The Wake-Up Call (Mary Lyon)

[Tace]

By Mary Lyon. from the left -- World News Trust

Nov. 8, 2006 -- I guess I can understand oversleeping. Most of America stayed that course for a couple of election cycles already. But they’re wide-awake now. The midterm elections of 2006 are a huge, clanging, banging, siren-shrieking wake-up call. For everybody. For the vast majority of Americans who finally came to their senses, for George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Karl Rove, for the Democrats, for the media, and ESPECIALLY for the republi-CONS -- who needed it most of all.

There’s been just a little bit too much unilateral, imperial, swaggering, self-coronational arrogance going on in Washington in the past six years. Just a little too much pig-headed, close-minded, in-yer-face, “my way or the highway” obnoxiousness. A little too much dismissal of the single most important idea of democratic governance: THEY work for US. It’s NOT the other way around. Bush’s bunch and all the many multitudes of sycophants, cowards, cover-up artists, excuse-makers, and spinners forgot that. They drank too deeply of the “absolute power corrupts absolutely” vintage, piled into the same car together, and raced it straight over a cliff. They forgot that it’s NOT about them, or all the power and trappings that they only get to BORROW, NOT to own. That’s the PEOPLE’S purview. That’s OUR department. WE run things. The power and authority comes from US. WE get the last word on who’s allowed to use it in our name and on our behalf. WE’RE “the Deciders.”

I had been expecting to write this two years ago, when the repudiation of republi-CON and Bushian overreaching, corruption, and outright criminality should have occurred. It would have been that much sweeter, and the damage they’ve been allowed to do in that time would have been checked, prevented at least partially. But much of America chose to remain asleep. I guess those nice dreams and warm beds really were better than having to wake up and deal with the harsh realities and the cold morning air. Better late than never, I guess. On the other hand, I feel like I’m waking up with something of a hangover. I’m dazed and a little confused. This can’t really be true, can it? Score one for the Good Guys? Really? The Democrats won? Thomas Paine, his “Common Sense” and arguments about checks and balances -– finally prevailed? Howard Dean’s “50-State Strategy” actually worked? The final say had by the voters rather than the voter fraud? I must still be dreaming.

Best of all is that the above-mentioned “Democrats won” part IS the reality that Bush, Cheney, Rove, Mehlman, Hastert, Frist, Blackwell, Harris, Santorum, Mr. Macaca, the rest of the usual suspects, and yes, even Schwarzenegger woke up to when their morning-after alarm clocks finally rousted them. Arnold Schwarzenegger, being one of the few significant GOPers to win reelection, will still have to look around and smell the coffee, and the crystal-clear signals the voters of America sent to his party at large. The republi-CON idea of business as usual has been found soundly unacceptable, and has been shown the door. He probably got that message after his own recent humiliation, the last time Californians went to the polls in an off-year special election upon which he had insisted.

more

http://www.worldnewstrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=575

[Tace]

1. Kicking It For Mary

[calimary]

2. Thanks, Tace!!

It's been a trying day - we put Mom "to bed," as it were (funeral). On the way to the church, we saw the breaking news on TV - rummy was resigning. When I told a few people there before everything got started, the reaction was quite a happy one (separate from the event). I was surprised. Even some who I thought would be bush/rummy supported.

[TankLV]

12. Oh my, so very sorry to hear that. My condolences to you and yours...

I went thru that in '98 and altho the pain of sorrow is nowhere near as sharp, it is just not the same world...

But the sorrow will turn into a very noble vintage sweet wine that you can savor the rest of your days.

And always remember, she will be with you whenever you need her instantly from this time forward.

And you can talk to her whenever you want - without words, even.

The tears are starting to form again - I've got to go now...

[nofurylike]

3. i would like to praise and celebrate this. but i am on a campaign

against people here using the vile racist word mac...!

i recommended before reading the last paragraph; and i wish that word wasn't there, so i could praise on. but we must stop the using of that word! none of us would use the n word like that, ever!

sigh...

i am sorry to bring this to you, Tace and calimary, whom i so admire, both. and calimary, when you've had such a day

i am so sorry for your loss!

but i am jumping on others for using that word. and i have tried by alert in other places.
it (sadly) has become accepted use on DU now. we just must reverse that. please.


peace...

[calimary]

4. Well, you know something? Your point is VERY valid.

That word and the STOOOOOPID, outrageously insensitive use of it by that clod, is INDEED - well, just plain icky.

Your campaign sounds like a worthwhile one to me. I used it deliberately because if he had the bad grace to use it to build himself up by putting somebody else down, then I'd rather enjoy hanging it around his neck for the rest of his life. But maybe the public humiliation that losing an election is for a republi-CON - is punishment enough.

And, in another sense, perhaps he's actually helped you make your point. The "m" word IS a bad word. And this whole episode has made that quite clear to large segments of the public, perhaps even those who truly weren't familiar with the concept. Everybody appreciates how horrid the "n" word is, for example. Perhaps this will educate the public to further and deeper sensitivity - that the "n" word is not an isolated case.

[nofurylike]

5. dear calimary, thank you for your understanding and

encouragement.

believe me, i do feel that man earned the worst of names. i can see why you, and why others wish him to feel even that much of what he dishes out. i can not even put words to what i wish him.

your reply comforted me about my taking this up on this thread. it is an excellent piece!

i'd earlier jumped on a thread with a poem in it, that may have been a great poem, for all i know. but, because the m word was in the subject line, i immediately reacted, and the poster voluntarily removed the post. i felt i should at least have read the poem, and wished i had asked he just change the sub line, if the poem didn't have the word. so i am very glad i read your piece before getting to the last paragraph, and that the m word is not in the subject line...

i am very pleased that you too will be passing around that we must end the using of that word on DU - and wherever possible.


also, i am so sorry for your loss, dear calimary. i hope you get to rest up from this long day.
and can dive some into the true wonder of this moment in progress!

celebrating that with you!
and with you, tace!


peace and solidarity, always!

[calimary]

6. Well, I'll have you know something else:

I actually am one who gained a more fine-tuned understanding of that particular word. The discussion that Webb's opponent (who can just as easily be referred to as FELIX - sorry, I still like being snarky!) launched about this, originally, enlarged my appreciation of the kind of slur it is.

TRULY educational. Enhanced sensitivity, which I suppose we can ALL use at the moment. This really IS the time for "the adults" to be back in charge. And I'm trying to make myself go there, even while I thirst and hunger for aggressive accountability hearings, for making these criminals ANSWER for what they've done, and to punish flagrant and deliberate bad behavior rather than rewarding or ignoring it. My dad would advise me to "Rise above it." Good advice, but I'd find it hard to follow sometimes.

Peace back atcha!

[Human Torch]

7. It's a matter of balance...

...the fact that all eyes are on the Democrats right now is a mixed blessing.

Good: An opportunity to begin moving toward a more positive America. I can already hear the subtle changes in Nancy Pelosi's manner of presentation. Before the election she would have said "We need to end the tax cuts for the rich." This morning MSNBC played a clip of her stressing the need for "more people to be able to share in our economic prosperity." Each time she's saying the same thing, but now it's being said in a way that doesn't chastise or alienate anyone. What the Democrats do (and the manner in which they do it) over the next two years will have a major impact on voters in 2008. A Democratic House and Senate is great. A Democratic President is even better.

Bad: The cable news talking heads are already demanding the Democratic "plan for Iraq." As Joe Scarborough's guest from Salon.com stated last night, Bush has had three years to come up with a plan. He didn't, of course, and so now his daddy's friends are scrambling to help him out. But we already know that there will be an attempt to shift the burden of fixing GOP mistakes onto the Democrats, and there will be a chorus of people demanding "immediate" answers. That's politics...it comes with the territory.

So I probably side with your dad on this one. There's too much work to be done. The next two years of Bush's life will signal an abrupt end to the free ride he's enjoyed so far. And the irony...the ultimate irony of all of this...is that if he somehow learns to "play nice with others," he might just be able to rise above the "legacy" he's already created.

I know that's a real stretch...that Bush could change, be a better man, finally "grow up" at age 60...but if we want to show the American people that the Democratic party can be an instrument of positive change, we have to allow people to change themselves. And if he puts on a dog and pony show for the first couple of months and then lapses into his role as "The Decider," then so be it. It will be his decision, and the Democrats will have at least "reached their hand across the aisle."

The GOP knows nothing about "redemption," despite their Evangelical base. It's all a front. Mess up and you get thrown under the bus. Look at the Foley situation...when was the last time you saw that much finger-pointing? There's no accountability, no ownership.

The Democrats aren't going to change that. The GOP will slowly begin to emulate the Democrats if they create and sustain a viable working model, but all they brought to the table during this election was their customary "smear and fear." They need to go back to school, learn some new skills. Meanwhile, the Democrats will be taking care of business.

The other night MSNBC said that right now the average CEO makes 265 times the salary of the average worker in their company. A CEO makes in one day what their employees make in one year. That's where I want our leaders to focus their attention. Yes, Iraq is critical. But we also need to put the lid back on the cookie jar that Bush opened for the über-rich. We need to fix what Bush started in Iraq, but we have plenty of things in our own backyard that need fixing too.

Anyway, that's just my two cents worth. My condolences on your loss. I'll keep your mom in my thoughts and prayers.

:patriot:

[calimary]

8. That's for sure. Now, the onus IS on us to perform, and start

rectifying at least a few things.

I am hopeful. Guarded but hopeful.

[nofurylike]

13. you write so well!! woosh! so, now, where was i? i'm with you on

what a struggle it will be, to be of "the adults" when such wounds we've suffered, and this country has inflicted.
and i am always struggling with the line between justice and vengeance.
they are, absolutely, the lowest of criminals.
i think i will have to yield such considerations to others. perhaps the hague??

i can only say that i am absolutely consumed by the urgency of ending what we are doing in Iraq..., saving a critically tipping environment, and other matters that make chimp and co seem too little to bother with at all, once we have removed their power...

from there, i am just chanting hope we have a future at all.

you know, too, what often forces me to dig up that kind of adultness?
paraphrase:
if it takes becoming a fascist to fight fascism, then don't bother. it's already won.

it will be harder than i sometimes know how to handle, but your dad's wisdom can be our guide:
"Rise above it."

thank you, calimary! again again!!


peace and solidarity, always!!

[bobbolink]

10. thank *you*, nofurylike, for speaking out for justice!

'Tain't easy, but it's clear you gots backbone, kid! :hi:

calimary's the best, and you've raised my awareness a tad, also.

:toast: to nofurylike!

[nofurylike]

14. coming from *you*, bobbolink, high praise!

:blush:

you too, the backbone!

:toast:
to us keeping on for justice!


peace and solidarity!

[bobbolink]

9. They work for US???? Who'da thunk...

Whadda concept, eh?

Another homerun, calimary! :applause:

Sadly, I'm thinking that 'Murkins are in conflict avoidance mode.

Unless, of course, there's a country somewhere that badly needs to be invaded.

Glad to see ya back! :pals:

[calimary]

16. Thanks, dahlink!

Maybe we're deep into conflict avoidance, and maybe... well, maybe some of us aren't. Maybe it will start becoming more and more clear that we've got some BIG problems, and it's glaringly obvious - even to the bad guys - that the people are the bosses and THEY DON'T WANT THIS SHIT ANYMORE. I mean, this is a day when george felix allen acknowledged in Virginia that the people are the owners of the government. Even bush seems to be acknowledging that he's gotta do something different, otherwise why would he have given up on rummy? I honestly believe that, if the republi-CONS had held on, or rigged it successfully, he would have felt NO need whatsoever to make a change as significant as this (especially hearing on Olbermann that it came over the objections to the previously-invincible dickster). He would have trumpeted this far and wide as further vindication of his status quo, another one of those rare, infrequent "accountability moments" he'd aced. There was a lot of, well, shall we call it "Thursday morning quarterbacking" today that claimed rummy would have been gone soon anyway. Well, I'm not so sure (yeah, like I really know, from my own fabulous perch inside the in-est inner circle!). I just think bush would have taken a republi-CON victory Tuesday night as a validation that he was "right" and the rest of us fringie focus groupers were wrong.

But hell, whaddo I know?

Hugs, anyway, bobbolink!

[bobbolink]

17. What do you mean, what do you know? ?? !! ??

Wish I knew a fraction of what you know.

And hadn't forgotten it, of course. :)

Dickster! :rofl:

Are you getting a kick out of poppy riding to the rescue again, like I am? OK, yes, it's sad, but... :rofl:

I don't come up with cute ones very often, but this one I kinda liked:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2659066&mesg_id=2667621

If the URl doesn't work very well, it's number 157

I just enjoyed the mental image... :evilgrin:

[3Ons]

11. There's something about Mary ...

I've always said, "There's something about Mary." ;)

Your writing is passionate, as all good writing is. Of course, we do disagree, in a friendly way, of course -- (perhaps, 'as always'?) :wave:

Firstly, there are no definitions set-in-stone for either 'democratic' no 'republican' nor 'progressive.' We all hold 'democratic-ideals' dearly, yet the meanings of those words, those thoughts, have been usurped -- twisted into something ELSE.

FreedomOfSpeech, for example (I put no spaces between those words for a reason -- bear with me).

Because the FirstAmendment (again, no spaces between those words -- these are NOT 'typos') -- anyway, because the FirstAmendment protects religion to discriminate -- to hate -- to DiscriminHate (that is a new word/term ... following?) ... the FirstAmendment protects religion to DiscriminHate anybody whom exercises FreedomOfSpeech/Expression.

Need I explain that? Does it make sense to you?

In 'regular words/type': The First Amendment protects very hateful religious supremacists (HatefulReligiousSupremacists) to discriminate and hate and CENSOR so-called 'beloved-neighbors' for exercising freedom of speech.

ANY EXCUSE WILL DO.

What's this have to do with YOU?

Well, your comments that started this thread claim (reading between the lines) that the Bush Admin's 'religious conservative-ism 'friends' and 'supporters') ruined America. Right? They turned the Republican party into the "RepugniCON" party -- and all must goose-step in lock-step with their HATRED for the Constitutional guarantees to FreedomOfSpeech/Expression, OR, be DENIED equality, life, liberty and pursuits of happiness.

Following? That is the IMPRESSION left from your writing.

I agree. HatefulReligiousSupremacists infiltrated, infected and perverted government.
So, where's that leave Democrats? The Democratic Party?

SAME PLACE.

Why did I say that?

Did you see Webb's acceptance speech? He climbed up on the PULPIT to PREACH. He said, "First and foremost, I thank God ..." followed by, " ... the BIBLE SAYS ..."

You see, governments LOVES ALL PEOPLE EQUALLY; only religions HATE you. ANY EXCUSE WILL DO.

WARNING TO RELIGIONISTS: Don't loft yourself on a self-kmade 'victim-stage' to claim I am personally assaulting YOU, to boo-hoo for sympathy/profit, "Oh, I'm so oppressed! There oughta be a LAW to CENSOR FreedomOfSpeech/Expression!" . I'm merely discussing a TOPIC.

See what I mean?


Because the moment HONESTY is discussed with INTEGRITY, religionists want ME and YOU and media and books and libraries and magazines and tv and radio and videos and games and music and EVERYTHING CENSORED, in their so-called 'positive-goodness.'

Now, my question to YOU, Mary LyOn, is this: with religionists like Webb winning in Virginia -- the FIRST PLACE ON EARTH WHERE THE BillOfRights GUARANTEED that religions would NEVER molest-the-minds of citizens by GUARANTEEING TOTALLY FREE SPEECH/EXPRESSION -- and having Webb be 'representative' of 'democratic-ideals' -- how can the Democratic Party help protect ME? Or YOU? Or ANYBODY AT ALL?

Huh?

What about that, Mary? There's something about you ... errrr, Mary ... and I think you can give that question some serious thought before knee-jerking a response, which MOST PEOPLE are incapable of doing. What say you, Mary?

Kind Regards,
3Ons

(PS> I don't use spell-checkers to PRETEND to be SUPERIOR with FAKE perfections; that's the beauty of the Internet -- all people can participate and it doesn't DiscriminHate over words, opinions, typos, spellings, looks, size, shape, color, and we can all thank Al Gore and HIS Internet Team for inventing it, personally, and literally.)

[calimary]

15. What say I? How 'bout - "Welcome to DU!" - for starters?

Your post is something I will need to digest. However, I have, and we all have, discussed the iron-claw grip that the religious machinery has on our government - something about which I am extremely uncomfortable.

One of my favorite quotes for the past several years comes from the character "Mad-Eye Moody" in the later Harry Potter books. He is a VERY colorful, battle-scarred wizard who comes to Harry's school to teach the Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Because he's a survivor of some extremely serious confrontations with some extremely serious bad guys, he presses his young students with the greatest earnestness: "You've GOT to KNOW!" and even better, "CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" I can't think of many watch-words more viable and relevant to the conditions in which we're mired in this country today. And, indeed, WE have GOT to KNOW everybody who does things in our name, and on our nickel. kkkarl rove has said that too much education is not necessarily a good thing. The less well-informed they are, the easier they're hoodwinked. Which is how he likes 'em. Easy pickings. That's complicated by the religion question, wherein you take it on faith. And you just know what you know, because it's faith-based. Not fact-based. A tremendous amount of trust, and a lot of it betrayed. It is vitally important that we vote for people we know to be good, honest, trustworthy. That we know where they come from - not just geographically but in the mind-set. Are they for real or are they hypocrites? Are they willing to work with people who don't necessarily agree, and see their viewpoint, or is their idea of working together "you do it my way and we'll get along just fine"? I know there are Dems, both incoming and incumbent (hey - like the sound of that one!), who differ from me on some issues that really matter to me. John Murtha and Bob Casey are anti-choice as far as I've been able to discover, and that bothers me because that's a critical issue for me. But I'd rather have a Democrat in there who differs, even on such an important issue as choice, than a republi-CON who won't play ball with me on anything else, either. I can be as Machiavellian as the next guy. But the chances are greater that I will find more to agree with John Murtha and Bob Casey, and they're so far superior to bush and his fiends that there's no contest.

At the moment, we have SO many ungodly messes to clean up that I'd rather trust that ordeal, overall, to any Democrat than any republi-CON. From everything I've observed, I'm more apt to find common ground, and at least someone who'll give me a fair shake and less judgmentalism from a Democrat than from a GOPer. And I'm more likely to find that Democrat more willing to give a fair shake to those who need it most, instead of the "have's" and "have more's" - the only people who seem to matter to the GOP.

Don't know if I've answered your rawther challenging post or not. But there you have it. As I said earlier, Welcome to DU!

[ClassWarrior]

18. Belated kick for another fine rant from Ms. Mary...

NGU.