Change Doesn't Come with a Big "Boom"

[Writer]

This wasn't a military or political overthrow. Entire institutions weren't going to get emptied and filled with people "like us." The Democratic victories in 2008 were a systemic shift in control from one organization to another, and that means that our creativity and influence only extends as far as the structure in which we work - that being the American democratic system - allows us. What troubles me is that I think some folks in our party were looking for large, sweeping changes to occur without a hitch, as if we had completely replaced one totality with another in the federal government. An ideological Big "Boom" of sorts. And although there might be small shifts in ideology, we have to work within the constitutional structure that still remains.

That means that CHANGE is messy. It's compromised by the interests of a diverse body of citizens, those who represent them, and the powerful interests trying to influence the system. Unless this was a revolution on par with 1917 or 1989, this was always going to be (and will always be) the reality we have to face. Yes, we should improve upon it, but this is the reality we must dwell in, and it is the reality that we must contend with if we want to see any change at all.

And this is why I support the skinny guy with the big ears.

[knowbody0]

1. the clusterfuck, indeed

I feel the same

[Parker CA]

2. Great post, Writer!

[Blue Owl]

3. Change often is incremental, yes

All I ask is that the small incremental steps of change at least go the OPPOSITE direction of BU$HCO.

At the moment, it feels like we're just trudging further into the swamp.

[Writer]

4. Do you think that Bushco would have even pursued HCR?

I think they would have been perfectly happy to have let the status quo continue, and let market dynamics dictate who can or can't afford access to health care.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

8. sure

but it would have never occurred to the Cheney administration - even at its most Orwellian - to give a gift to the insurance companies and call it reform. Even with all they got away with, they're probably surprised that this is working.

[Blue Owl]

15. Bu$hCo sure catered to the privatized insurance companies

Corporate tax breaks, de-regulation, catering to big pharma lobbyists, etc. -- all part of that free market status quo.

But it sounds like this new bill just uses HCR as a smokescreen to give private insurance companies even more profit and power.

In both administrations, the winner is for-profit insurance, so there will never be true HCR.

Maybe I'm generalizing a little too much, but that's how I'm reading it...

[Armstead]

5. Best way to support him is to keep him on his toes

Don;t let him inflict a bad bill that's going to ultimately be worse than nothing.

[NanceGreggs]

6. Well said. k/r

[Zodiak]

7. We got "change" with NAFTA, along with the promise to work on the flaws later

We didn't work on the flaws....NAFTA has now been expanded to many new free trade agreements. Corporate-friendly bills are not revisited, if you have not noticed.

Sorry, but the idea of a small step now, fix it later has no supporting evidence in recent history. It is a promise that amounts to exactly nothing.

[AllentownJake]

9. Actually generally it does

whether you are talking about in the biological sense or in the sociological sense.

Generally speaking the environment takes years to develop, however once it reaches a critical mass, change comes pretty quickly.

There are the few cases where a natural disaster or man made disaster occurs and than change happens even faster.

[dave29]

11. indeed.

sometimes, it's bigger and faster than you expect (ask the dinosaurs).

[AllentownJake]

12. Yep and without that meteor

There is no survival advantage for small animals with body hair.

[dave29]

19. note to nature:

plz warn us before next time you do this

kthxbai

[AllentownJake]

24. Nature is doing it right now, the tool looks a little different

The tool is us.

[paulk]

10. have you seen this poll?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x71658

You talk about "democracy" - well, democracy means those people we put into office doing what we want. Doing what we elected them to do. The polling is pretty clear, and Obama would be wise to use those "big ears" and listen.

[BlueIdaho]

13. Really? Ever hear of MADD?

Seems to me drunk driving went from being a punchline to a form of murder in about a blink of an eye.

Why? Because the people were behind it.

[AllentownJake]

14. Good example

Civil Rights movement, Row vs. Wade, Civil War, American Revolution, etc.

[timeforpeace]

16. When there's a true consensus it does.

[mullard12ax7]

17. Yep, you are dwelling in your own reality alright

It's not reality for the majority of Americans but you go right ahead with kissing criminal corporations asses.

[AllentownJake]

18. Which is why TARP was such a collosal mistake

and which is why I'm not that worried.

The conditions that created the environment where a few bad players almost destroyed the world's crooked financial system still exist, human nature has not evolved, and there is no desire to reform.

Translation, the boom wasn't stopped, it was postponed.

[Bluenorthwest]

20. For those in elected office, change happens as quickly as

they can count the ballots.

[Better Believe It]

21. A change in party but the same moneyed class is in charge!

I don't see any signs that the Wall Street banksters and corporate America have lost any of their influence and power in Washington.

Do you?

[Better Believe It]

22. Sometimes it does. BIG change with a big BOOM!

A big boom!


THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION FOR INDEPENDENCE


Another big boom!


THE CIVIL WAR

[readmoreoften]

23. There hasn't been a leftward economic change in this country since FDR.

And that came with extreme pressure from American socialists threatening to lead insurrections. So, it's not likely that you know a damn thing about "change" and how it works.

[treestar]

25. True

Rec'd. Actually the change in philosophy is there. No more attempts to gain as much power in the executive as possible. Ironically that seems to be what enrages the left. Not using that executive power to run roughshod over the opposition.

[rug]

26. Drones do.