Very Basic Question: Are You Optimistic or Pessimistic about all this?

[Armstead]

Poll question: Very Basic Question: Are You Optimistic or Pessimistic about all this?

Reading DU is sometimes like experiencing bipolar mood swings. Sometimes the prevailing tone of posts is "We're winning!" Other times it's "We're all doomed!" .......And there are all degrees in-between that.

So here's a very basic question. Stripping away the temporary ups and downs, and balancing the progress and setbacks -- Are you basically optimistic or pessimistic about the direction events are heading in the US?

What is your sense of the trends, in terms of political developments and larger issues of social and economic justice?

A couple of caveats:

1) Human nature is human nature, and the US has always been imperfect, so it is not a matter of whether we achieve of some utopian ideal. The question is more whether you believe we are on the path of restoring enough political sanity and balance to preserve our flawed democracy, and of getting back to a point where we can at least work towards a better society, healthier values and a more equitable economy.

2)I'm not asking on a level of Cosmic Quandries about the Meaning of Life. Just the political, social and economic realities of the 3-D world which are within our control.

[Greyhound]

1. Hopeful, but worried.

I've seen the Democrats snatch defeat from the jaws of victory too many times to feel truly optimistic, add to that the significant power of the Corporate Party within our ranks and I'm even more worried. I just don't know, there's so many ways to screw this up. :shrug:

[welshTerrier2]

2. help please ... i don't know how to answer ...

i think that sanity will eventually prevail ... the reason most of us oppose the insanity of the neo-cons is because it really is bad for the country ... there's just so long they can cover-up their failures ... so in that sense, i'm optimistic ...

HOWEVER, having the good guys return to power will not automatically "save us" ... i think we're way too late to ward off the catastrophic effects of global warming ... i think we've failed to develop real international cooperation to bring about a peaceful world ... i think greed and nationalism stands as a roadblock to addressing world hunger and poverty ... i see no progress and little hope on many of these issues ...

so, i'm optimistic that the good guys will return to power and will start pushing things in the right direction ... i'm pessimistic that the kinds of substantial, really radical, changes that are required will be made ...

[Armstead]

4. All we can ask for is "a better direction."

It's possible that things like global warming are already unstoppable....or maybe not....It's also possible that a stray asteriod could hit us out of the blue....And it is inevitable that we're all going to die at some point on an individual basis anyway.....All that goes into the spiritual realm, which is beyond the scope of my question. O8)

Given all of the Cosmic Unknowns in life :crazy: though, I'm defining optimism as whether we can move (are moving) to a place where as a society we are at least working to correct the current mess and moving to where we work to solve problems, rather than deliberatly exacerbating or creating them.

[welshTerrier2]

7. "at least working to solve problems"

in that context, i'm signing up as an optimist ...

as for putting the impact of global warming in the same category as getting hit by an asteroid or "we're all going to die someday", I'm afraid i see the issue as a bit beyond the spiritual realm ...

i'm very optimistic that, however inattentive and ill-informed we may be, sooner or later we get it right ... and the worse things get, and they're pretty bad, the righter we get it ... i see a tidal wave of anti-republicanism ... the times they are a-changin ...

[FloridaPat]

3. We're screwed. And it looks like it's been in the works for 40 years.

$8+ trillion in debt. It will take decades to pay that off. Our dollar is back by oil and the world is changing. Manufacturing companies have moved overseas. Computer jobs are moving overseas. The only jobs created in 5 years are service and government jobs. We don't make anything anymore. Our economy depends on us buying anything, just as long as it's bought. The rest of the world is getting it's act together and they're beginning to see how much damage our polices have brought to everyone else. * has destroyed the military. We're almost at the point where all we'll have left to defend ourselves are nuclear bombs and star wars. All the world has to do is stop trading in dollars and kick our troops out of the 130 countries we are currently in. It will take decades to get out of the mess our government has put us in.

[Forkboy]

5. I'm pessimistic about the direction of the entire human race

I'm not limiting my pessimism :)

[jus_the_facts]

21. HOLY SHIT...where've you been Mister?

....I just thought about you the other day and I'll be goddamned...here you are...musta conjured you or some such!!

GREAT to see ya back!

[mzteris]

6. combo of above

I have no sense of an overall direction at this point. It's anyone's guess. AND -

I try to remain hopeful, but I am very worried.

***


I think the reason there is "no sense of an overall direction" is the total factioning (is that a word) of the Democratic party.

I like to think that most of us on here (DU) are a bit more progressive and left-leaning. And most of us don't like the milque-toast version of the DNC that we're seeing. That said, however,

I understand and recognize that our government should probably be a bit more "centrist" - neither too far to the right or to the left. There is some level of responsibilty to be "representative" of the whole of this nation. (yeah even those I vehemently disagree with.)

Also, every one loves Bill. He did a great job, did he not? (For the most part - a few stumbles, yeah, but overall - a positive experience for the greater number of peoples, yes?)

And he was very centrist. (So is Hillary for that matter, but she's a woman, so she sucks, eh? But I digress - I'm not endorsing her - though I like a lot of what she stands for. I dislike her "political posturing" and some of her views. But then again, I don't think I'd ever agree with anyone 100%, now would I?)

Anyway, I am sorely disappointed that our Democratic "leaders" canNOT seem to join hands and get THEIR act together. Divided we fall, United we Stand (I think that's Kentucky's state motto)

And I think that NC's motto comes into play: Motto: Esse quam videri
(To be, rather than to seem)

I think we have a bunch of "seemers" up there rather than real people.

I think one reason Kerry did so poorly in the election (besides the fact that they gd stole the damn thing AGAIN!!!) - is that he stopped being himself and started spouting freakin'SOUNDBITES! AAGGHH!!!

Reid and Dean and Kerry and GORE and Clark and Edwards and Hillary and Feingold and Conyers and Boxer and heck anyone else up there - need to lock themselves in a room and come up with a gameplan. A united front. Work together.

[Rose Siding]

8. Other- I'm all over the map

There are so many battles with so many facets that each news cycle is an emotional adventure.

Then there's the broader war, and that has nuance as well. Things are changing but who can say where that will lead?

[Armstead]

24. That was one of the reasons I asked -- The map seems all over itself

I go through the mood swings and unertainties, depending on the day.

Sometimes it seems like a good idea to step back from all the details and look at where it seems to be going in a broad sense....Even if it's zigging and zagging. :crazy:

[Coyote_Bandit]

9. We're all screwed

but then I am a long term educated yet unemployed single 40 something liberally inclined female schmuck living in crazy red frickin JOklahoma who has managed to collect literally thousands of rejection letters. Nothing about my personal circumstances inspires optimism.

And nothing about my assessment of our current political or economic situation inspires any optimism for our larger society.

[Armstead]

10. For the record, I chose #2 -- Cautiously Optimistic

IMO the problem is much deeper than Bush. He and the GOP dominance is merely a symptom. The current mess is the visible boil that hs erupted on the body politic that had been festering and growing below the skin for many years.

IMO the pendulum started swinging in the wrong direction around 1975. Since 2000 has both reached the worst point, but also finally started swinging back in a better direction.

There's a long way to go, but I think people are finally waking up to the excesses and the falase values and are rejecting them in larger and larger numbers. That can bring positive changes -- IF our side plays its cards right.

I'm cautiously optimistic that this will result in a revival of the more positive aspects of the reforms of the early and mid 20th Century, which were themselves a reaction to the excesses of the Gilded Age of Robber Barons.

[kenny blankenship]

11. America is headed for the mother of all spankin's

Things are going to get worse and stay bad for a long time.
If you have no escape route, then you have no choice but to work with the hope that the worst possible effects can be avoided. Don't expect rewards or success.
There are going to be a lot of very unhappy people in the heartland and outside the world is going to become a very unfriendly and unforgiving place as we stumble and fall.

[sallyseven]

12. I just retired from my job

I plan to volunteer to get any democrat elected if I have to go from Massachusetts to Texas. I have life long skills at volunteering for candidates. I want a return to sanity for our country. I want the war to end and I want our government to return to fiscal solvency as soon ass possible. I want monopolies broken up and the press to be unfettered. I will either help to get this done or die trying. So bush tell me I am unpatriotic.

[ulysses]

13. cautiously optimistic

I think.

[Douglas Carpenter]

14. blue birds over the White Cliffs of Dover..tomorrow you just wait and see

there will be love and laughter and peace ever after

Tomorrow when all the world is free

(I hope)

[omega minimo]

15. Yes

:hi:

[Armstead]

23. A flip flopper, eh?

:)

[nevergiveup]

16. I give up

[jbnow]

17. If I could be sure

elections are not rigged I would be cautiously optimistic.

In normal times I know the best candidate can still loose. But when I look at the horrible things we know about the bush group, and knowing there is much more we don't know... well we have to know if there is a way to cheat they have and they will.

Changing direction, getting some real investigations and accountability, stopping the executive branch's power grab and all of that depends on us getting a majority.

Not being caught and slowed has to be a bush priority, us remaining a minority is essential to them.

I'll work, I'll donate, I'll vote...but I am worried.

I am worried about things coming soon...that bill to legalize the warrantless spying that has no oversight, the quest to use the military for "disasters"... Worried.

Getting into Cosmic Questions and the Meaning of Life I am not so worried but here and now in space and time, worried.

[unkachuck]

18. like many....

....I'm cautiously optimistic....I think we've turn the corner on bushco's heavy-handed monopoly on power....they've screwed up too many times in too many ways for it to continue to be papered-over....by anyone....following bushco blindly is rapidly falling out of fashion....

....that's not to say they won't try some rally-around-the-prez pre-emption crap....but a Democratic Congress is definately on its way....will this translate into some liberal/left/progressive programs and reforms?....that I'm much, much, less optimistic about....

[Douglas Carpenter]

19. they cannot stop the forces of history

unless they get us into a nuclear war; then maybe they can:nuke:

On a more serious note, if we can prevent nuclear war from happening I am convinced to a moral certainty and beyond a reasonable doubt that in time America and the world will move forward toward a more just, free and democratic order.

[Kablooie]

20. The Democrats are NOT the answer!!!!

They prove that over and over.
I wish the few Democrats that stand and fight these horrors would break off and
start their own party!!

WE NEED ANOTHER CHOICE! THE DEMOCRATS HAVE LOST IT!!

[moondust]

22. Shirley you jest.

Far too many jackasses and ruthless pigs standing by to totally fuck up anything good that might happen.

[Armstead]

26. Always have been...

...a lot of stinkers trying to muck up the works. Hence my little cavets in the original question.

Shirly never jests. :)

[abbiehoff]

25. We're screwed

The Siberian permafrost is melting.
The arctic sea ice has failed to re-form for the second year in a row.
There are unprecedented huge storms forming all over the globe.
The Democratic leadership asked sure winner Paul Hackett to get out of the Ohio Senate race in favor of not-so-sure winner Sherrod Brown. Brown could possibly win in a fair election, but the chance of a fair election in Ohio is essentially nil.
The Democratic party is nearly as bought and paid for by Corporate America as the Republicans.

However, I don't plan to give up. Giving up can't possibly do any good, and trying can't possibly do any harm.