The world and we are watching a new Hitler on the world stage and they stand by helpless while we

[coolsandy]

standby useless and unwilling to do anything about it. I feel really angry, sad, and dispirited.

[brush]

1. K&R. Ryan and McConnell will go down in history for doing nothing but try to get their tax cut...

rich through while trump ravages the country.

[shraby]

2. Not only ryan and mcconnell, but the whole famdamily of republicans in the house and senate.

They all need to walk the plank.

[lagomorph777]

11. Send the Reputins to Moscow,

so they can be closer to their beloved Roubles.

[vlyons]

3. I've been feeling a little dispirited myself this week

As a Buddhist, it's very painful for me to know that 30% to 35% of Americans still think that Trump is wonderful. Painful to know that there are that many millions of people, who are stupid, easily duped, filled with hatred and bigotry, and enjoy nothing better than tearing down our institutions for the love of money.

I ran across something that the Tibetan teacher, Chogyam Trungpa wrote in his chapter on Buddha's 1st Noble Truth of Suffering. He has a lot to say about suffering. But what particularly caught my attention was that as we become more aware and enlightened, we become more sensitive to our surroundings, to others, to everything. And more awareness brings more suffering, because we are more tuned into the suffering of others. We can see how certain behaviors will bring bad outcomes and cause more suffering. Not that I'm very enlightened - far from it.

I struggle every day not to hate Trump and his stupid supporters. I struggle every day to simply be present and not freak out.

[C_U_L8R]

4. We do have choices

to not suffer ourselves nor let other people suffer.
But it takes action. Lots of action.

[vlyons]

5. yes we do have choices for ourselves

but we can't change other people and the choices that they make. Buddha's 1st Noble Truth of Suffering has an extensive discussion of its causes and effects. Too extensive to get into the weeds about here. Suffice it to say that ignorance, greed, and hatred are the root causes.

[coolsandy]

6. So true.

[C_U_L8R]

9. (( heart ))

[Initech]

7. The Values Voters are a scary bunch.

But this year they morphed into a full blown terrorist group. I have never been truly afraid of these people, but I am now. They would commit genocide if they could - they have a president, Congress, judges, a 24/7 news network and a perpetual hate machine that supports this idea, except they won't say or think it out loud. But they speak in code with extremely violent undertones like it's a hint it could happen. If Roy Moore is elected it will be very dark times ahead.

[Hortensis]

8. You're useless and unwilling if you wish to see yourself that way. I'm not.

Presidents can't be taken out easily. We always knew that.

The dispirited is obvious, and I'm feeling very bad myself. Sick. But no part of me is inclined to blame us all as willing collaborators or to imagine that we are in any way worse than the rest of the human race.

[rockfordfile]

10. I was thinking about a documentary about the Ghetto in Germany and the way Puerto Rico, California

I was thinking about a documentary about the Ghetto in Germany and the way Puerto Rico, California are being treated.