OH Despair! The world was not saved by Nov. 8 '06 !!!!!!

[The Doctor.]

It's been OVER TWO whole months since the Democrats took office and the world hasn't transformed into a miraculous wonderland already!

'Rhett, Rhett... whatever shall we do? Wherever shall we go?!?'

I mean... they've been debating amongst themselves on the issues... and that's just SQUABBLING I say!

Nothing will EVER get done! It's been Sixty-Six days! That's one THOUSAND five HUNDRED and eighty-four HOURS already! Does anyone have any idea how many BAD things can happen in that amount of time?

It's been over NINETY-FIVE THOUSAND minutes and in that time we have not achieved world peace, deposed the president, incarcerated Cheney, and sent Rumsfeld to The Hague! We haven't ended our dependence on foreign oil, wiped out poverty, provided Universal Health care, and put a brand new Prius in every American's driveway!

It has been WELL over FIVE MILLION, SEVEN HUNDRED AND TWO THOUSAND, FOUR HUNDRED SECONDS since Democrats were granted permission to breath the air of the majority and I STILL have to pay a co-payment to get my Lortabs and Viagra! They haven't reigned in the ENTIRE MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX, disarmed the entire world, saved the whales, put the ice sheets back where they belonged, given at least six-billion people high-speed, net-neutral internet access, reformed welfare, saved medicare, bolstered social security, and induced Kim Jung-Il, Ahmadinejad, Ehud Olmert, Mahmoud Abbas, and Hugo Chavez to laugh together in the Jaccuzzi after several cocktails and a rousing game of oiled-naked Twister™!

Obviously America made a mistake when we decided we didn't want to be in Iraq anymore and used our electoral influence to put Democrats in the Majority.

It's been TWO MONTHS and what do we have to show for it?!?!

[havocmom]

1. America watches 'reality' shows but lives somewhere else.

x(

[glitch]

2. K & R, and for us oldies, a little ditty:

Gloom, despair and agony on me,
deep dark depression, excessive misery.
If it weren't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all,
gloom, despair and agony on me!

[AwakeAtLast]

5. Whhhooooaaa!!!

:D

:hi:

[glitch]

26. Now it keeps running through my brain, and it's my own fault.

:hi:

[Subdivisions]

15. Oh, God! I'm an oldie!

[glitch]

25. Sorry!

I know this is weird but I was actually a little relieved when I hit 50. I couldn't believe I'd made it this far!

[Blue Belle]

19. Wow....

it's been a long time since I've seen a good Hee-Haw reference.

[LittleClarkie]

20. I can't believe I still remember this

Where oh where are you tonight
Why did you leave me here all alone
I searched the world over and I thought I found true love
You met another and pffft, you wuz gone.

[glitch]

24. Thank you! I couldn't remember the rest.

Glad to see so many oldies on board!

[Hardrada]

34. I loved that one. I wrote a Goodbye Dick Nixon sing

based on that.

Goodbye Dick Nixon and goodbye forever.
I knew you were going and THBFFFFT you were gone!!

[paparush]

42. Hee Haw - Its not just for breakfast anymore...

[ebayfool]

35. Arrrrggh! Earworm ... earworm! For shame!

:spray: Oh Gawd, I'm an oldie tooooo! :rofl:

[KharmaTrain]

3. Crawl, Walk, Run, Fly...

Think if you will back to December, 2005. Think of where the Democratic Party was and how you were feeling as booooshie had been "re-selected" and as he stood in the "W" Hotel saying how he had gotten a mandate and political capital and "intended to use it". Capture that feeling for a moment and now look at what's transpired since. There's a chance going on and the wind is at our backs. We can either use it to sail into years of Democratic majorities and a new Progressive era or we can fight the wind and curse its speed.

A year ago, many had few hopes the Democrats would retake the House or even come close in the Senate...if anything, we faced the possibility Repugnicans were going to win the seats to get veto-proof majorities (think on that one as well). The best hopes were to get enough Democrats elected to put the brakes to this regime...try to get an idea of what's been going on for the past 6 years and reign in, as best as possible, what we know is a rogue regime that has and will play by its own "rules".

The next step is to solidify last year's gains and retake the White House. Again, not everything looks ideal, but it's better now than it could have been...and there's lots of work to do. Much of it is on the local level as the time is now to start organizing for the many local races that will be the real hard work in '08. It's finding Progressive candidates and using the wind and the growing netroots to gain even more voices in both the system and the Democratic party.

Whomever wins in '08 will have a major mess to clean up. Idealism is important, the landmines left by 8 years of booosh abuse will test both our patience and that of the Democratic Party.

Excelsior...

[The Doctor.]

4. Indeed...

The problems this Congress need to tackle before '08 are immense. The investigations have begun, the election reforms are in the works, the media is getting the message to shape up, and real reforms are on the horizon.

Frankly, I'm impressed to see this much shaping up so early.

It's still going to be a race to weed the garden before the next rains... but if they can show the country that they are fighting to get us out of Iraq, then we have a chance at giving this country back to the people.

-Pactum Serva

[MissWaverly]

17. Hey, and Diebold is seriously thinking of quiting voting machines

Ah, spring is in the air, a chance of real progress, who is going to want those machines
after they dump them???

[bettyellen]

6. of course not, it needs to be a bigger fucking mess for next november 08, dontcha know...

that way we'll win all the marbles.

[The Doctor.]

7. Nope, won't matter if the Dems haven't cleaned up

the election systems and the media.

Then the media will spin everything as 'the Democrats fault' and the Republicans will be able to create artificial leads in the elections.

[leeroysphitz]

8. Are you being sarcastic?

:sarcasm:

[Exultant Democracy]

9. business was over once the primary started, this is still D.C.

it just sucks that the primary started months before these guys even got sworn in. Any resemblance to business will only be electoral politics.

[The Doctor.]

11. So which Democratic candidate

are Waxman's hearings designed to catapult?

I haven't figured that one out yet.

[Laurab]

29. Or Conyers hearings...isn't he planning a few, too? n/t

[The Doctor.]

32. Off point a little...

but constructive nonetheless...

TY

[Exultant Democracy]

33. All of them. Once the primary starts does not mean

it will only be primary politics but presidential politics in general.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

10. Oh, Good!! We voted for the new bosses. Our responsibilities as citizens are over!!

All we have to do now is sit back, relax, have a beer, and let them run things however they like. And, of course, be patient and never, ever, voice any kind criticism because, Oh, Joy!, they're not as bad as the other bosses.

It's not like they work for us or anything like that. They always know what's best for us and will always do what's best for the country and humanity.

We don't need to participate in our government at all!! Well, except to send them contributions and vote for them when they tell us to.

[The Doctor.]

12. That's ridiculous.

Where and how was any such thing suggested?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

13. What I gathered from your post.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to indicate that we should be overjoyed that the Democrats are doing some things better than the Republicans and that we should just be patient and let them continue on that course. And, be satisfied with their accomplishments or projected accomplishments. That we shouldn't question or complain about the course they are following even if we disagree or are impatient.

I remember, all too well, being told much the same during LBJ's reign.

[SlowDownFast]

14. The post was in reference to

this thread, I do believe:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x387971

[The Doctor.]

16. I really don't see how you arrive at that.

It's a sardonic commentary on people who have suggested that because the Democrats haven't accomplished anything they personally deem 'meaningful' in a mere two months.

Where do you get the idea that 'we should do nothing'?

[noamnety]

18. I think that's misrepresenting the frustration

It's not frustration that THE WAR HASN'T ENDED YET.

Although, yes, we think it's time to end.

It's that the measures being proposed are nonbinding drivel useful for wiping their butts on when they take a break from campaigning (See? I SAID I oppose the war.)

It's that the democrats are pushing proposals to continue funding the war (I know, I know, it's to continue to fund the war in order to end it after Bush has half a year to make up some new political goals, and if he does a fancy enough soft-shoe to embarrass himself, he can continue to have his war, but I'm supposed to somehow "get" that continuing the war is ending the war)

It's not frustration that the whole thing ain't accomplished yet.

It's frustration because we are looking at the path they are heading down, and that path isn't the one we want to be on.

[The Doctor.]

21. "load before firing"

There are a number of investigations that have begun.

They will address the manipulation of intelligence, the awarding of no-bid contracts, and the deliberate compromise of national security.

The media is still in the hands of Republican sympathizers.

Here's what happens if the Dems try to cut funding now;

"Democrats don't support troops!" Will be splashed all over the media. The right wing pundits will go on a shooting spree. The Republicans in Congress will never get behind their initiative because they know they will not be held accountable by the media and subsequently their constituencies. The measure, even if it passes, will be ignored by the administration under the cover of 'supporting the troops' trumpeted by the media. The illegal appropriation of war funding, if any, will go largely ignored by the media and therefore the country. Hay will be made over the issue, and the Democratic solidarity will be fractured leaving untold critical issues untouched... including any kind of 'Fairness doctrine' or meaningful election reform.

Here's what happens (hopefully) if they wait for the investigations to reveal the abject treason behind the invasion, and take steps to reign in the media and instate election reforms;

The media will have been forced to report at least some of the investigations, raising public awareness. The Democrats can trumpet the illegal impetus for and therefore illegality of the invasion when they cut funding. No Republican with any sense of political self-preservation will vote against elimination of all funding save the expense to bring the troops home and maintain a base presence on the periphery of Iraq - because they have the public awareness of treachery, they know the media cannot cover them, and because they might actually have to answer to the voters in '08.

In the case of the former, it's probable that not only will they fail to get us out of Iraq, but they will fail to maintain their majority status.. plunging the nation right back into Republican control.

In the case of the latter, there's a fair chance that we can end the war and reverse much of the damage done to America.

I want what you do, but they're not taking their time because they're afraid of ending the war (or because they're just posturing), but because if they try now, they know damn well they will fail.

This point has been very well illustrated here on DU, and it is absolutely correct.

Patience.

[noamnety]

22. If they don't continue to fund the war, they won't get re-elected.

*squinty-eyed look*

[The Doctor.]

23. So if they continue to fund it they will be re-elected?

I believe they will make more than a serious attempt to curtail the occupation before '08.

The bottom line is this;

If they try now, they will fail and pay.

If they build their arsenal, they have a real chance of success.

[noamnety]

27. Right now they are not seriously trying to curtail the war.

Is that a fair statement, based on your bottom line?

[The Doctor.]

28. Right now, they canNOT 'seriously try' to curtail the war...

Has that part passed you over?

If they 'seriously try' something right now, they will fail.

They know that.

Do you?

[noamnety]

30. I know that is their talking point.

and I know how many dems we have in the house, and how many votes they need to approve the war budget.

If the dems don't vote for it, they can't fund the war. The dems will vote for it.

[The Doctor.]

31. Not voting for it would be a "Serious try"... as we have already visited.

Voting against it now (whether through vote or abstention) would be a problem. I explained what would happen in the current environment already.

If you mean in terms of 'future political capital', then yes, they are compelled to vote 'for'. It will be interesting indeed to see who votes 'against'.

[LittleClarkie]

41. Yes! We voted in the new bosses! Our job now is to beat them to death!

Because apparently we never really liked them, even though we voted them in. We hates them we does, my preciousssssss.

[Hubert Flottz]

36. IMPEACH!

How well I remember the day we were married,
I thought you wuzz purdy, so fine to behold,
Then when we got home you took off your make-up,
And I found out your were 90 years old.

Where oh where are you tonight...

[Senator]

37. Need a bigger font ... and an updated song

How well I remember when you got electered
You said them 'Mericans finely awoke
But you got all 'fraidy and said "No Impeachin"
Then tried to hide in a Funding Cut Hoax

Where oh where are you tonight
Why did you leave us here all alone
Saw hope the world over and thought we had new blood
You said "it's not us" and phffttt you wuz gone

---

[JNelson6563]

38. Sad so many need instant gratification

Loved your post. :toast:

Julie

[blondeatlast]

39. Great post--and so timely. Thanks--k&r. nt

[IronLionZion]

40. I blame the Democrats!

Let's punish the Democrats immediately! Vote every last one of them out of the office, especially the liberal ones because this is collective punishment and no one gets a free pass just for being liberal! What we need are fewer Democrats! We must teach them a lesson!

Stalinst Purge! Lets open up the gulags!

:sarcasm:

Frankly I'm shocked that the most powerful military industrial complex in the world, one that has controlled our country for a good 50 years at least, has not been dismantled in 2 months. We merely replaced the cold war with the war on terror, because it's important for the MIC to constantly be at war with a loosely defined but very scary enemy. Damn the 90's were a good decade.



Yup we have problems with corporations controlling everything. And the USSR had problems with government controlling everything. The problem is neither the corporations nor the government. The problem is when too few people control way too much of anything.