Our American nightmare.

[Jakes Progress]

Krugman's column today on the feckless fed is his usual common sense, truth to power stuff. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/12/opinion/12krugman.html?_r=1&ref=opinion

But there is one line that really struck me when he talks about the unemployment situation.

Now that the nightmare has become reality, however — and yes, it is a nightmare for millions of Americans — Washington seems to feel absolutely no sense of urgency.

Family members, close friends, former co-workers. I know dozens and dozens of people who are living desperate lives, laying awake at night, distracted and dazed. And as Krugman says, Washington sits on its thumbs. Six more months of this and they will be shocked, shocked I tell you, at the riots and anger that will seethe through this country.

Any office holder, any party affiliation, that doesn't do something immediate and effective about this needs to be hounded from office. We need decent people working for us instead of the rich, self-serving, complacent clowns that are taking our money for doing a pitiful job now.

[knitter4democracy]

1. We've known this in Michigan for awhile.

Our state is dying, and no one cares. No one in DC gives a crap about the Gulf Coast, the Rust Belt, or the poor. They just don't flippin' care.

[Jakes Progress]

2. They don't care now, but when it hits

they will. They will ignore their own culpability, their own callous actions. People have been lied to, used, cheated. History tells us what that leads to.

[closeupready]

3. And when that finally happens, it will be too late to change course.

What history shows is that when shit hits the fan, there is a lot of momentum from all different fronts pushing to the left, and it never stops with a single achieved goal - the momentum carries through.

Not that I look at that prospect in fear - to the contrary. But most of the elites in DC do. But they won't do anything until they feel they have to.

[another saigon]

20. no more torches and pitchforks

I believe we are way past a revolt/revolution of any kind. (I am so very sorry Howard Zinn. :( ) There is a very transparent reason the the real power elites have gated themselves in with private security, privatized and funded huge expansion in our penal system and prisons, and armed local and state police forces like the special forces. The reason is for a final solution of middle class elimination and an oligarchy type of government. I fear we are way too late, We Are Already There.

[90-percent]

4. Not to worry

It's not like the disaffected and left behinds are going to start mailing letter bombs to the wealthy or anything.

-90% Jimmy

:sarcasm:

[Tsiyu]

5. +1000

I don't believe poor Americans can take much more.

But our politicians are doing very, very well. So well, in fact, they can just turn their heads from the suffering of their constituents.

I hope they wake up and get right, but one glance at their track record doesn't give much hope of that.

But millions of desperate people may soon wake them up if they continue to pretend that this nation is not in a world of hurt.

[leftstreet]

6. The Predator Class will do nothing until it fears consequences

K&R

[spanone]

7. washington = republicans. it's sad that this is not pointed out.

the REPUBLICANS are blocking help

[Better Today]

9. Sorry, but that's crap. We have a Dem Congress, Dem Pres, and Dem Senate,

and they are weaker than the repubs (which they shouldn't be) and they are just as bought and paid for as the repubs. It's a Washington issue, not just a repub problem.

[KeyWester]

12. yep.

but most ignore the president needs 60 votes.

You know ? ...congress, perhaps you have heard of it.

[Better Today]

13. As I said, "Washington." In this thread, I've not singled out the president.

[Jakes Progress]

15. I know that making sure that Obama can duck all blame

is your primary goal. But the OP was about how many thousands, make that millions, are leading desperate lives right now. It didn't name anyone in particular.

I know winning D check marks than R check marks is your secondary goal. But those who can see what is happening to families in this country are more concerned about food, rent, doctor bills. They really don't have time to care about the personality fetishes of the fully employed.

Those elected to do something need to do so. This isn't a game. Just shaking your head and saying "Sorry but congress won't be nice to me" doesn't get it. Obama ran for the job. If he can't get something done, then he ought not to have run. If the only thing a president can do is wait on Congressional whims then we have a weak president. The branches of government are using separation of powers as an excuse to not do anything rather than a means of doing something with the powers they have. Basically, the urgency of the situation is not reflected in the words and actions of the Congress or the Administration.

[Donnachaidh]

10. sorry -- there are TWO parties in Washington, and BOTH share blame

That meme doesn't hold water anymore.

Not when 38 people a minute are losing their UI benefits. Not while people are still being foreclosed on by the very banks that were bailed out. Not while kids go to bed hungry, and parents are selling family heirlooms just to put clothes on their kids for the new school year.

BOTH parties share the blame. One side for doing the damage, the other for not extending the same sort of emergency measures to the middle class that they did for the banks.

[Orangepeel]

14. two parties and 535 members of congress

My congressman and both my senators voted correctly. I guess I can blame my Senators and Obama for not being able to convince/coerce Ben Nelson or any of the 38 republicans in the Senate who voted against cloture not be to heartless assholes. The extension passed the House, so it's no use blaming them.

Senate Dems could kick Nelson out of the caucus, and arguably they should, but I don't see how that would help the people who are being foreclosed on or the kids who are hungry.

I understand the anger and frustration. I don't think that replacing elected officials who are powerless with ones who are actively working in the wrong direction is a viable solution to the problem, but I guess I don't have a better one. At least that would make people who feel angry and powerless feel better temporarily.

[phantom power]

8. And when these desperate people vote the Dems out in November...

we can expect to be blamed, for not clapping hard enough. Or not falling in line because they're The Party That's 10% Less Crappy Than The GOP.

Or something.

[Lorien]

17. The ones to blame are each and every fool who clapped for every push to the Right

that those at the head of the party have made. The Democrats are being destroyed from within, but not by those of us on the traditional Left.

[Greyhound]

11. And why not, this economy is a wet dream for them.

They are sitting back on mountains of cash and picking and choosing the juiciest real assets that they can have for next to nothing.

Yes, all is well for the parasites and their next generation will own or control every last bit, worldwide.
:kick: & R

[Lorien]

16. They're expecting that those of us who are desperate will put a bullet through our

own heads, and that they will continue to prosper in the luxurious comfort of their multi-million dollar estates. We are the "small people" that are of no consequence to them. If we can't pick ourselves up by the bootstraps and become good consumers who work for poverty wages, then we're expected to take the honorable way out without a fuss. After all; homelessness is a crime and welfare, food stamps or unemployment benefits would spoil us!

[RandomThoughts]

18. Interesting concept.

I don't think anyone should commit suicide, and I wont ever commit suicide, to many things to do and see.

But anyways, when they balance the problems with capitalism wage distribution, then they will have some argument on spoiling. That argument means the rich are all spoiled.

I think some are really good people with good intents, however if they think that way, they are being hypocritical.



Maybe we should have a toughen up the rich with a special month every year, where everyone has to live how there counterpart on the wealth spectrum lives.

Or how about this, it is doable.

I had this idea years ago, everyone votes, both local state and federal, each person votes for someone in their area, 5 people in their state, and 10 people in the nation. All write in votes, would create jobs counting them.

The top five winners of the votes in each area, wins a job at some retail store as a greater for 5 years, with a legal imposed penalty if anyone gives them money over some dollar amount based on a ratio of their giving versus their income. (giving would be modified by support of different taxation also)

They have to live on that wage for 2 years. Then at the end of 2 years, if they were not laid off and starved to death, since they would only get unemployment or food stamps if they showed they supported such things in their life, then they could get back some percent of the wealth they had. (honestly I think they should get both food stamps and unemployment if laid off, that is a bit harsh)

:) It would be a nice way to enforce the will of the people :) And if any media tried to coral votes against people, they might be at the top of that list the next vote :)

[mdmc]

19. ..

[conspirator]

21. They won't be shocked by the riots. They are ready for it: Blackwater & militarized police n/t