how bad do Americans want it to be?

[ulysses]

I haven't seen my brother-in-law the dittohead since well before the election. He'll be gloating, but he doesn't know how cynical I've become.

I want to know just how bad Americans want things to be. How many jobs they want to lose, how many people who aren't just like them they want to scapegoat and oppress, how many freedoms they want to kiss off, how many soldiers they want to lose in wars of greed, before it's too much.

I want to ask my brother-in-law these things. He'll try to explain to me again how the liberals have ruined everything, and I'll point out that the GOP has no one left to blame.

[Iris]

1. I hate when people say liberals ruined everything.

I mean, how is that so? Is this country ruined? There will alwasy be social ills, but are we really ruined? If anyone can ruin us, it's people like him and the men he votes for to represent him.

[TomClash]

2. Tell him to talk to his Repuke Leaders

They run everything.

[charlyvi]

3. That's true...the GOP has no one left to blame

That's why we are fighting a war, and will fight more wars, because these crazy people need someone to hate. Can't hate the Soviet Union anymore--it doesn't exist. Can't hate us anymore--they have all the power. These nutcakes can only feel empowered if another group os people is not. Like some sore of pissing contest. They can only feel good if someone else is feeling bad. We all know the type. To feel more righteous, they must see others as unrighteous. To be good, they must see others as bad. Otherwise, they have no frame of reference.

[Deja Q]

4. They won't know it until long after it's happened.

The removal of rights, freedoms, jobs.

Liberals responsible for ruining WHAT? You and I are liberals, and we've done nothing except speak our minds.

[Gyre]

5. I think it's better if you let the heat come off of the situation

before you make contact again. I know the wounds are still fresh in me and in the aftermath I've gotten extremely savage with people who I view as part of the problem.

You don't need to go there w/your brother-in-law, and don't be the first to bring it up. Whenever there is contact let him bring it up, let everybody know who brought it up first, and then let him have it!

Gyre

[ulysses]

7. hey, he's a southerner.

Shouldn't I just lay into the ignorant bastard first chance I get?

Not to worry, in any even. He'll bring it up.

[Ladyhawk]

10. I feel savage in the aftermath, too.

I just don't want to deal with these people anymore. I don't want to feel this way, but I do.

[DeepGreen]

12. The only good I can see in all of this

In the 60s I knew who my friends/brothers were. The colors were clear.
When all the colors faded and ran together, I became somewhat of a recluse. The feeling of the 60s is beginning to come back. The colors are becoming more distinct each day and all the secret agendas are not so much of a secret anymore.

[leftofthedial]

6. they (the fundies driving this impending trainwreck anyway)

want the end of the world

they want hell on earth

they believe they'll be called up in the rapture

they are a suicide cult. trouble is, they'll take us all with them when they go.

[depakid]

8. In my experience Republicans ALWAYS cry the loudest

when something happens to them.

I saw this over and over in my law practice- I saw it in high-tech, when the bubble burst- and I'm seeing it now in the healthcare field. I call them right-winge-ers. They don't give spent a minute worry when it's someone else- hell, they even complain about their tax money going to help, say- kids get proper preventative healthcare or funding for after school activities in poorer districts- and they're self centeredness makes it almost impossible to tell them it could just as easily be them and their kids suffering.

So, in answer to your question- they don't care how bad things get until it affects them personally. However, when they get busted- or their business gets screwed- or a large medical bill fall into their lap- then they cry like babies for the rights they so gladly threw away.

[DeepGreen]

9. How bad do you think it has to get

Unfortunately, I think there a lot of apathetic people out there
that want things to just blow over,,, and believe everything will work itself out in the end.

How bad will it get before they decide to wake up ?????
The fuel is close to the fire. The right-wing groupies are feeling like they own the country and they have a mandate to save us all or get rid of us. Up till now we have been tolerated, as Ann Coulter would say. What's next?

Things are getting worse,,, headline:

"White House Orders Purge of CIA 'Liberals,' Sources Say"

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/1114-01.htm

[tedoll78]

11. It's sad..

but when the dollar crashes and the world flocks to the Euro, a small part of me will be smiling inside. Red America has voted for such a thing, and now they will reap it. It's just a shame that Blue America will be dragged-along for the ride, and will probably have to bail-out Red America.

Still, there's a pattern where the GOP rules for a while, and then the Dems come along to clean-up the mess. We're waiting in the wings for 2006 and 2008. If John Paul Stevens can hang-on for another 4 years, so can we.

[kentuck]

13. They cannot escape responsibility ......

they knew his war was illegal. They knew our troops were dying for nothing in Iraq. They knew he had given away our Treasury to his wealthy friends. They knew he was running deficits of $500 billion per year. They knew about his radical agenda. Yet, they still voted for him. I have a difficult time right now mustering any sympathy for any Bush supporter....

You're right, ulysses, the GOP has no one left to blame.

[seabeyond]

14. with you ulysses

my people are just not coming around. had a call from brother and father once after election and that is all. good thing

[errorbells]

15. re: "how bad do Americans want it to be?"

I have stopped talking to just about everyone I know.
That includes my brother.

On my desk sits a book by James M McPherson entitled "Battle Cry Of Freedom - The Civil War Era". It was given to my husband by his brother in GA, who served honorably in Vietnam as a Marine Lance Corporal and voted for Kerry. Hopefully, by the time I read it and soak up enough of the sadness of brother fighting brother, I will be purged of the anger and hatred I am carrying.

The difference for me between then and now is that, as far as I know, people are not shooting each other over this election.

I can't say with any certainty that anything will get better...I do not believe in my head and gut that people will "just get over this". At present I have no plans to get over it.

The book is just under a thousand pages and I am very tired..