From
The Last Election
by John Haines (1924-2011)
No more conventions, no donors,
no more hats in the ring;
no ghost-written speeches,
no promises we always knew
were never meant to be kept.
And something like the truth,
or what we knew by that name-
that for which no corporate
sponsor was ever offered-
takes hold in the public mind.
Each subdued and thoughtful
citizen closes his door, turns
off the news. He opens a book,
speaks quietly to his children,
begins to live once more.
More about John Haines from my archives
HERE.
Commenting on my own post.....
ReplyDeleteI feel, today more than ever that I am and seemingly will remain forever, alien to the majority of US thinking. There are a few, very few, people who contribute comments on some websites who think as I do, but we seem to be such a tiny minority - aliens in all but citizenship in fact .
As a couple of commenters at Common Dreams have written this morning:
"Liberal" in the USA now seems to mean killing foreign children in exchange for a supreme court nomination or lip service to gay rights. Obama's win and the public's continuing lack of support for third parties means less pressure on all future candidates, big party candidates. It just shouts "accountability does not exist". It gives positive feedback to manipulation, cheap populism, the Lesser of Two Evils crap, passivity - apathy. It means that the system "works" as it is, and perfectly too - for the "1%" and there's nothing to fear from "democracy" and the "people", who are completely manageable.
These Points made by Tom Carberry and Atomsk, and I agree 100%.
Yes - it is, indeed over.
Perhaps only Americans are guilty of whining about how unjust the systems are that we participate willingly, while abandoning the desire to individually initiate a change for our selves and others. Seems hopeless, doesn't it? Why doesn't someone do something about this?
ReplyDeleteOur current complacency is dominated by a too-big-to-fail single party called the Democrat-Republican-corporate ticket that is one snake with two heads. This political party has most Americans hypnotized by the party's own rule: don't allow other political philosophies (Libertarians, Green Party, etc) to enter the game for fear of squandering your vote.
This country belongs to each citizen and it will only be through the efforts of each citizen to collectively regain control and allow a truly democratic country to reign. There are shining examples to be observed in the USA's own history and, two non-American contemporaries that come to my immediate mind are South Africa's ex-president Nelson Mendela and Myanmar’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
To say that this is out of the individuals' hands is a poor excuse that can only lead to failure and the notion that we deserve what we get. Find your voice!
Activists that have made a difference have typically forfeited their freedom and part, if not all, of their life for their goals. The individuals that I hold in esteem have yielded their comforts for their visions. Taking a stand means possibly losing in the short or long term. This takes it beyond the average American's grasp right there.
ReplyDeletemike ~~ There have been attempts to do something about the state of affairs we now have, as well as I and the discontents simply whining about it.
ReplyDeleteThe Occupy movement began to try, but it all fizzled out. They received little support from establishment Democrats, their ideas were a little too loosely woven to succeed, but they meant well and were headed in a good direction. If only a figure-head had emerged from that movement last year, a proper strong opposition movement might have taken off alongside the election campaigns.
Other movements such as Code Pink, again well-intentioned tend to have been co-opted or de-fanged.
All attempts such as on-line petitions to "get corporate funding out of politics" or "overturn the SCOTUS Citizens United decision" again well-intentioned come to naught.
Some say change must begin at local level. Here, the argument put forward in my comment pertains- apathy and the fact that positive feedback has been given to manipulation and non-accountability. It'd be fruitless trying to effect change in the thinking of people in this SW Oklahoma town. Media don't help, they're all bought, afraid of losing jobs.
Chomp's comment this morning (under the post titled "A Communal Sigh") possibly nails it as nearly as possible. Change cannot and will not come quickly. The system will have to collapse first, that will take time. It will take longer under the Democrats, perhaps, or maybe not. It depends how many more climate surprises come along, and how soon.
When the system does collapse, it will be a dangerous time.
That's another good argument in favour of encouraging growth of a strong leftish movement now, while there is still time....it'll be hopeless when there's no time remaining.
How though?
Dave Lindorff is encouraging such a movement to organisation in today's piece at This Can't Be Happening - link is in the sidebar among assorted Links.
Watch carefully and wait, for a short time, I guess is all that's possible right now.