Is this summer going to make 1968 look like a garden party?

[Newsjock]

Today's front page of USA Today predicts $5/gallon gas. Legislatures nationwide are in open revolt, with Democrats walking out to preserve some semblance of sanity ... will minority Republicans in blue states start doing the same thing? State and local governments are slashing budgets, sharply reducing or eliminating aid to the most needy among us. Unemployment shows no signs of easing. Chances are that if you're a homeowner with a mortgage, you're going to be underwater for a long, long time. And if you buy anything or drive anywhere, that $5/gallon gas (or even $4 or $4.25) is going to make many Americans' lives a lot more miserable, regardless of whether you think it's the "green" way to go.

We've started to see the blowback in the Midwest, when the people decide they're mad as hell and they're not going to take it anymore. But the super-elite corporatists, with their puppet governors and bought-and-paid-for lawmakers, are doubling down and going for broke. There's a sense among the über-rich that their moment is now, that the whole enchilada must be seized now, to permanently create a new American underclass that never will be able to claim power. That, of course, doesn't go over well at all with the new underclass, who are beginning to rise up -- mostly peacefully for now, but who knows what will happen when their personal situations continue to deteriorate and much of official Washington seems blind to their concerns.

To call the situation a powder keg might be an understatement.

I try not to drive myself crazy by worrying (and I usually fail), but with nobody willing to yield, I'm not seeing any way out of this current crisis that doesn't involve a lot of trauma for America, both on a national and an individual level.

Talk me down if you wish, but the coming months are filling me with dread.

[Jackpine Radical]

1. A very interesting thought.

These are frightening times.

[Pharaoh]

2. I am from Wisconsin

We come in Peace :party:

[roguevalley]

24. dUZY

[Uzybone]

3. not in this obese TV saturated America

have you looked at your neighbors and their kids recently?

I hope you are right though.

[xmas74]

9. I don't know.

I've had conversations with coworkers this past week that have made me realize there is hope. Quite a few have said they are fed up with it all and want to do something about it.

[Earth_First]

4. It's going to be interesting...

But never waiver!

If we back down THIS TIME, there very likely won't be a next!

[OhioChick]

5. I share your same thoughts....

Nothing is pretty, nor will it be for a very long time to come.

[roamer65]

6. I am hoping so...

It's time for a lil unrest.

[EC]

7. I was just thinking the same thing.

All this union busting going on may make it look like the 30's thru the 50's only instead of Pinkerton - there will be other private mercenary agents of terror.

[bluerum]

8. Don't be frightened - it is exhilirating to see inequalities chickens come home to roost.

[villager]

10. If the over-class won't back down, then neither can we.

if they've decided that it's "all the marbles" time -- well, no subsequent chances will remain to grab a marble or two for the rest of us, if we don't do it now, eh?

[Kennah]

11. Already underwater, sinking, and soon to be unemployed

Might be walking away from the house and the wife, kids and I moving in with my mother in law.

I get along really well with my MIL, so that's not a big deal.

Yeah, these could be some very, very, very interesting times.

[Earth_First]

13. My dear Kennah...

I am so very sorry to hear this.

I cannot imagine what it must be like to be in your situation, so I won't pretend.

:grouphug:

[Kennah]

20. The really surprising thing is ...

... that while I'm by no means excited about the lack of options, I'm not despondent.

I'm not looking forward to what could happen to me, but I am looking forward to what could happen throughout the country.

[xmas74]

16. I know what it's like.

I had to move back after the lay off.

[cali]

12. I doubt it.

[SoCalDem]

14. No

[devilgrrl]

15. That depends on what the networks are running during the summer

If there's something good on tv....

[Cleita]

17. In 1968, the revolutionaries had something known

as an education in critical thinking. I can't see this happening now. What will occur is what the elites want, the rest of us divided and fighting among ourselves. :-(

[Newsjock]

18. I think that's what I fear the most

That we'll go down without much of a fight at all. Then, after that, what point is there really about ... well ... much of anything.

[Cleita]

19. I had a little epiphany that the unions are our last

bastion. If they go down, we are no more than peons. There are no more large organizations with clout who can act as a counterweight to the corporate oligarchy. All of us have to champion the workers' cause, even if we aren't union members, or are small business people, or are retired. We won't have a middle class much longer if we don't.

[MedleyMisty]

22. What we have now is the internet

I've been reading Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed.

The chapter I'm reading now, about communication - he's talking about how revolutionaries and the oppressed should communicate - freely and openly and equally and constantly.

In other words - he's describing the internet.

I've really been looking into Anonymous lately. They seem to be mostly helping with internet access for protesters in places where the oppressor has barred access. Which now includes Wisconsin, and they have helped there.

Perhaps you should look into their philosophy. It might give you some hope.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i4Rx2J7sBc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH4taH8mnnM

And to drive their point home...

http://politirature.wordpress.com/2011/02/22/solidarity-by-my-amazing-friend-katia-moanna/

A blog post by a Wisconsin woman who talked to the young man with the Egypt supports Wisconsin workers sign - he posted it on his blog.

We are all connected. And we are beginning to realize it.

[Curmudgeoness]

21. Gaddafi is also saying that he will not leave. We will see.

One side or the other will back down. I pray it isn't us.

[Newsjock]

23. Yes, this is worldwide

In my haste to post, I failed to acknowledge that in my OP.

This is not merely an American phenomenon by any stretch. The stakes are unbelievably high all around the world, and it seems like, for whatever reason, this is the time that it's all going down.

[roguevalley]

26. in the sixties our mass consciousness came awake and its doing it

now. don't be afraid. it will be okay.

We have social networking, personal courage, the need to do something about this for the good and all they have is fascism.

And its different now. We are more numerous and they aren't the only ones with guns.

[BlueIris]

25. Personally, I think this Spring is going to look like

1974 on steroids. I don't think we'll get to 1968 levels of unrest quite yet, though.

[Newsjock]

27. The mid-70s doom

I'm reminded of a magazine cover that was an artist's rendition of bread lines at McDonald's. As a young and highly impressionable Newsjock, it scared the crap out of me that Time would put this on their cover.

Despite the gloom and doom, we emerged and, at least for a while, prospered.

ETA:Looks like I was thinking about the Oct. 4, 1974, issue of New Times magazine, not Time. (I suppose I was easily confused in my early years.) I found a for-sale listing, but no cover image to share here.

[RagAss]

28. No...it will make 1968 look like a Church Bingo.