Pretend
Actually living in Hickory city limits now, as opposed to the so-called "Hickory Metro Area" previously, makes me want to become politically active again. There has to be other anti Capitalists here who want to do activism to organize with. I can't be the only one, can I?
What I want to do is fuck with the Democrats as much as the Republicans, pointing out the undemocratic nature and corruption of both of them. I'd want to focus on pushing for actual democracy (you know, not just being allowed a choice between the conservative Democrats or the ultra conservative Republicans in an "election"). When I was organizing around anti war and anti death penalty action here, I couldn't keep myself out of the local media, which considering the restrictive nature of the corporate media in this country, speaks for my ability to get noticed, if nothing else. All I need is more people to help out.
At this point in the USA, it's all about education and, in my opinion, part of that HAS to be shaming others into realizing they are supporting a system that is both "immoral", to borrow a word from my Christian friends, and corrupt beyond repair, awash in so much corporate money that "We the People" are simply ignored. In other words, now is not the time to be nice and compromise. WE have to be the opposition, since we don't have one in this country.
All of my local and and state elected officials are Republican but one. My State Representative here, Ray Warren, is a Democrat, the first elected in Hickory since the 1970s, I believe. But he's a former sheriff from a neighboring county, so he's all "law and order" and all that reactionary bullshit, so I've asked my former activist friends who now work with the local Democratic Party what was the point in working so hard to elect him if he's just as right wing as the Republican he replaced? So far, not one has been able to provide me with a real answer. Surprise there, huh?
People like to play pretend. Take, for instance, liberal Democrats. Strange creatures indeed, they are. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She was chairperson of the House Progressive Caucus when she was elected Speaker. Bet you didn't know that, did you? Look at how far she ran to the right when the power was handed to her. Another member of the House Progressive Caucus, longtime liberal John Conyers, spent all last year talking up the impeachment of George Bush and Dick Cheney, but since being elected Chairperson of the House Judiciary Committee, and after Pelosi said, "impeachment is off the table", he's been strangely silent about it, other than to say "we need more people", heh, because, you know, apparently he hasn't realized the Democrats control Congress now.
And the real winners we have running for President on the Democratic side. He, or she, with the most money wins the primary and, usually, the general election in this country. Clinton has the most money, and she continues to pull ahead of everyone else because of it. I knew from the start she'd be the nominee. It was simple math. All those other jokers are just there for the ride and/or their ego, including, dare I say, Dennis Kucinich. This liberal crusader says all of the right things, but that's just it...he says them. He's not in a position of power to do anything about it in his party and will never be because he's not a corporate whore, so what is the point? Not to mention that this Catholic, prior to running for election in 2004, had a 100% "pro-life" voting record in the House, but quickly switched his position to "pro-choice" when he decided to run. That says a lot about him, in my opinion. And Obama? Haha, he may be the biggest joke of them all. All style, next to no substance. Almost the perfect politician, except he's not smart enough/ experienced enough to know when to talk and when to be silent yet, and, you know, his skin is simply not white enough to win here in this country, something all of you know but many pretend isn't true. I've asked my few liberal friends who support him why they still do now after he said he would unilaterally bomb nuclear weapon equipped Pakistan if elected President, and, of course, they have no answer. Like I said, it's all about playing pretend.
Enough of that. This country is broke, with no prospects of ever pulling out of it under the present system. The game is over, neoliberalism simply didn't work. It failed, and we are in decline because of it, waging two losing wars in an attempt to hold on to "our" fleeting power. Why keep pretending it is working or workable? Or, that more "reform" will fix the inherent problems with this system?
What I want to do is fuck with the Democrats as much as the Republicans, pointing out the undemocratic nature and corruption of both of them. I'd want to focus on pushing for actual democracy (you know, not just being allowed a choice between the conservative Democrats or the ultra conservative Republicans in an "election"). When I was organizing around anti war and anti death penalty action here, I couldn't keep myself out of the local media, which considering the restrictive nature of the corporate media in this country, speaks for my ability to get noticed, if nothing else. All I need is more people to help out.
At this point in the USA, it's all about education and, in my opinion, part of that HAS to be shaming others into realizing they are supporting a system that is both "immoral", to borrow a word from my Christian friends, and corrupt beyond repair, awash in so much corporate money that "We the People" are simply ignored. In other words, now is not the time to be nice and compromise. WE have to be the opposition, since we don't have one in this country.
All of my local and and state elected officials are Republican but one. My State Representative here, Ray Warren, is a Democrat, the first elected in Hickory since the 1970s, I believe. But he's a former sheriff from a neighboring county, so he's all "law and order" and all that reactionary bullshit, so I've asked my former activist friends who now work with the local Democratic Party what was the point in working so hard to elect him if he's just as right wing as the Republican he replaced? So far, not one has been able to provide me with a real answer. Surprise there, huh?
People like to play pretend. Take, for instance, liberal Democrats. Strange creatures indeed, they are. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She was chairperson of the House Progressive Caucus when she was elected Speaker. Bet you didn't know that, did you? Look at how far she ran to the right when the power was handed to her. Another member of the House Progressive Caucus, longtime liberal John Conyers, spent all last year talking up the impeachment of George Bush and Dick Cheney, but since being elected Chairperson of the House Judiciary Committee, and after Pelosi said, "impeachment is off the table", he's been strangely silent about it, other than to say "we need more people", heh, because, you know, apparently he hasn't realized the Democrats control Congress now.
And the real winners we have running for President on the Democratic side. He, or she, with the most money wins the primary and, usually, the general election in this country. Clinton has the most money, and she continues to pull ahead of everyone else because of it. I knew from the start she'd be the nominee. It was simple math. All those other jokers are just there for the ride and/or their ego, including, dare I say, Dennis Kucinich. This liberal crusader says all of the right things, but that's just it...he says them. He's not in a position of power to do anything about it in his party and will never be because he's not a corporate whore, so what is the point? Not to mention that this Catholic, prior to running for election in 2004, had a 100% "pro-life" voting record in the House, but quickly switched his position to "pro-choice" when he decided to run. That says a lot about him, in my opinion. And Obama? Haha, he may be the biggest joke of them all. All style, next to no substance. Almost the perfect politician, except he's not smart enough/ experienced enough to know when to talk and when to be silent yet, and, you know, his skin is simply not white enough to win here in this country, something all of you know but many pretend isn't true. I've asked my few liberal friends who support him why they still do now after he said he would unilaterally bomb nuclear weapon equipped Pakistan if elected President, and, of course, they have no answer. Like I said, it's all about playing pretend.
Enough of that. This country is broke, with no prospects of ever pulling out of it under the present system. The game is over, neoliberalism simply didn't work. It failed, and we are in decline because of it, waging two losing wars in an attempt to hold on to "our" fleeting power. Why keep pretending it is working or workable? Or, that more "reform" will fix the inherent problems with this system?