What will it take for Americans to take to the streets?

[theHandpuppet]

Seriously. And I'm not talking about even the large anti-war protests we've seen in the past, but an uprising of the people? Just how much is too much?

Iraq-Katrina-Lebanon-corruption-record deficits-rising poverty-no health care-stolen elections-treason: the list goes on for miles! I'm just asking because -- and I'm sure this will cause ire -- we are all complicit in this. All of us, myself included. Oh sure, we rail on our blogs and boards, some of us even protest, but things continue to spiral downward. How many more thousands have to die in our name before we say ENOUGH! I can't say we're setting much of an example for the rest of the world when we expect other peoples to overthrow corrupt governments and yet ours continues to lay waste to the earth without so much as the weakest opposition.

What would it take?

[tocqueville]

1. Tax on .... the equivalent of tea today ? nt

[Peace Patriot]

28. Electronic voting machines are the tea of today. Into 'Boston Harbor'!

But how? They're all over the country. They're everywhere. They're entrenched with massive corruption, compliments of Tom Delay, Bob Ney and Christopher Dodd, and the "Help America Vote Act" billions for quickly converting the election system to corporate-controlled electronics, using TRADE SECRET, PROPRIETARY programming code!

How to get rid of them, and restore TRANSPARENT elections?

I think the time of mass street protests is past. They don't work when you have a fascist junta that doesn't care a crap what the people think. 70% opposition to Bush and his war. EIGHTY-FOUR PERCENT opposition to U.S. participation in a widened Mideast war. Bill after bill, and policy after policy, not even seeing to the basic interests of the country, and going far beyond even that, to active destruction of the middle class, heaping punishment on the poor, and destroying the future with a $10 TRILLION debt.

And lame placebos from the Democrats. And NOTHING from the Bushites. More horror. I don't think a million people in the streets would make the slightest difference to them. They would just ride it out in their bunkers.

This is a fascist coup.

BUT, because of their need to maintain a delusion of democracy, there IS a way. And I think I've got it: Massive Absentee Ballot voting this November. A citizen rebellion against the rigged voting machines. If enough people do it (and many are--it's up to 50% in Los Angeles), it will throw a huge monkey wrench into the system; it will put enormous pressure on local/state election officials--their expensive, shiny, new election theft machines would all be sitting idle; it will create conditions for local/state election reform (the only place it can be done); and--most important--it will turn voting into an active, empowering PROTEST, rather than a passive, despairing act. AB voting is easy. Everybody can do it.

In Argentina, a coalition of the poor and middle class took tiny hammers around to all the banks, and broke their ATM display windows. The banks were in cahoots with the World Bank/IMF to loot and destroy Argentina's economy and decimate the poor. This was the empowering protest that led to a Leftist (majorityist) victory in Argentina. They elected a Leftist government that is responsive to the people. Venezuela just helped pay off their debt. The government has vowed never to get back into hock to the US-dominated World Bank/IMF again. And they're on the road to recovery.

We don't want to break voting machines. We just want to IGNORE them--render them useless and obsolete. Breaking them would create chaos and repression, and would be disrespectful of other citizens' votes. And it could hurt good candidates. And we don't want to boycott voting. That would be suicidal. But we CAN boycott the machines, and still vote.

I think this is IT--that clever protest we've all been trying to think of, that can bring this rigged election system down. It's been staring us in the face all along. And ordinary, individual citizens have gotten it going. They're trying to get their vote COUNTED. They want a PAPER BALLOT, HAND COUNTED. They've not exactly getting that, but that's what they want. They don't trust the machines!

So let's build on that, provide some leadership, put out press releases, and focus it. Make it huge. Let the election theft machines gather dust, and hit 'em with mountains and mountains of paper ballots to deal with. Create panic in the election theft industry. Panic in your enemy is what gets them to the table.

The fascists have gone to direct control of election results because what they're doing is so bad. So we must attack the mechanism of control and pull it back out of their hands. And, once we have restored public control of elections, and achieved transparent and verifiable vote counting, we will begin to elect real representatives of the American people, not this slimy crew of Bush "pod people" and collusive Democrats (most of them), all of whom hold power by virtue of Diebold and ES&S, not by virtue of countable elections.

We won't get transparent vote counting this November. But if we rally the American people to force the counting of massive amounts of AB votes, I believe we might be able to get it by '08.

It's better than holding our breath until then. It's better than wringing our hands. It's better than calling for street protests that will be ignored (and that people KNOW will be ignored). It goes hand in hand with vigilant monitoring of election results, gathering evidence, challenging suspicious results and filing lawsuits--other efforts that election reformists have planned. And it can be implemented IMMEDIATELY, for November, and involve ALL the people (65%-70%!) who despise this government and its "pod people" Diebold-(s)elected Congress.

[arcane1]

2. what will it take to get Americans off their collective asses?

nothing I can think of. Cancel everyone's cable TV service, maybe? :shrug:

[Riverman]

4. When Their SUV's are parked due to high gasoline costs and

other comforts are denied the middle and upper clases. In the Vietnam era, its was the middle and upper class college students whose comforts were threatened by the draft that they led the anti-war protest. When Nixon ended the draft, the protests stopped!

[murray hill farm]

20. You are right!

We, as americans are soft and weak and afraid to rock even the smallest boat...and as things deteriorate, we will become more afraid to do anything at all, much less take to the streets. We are spoiled as no people have ever been before and no matter how bad it gets, all you will hear in protest is whining from the masses.

[Ahpook]

67. That and close down Mcdonald's..

That would start a fucking riot for sure.

[Gabi Hayes]

3. the only way they'll take to the streets is when they're homes are

repossessed and/or they're evicted from their apartments, leaving them with nowhere else to go

they couldn't care less about what's happening to others. as long as they have their American Idol and their CSI, nothing else matters

[arcane1]

7. but as long as they still have cable TV...

when they do finally march, they will march against Dems

:evilfrown:

[Johnny Noshoes]

5. Sometimes I don't really know

what it would take. I'm beginning to think that MAYBE millions and millions of hungry AMERICANS would finally do it. No power, no gas, no food.NO TV -oh my god! Maybe just maybe that would do it.


"We've turned into this nation of overfed clowns, riding around in clown cars, eating clown food, watching clown shows. We've become a nation of cringing, craven fuckups." --James Howard Kunstler, author of "The Long Emergency"

[mcscajun]

21. That's it in a nutshell...

unless and until there's a massive breakdown of basic services, when trucks can't deliver, there's nothing in the stores, the A/C and the lights and the TV don't work (oh, and our computers won't either!), and government fails to respond across the board; until that happens, nobody's going anywhere outside their comfort zone.
"Hey! American Idol's on!"

[MichiganVote]

6. When their kids don't have schools, a future,.....

And its all closer than you think.

[CrispyQ]

8. Evidently, a higher level of discomfort than they are currently feeling.

I read an article recently that said that Americans are trinket rich but asset poor. We have big screen TVs, computers, I-pods, & cell phones galore, but we cannot afford housing, education or health care.

We've become fat, lazy & complacent. We had the greatest government in the world & we sat on our laurels & let them steal it while they distracted us with cheap trinkets.

[TomClash]

9. Economic collapse nt

[stepnw1f]

51. I Will Second That

Something that brings each and every American citizen down to the same economic level... broke.

[Finder]

10. Upon the Draft being reinstated. n/t

[silverojo]

11. ^ We have a winner. n/t

[Tesha]

14. Nahh, that won't do it. (NT)

[Gabi Hayes]

12. wanna bet?

[walldude]

45. Bingo! That is what it's going to take..

I have seen some kids at protests and vigils but the adults outnumber the kids at least 5 to 1. When the government starts taking kids by force then you will see the uprising you saw in the late 60's and early 70's.

[NoSheep]

69. Dinga-a-ling! Bring it on!

[AndyA]

13. I think $4/gallon gas will do it.

I believe that will be the breaking point for most people. At $4/gallon, grocery prices will go up dramatically due to increased transportation costs, many will no longer be able to afford to drive to and from their jobs, they will be upside down in their SUV loans, stuck with a vehicle that has no trade in value because nobody wants them, which will make it difficult to get another more economical car, pizza delivery will be more expensive, so will eating out, buying clothes, etc.

At that point, their lives sufficiently impacted enough to make them unhappy, people will finally start asking why. And those who know will explain it to them. At which point, they will finally feel like the fool they are, and take to the streets.

It will be difficult for Bush and the MSM to ignore millions of American citizens out in the streets demanding Bush is impeached! Oh, the joy of it all!

[sueragingroz]

56. I pay 5.52 a gallon

It's amazing what you can adjust to...

But I think that instead of taking to the streets, one of the better forms of protest is to just stop participating in the consumerist society.

Stop buying crap!

If everyone did that, the reverberations would be heard far and wide!

No one is singled out for prosecution. No one is named as a disrupter of freedom and democracy.

It's safe, and IMHO incredibly effective!

Plus, it's just the humane thing to do.

[Tesha]

15. As long as the beer's cold and the TV works, Americans won't rise.

As long as the beer's cold and the TV works, Americans won't rise.

And even then...

Queens, NY is an interesting experiment in what it will take, and so
far, it's looking like it will take a lot.

Tesha

[theHandpuppet]

18. Care to expand on that, Tesha?

Why Queens? Inquiring minds want to know.

[CrispyQ]

22. The power outage.

I have not seen much coverage on this. American cities without power for over a week & the corporate media has not made much of it. Holy crap, you'd think they would pull out boosh a few years ago when we had that big outage in the northeast & re-play over & over again his remarks about upgrading our power grid. :eyes:

We don't have money to put into America -- it all goes to Halliburton & other war profiteering corporations.

[Tesha]

38. Yes.

As I said, I used to think that America would remain placid so long
as the beer was cold and the TV kept playing its electronic opium.
But now, in Queens, we've seen people stripped of those things (well,
unless they have a generator, and I guess a lot of people do).

I can't help but wonder if certain folks aren't looking at Queens
right now as a grand, probably-unplanned social experiment,
and they will now add another data point to the rather-interesting
question of just how mch shit we'll put up with before we blow.

Tesha

[butterfly77]

16. bombs dropping like in lebanon

[Deja Q]

17. The homeless are still treated as lazy and those with jobs want to

put food on their families.

You try convincing everyone to walk out and see what happens.

I can guarantee, it won't.

It's not apathy. They want to survive, but they want that paycheck. After all, Jay Cee Pennney has a big biiiiiiiiiiiig sale going on until Saturday...

[lonestarnot]

19. When TVs are taken away and jobs disappear.

[MrSlayer]

23. Not enough people are effected by this stuff to foment a revolution.

Honestly, most people's everyday lives have not been effected by any of this. The biggest gripe we've heard has been over gas prices and that died down pretty much. Take Katrina for example, yeah a lot of people were outraged but at the end of the day Joe in South Dakota still came home to his steak dinner after work and Gladys in New York discussed it while getting her hair done. And that is with OUR OWN countrymen dying. If you think the average American is going to give a shit about a bunch of Arabs dying for whatever reason you are deluding yourself.

What would it take? A draft would be a start and even with that there wouldn't be enough outrage for people to take to the streets collectively. Half the people would think it was a good thing. It would probably take bombs being rained down on our heads all over the country to wake these people up. Yes, it would have to be that bad.

[w8liftinglady]

27. I agree.when my son left for his third tour to Iraq,a lot of people

'thanked him for his service"...when I began to speak about my objection to the war,they either became defensive,or their eyes glassed over...

[Peace Patriot]

47. w8liftinglady, I am so sorry that your son is one of the young people

taking the worst brunt of this horrible regime in DC! I hope and pray that he returns safely, and is able to recover from his experience there. Please accept my apologies on behalf of all Americans who have opposed this war--the vast majority--but have been unable to find the way to stop it.

His third tour of duty! My God! That is slavery--even if he, in his youthful enthusiasm, volunteered. That should never be allowed.

It sounds to me like the people who were thanking him were caught in a vise--they intended to be supportive and positive, and were caught off guard by your remarks. That may be why their eyes glassed over. They didn't know how to respond. Didn't know if they were caught in a family disagreement or what. And couldn't find an appropriate way to respond to both things--this young man's service, and your objections to the war.

One of the worst things the Bush junta has done is to throw our military--which consists MOSTLY of young people--into the midst of this Middle Eastern tinderbox, and it is obvious now that they intended for it to be a long and major war and to end with their domination of all Mideast oil fields, at whatever cost to us. All I can do, personally, is to fight like hell, with all my energy and time, to dismantle the rigged election system by which they have appropriated this power and kept hold of it. I hope you know that, in fighting for election reform, I'm fighting for the end of this war as well. The two things are very related. This war couldn't proceed with over 70% disapproval of the American people, except by means of stolen elections. If the will of the American people were being heeded, it would be over. And it is my goal to try to re-enfranchise the American people, so that we can stop it.

Love and blessings to you and your son, and many prayers!

[w8liftinglady]

53. oh,honey...he's back now!I worry about him getting called

up from inactive reserves now(he'll be on inactive reserve status for 5 years).Thanks for your kind words,though.he is battling a lot of demons from the war.:hug:

[Peace Patriot]

29. "The biggest gripe we've heard..." Heard from whom? Or, should I say,

heard by way of whom?

Where are you getting this stereotype of the stupid, uncaring American?

You can't tell by the war profiteering corporate news monopolies what Americans are thinking. The views and concerns of most Americans are never presented there.

You either have to poll them yourself, or study a wide range of corporate and independent polls. The corporate polls tell a very different story than the corporate news. (I guess they have to be more accurate in polling in order to figure out how to sell their war and other products.) This is what the polls show, across the board in all polls: Bush and his junta are greatly despised. 65% to 70% of Americans disapprove of him. Over 70% disapprove of his war on Iraq (with nearly 60% disapproving way back way before the invasion, in Feb. '03). And a WHOPPING 84% percent oppose any U.S. participation in a widened Mideast war (a recent poll). In addition, Americans greatly disapprove of every major Bush policy, foreign and domestic, way up in the 60% range, and have for some time. 63% oppose torture "under any circumstances." (May '04.) This, despite relentless, 24/7 fearmongering.

So-o-o-o-o-o, what is going on here? Massive, long standing disapproval of Bush. (Are THESE the stupid "sheeple" that some DUers keep complaining about?) But no street protests.

Instead of calling people stupid, and "sheeple," and lazy, and uncaring, why not consider that they are DEMORALIZED and feeling very DISEMPOWERED. They know something's wrong. They don't know why. They don't know how to fix it. They vote--nothing happens.

Think of a black grandmother, standing 10 hours in line to vote in Ohio, and, finally not being able to make it, going home tired and defeated. Is she stupid and lazy? How about disempowered, and disenfranchised? A very devoted citizen, who remembers the marches for voting rights in the '60s, and who has voted in every election since then, has been downed. Is she a "sheeple"?

Think of a mother with kids, and a job, and her husband has two jobs--trying to keep it together. They both vote. Everybody in their extended family votes. They vote for change. They vote for relief for the poor. They vote for peace. But they're voting on Diebold touchscreens. Is it their fault?

Think of a Dad with a union job, just laid off. He votes for progress, so does the rest of his family and all his union buddies. Now he sits around drinking beers and watching some games on TV. He doesn't know what he's going to do. They may lose the house. Is he a "sheeple"? He'd be out in the street in a minute, if he thought it would do any good. He's done it before, with the union. Now all the jobs are going overseas. Is he stupid and lazy? Or is he disempowered?

They all sneer at the "news" and make jokes. They know it's a bunch of lies. But the "news" makes them feel that OTHER Americans have gone nuts, and that no one shares their progressive views. And they find it hard to believe that Joe or Jane Blow down at the registrar's office has colluded for big money to install rigged voting machines. Nothing about it in the "news." You'd think there would be SOMETHING. Local Democratic Party doesn't say anything--except, donate more money to elect Dems. What's wrong with everybody? What's wrong with this country?

The American people are far better informed than anyone gives them credit for. And they are not stupid. What they are is demoralized, disempowered, and--above all--disenfranchised. The disenfranchisement has been THE most black-holed story of all--a veritable "Iron Curtain" has been placed around it. So, unless they have access to the internet, and a suspicion that the elections are rigged, they may know nothing of why we still have such thieves and liars and murderous dogs in the White House and Congress.

It's the job of those of us who know to get the word out--and to help all those disempowered and disenfranchised people, who think that their views are in the minority, to re-empower and re-enfranchise themselves.

I have a plan for a massive protest, involving everybody (all those 65% to 70% of anti-Bush Americans). It's about Absentee Ballot voting this November. Here it is:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x443274

I would suggest that people here try to be more constructive. Instead of tearing people down, look for their strengths--for instance, look how people have held fast to their progressive beliefs, despite relentless propaganda--assess our resources (such as a vast majority of people who are anti-Bush), and think strategically. What is the mechanism of power? How to get it back?

[proud patriot]

24. I think it would take interrupting American Idol and Surviver

I guess I'm in a bad mood .

[WI_DEM]

25. The Draft! that's the only thing I can think of

people are too much into sitting at home and watchin' TV.

[smacky44]

31. I agree with you. Not even $5.00/gal gasoline will do it.

[WillyT]

40. BINGO, BINGO, BINGO !!!

And the irony is... that to insure that they never go to a draft, the potentially draft-able should be letting 'em know it NOW, by taking to the streets!

:shrug:

[Eric J in MN]

26. Power outages for a long time.

No air conditioning and no cable, and people will be in the streets.

[Alacrat]

36. Visions of Mad Max

keep running through my head, mobs of angry people in assless leather chaps, fighting for gas to fuel their tahoes. I work with a guy who calls himself a survivalist, he's building a cabin in the woods, and stockpiling guns and bullets, waiting for anarchy. He loves to "scare the liberal". I just don't see it happening. I'll put on my chaps, ride my bike, and wait on Mel.

[slackmaster]

30. General strike at all Krispy Kreme donut factories

:nuke:

[Karenina]

32. A bigger unwanted back door entry

than they've already endured??? :shrug: KEINE AHNUNG.

[genie_weenie]

33. Unlike the labor problems of the 1800s or the Great Depression

Not nearly enough Americans are in danger of starving, or are destitute enough or have to worry about 155mm shells or laser-guided Maverick missiles blowing up their families to take to the streets...

[treestar]

34. The price of gas going up high enough

to really affect their lifestyle. They can't afford cable because they have to spend the money on gas. Can't afford new clothes, to buy a house, or rent an apartment. Can't afford their car insurance because of the price of gas, at which point they'll be sorry about the law requiring insurance to drive - they'll drive anyway, making the excuse they have to go to work. If they can't afford college for their kids, they will start to complain enough to demand that the $$$ spent on foreign adventures be spent at home instead.

When the price of gas affects other things and the other prices go up and they can't afford to do anything but drive to work. They'll consider that "suffering."

[WinkyDink]

35. Nothing. Zero. Nada. Oh, wait...MAYBE the re-instatement if the

draft.
HUGE "maybe".

[everythingsxen]

37. If DU is a representation of America....

Nothing. Ever. American's are basically lazy cowards who don't want to get up change the channel, let alone actually take to the streets.

Just ride it out buddy; become a U-Boat. Tell the UN forces who take over that there was nothing you could do. That Bush had this strange charisma that overtook the nation.

[Deja Q]

42. Don't forget, many of us hate our neighbors.

Why should (we) do a damn thing if it's going to help our next door neighbors, citizens, coworkers, you name it? All (we) are about is OUR jobs, OUR 'families', OUR well being. Fuck the rest. That's how we're raised, despite all that "Christian" gobbledygook.

You'd love my coworkers; they're a lovely sort. Funny how some of the least technically-capable ones are weaseling their ways to stay... still, if that's what they want, fine by me.

[everythingsxen]

49. Basically.. yeah.

Noone gives a damn about their fellow man anymore. It's all about what they can get for themselves.

[greguganus]

39. It will take the return of the draft for that to happen n/t

[Peace Patriot]

41. I think it's a mistake to expect Americans to "take to the streets" when

they know that street protests are just ignored, and, no matter how big they might be, the fascists will just ride it out in their bunkers. We have a government that doesn't give a crap what we think. We have a people which has time and again tried to oust them, and has been demoralized, disempowered and disenfranchised by election fraud.

It's a new strategic problem. And it calls for creative thinking--and also for some ground work. That's one of the reasons (among many) that I strongly favor an Absentee Ballot voting protest in November. If we can get all the anti-Bush voters to protest the rigged electronic voting machines, by voting AB, we will not only be rendering these rigged machines obsolete, but we will be raising consciousness. ('Ah, there IS something I can do to affect things. I can join with others in voting Absentee, and refuse to vote on the rigged machines!')

In Argentina, they took tiny hammers to the ATM display windows all over Buenos Aires--to protest their government's collusion with the World Bank/IMF. It worked. They had a Leftist (majorityist) revolution in Argentina (similar to the peaceful, democratic revolutions occurring all over Latin America).

But we don't want to damage the voting machines. That would create chaos and repression, and it could hurt good candidates. But we CAN ignore them and not vote on them. We can refuse to cooperate. We can vote, but vote AB--as NON-COOPERATION. And, if enough people do it, it could bring this rigged system down.

But most of all it would just be FUN, and VERY EMPOWERING, to see all those MOUNTAINS of Absentee Ballots that our corrupt registrars had been hoping never to see again. PAPER BALLOTS--ARGH! And all their expensive, shiny, new election theft machines gathering dust. What fools they would look!

And when you get Americans thinking this way--that they CAN affect things--then you have something. Then maybe you have American Revolution II. (--when they try to hide 50 million Absentee Ballot votes; or try to outlaw AB voting).

[Jeanette in FL]

43. Since the 2000 elections, I have thought this is it

When the 2000 election was stolen from us, I was out protesting the election and thought that the American people would be out in the streets. Day by day the number of people dwindled.

Everytime something comes up, 911, the war, Valerie Plame, Katrina, I think, this is it, the people will be out in the streets, but I have been wrong each and every time.

I am almost to the point where I am ready to leave the United States, part of me says "They (the people) deserve the government that they have" and the other part says "I can do more on the outside of America".

I no longer knows what it will take. So far, nothing yet.

[Rainscents]

44. When they don't have foods!

This had to be huge population who is going hungry. As long as people has foods and teevee, they don't give a shit.

[Jim Warren]

46. Crisis

Breadlines, 30% unemployment, petroleum priced beyond the reach of common folk, lots of people standing around all day who are already in the streets......you know....the future plantation economy coming soon to a neighborhood near you.

[blues90]

48. I really don't know what it will take

We have been sitting here in america for many years watching all the horrors on a tv set safe at home . When the towers were blown to bits we ran and hid and panicked and most of the people bought into bombing the hell out of Afghanistan and then Iraq . We had some protests , the immigrants had some too and what happened , nothing .

It appears it will take massive bombing on our soil and even then people won't know what to do other than cry out for help even from our criminal government .

Perhaps it will take as I said before for most all americans to end up broke and jobless without one thing left to loose and this will include a true sense of that sick to your stomach feeling watching people die in numbers all around you even your loved ones before people simply go mad enough to risk their own life in a violent protest .

Other countries know war and being bombed , they know what they need to do and this is take a chance to save what they have got even if it means they die in the process .

I have to say , i am getting to that point because bullshit tv or anyother simple daily activity just does not do it for me anymore not when I know damn well if I continue to sit here and do nothing then they will come for me . I don't know how anyone can sit back and enjoy the simple offerings we have when such horrid things are happening all around us . This in itself is sickening . i feel everyone is alone in their decision , you either do the outrage for yourself and hope others follow or you sit and wait until you can't fight back .

You can't go out and make a sacrifice for your neighbor you have to do it for yourself , who can you count on , there won't be some mass movement . So if I drive to washington and fire at the whitehouse and get gunned down , well then I have my answer and then who will follow .

Maybe we have enough in numbers but how do you determine this . Some people like Cindy Sheehan took matters into her own hands to deal with her personal mission , she did it with one friend , she did not wait for you or me and she has a voice . I don't know how she affords this , she can't possibly be working at some job but somehow she manages .

We are told it is our vote that will take care of all , well that worked out quite well don't ya think ?

What do we do , post a date and place and who ever is serious sign up and make sure you show up and be willing to leave all your belongings behind ,just pack a bag of clothes and get with it . well this would be your sacrifice and it may well be worth it in the end .

This reminds me of shawshank redemption " either get busy living or get busy dying " Well they suffered enough and had nothing to loose . Seems like the only way to me .

[Jim Warren]

50. Forget who said it...............

"This final truth is self-evident. You are the one you’ve been waiting for... You’ve been here the whole time."

[blues90]

55. That is right

Inside we all know it , each individual knows just where their point of tipping is reached , it's truly a personal move in each of us . It would be grand if this became collective where we all reacted at once but when it all comes down to doing anything we are all alone . Just like anything else in life you can try to balance just so much to help others but the final decision is our own .

[StellaBlue]

52. One word: DRAFT.

nt

[Imajika]

54. It ain't gonna happen...

People have been asking that question on DU since Bush was inaugurated. Isn't it obvious by now that the masses have no plan to ever "take to the street"?

Americans are not in a revolutionary mood. You have to drag them tooth and nail to vote in the primary's, and can barely get 50% of the public to vote in general elections.

DU has a revolutionary element, but the vast majority of the American people most certainly do not.

Come on man! What with American idol, iPods, MMORPG's, MySpace..... There's just no time for a revolution these days ;)

[DoyBoy]

57. When they cancel "The Simple Life?" nt

[lovuian]

58. I think losing Social Security Draft and Depression

its going to take people unable to feed themselves to get this group angry but when it happens STAND BACK!!! a ticked off American is UGLY!!!

[Liberal_Dog]

59. Bu$h Cancels "American Idol"

Maybe that would get Americans mad enough.

[MzNov]

60. It will take real media who report exactly what BushCo is doing to america

IMO that's the biggest difference between Viet Nam protests and now. No one knows what's going on but bloggers! The media is not reporting the crimes, lies, atrocities and truth of five years' worth of horrors by the sadistic facists who are running this country. The draft could start it off, but these monsters won't let it get reported on TV !!

:mad:

[Alacrat]

61. Some can't wait

I work with an idiot who is in a survivalist group, they are stocking up on guns and ammo, and lots of it, so they say. I think they like to "scare the liberal" (not hardly). These guys can't wait for a national crisis, disaster or anarchy. They say they will take over, and run things their way. I don't worry about it to much, but they do have a point. The gun toting nuts would be in charge, in such a case. We all know you can't count on the government ie..fema, or homeland security to be there.

[Alacrat]

71. The draft won't do it

The draft would bring a lot of protest, but not a national revolt. There are many people who wouldn't mind seeing the draft return. Every generation thinks the next are a bunch of slackers, and forced military service would whip them into shape.

[RagAss]

62. Americans are too fat to take it to the streets.....

[The Anti-Neo Con]

63. It would take VERY extreme events.

A general draft of all males/females aged 18-50.

75% unemployment rate.

$25.00 a gallon gas.

Nothing less than any of that would cause people to get off their asses.

[readmoreoften]

64. People will take to the streets for ineffective rallies at this point:

Draft of all men and women 18-29.

Gas reaches $7 a gallon.

Abortion has been overturned and Americans can't support their unwanted children.

The official unemployment rate reaches 9%. The actual unemployment rate is 40%


People will revolt at this point:


Draft of all men and women 18-29-- and we go to war with a European nation

And gas goes over $10 a gallon (double digits are a psychological key I think)

Plus, abortion is overturned, no one can support their kids, and women are being put in prison.

There is no "official" employment rate, but no one has a job.


HOWEVER:

I think that before either of these scenarios came to pass, martial law would be declared. Everyone would be put to work on the war effort. In effect, we would be a fascist nation and there would be no way to fight. It would crumble in about 40-50 years.

[saged52]

65. sometimes I think the 'net is the problem -

While the 'net is the most important process of sharing information - meanwhile - we are simply sitting on our collective butts and venting and bitching and complaining. Back in the day we were gathering in groups(as that was our only outlet) and planning sit-ins, protests and demonstrations. And then we would just go out and do it - we would take action. The media would occasionally cover these actions and that was a good way for the message to be spread. While I love this forum for all I learn - it also allows me a manner in which to vent - which I would have otherwise been doing in a public forum - perhaps in a crowd of thousands - which may have made its way to the media.
I realize the draft was a large part of our protests - (I am 54 wise years old) - but we obviously have many many issues to protest now. just a thought...

[napi21]

66. I don't see it happening at all!

Way too many people simply pay no attention to what's going on around them. The only reason they pay any attention to anything at all is when it adversly affects THEM PERSONALLY!

The last time people took to the streets was because there was a mandatory draft, and IT DID directly affect THEM!

I just don't see anything that would affect enough people hard enough to get them off their collective a**es.

Face it, Americans have turned into a very lazy and uncaring crowd!

[Hekate]

68. One more time: reinstating the draft for military service. nt

[EstimatedProphet]

70. It takes finding the first bunch to do so

I like to think that true protest will coalesce instantly, once it is reported that there is someone that is actually going to do something about the situation, and not just start a march.