I am heartsick.

[kentuck]

I read the news today, oh boy. The NY Times says that the Democrats and Republicans are about to work out a compromise to give more power to Bush to let him spy on Americans and to let the telecoms off the hook for their illegal wiretapping. And I read how my Party is going to fold under the pressure from this White House. And I wonder why?

I read how the CIA and Pentagon were working together to torture people that were captured in the "war zone" and how they hid the prisoners from the International Red Cross so they could not inspect how they were being treated. This sounds like a story from a third world dictatorship.

And I read how McCain and Bush are calling for drilling off our coasts, as if that will instantly cause the price of gasoline to go down. There are no guarantees that it would have any impact at all. Because, just like the present oil taken out of Alaska, there is no reason to believe this oil would come to America or that the Saudis and other oil-producing countries would not decrease production to keep the prices at the same high level. Just another scam in a long line of scams.

I am heartsick and ashamed of my country. I am ashamed of my Party. I feel I have no representation in my government. America is lost.

[SammyWinstonJack]

1. K&R

[OwnedByFerrets]

2. I am with you on this....

the only reason I can think of is blackmail.

www.wearableartnow.com

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

3. That is in the house.

And it is not a lock to pass there, although the Blue Dino Dems will give it a shot. Reid, Wyden and others in the Senate have already signaled that it will be meeting a very cool reception on the other side of the building.

[waiting for hope]

4. We need a revolution.

Plain and simple - there are times that I feel that the Democrats in congress are no better than the Republicans. Did anyone here Nancy Pelosi's interview this morning on NPR? http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91625701

Listen to it - we are not the only ones feeling frustration. And the whole time I was hearing this, all I could think of was:

"The Congress needs to grow a spine, stand up to George Bush," Edwards said.

http://www.iowaindependent.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1446

We are lost.

K&R and thank you -

[raccoon]

5. "I feel I have no representation in my government. " You don't. Neither do I,

nor the vast majority of American citizens.

Rec'd.

[Hissyspit]

6. Imagine if we were to elect John W. McCain after all this. It would be a sign that we are majorly

fucked in the head as a country.

It is hard not to be pessimistic.

[FirstLight]

7. You & Me both!

...and though it is far too early for me to form a cohesive sentence... did someone say Revolution?

Where do I go with said torch & pitchfork? Shall we?

[Runcible Spoon]

8. I've been living abroad for the past year and watching this from afar...it's surreal...

all of the things we fretted and sweated about in 2000 are beginning to manifest and snowball; the few Dems who are trying to DO something get slammed, even here. I'm not even going to bring specifics up since we are all turning on each other HERE and GLOATING about it. I've had my fair share of fights here, but at the end of the day my perception of the people I bother engaging is that they are passionate, and driven, and care, regardless of whether or not we agree 100%. I am scared for the country I love, and have come to love even more by being away so long...here's to hoping there will be something to come home to...

[BeHereNow]

12. "something to come home to"

Don't hold your breath.

BHN

[bdamomma]

20. I have the same feeling too.

being outside of the box, you can see things differently, and this does not look good. But do not surrender to these thugs, and if the tree of liberty needs the blood of tyrants and patriots, do it.

[Freddie Stubbs]

9. You will get over it

The sun will set tonight and rise tommorow.

[bkcc]

10. Ah, yes. Our Democratic Congress.

They've really stepped up to the plate since being elected, haven't they?
:sarcasm:

[ancient_nomad]

11. I feel the same way.....

For months now I have felt my efforts are for naught. I delete any e-mails from Pelosi, Conyers, Waxman, Reid, and others. To me they are the same as the rePugs, they are just a different color. This Congress needs a good enema. Vote them all out, if that is even possible. I have never seen so much corruption. None of them do what they were elected to do. Mention the Constitution to them, and it's just like * said, "it's only a piece of paper". All of them deserve to go. This country is so far gone, I truly doubt Obama can save it. One can only hope, but my hope is dwindling. And, yes! I am pi$$ed beyond belief.

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. Ah some perspective

we ARE now a banana republic....

We can vote... but that will not have an effect

What we need to do is do nothing... civil disobedience, don't show to work, on a MASSIVE scale...

Perhaps then, they may realize we, the little people, have still some power

As is right now, the constitution is a goddamned piece of paper... and it will continue to be as long as we continue to do as we are told.

I just don't expect people to get it... so I will vote, but don't expect ANY change whatsoever.

[BrklynLib at work]

14. My pessimism is also growing, along with a dread of the harm prez shit-for-brains will do between

now and Jan 20th.

[lunatica]

15. So we're past the bargaining stage in the stages of grief

If what we believe is happening in this country is real, then it's best to get on with dealing with it. There are consequences to taking the red pill.

The five stages of grief:
denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance,

We're in the depression stage, bordering on acceptance. The problem is the coup has been implemented in slow motion over a period of years and even though many of us saw it happening there was always something to give us hope.

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. They are also going to give him more money for his war

Makes me sick.

[lame54]

17. You left how...

they are going to let Rove testify privately, NOT under oath and with no notes taken
You would think we would have these bastards against the ropes with no wiggle room - yet, they continue to get it their way

[NewJeffCT]

18. Can we write to Chris Dodd & ask him to filibuster or

do some sort of parliamentary maneuver to stop the vote, like he did before?

Just asking.

http://dodd.senate.gov/index.php?q=node/3130

[NashVegas]

19. Both Parties' Backs Need to Be Broken

Their spines have been removed and replaced by dollar bills.

This is why Cynthia McKinney & Bob Barr are running.

[deaniac21]

21. Might as well just die.

[slipslidingaway]

22. A bit of hope in last night's news...

Strange Bedfellows Unite

http://www.aclu.org/safefree/nsaspying/35718prs20080618.html

"The ACLU is joining with activists from the Ron Paul campaign, represented by Break the Matrix, Rick Williams and Trevor Lymon, and civil liberties writer Glenn Greenwald of Salon, and leading liberal bloggers including, Jane Hamsher of firedoglake, Matt Stoller of Open Left, John Amato of Crooks and Liars, Howie Klein of Down with Tyranny, Digby, Josh Nelson of The Seminal and activist Josh Koster to tell Congress that we will not let them ignore the Constitution or give immunity to telecoms which deliberately broke our laws for years.

This group of Strange Bedfellows is mobilizing a broad-based left-right coalition of office holders and candidates, public interest groups and individuals who are devoted to preserving basic constitutional liberties to join in the fight. The goal is to work together to impede the corrupt FISA/telecom amnesty deal.

Glenn Greenwald said, "The Beltway establishment has made clear that they support the Bush administration's assault on our basic constitutional protections and the rule of law. Constitutional rights and the rule of law are not liberal or conservative principles. They're American principles, and this broad-based alliance is devoted to defending them from the bipartisan political class that wants to trample upon them."

Lust for freedom can lead to some pretty strange bedfellows"


http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/06/18/fisa_campaign/index.html

"...The Beltway establishment needs to be trained to understand that there is a real constituency for defending our constitutional framework. Thus far, that constituency has been dormant and fragmented, and thus ignored. That, more than anything, is what needs to change, and this coalition and the initial two-phase strategy is intended to be merely a start towards changing that, and will continue regardless of the outcome of this FISA/amnesty vote..."

Here's the DU thread...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3480169#3481555