Now that I'm not hopping mad, why not march in support not protest?

[Jeffersons Ghost]

Right after i heard the totals on the Kerry/Feingold Resolution vote, I was extremely mad and posted an absurd suggestion but protesting is still our only hope... This next idea might suck too but I'm damn sure open for meaningful ideas on ways to show we're not going to sit idly by as government drives us into poverty and despair over lost freedoms. I think the most abused drug in america is the computer. Drugs ruined the reforms we sought in the sixties and perhaps this information drug holds us back now. TV is the drug they use on conservatives. It's a real trip these days.

Patriots Unified For Freedom - as in the magic dragon music. It's a nice song for children and we're in it for future generations in America. Media would gobble that up... Instead of marching to oppose anyone honest, we march to support Senators who will unify agaisnt the war. Only those who truely care about America can end a hunger strike, which we announce at the rally, not before. We'll get proper permits. The hunger strike might last after the permits expire... Then, some of us will continue it in jail, after they haul us off. I could stand to lose a few pounds and us 50ish disabled types fade fast. I think I'll buy a bunch of smokes and visit the VA Hospital tomorrow and see how many of my old 'Nam comrades want to go along on one last mission to defend freedom. I've got a big old car and I can afford to make it more road-worthy. I also know guys in wheel-chairs with gigantic vans. We could perhaps focus on bringing attention to net-neutrality. A volunteer I spoke with at Nancy's office when I gave a donation meantioned the importance of net-nutrality, only not in this context. I bet even the trolls want the web to stay informational and affordable. Promote the effort as non-partisan at first but later we might ask Big John, Russ and a few others to unify and talk us into big lunch. Or better yet, wait until the Republicans buy us old run-down vets a lunch. Did you folks hear the swagger in the chimps voice today during the house hearing? You know right before our fine reps voted to give only the top 5,000 families in America a big loop-hole to totally dodge inheritence tax? I guess now that they robbed the treasury, they need to insure our government can't recover a red damn dime. I feel sure the chimps back on coke by the way he spoke. We might also point that out... you know - just typical DU topics.

[canetoad]

1. LOL man

If I wasn't so far away I'd join you for a puff.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

3. you just did! we're burning the NO 2 most abused drug in America...

What about the march? Will you join me in a rally? How about marching from the Lincoln Memorial to where either the Senate ot House is in session? We conclude the march with some invited guest speakers like Cindy or maybe even Russ. I'm also contacting Iraq Veterans against the War and Vietnam Veterans Against War... Who knows what can come about? Big waves start as ripples.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

9. how about Democrats Against Monopoliziing the Net? no- not nonpartisian...

Bloggers Against Net Neutrality?

[Jeffersons Ghost]

16. kick

[Jeffersons Ghost]

17. kick

[Jeffersons Ghost]

18. kick for russ

[Jeffersons Ghost]

23. kick

[Jeffersons Ghost]

19. kick

[Jeffersons Ghost]

22. kick

[madokie]

2. right or wrong we have to do something.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

5. exactly! I'm not MOSES WITH THE TABLETS! how about some suggestions

Some votes might keep the topic viable but meaningful suggestions on exercising our 1st Amendment, while some of us can still afford to drive that far is the goal. DC is well over a 1,000 miles from me but is that too far to go for saving America?

[sandnsea]

4. For the sake of accuracy

They did not pass legislation for the rich to totally dodge inheritance tax. It is 15% up to a certain point, and then doubles to 30%. They basically decided to treat inheritance as a capital gain instead of income. I don't care if you still think it's too low of a tax, I think work should be taxed less than leisure income too. But I do think it's important to get the facts right.

A march for instead of a protest against is always a good idea I think. But we actually need to be out in our own communities spreading the word. I wish the DNC would have another 50 state day, and that this time more people would participate. We have to change minds in our own communities and get them to make the phone calls and write the letters. The power of the individual, we have to make people believe in that again.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

6. and to be totally accurate it costs billions to benifit 7,500 households

according to a rep I heard on C-SPAN today but later on radio tonight they claimed someone said 5,000 households would reap the billions.

On edit: so your saying we never need to march in protest or support except quietly in our communities where only local media will cover it, right? They'll hush it up here in Alabama so tight the local student tabloid won't even mention it.

[sandnsea]

7. That's exactly right

I was only referring to the idea that they totally eliminated the tax, that isn't true. They compromised on the amount of the tax, and they stuck in a logging tax cut to make it next to impossible for timber states to vote against it. And even states in the south have timber interests.

Democrats are going to have to face the reality that we're going to have to have a completely new economic and tax policy marketing strategy. We can't have a goverment on NO taxes, that just doesn't even make any sense.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

8. hell, they're just handing local billionaires like Warner a return...

on their investments... who do you think either owns outright or controls most the timber down here?

on edit: let's derail the thread since you don't want to march or rally at all. what do you think?

[sandnsea]

10. I didn't say that

I said marches for are better than protests against. I live clear out in Oregon, I'd be more in for a 1 million permanent campout on the Capitol Lawn. Since we can't seem to get that kind of momentum, I was just thinking we should try to do more at home. Gas was pretty cheap in the 60's, and before that during the other Washington protests. Yikes, maybe there's more to the rising gas prices than we've thought of! :tinfoilhat:

[Jeffersons Ghost]

11. it occured to me a while back but I knew it was way heavy on the tin-foil

I want you to realize that you are saying we don't need to change a thing we've been doing. Voters did what you suggest, when Gore and Kerry ran for office. So WE keep doing the same old things, thus allowing our House and Senate can keep doing the same things. Hey, I see now, elections will keep turning out the same way! There are going to be a few minor changes in your lifestyle after November, however, unless you are Bill Gates, typing from your Oregon retreat.

[sandnsea]

12. Bill Gates lives in Washington

hehe.

No, I don't think we can keep doing things exactly the way we have been. I support Dean's 50 state strategy, I don't think we fight right in our own hometowns enough. I don't mean just for votes, I mean spreading a new message (such as it is). Activists who haven't traditionally identified with a party, old time Dems, new Dems, really working together to educate their neighbors. I don't know that anybody really pays attention to a rally anymore. The immigrant rallies got some attention, and they were hugely impressive. But then the message got all skewed and some wanted open borders and some wanted guest worker and then who knew what was what. We're just not working together and we're not getting to the bottom of what money is behind what, and even when we know, like with Ralph Reed, we still don't get that info out there. A simple little thing, they do it, flyer their church windows on Sunday letting them know what kind of scumbag Reed is. We can't seem to get it done, not even with all the manpower on DU.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

13. most of the human-power online, some of it brilliant, is wasted...

My first analogy of using the internet as a drug was on the mark. If we could only be pissed with no outlets like DU to let off the steam, things would start happening like in the 60s. Another distinct possibility is that most leftist bloggers are as gutless as the neocons say we are but in other times the left was different.

[sandnsea]

14. Yes and no

Take Back America event, a lot of people who went to that probably never would have without the internet community. I know a couple of people who got internships because of connecting online. I know others who participate in every single event in the DC area, who got super involved from being online. People are working and doing some really great things. I honestly don't know where the disconnect lies between what regular citizens want and what Washington does, I really wish I did. It's partly corporate money, sure. But there's something else too.

Like earlier I was reading an article where Rosenberg said the 90's refocused the Dem Party from the liberal elite to the middle class. :wtf: Did you see it that way? I sure didn't. Makes me wonder about some of these people, really does.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

15. We've got to get a massive turnout on a popular topic like Iraq...

and carry the message right to the steps of the Senate or better yet, that House we're all licking our chops over. When will they offer meaningful debate on withdrawal from Iraq?

[deaniac21]

20. I'm willing to chain myself to a table in Baskin Robbins.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

21. finally a real american has posted... PLENTY of others will go along...

with your idea! they already do, in a sense.