We are in a state of crisis.

[Onlooker]

The radical right wing has control of the government. They don't have full control, but the only thing preventing that are a handful of moderate Republicans in the Senate. The moment of truth is here. We really need to fight back far more strongly if we're to prevent our nation from becoming dictatorial.

Already, some groups face dictatorial powers, such as those even vaguely suspected of terrorist links. Now, gays are very much under threat with our nation for the first time since slavery ready to introduce a Constitutional Amendment designed to deny them some rights. Our press is almost completely under state/corporate control, and our courts are increasingly able to protect the allies of the right-wing government.

I think we're in a state of crisis. It's going to keep getting worse, unless we confront the situation with courage and principle, not compromise, as many seem to advocate.

[GetTheRightVote]

1. I agree onlooker, we are in a state of crisis and must fight back now

with protests and civil disobeience actions which appear to be the only message that our government understands. WE must organize our numbers and attack the government and supportive systems as quickly as possible.

[Cobalt Violet]

2. They are trying to take our right to sue away.

Among all other rights as well. Your right we are in crisis. The Democrats in power better stand up to these fools or they will and should lose their base.

They long we wait the bloodier it's going to have to be to take our country back.

[femme.democratique]

3. Never truer words spoken

I am convinced that if something (external event,prosecution of * or his ilk) or someone (our paid Democratic leadership, having grown a set) doesn't intervene to derail these people, we will be in a civil war within 10 years. Or, we will simply acquiesce. Or, more importantly, the Democratic leadership will acquiesce at our peril! I wonder if anyone in power ever thinks to read message boards, like DU, to see what the mood of the people really is? If so, would they actually DO something? I am very worried!

[Cobalt Violet]

4. They might read it. If anyone listens is another thing.

Sometimes I think they have us written of as crazies. We are far from crazy. I see us more as canaries in coal mines. We know what everyone will know eventually, maybe when it a little too late.

We are the most active wing of this party and they should listen to us. Most on DU vote.

[pinto]

5. In the Nixon years, especially toward the end

it seemed the same. We weathered the storm and they failed.
While these guys are much more adept at manipulating the strings of power and public opinion, I truly believe they will fail.

Your mention of the hand full of moderate Repubs is interesting because they may be one short-term brake on our slide to the right, as odd as that sounds. I encourage you to cut and paste your post to them, as well as the Democratic membership in the Senate.

[eallen]

7. The problem is that Bush's corruption is not so simple as Nixon's.

Watergate brought Nixon down. Bush's dishonesty is just as trenchant, but not so simple. It is ideological rather than straightforwardly criminal, and shared by many of his supporters.

On the other hand, Bush is in many ways less competent than Nixon. In the end, that may be what brings him down, rather than scandal. The only worry is whether he will take our economy down with him. :(

[pinto]

9. Agree.The ideology of the Bush admin is akin to McCarthyism: if you doubt

us you are a traitor..worked for the McCarthy folks for a while, too.
I just plain doubt it will hold water. Life and a little thing called reality tends to intervene...

I also agree with you about the economy. This massive national wealth distribution plan of the Bushcos is, well, unnerving. I have a hard time keeping track of who is prostituting whom.

[indigobusiness]

6. crisis/opportunity

Same thing.

[eallen]

8. Yep.

[m berst]

10. a crisis, yes

A lot of the arguments here are really about whether or not we are in a state of severe crisis. For example, when people say "the election wasn't stolen so get over it" I think there is an unspoken "so we aren't in a desperate crisis" at the end of that. On the other hand when people say that the election was stolen, I think they mean that we are in a desperate crisis. Depending upon whether or not a person believes - or accepts - that we are in a crisis, they will take the appropriate side in each argument.