I'd be happy to read some optimistic feelings here

[BonjourUSA]

I know you're disturbed. You think, and you're right, that your country is politically drifting. But when I read your posts the USA image is catastrophic. The positive posts are very rare, because I don't want to say nonexistent.

Make an effort for an European, if I ask you what's yet good in the USA what do you answer ? :-)

[heidiho]

1. Sorry, Bonjour, but I can't find anything good to report

I would say that next year brings a new election and maybe we could get rid of these crooks but they will probably have managed to fix the election again.
Four more years of Bush is more than this country can bear. Thanks for trying but it's difficult to understand how we are feeling unless you are living under this regime.

[qanda]

2. Although I don't think our country is on the right track

There is hope, especially because we are entering a new election season. The most hope that I've had in three years, is that we only have one more year left of Bush*. Personally, although my family has faced great economic pains during the Bush* years, I have a wonderful husband and two great kids.

[eleny]

3. The pendulum can swing in the other direction...

and it's starting on it's journey back to the left. We have not lost our country and we trust that we will regain the high ground. It may take a while. But right now, we see that the right wing can destroy itself and that progressive ideals can prevail again.

Thanks for asking!

[janekat]

4. What's good is that the Europeans still have their sanity

I find it comforting that the Europeans still seem to have their feet on the ground. I read a lot of the European papers.

I can't think of too much that's going good here - other than it seems that there is a possibilty that this country could be on the way to completely cleaning house.

[rucky]

5. The Democrats are Finally Getting Their Act Together

...we're becoming united in our message and strategy, and getting agressive against Bush. Here's a link that'll cheer you up:

www.cspan.org

DNC Fall meeting going on now, and should be posted in archives in a coupla hours

[Brucey]

6. There are many good things in the US, but not politics.

We have nature, good cities, big open spaces, good colleges and universities, and some good cultural events. But when it comes to politics, things are dreary.

[Jacobin]

7. There seems to be one good thing

The Iraq invasion has been so disasterous that Bush* may not be able to continue his conquest of the Middle East...Iran, Syria, etc.

Our troops are strained, the budget is busted and the american people are tired of spending money conquering countries.

That is the only good news I can see. I sincerely hope that Europe stands its ground and refuses to send any troops or money to "help" in Iraq because that will only enable the Bush junta to conquer other countries.

[Maine-i-acs]

8. American spirit alive and well

Bonjour, Bonjour.

The ideals of democracy are still going strong with a majority of Americans. However, questioning the 'government' that seized power in a bloodless coup two years ago is now viewed as unpatriotic.

The 9-11 attacks allowed the US Government to pass laws allowing for a virtual police state. Arabs are imprisoned without trial, all communications are monitored for subversive activity, and the media is systematically being purchased by a cabal of corporate interests.

The economy is tanking due to much-needed programs that stimulate the economy being cut in favor of more military spending to prop up two nations we have invaded and occupied. Our image in the international community is in the toilet. The outpouring of sympathy generated by the 9-11 attacks has been squandered and even reversed.

With all this in place, the spirit of Americans and the American ideal can be viewed as somewhat crushed. But I and many others have hope that the American tailspin can be reversed and our country can be saved.

Until our right to unite and vote is taken away we have a chance to throw the bums out. And take heart at that, because our votes have been manipulated in the past (Palm Beach 2000) and more of that might be on the way (electronic voting machines produced by a Bu-sh backer).

But we are too smart, too tough, and too resolved to be manipulated for long.

[RandomKoolzip]

9. Well, we still have our natioanl parks, and some parts of our

natural landscape haven't been raped for their resources, yet. SO you can always go out and enjoy the beautiful fall weather here. Although it does seem like the tide is turning politically, it comes with a terrible price, which is why my optimism is tempered wth resigned caution.

But I am optimistic that it's gonna be a beautiful autumn in America, weather-wise. That's about it right now.

[tom_paine]

10. Where there's life there's hope

Whatever gloomy feelingsd we might have, this thing is not yet decided and it is still NOT a 100% certainty that America will finsih it's transformation into an Empire and a Bushevik Tyranny.

One can always look to the comments of Ghandhi who said (and here I paraphrase) that no matter how long the tyranny stays in power, the tyrants always fall. The scary part of that is that sometimes, in the case of Stalinist Russia, it is not the tyrant who falls, but his spiritual descendants. Sometimes, in the case of Nazi Germany, the whole world must attack to cause the tyrant's downfall. Or as in Imperial Rome (which Imperial Amerika is most like), the tyranny will go on for centuries and only fall when the victims finally fall upon the weakened aggressor.

On the plus side (and you might find this sentiment naively nationalist, but it's how I feel) I think of George Washington in 1780. He was utterly despondant and certain that the Revolution would shortly fail.

He was as outfinanced and "outgunned" by THAT King George and his lackeys as we are by THIS King George and his Brownshirts.

And yet, with help from your ancestors, a year later he had won.

I take hope from that, and from Ghandhi. I also take hope that we here at DU are just victims of mass hysteria and groupthink. I would rather eat crow than wake up in 2025 under the Iron Boot of George P. Caligula Bush.

Sorry, that's the best I can do for you, my French friend.

I clasp your hand from across the ocean.