
5. iremember54 November 7th, 2009 at 12:31 pm «

   The Country has been turned into Chump Land, because most of the population still thinks that voting is all that’s needed to maintain good Government.

   They have bought the politics of the two parties, and the money that funds them.

   We gave up good Government when we let the politicains tell us we elected them to decide for us, not represent us.

   It’s awfully hard to unburn a cake, so hope fixing the pronblem is slim.
6. sporkovat November 7th, 2009 at 12:41 pm «

   tell it, brother BMAZ-X!

   “and what kind of alibi do they come up with? they try to pass the buck to the blue dogs, but if you look closely, the blue dogs are nothing but the Democrats…”

   my paraphrase.
• sporkovat November 7th, 2009 at 6:19 pm «

  oops, Brother TPAZ-X.

  great new post about this political moment over at powerofnarrative.

  When a small number of individuals seek to effect major change in the societies in which they live, the success of their efforts depends on a variety of factors. Among them are the clarity of their vision (what precisely it is they “see,” using that word with Sondheim’s meaning), the degree of dedication they bring to their task, their imagination and passion, and the specific methods of advocacy and action they adopt. In terms of how successful they are, one factor can be of great importance: the alliances they are able to forge, and the segments of society to which the different parts of that alliance appeal. Such alliances can be determinative in the success of the overall effort.
7. TPAZ November 7th, 2009 at 2:50 pm «

   Denzel Washington Malcolm X Speech
8. kendra November 7th, 2009 at 4:49 pm «

   So what do we do about it? Sit and write or get up and go?
• ProgressiveObserver November 7th, 2009 at 5:59 pm «

  Sitting and writing is not better than getting up and going but neither is getting up and going in the literal sense necessarily best. Writing forces the writer to consider positions carefully, develop the best arguments and discard what cannot be defended educating everyone involved as ideas are considered by distant friends and strangers.

  If getting up and going is defined expansively to include phone calls, giving or denying donations, buying or refusing to buy, then we are a little closer to good strategy. The power of protest is not the act itself it is the fear or resolve it must instill in policy makers. 10,000 phone calls may or may not be as effective as 1000 protesters but that plays into a tension that need not exist. The only constants in political fighting are paying attention, remaining honest and taking action; the pen, the foot and the wallet are all effective weapons.
• kendra November 7th, 2009 at 6:31 pm «

  I completely agree. We have used the pen, most far better than I, and the wallet, more than most of us could afford. My issue now is that “they” keep using the foot. We know that they are bussed in and told what to say. We know that AFP and other “grassroots” organizations are behind the scenes pulling the strings. We know that most of the people that are at the protests don’t even understand what they are protesting. But not everyone knows that. The problem is that when they are seen en masse on CNN, they look like they are just people fighting for what they believe in. There needs to be another picture on CNN. The mall needs to be full and the signs need to be in support of reform. We know that a picture is worth 1000 words. I just think that the picture needs to be of us and not them for awhile.

  John Boehner said he’s never met a person who wants the public option, I think that we should introduce him to 40,000 of us. I think we should let the Dems know that we want better than what they are offering and that we are willing to stand with them to get it. I think it is time to stand up and move because we have a chance now that we may not have again for a long time.
9. onitgoes November 7th, 2009 at 8:51 pm «

   The left has always pushed back, and if we hadn’t, things would be worse. Maybe much worse, maybe a little worse, but worse.

   The Internet has been a saving grace of sorts, as it’s enabled our voices to be heard more than they would be otherwise. But it’s small potatoes in comparison to the big money behind the teabagger protests, which are not that large but get tons of media coverage and are made to see much more compelling than what they really are.

   Look, most people out there aren’t even half aware of what’s really going on, but it sure doesn’t help to have them see angry teabaggers and their incendiary signs. It gives a signal that somehow these folks have something of value to put out there. They don’t have a clue that it’s all manipulated b.s.

   I get really tired when I see someone on a leftie blog say stuff like: but the teabaggers are really angry and we (the left) really, really need to listen to them and try to figure out how to communicate with them, etc.

   Please: pull the other one.

   I come from a family of teabaggers. I have watched them slowly turn into what they are now by their clinging to their increasingly bizarre “religion” as it’s being pumped out by the C Street Family. I have attended their so-called “churches” and their so-called “Christian businessMEN” meetings, and it’s clearly evident to anyone not brainwashed what’s going on. They are being made into tools by these parasites, and they simply don’t get it.

   Well, I’ll stop whining, but yes, I often feel like a chump.

   We are ever so slightly better off with a Democratic Pres and a Democratic congress, but that slight edge is growing ever smaller and ever less meaningful as each day passes.

   I’ll probably be fine in my life, but watching this country turn into the third world is not a pretty sight to watch. One can choose to live in gated communities with armed guards as some of my friends do, but I find that an unaccepatable and unpalatable “solution.”

   There is simply no reasoning with the current Republic party. They don’t wish to cede power under any circumstances. Doesn’t matter what happens at the ballot box, that’s for sure. The will of the people? Don’t make me laugh.
10. CarmanK November 7th, 2009 at 10:36 pm «

    Education is the key to the future of this young democracy. We as a nation are still finding our way. And we must not give up or in to the right extemism that are driving the corporatists and economic aristocracy sustained by Ronald Reagan. Reagan demonized government, unions and the poor in order to advance his”trickle down” economic theory that has nearly driven this country into financial ruin. There are some really good men like Warren Buffet and Soros who are greatful to this country for all the opportunity it has given them. The repugs want a “democracy” in name only.
    We know better. It takes hard work to preserve our democracy for future generations. We must remind Obama et als.. that this is our time in history to make the way forward, we need to see more bold action on climate change etc..