Bush's worst nightmare come true.

[ClusterFreak]

It's simple really, and perhaps overlooked. I know it just occurred to me. It's the 'great unwashed' masses. I don't mean that in any kind of condescending sense, though I suppose some will take it that way. He should really fear Joe and Jane Blow, from Anytown, U.S.A. The couple who normally don't give a rat's ass about politics. They don't follow it, literally, at all.

They're the people you see on Jay Leno's "Jaywalking" segments on The Tonight Show. You know the ones. The ones who are blissfully clueless....about everything. They don't know that Washington, D.C. is the capital city, they don't know the state in which New York City is located(!!), you ask them "Who was George Washington?" and they don't know, and they certainly can't come up with the name of the current president. Even when Jay gives them a hint and says "his father, George Bush, was also president".

These folks, apolitical though they are, are not without a moral compass. They just don't follow current events in any sense the way that we do. That is to say you and I, and **gulp**, even our politically engaged though misguided brethren on the right side of the aisle. (Notice how diplomatic I was...it wasn't easy!!) The 'great unwashed' (I still don't like that term, feel free to replace it with your own) have the real power.

They too are watching New Orleans. And you know that. People you know in your life, with whom you would normally not carry on a current events/political conversation of any weight, are bringing up New Orleans to you. They are no different than you or I (or dare I say at least a slim majority of moderate Republicans), and they are as horrified, as angry, as frustrated, as saddened, and hopefully as determined to not allow this to EVER happen again. They know they have a vote, they have a say, they will remember what they've seen, and they will speak with one voice, loudly, and unmistakably when it's time again to go to the national polls. At least that's what I believe. I sure can't prove it, but it's what I believe.

Un-Curious George and his wretched minions have now reached, or are soon likely to reach, a critical mass in their reckless and criminal governance of America. The fat lady is warming up her pipes.

[oasis]

1. Bush turning away from thousands of Americans suffering in the Superdome

strips him of his "compassionate conservative" image.

[ClusterFreak]

2. It sure does. n/t

[Melodybe]

5. Agreed, Bush has lost them

[WiseButAngrySara]

12. He was stripped of that long ago (in fact he was never clothed in it),

and for a long time it was obvious that he really was just a 'naked emperor', but now he is exposed to the bone.

[OKDem08]

3. I would so like to believe that evaluation

however, the red state that I live in focuses on the looting which manifests itself into a thinly veiled racism. So sad...expect more of this type of exploitation from Fox & the MSM.

[ClusterFreak]

4. I hear you, but I just don't think Bush can sell it anymore...

....sell his vision of himself, and have enough people nationwide believe it. People aren't as dumb as he thinks, or certainly as dumb as he IS. I think more and more people are going to start to wake up and realize they've been sold a lemon in Bush. He's not their protector at all. New Orleans made that abundantly clear.

[OKDem08]

7. I would like to hope so

I'll keep the faith. I have lost family and 'friends' recently w/my political views in the red state that I live in. DU is my link to sanity. :cry:

[aquart]

10. Yes, they are desperately clinging to the looting.

But a white man went on TV and wept for someone's aged mother who drowned waiting for help. You just can't put that down to looting.

On edit: The argument against the looting is that George didn't protect us from one second of it. If the NG that had been positioned HAD RECEIVED THE ORDER TO GO IN IMMEDIATELY, the looting would have been stopped before it started.

And it's ridiculous to say that the same men we SEND TO IRAQ are too delicate to face a bunch of idiots running thru water with TV sets and guns.

[WinkyDink]

6. Ignorant people

who don't know who is President, aren't tuned into CNN's coverage of Katrina, for Pete's sake.

[ClusterFreak]

8. They don't have to be watching CNN

...it doesn't mean they aren't aware of what's going on. They know what happened, what's happening, they do watch TV and you can't avoid New Orleans if you do. So, IMHO I think Bush has lost these people.

[thereismore]

9. do they vote? The clueless? Doubtful, very doubtful. n/t

[OKDem08]

11. yeah, my mom is one of those people who

thinks * is a good, christian man. We got into an argument over a week ago & I haven't spoken to her since.

[poverlay]

13. I read an article in "The Sun" magazine tonight that verified exactly

what you say. It was with the author of "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" ~ amazing ~

The point is that the neocons/corporatists are running scared. That's why they're being so blatant. They are on the edge and they know it.

We have to keep the screws tight and continue the fight, though we may not see the end. I won't pretend that seeing the fat lady isn't important to me, but if I can guarantee her performance in my children's, or their children's lifetimes, any sacrifice is worth it...

Stay fresh mi compadres

[Hekate]

14. They won't vote without help; first they need to be registered

Voter registration is easy -- start tabling with the Dems, Greens, or whatever -- preferably the Dems because of primary voting.

Remind your acquaintances of how they felt this past week or two; point out the Repub takeover of all three branches of government -- hence their responsibilty for this and other miseries; ask them if they've thought of how it will be in their own state next time disaster strikes; and point out that there are elections next year that will be crucial for tipping the balance in the House and Senate.

Register them to vote. Work on them before and during the political season, pointing out what functions of government affect their daily lives (as in, give them examples of how it's going wrong under Bush). Then call them up on election day and offer to drive them to the polls.

All this because if they are as clueless as you describe they will need a lot of educating and help.

Hekate

#Why won't the Chickenhawk cross the road?#
#Why isn't the Chickenhawk waitin' on the levee?#

[Nay]

15. If they are so clueless that they don't know who the President is,

they won't know who the incumbents are when they step into the voting booth. How can they vote them out if they don't know who they are??