Many will disagree with me of course, but in my eyes America has lost most senses of democracy. Is it time for the American people to follow in the footsteps of the Egyptian people, and march on the capitol demanding the resignation of the government? Would another form of peaceful revolution work better?
One of the problems of course is the diversity of public opinion in America, and the need to focus the goals of a mass demonstration that has broad public support. Would it be to cut spending, reduce the size of government, reverse Obama’s health care reform or break the deadlock in congress? Would it be to call for more socially oriented fiscal policies; to tackle unemployment, help home owners facing foreclosure, eliminate tax breaks for the rich or just reduce the gap between rich and poor like Bob Herbert of the New York Times suggests?
What’s the single cause for everyone to focus on? What would it take to unite the American people in peaceful opposition to their government? Certainly if the last few elections were any indication, the ballot box is not the way to go.
***Sorry, comments on this post are closed.***
People tend not to rebel as long as they’re reasonably effluent. As the US economy continues to decline, we may well see them beginning to revolt. Time will tell what the flashpoint will be; six months ago, nobody would have predicted recent events in Egypt!
Hi Robert:
I don’t think you realize just how poor some people have become in America. People die there for example because they are diabetic and can’t afford treatment. In Europe people die from diabetes too, but at least it’s not because they don’t get treated.
There are some very wealthy people of course too.
In some cities 1 in 7 households will lose their home to foreclosure this year, and a similar number lost their homes last year. Even those who manage to keep their homes will see the value fall sharply, because of the glut of foreclosed homes on the market.
Times will get worse, but are pretty bad already.
There will never be a revolution in America,not until everyone figures out we are ruled over by a global mafia. Till then most will sit around waiting for the time to hit the ballot box to vote for the next idol.
I will not go to revolution to change or reform a government. I will go to revolt to abolish government.
World history has shown any form of government is evil. They make the poor and the rich, the free and the enslaved,wars and death,corruption and assassins,theft and force,laws that make a new criminals and the homeless.
We are all livestock in the farm of the world given a false sense of liberty with a closed in field fenced off with wire and barbs.
Everyone will be happy dirt poor with nothing here in America. They have their idols to tell them how lucky they are to have as much as they have now. Naive and ignorant people have become.
It will worsen before anything gets better. We have not seen anything yet.
Right on Todd!
I think that it’ll be damn hard to get any kind of revolution when (1) people are allowed/made to believe that the system in place is in their benefit, and (2) the majority of those who disagree with it are only willing to vote every four years (plus write letters and sign petitions to assuage their conscience), and also have the power to actively put down anybody who steps beyond these bounds.
It’s a pity, because I think there is a rich revolutionary culture that pervades American history and is still well alive in various circles.
A lack of class analysis is probably the biggest mind-killer. So many people don’t see that the present social arrangement is devised to benefit the small ruling class, not to fulfill the needs of most people, as any sane system should. Reforms coming from the top will for obvious reasons never challenge this order.
Anyway, great topic which I spend most of my days contemplating (not that contemplation ultimately does any good!).
Yes, the US has lost its sense of democracy.
One thing that is desperately needed is federal legislation that states clearly that corporations are not persons under our Constitution. Without that, there is no hope for this country.
In my state, Vermont, there is a secession movement that has been around for years. It is small but growing, and beginning to be taken more seriously. We are a small state, and still have a fairly strong tradition of local democracy.
Part of the problem is that there are so many different ideas of what a government should be, no one wants to risk overturning the current system for fear one of the models they fear and hate will manage to take over.
As a Rabelasian, I have limited sympathy for the people who are suddenly discovering that they’re not happy with the state of things.
Rising food prices often trigger revolutions. Don’t depend too much on multinationals & governments fot your food: grow your own!
I knew if I made a post like this I’d get some good comments! Thanks everyone.
Sitting far away in India, and reading the views mentioned, I have a strong feeling that the revolution or a revolt is in the line soon in america
Sunil:
It’s really hard to know! In many ways I think much of the world is hoping for a revolution of some sort in America, but it’s hard to see how it will happen.
The events in Wisconsin right now are sort of what you might expect. A bad governor, lots of people demonstrating, a good cause, but it’s not clear if anything will happen.
The problem is when you have elected officials, it’s hard to call them dictators or in any way bad, because people elected them.
At the same time when you have a lot of very undemocratic things happening in a place like America, it’s sometimes hard to hold specific politicians responsible.
If you can hold a specific politician responsible, then you quickly get into the left-right Democratic/Republican/Libertarian split, and it turns into a big disagreement rather than public outrage.
It really looks to me like America as a whole isn’t even close to a revolution of any kind, but at the same time things are going to keep disintegrating and get really bad, maybe even to the point where Libya looks now. There are some promising signs things are changing on a local level in some places, but it’s going to be a long time before the politicians in Washington take any notice.
Like Todd said earlier, the real problem is we’re ruled by a global mafia, but it’s a lot harder to do something about that than overthrow a dictator or government — especially where there are a lot of different opinions on how to approach the problem.
Maybe poverty or high food and energy prices will be what does it in the end…
Patric,
You have analyzed the situation more clearly now.
The one cause Americans should rally around is repudiation of the national debt.
Hi Lucinda,
I totally agree. There are fewer things more important than getting the national debt under control, not just for the sake of the American people but because the US deficit is wreaking havok with economies all over the world.
Having said that it’s not looking too good. It’s looking suspiciously like the intention is to cut taxes but not spending, and hope the problem goes away on it’s own.
At least there’s one thing. There are few things as expensive as the US involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, and as these wind down spending will go down at the same time.
It is time that America revolts! WAR= What About Revolution? It is the same song and dance and it will not change until the people stand united and force it.
There are numerous complaints to pick from like, the way the courts violate the rights of fathers to create the new species a “single mother” and endangering the future of families, the bailout of banks while cutting the budget for education, the “out of control” debt this country owes, loss of jobs, etc. etc.
If you were to take a look at the economic indicators such as the housing market or the unemployment rate you could easily recognize a recession in America until you look at the record profits for corporations in the US who are on easy street.
Our government has sold us out to the corporations and we are on our way to a new slavery. It is now the time to pick your poison, make a sign and walk like an Egyptian.
The credo is essentially thus; “Order out of chaos”.
At least that is the master plan of those puppet masters who pull the strings behind the scenes while we all watch, previously fat and happy, and now down and desperate due to the economy. Recession and depression are not different words really……it’s all in our perception of what they mean and how they are sold to us.
Let us look at it as such. It’s incredibly hard to wring order from the type of chaos that is held back only by a thin line of percieved fiscal and patriotic superiority in the United States, particularly when so many have been asleep as the wheel enjoying that great “American Dream” that they are afraid to wake up from, that said, we are a violent people, we love violence, even when/while we were passive we have been sold on violence, prepackaged and delivered in McFat meals and via satalite television where we can watch two sides of the same coin (both having the same nominal value) scream about which is the better choice, left or right, blue or red, elephant or donkey…………..while the real power manipulates and drives our every choice down the wide path they want us to follow.
But don’t fear, revolution and anarchy sometimes are one in the same, sometimes it takes one to realize we need another, and while we were watching all those violent T.V. shows that taught us all so well how to be better criminals we may have learned a thing or two to our advantage.
Make no mistake about it, the factions here are deep, there won’t be any “national understanding” or call to arms because there are too many players in the game, what there will be is blood in the streets of the cities and small localized governments which will spring forth.
I hate to say it because it is cliche, but U.S. citizens are dumb, and they will not wake up until they are on the slaughtering table and when they do wake up they won’t “organize” on a wide scale in any recognizable way because there has been too much manipulation by the way of the media to keep us fighting amongst one another.
When it happens, it’s going to be ugly, and it will be ugly for a good while, but perhaps once the pieces are picked up, something resembling the U.S. of 1776 will emerge.
PH: Take a position, grab a sign and walk like an Egyptian. I’m going to remember that one! Thanks for your comment!
Alan: Well said. I know you meant it in a different way, and I don’t mean to disagree with you, but I want to say something about the idea of Americans being ‘dumb’.
The fact of the matter is America has one of the most developed systems of higher education in the world. It’s better funded and has higher standards than most other countries. Even beyond traditional education, there’s a belief that education is never wrong and should be something that occurs over your lifetime. Even many who’ve left high school and pursued vocational or self-education in America are among the most educated in the world.
It’s true there are increasing problems with traditional education in America, leading for example many parents to home school their children. It’s also true in recent decades corporate funding has dominated the education system. Regardless of these problems, my experience in comparing Americans with others, is as a whole Americans are not dumb!
Too many countries in the world educate their people for a sinister purpose, for example to maintain social classes or ethnic inequality. Literally, people are all too often taught to be dumb and discouraged from learning new skills, like American slaves before the civil war. It’s shocking how common this still is.
Another common self-perception among Americans are they only speak English or aren’t worldly.
Of all the people I know from English speaking countries; England, Australia, NZ and so on, I know far more Americans that speak foreign languages. Many more Americans for example speak bad high school Spanish than British speak French. By now I know quite a few Americans in the Netherlands who speak Dutch or are actively learning it. Among my friends and relatives who live in the US, at least 4 speak passible German, and a number of others speak some French as well. Learning a language like, for example, German in America is an almost impossible task. It’s not a common part of the culture there, there aren’t many German speaking communities, no German TV, there’s just no way to practice. Going on vacation to Germany for 2 weeks every 5 years is just not enough. In spite of this, a remarkable number of Americans speak quite a few different languages.
In the Netherlands for example most people speak English as well as Dutch. The only reason for this however is the country is so small, and many immigrants come from other places who speak English. English is after all the major language of the world and is spoken in many places, and this is a major disadvantage for English speaking people trying to learn another language.
Americans can’t be unworldly for the simple reason the whole world has come and is coming to America. Living in America means constant exposure to other cultures and customs. All of our forefathers came from somewhere else after all. Not having a passport does not mean you are unworldly in America.
The US government has some problems, but the American people are something different and most of the world understands that. It’s possible for example to dislike the Israeli government, but not be anti-semitic.
Arrogance is one thing, and I’m not advocating that, but Americans should be proud of who they are and not think of themselves as dumb, unworldly or unable to speak foreign languages.
Patrick,
Don’t get me wrong my friend, I’m not saying Americans are uneducated, I’m saying that the education that they are getting is of little use in a new economy and of no use when it comes to making informed decisions in politics……..
Lets take for example the radical dumbing down of American History as taught in high school, nothing about the federalist papers, a blurb here or there about Washington and Jefferson, Franklin, maybe Hamilton, and then bam; we kicked some Brittish ass…..that’s what is essentially being taught.
Very little is taught about the fundamentals that make up our political system, so little in fact that I believe this is part of what will allow the U.S. populace to turn to anarchy or to rebel or some combination of the two. Now that people are asking questions of governments they are taking a look at historical documents and seeing the faults and fratures that allow the federal government to get away with the things it does.
My point about “dumb” U.S. citizens is definitely not directed at those who are more worldly, more at those who only live in their little box, with their little family, making a “cushy” living and ignoring the termite infestation under the new layer of paint until the house falls down.
The U.S. suffers from a mass psychosis that allows “denial” to permeate their every thought if that thought may in some way lower their status and self esteem, even if the fault will in time destroy them, they would rather look for happiness elsewhere using lines of credit that don’t exist to buy more shit they don’t need.
Americans are ill prepared for the economic collapse, they, for the most part, have no idea how to survive if shit hits the fan and nor do they for the most part know how to do their part to fix the political system that entraps them.
Seems like Wisconsin might have found the answer to your question. I’ve never seen anything like it in my state, and it’s amazing. Everyone from all walks of life is out there peacefully and firmly asking for change. The more they’re ignored by the government, the more of them come out. Seems like labor might be the way to go.
To Governor Scott Walker:
It’s been a long time since I knew a politician who could make more people, more angry, faster than you. I hope you realize the world is watching Wisconsin, and very much waiting to see what your next move will be.
I think he does not, perhaps, realize what he’s incited. There are now rallies all over the state, which to me is amazing. What I’m most pleased about and proud of is the diversity of the protesters, the peaceful quality of their work, and their persistence. Winter in Wisconsin is not an easy time for such work, and I give them a great deal of credit for tromping out there again and again to stand up for what they believe is right. It’s also wonderful to see rallies in other states in support of Wisconsin, but also to protest similar moves on the part of government.
One of the things I find interesting is how much of a regional issue this has become. The area is full of cities far apart, often without a lot in common.
Here we are with the Democratic legislators seeking asylum in Chicago, and Michael Moore visiting from Michigan. People are realizing similar union stripping measures are being considered in other states, and that’s giving them all something in common.
Who would have thought Madison, WI had anything to do with Flint, MI??
I wonder if this will leave the region with a sense of unity that never really existed before…
How can we spread the word of a peaceful demonstration, with the majority of us average citizens to make an impact? The facts are there, now whens the best time to do something about it? You let me know. I’ll be there and bring 100’s of friends. That’s just one person committing to their part. Where are you?
Protests are long overdue. Corporations have had huge power over government for likely more than a century and equal rights only partially exist. Our government spends more money on fighting wars than benefiting it’s own people. Corporations get away with things that if a person did would get you 20 years in jail. Many of Americans do whatever advertisements and “pop-culture” tell them to. Luckily we aren’t all sheep, we can speak out.
Thank you for reading my rant =P
It IS time for ALL REAL AMERICANS to stand up, take up arms and organize like never before.
They will never reform themselves without deaths forcing them to. No matter who is elected they have their own agendas and none of them care one bit about the general population due to we have made them so rich they will never know what foreclosure or reposession means.
The NEW America that comes out the other side will have to be even better than the one that came out of the first american revolution.
We cannot house criminals for life or even for any amount of time, new laws need to address that fact. Violent criminals ALL will have to be executed within a short amount of time or the “new” america will be in major debt once again and china will buy us up like they already have.
It is time for a new idea, a new government, and a new attitude before we end up having to learn chinese and pay $10.00 a gal for gasoline.
The real problem is the wussification of america and political correctness that forces people to lie about evident truths.
I think it’s funny that the ARAB world is beating us at being american-like with their protesting in Egypt and revolution in Libya, the world is watching and wondering why we complain about other evil governments and then let our government be the biggest evil on earth, you wonder why they all hate Americans ??? Now YOU know, so start stockpiling ammo and start getting those guns ready because bloodshed here in America WILL happen soon, time to take back OUR country and stop letting idiots like Bush & Obama sell our asses to the highest bidder to raise their fortunes from millions to billions (check the bush family for evidence, daddy bush raised his wealth 10 fold while he was in for only 4 yrs, and his idiot dumbass son increased his about the same and being a moron it took him 8 yrs since his father wasn’t nearly as dumb but they both sucked the same amount of cocks and took black ones up their backsides for profit) but now we’re the ones getting Fvghed in the ass for it. Thanks idiots for voting for retards, i hope when the bullets fly they find your skulls, mine will, bet on it you sheep & goat blowing flamers. fvck your entire genetic code and don’t think we won’t do this soon. it’s coming faster than your dad did with your mom & the ethnic hookers on the south side. ROTFLMMFAO
Jesse,
You might want to try using honey instead of vinegar next time around.
The good news is, We fully intend a real revolution-and America has sanctioned our use of real awesome weapons-the government can, and will be replaced. Hopefully, when the blood is washed down from our marbled city of Washington D.C.,there will be a more reasonable representation of the needs and aspirations of real people.I won’t be there-mine is not to govern-but to fight the revolution, NOW-THE BAD NEWS-THE FIRST VICTIM IS-JESSE! Guy-you gotta go-and you know that hate-spewing out of your brain is whacked garbage! Real revolutionaries don’t want scapegoats or collateral damage. The killing off we do is to force the issue that elections have not been able to resolve-we do not relish the thought of hanging the bankers and politicians-but they defend the indefensible.They know the era of excess and greed is killing off the soul of AMERICA-and to that end, they already know we are gonna come for them-their days are, indeed, numbered! We do not intend to let the good citizens sit idle and suffer indignities-calling into question their veracity of production within society. As Dylan once said-“COME WRITERS AND POETS, WHO PROPHECIZE WITH YOUR PEN;AND KEEP YOUR EYES WIDE-THE TIME WON’T COME AGAIN”-It is naming a time of revolution-and you do not cure an ugly cancer with a kiss-and-a-wish! There are rumblings of revolution-and they are justified and correct. This ,having been said, makes my position abundantly clear-and note it is not vindictive-but practical-in that it brings to the surface the underlying angst-and-issue of what a lot of AMERICANS are struggling with this evening. They want “THEIR CHANGE”–IT MAY BE COSTLY-BUT WITHIN THE GRASP OF “DO-ABLE”.
If I frighten you-then GOOD-IT HAS SLAPPED YOU AWAKE TO THE REALITY OF WHAT HAS BEEN ON THE CUSP OF YOUR INNERMOST CONSCIOUSNESS!DO NOT BEAT AROUND THESE ISSUES AND WHINE LIKE A BAYING CAT HOWLING AT THE MOON. DO NOT WRING THE HANDS IN POWERLESS AND MINDLESS SUPPLICATION TO DARK MINION AUTHORITARIAN DIATRIBE. YOU KNOW BETTER-AND YOU KNOW THAT THE TIME IS VERY,VERY NEAR. THE REVOLUTION WANTS ALL AMERICANS TO REALIZE-THERE IS A BETTER WAY TO REPRESENT YOURSELVES. PUTTING BLIND TRUST, AND THE GOLD THAT YOUR LABORS HAVE EARNED-IN THE HANDS OF GREED-MONGERING FOOLS-IS NOT A WAY TO RETAIN YOUR FREEDOMS! THEY WILL ABUSE YOU-AND TRY TO SHAME YOU INTO THINKING THAT THIS IS THE RELEVANT ORDER OF GOD’S DIVINE INTENTIONS. WHO LEFT THEM TO PLAY THE DIVINE RIGHTEOUS AUTHORITY-NO-NO-YOU HAVE ABDICATED TO MUCH NAKED POWER TO MERE MORTAL MEN-WHO NOW, ARROGANTLY, ASSERT THAT THEY DIVINELY RULE DESTINY. DANGEROUS STUFF, MY FRIENDS!
IN THE FIRST ANNOTATED BLOG, GOOD FRIEND,ROBERT-HAS “A TASTE” OF “THAT RUMBLING”. THE REVOLUTION DOES NOT EXPECT THE POPULATION TO SPEAK AS BOLDLY AS WE-IT DAMAGES ONE’S CREDENTIALS AND PLACES THE AUTHORITIES IN MASS PANIC-BUT THIS COVERT SPEAKING DID GO ON (HISTORICALLY) BY THE COLONISTS BEFORE THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR-MORE MUTED, IN BACK ROOMS AND MASONIC LODGES.THEY-AS WE- HAVE ONLY THE BEST INTENTIONS IN EXPRESSING SUPREME AND UNMITIGATED REVULSION AT THE CONDUCT OF OUR GOVERNMENT, AND IT’S FEEBLE ATTEMPT TO COVER UP AND JUSTIFY WRONG-DOING. IT WOULD EXASPERATE EVEN THE MOST STOIC OF ALL MENTALITIES THAT PERMIT DIVERSE POINTS OF LOGIC.THERE CAN BE NO QUARTER GIVEN-FOR NO RESPECT HAS BEEN SHOWN IN THE LIES AND INACTION’S OF THOSE WHO WERE CHOSEN TO REPRESENT US.IT IS OUR CASE PRESENTED BEFORE YOU-YOUR INPUT IS ALWAYS APPRECIATED, ALTHOUGH-IT WILL NOT ALTER THE OUTCOME.
LUCINDA-THE FACT THAT THE NATIONAL DEBT IS SO GI-NORMOUSLY OUT OF CONTROL-REPRESENTS AN UNDERLYING FUNDAMENTAL FAULT IN THE GOVERNING SYSTEM. IT CANNOT BE BACKED-OFF OR DISSIPATED-IT OUTSIZES ALL INCOMES OF THE U.S FOR 200 YEARS AND REPRESENTS BAD FAITH IN PAPER THAT OUT-STRIPS ALL MONEY IN EXISTENCE X 4!!!!!!! IT DOESN’T GO AWAY-BUT IT CAN BE REMOVED BY REMOVING THE MENTALITY THAT WILL KEEP AMERICANS IN BONDAGE TO THESE PUPPET-MASTERS.THERE IS NO “SOFT-BLANKET” APPROACH TO THESE ISSUES-IT WAS PERPETRATED FRAUD INCULCATED INTO THE SYSTEM IN 1913 BANKING POLICIES, AND THE MONSTER HAS GROWN AS THE ELITE HAVE MANIPULATED POWER AND POLICY TO KEEP THIS FRANKENSTEIN MARAUDING THROUGH HUMANITY. IT W-I-L-L KILL YOU, YOUR CHILDREN, AND ANY HOPES OF REAL LIBERTY. I HAVE BEEN AS POLITE AS I CAN BE ON THE ISSUE-BUT HAVE NO INTENTIONS OF BEING POLITE OR CIVIL TO MY ADVERSARIES!THE ELITISTS WOULD IMPRISON THE POPULATION-AND ENSLAVE ALL LABOR. WE RESEARCHED, WE INQUIRED-AND THE RESULTS WERE ALARMINGLY DISTURBING-THEY MUST NOT BE TRUSTED, AND WE HAVE RUN OUT OF TIME TO BE PATIENT. YOU ARE-JUST OUT OF TIME TO WAX PHILOSOPHICALLY…..
WOULD IT HELP YOU TO SEE WHAT THE RESOURCES OF THE REVOLUTION REPRESENT-WE CAN UPLOAD THE PHOTOS AND GIVE YOU ALL HEARTBURN AND NIGHTMARES…(JUST KIDDING-YOU KNOW WE CAN’T DO THAT-REALLY!)WE REALLY DO UNDERSTAND THE MEDICAL IMPOSITION OF THE ABUSED AND CHALLENGED POPULATION. THE HEALTH-CARE OPTIONS BANTERED AROUND BY ALL POLITICAL PARTIES-TO LITTLE, WAY TO LATE-MOST AMERICANS ARE SUFFERING NEEDLESSLY BECAUSE LOBBYISTS AND CORPORATE PHARMACEUTICAL ENTITIES AND MEDICAL ADMINISTERING COMBINES ARE LOG-JAMMING TEAL HEALTH-CARE FOR PROFIT, AND OUTRIGHT GRAFT, CONSIDERATIONS. THEY MASK THESE PARASITIC PRACTICES BY CLAIMING COST INVESTMENTS-AND THEN GIVE US UNRELIABLY TESTED PRODUCTS-OR WORSE-PUSH ONES THAT HAVE UNACCEPTABLE KNOWN RISKS. THAT IS NOT CARE-AND NOT SERVING THE BETTER INTERESTS OF SOCIETY. JUST ANOTHER CASE-IN-POINT OF GOVERNMENT DYSFUNCTION IN OUR LIVES! I KNOW-THOSE MEDICINES ALMOST KILLED ME-SO I KNOW OF WHENCE I SPEAK—-