America is going where human beings have been before (and where most still are).

[Cyrano]

Charles Dickens told us about the agony of the have nots and the indifference of the haves in “A Christmas Carol,” (not to mention almost everything else he ever wrote).

Victor Hugo told us about the agony of the have nots and the indifference of the haves in “Les Miserable.”

John Steinbeck told us about the agony of the have nots and the indifference of the haves in “The Grapes of Wrath.”

Today, far too many Americans live their lives on Fox “News,” and have no idea that the reason that Fox exists is to help put shackles on their minds.

Most of what’s called “news” today is designed to get the majority of human beings to willingly put their necks into the yoke of oppression and permanent servitude.

Yet, no matter what most of us here on DU do or say, our country continues its headlong rush into a self-destructive past. And we’re almost there.

So what are we going to do about it? Take to the streets? Take to the barricades? Start a second American revolution?

Beats me. But my guess is that too many Americans don’t have the spirit to fight back against those who would turn us into serfs. And far too many don't have a clue that the last of their freedoms are almost gone. So do you have any suggestions as to where we go from here? What we do next? How we fight back against those who own us?

Speak up while you are still allowed to. Orwell’s world of “1984” is upon us.

[Blue Owl]

1. A few details have changed but the story remains the same

Seems like humanity's eternal struggle!

[RKP5637]

2. I've often pondered this and have come away empty handed for two reasons. (1) that

the contrived controlled propaganda in this country is incredible, and (2) that Americans today have to be the most gullible people walking the planet.

We needed a major focus for action, I would have thought 8 years of Bush would have done it, but apparently not.

Four things need to happen IMO.

(1) Get the money out of elections.
(2) Get rid of Citizens United.
(3) Break up the media monopolies.
(4) Get the lobbyists out of DC.

And that's for starters ...

The root cause is we're caught in this vicious crap of politicians bought and paid for, basically bribed and the system is sooooo corrupt. I have no idea how the gravy train is going to be broken.

BTW, I watched Casino Jack yesterday about Jack Abramoff. An excellent example of how deep the BS and corruption of the system are ...

[Cyrano]

4. On most days, it really seems hopeless, RKP5637, doesn't it?

[RKP5637]

6. It really really does, it's like being caught in a non-ending episode of The Twilight Zone. It

makes one want to shake people and say "wake up, wake up!"

[Cyrano]

7. "It makes one want to shake people and say

wake up, wake up."

Yep.

I think that those who have never seen the musical, "Les Miserable," need to understand what 24601 means.

Okay, for those who haven't seen or read it, it's the prison number of the story's protagonist.

But don't bother remembering that number. We'll all have our own numbers if we hang in there a while longer. Not to mention that most of us don't want to end up in Orwell's Room 101 (your worst nightmare).

Sorry for all the references to books. But somebody really needs to make some references to some of the classics before books are gone forever. And worse yet, forgotten.

[RKP5637]

8. Agree!!! n/t

[socialist_n_TN]

5. Yep, this should be the INITIAL focus, i.e., getting

money out of politics and governing. After that we can talk about what's next, but until then NOTHING will happen, except what's BEEN happening.

[socialist_n_TN]

3. Well this is my take on it. Historically, at a certain point.........

inequities get SO bad that a revolution happens. Usually, that point is when wealth inequalities are about where they are today. Usually that happens when a LARGE number of popular, political positions are deemed "unrealistic" which leads to feelings of no representation. Kind of like now. Usually, it happens when there's a large number of unemployed and hungry. Not yet, but close.

IOW, when the majority of people think that things are pretty much hopeless, they get angry and explode.

Until things pop, all we can really do is educate, organize, and agitate. We need to be as TOGETHER as possible when the shit hits the fan.

[RKP5637]

9. It's like an alien force has landed and taken over the US, but most people

still don't get what's going on.

[Cyrano]

10. It's the "Invasion of the Body Snatchers." Who would have thought that

they'd look like Limbaugh, Palin, or Trump?

[RKP5637]

12. Yep, the pods, eating the brains of Americans! n/t

[SoCalDem]

13. The "pop" will come when employers no longer offer health care coverage assistance

As Boomers leave the workforce, there will be a greater amount of lower paid workers in their wake, and as we leave the "insurance merry-go-round" in exchange for Medicare, insurers will HAVE to raise prices a LOT for the remaining few who have employment health care packages.

THIS is what the whole "reform" Medicare nonsense is about.. MILLIONS of "customers" are leaving the Insurance scams behind. Insurance companies have prospered as they used the Boomers, and when that many customers all leave within a short time-frame, you bet they are going to feel it.. They are shitting bricks about now, wondering where all their new customers will come from.. not form the $8-$15 hr workers.. they cannot afford the premiums necessary to keep those big bonuses & golden parachutes they are accustomed to.

When enough workers finally realize that they are grossly underpaid, overworked AND have no benefits, they will rise up.. they have to.

[txlibdem]

11. When the lower classes have no bread to eat becomes "Let them eat cake"

You know what happens next...

And that day is long overdue.

[Cyrano]

14. Marie Antoinette was being overly kind. Our current rulers couldn't

care less if we eat nothing, bread, cake, or dung. They don't need us anymore, and they don't even give us a thought. The only thing still made in America is money. And we ain't involved in that, so we just don't count.

[txlibdem]

15. It is possible that once we've been reduced to the two-class system TPTB want

...(the Ultra Rich and the near-death poor) the rest of the world may have been sufficiently abused by the hit-and-run Capitalists so as to begin a revolution. They may bring their armies to our defense if given enough time.

I do not see the deluded and out of touch with reality Americans ever coming together to do anything. We are too divided -- just as they planned.

[Cyrano]

16. Don't count on any armies of the world coming to our rescue.

Our capitalist owners would launch every nuke they own to hold onto what they've got. And if protecting themselves and their treasures means destroying the entire planet, so be it.

[Waiting For Everyman]

17. Yes, I know what to do. Tax the hell out of the uber-rich.

Even if we didn't need the money, it has to be done. Tax them until there aren't any more 8+ figures left. Because as long as there are uber-rich to that scale, there will be poverty, working poor, and high unemployment... along with every kind of corruption which goes along with getting such extreme wealth. With confiscatory taxes at extreme levels, the practice of overcompensation would simply stop. What would be the point of being paid a $100 million bonus if it couldn't be kept? All of that kind of thing would end, and that would be a very, very, very good thing.

And yes, it needs to be a global consensus. But the good news is, I see one beginning to form. That might take a while (and yes, it's long overdue), but it's coming. The same problems exist all around the world, isn't that a coincidence? (not)

That, and bring back the anti-trust laws and start busting up some of these global monsters.

That's just for starters, but it's the necessary first step. From there, I'd go next to prohibiting any "entity" which can't vote from contributing to elections, and requiring media to donate campaign time for FREE to major candidates (because it's public airwaves, why should the media be paid windfalls for public elections - it should be simply required).

[mountainlion55]

18. I think

that right now we need orgs like the AFL-CIO to start organizing national general strikes. like minded people could save up a two week supply of daily necessities and do nothing for 2 weeks except walk the picket lines and spend some quality time with their families. The entertainment industry could be used to motivate people to get active. All the big rock stars could help. All the famous actors and actresses could help. They would have to be willing to be at huge rallies and marches. We also have a few billionaires that could help out enormously. It just has to be organized carefully and carried out. How about civil disobedience on a national scale including sit ins at large banks on wall street and other sit ins at Madison ave propaganda ministries. This would need the cooperation of our police to not interfere. How many would chose their fellow citizens side over that of of our overlords remains to seen.
Whatever we do will require intestinal fortitude not seen in this country since the sixties. :smoke: