CDZ Are Liberals Their Own Worst Enemy?

[oldsoul]

THIS IS NOT A RANT AGAINST LIBERALS. It is a question about whether the imposition of liberal policies which conflict with established social norms inevitably breeds a political overreaction which results in an even less liberal society. This has happened throughout history, and is happening right now in many Muslim countries.

Can it happen here? There are a growing number of people who believe that our country is in grave danger not seen since the Civil War. With mounting evidence, they view the agencies of the federal government to be both corrupt and illegal organs of political suppression and intimidation. The ascendance of "anti-establishment" political candidates indicates a serious lack of faith in these institutions.

What will be the result? Will the bare faced political shenanigans of the last eight years be reversed with a vengeance? Will fire be met with even greater fire? The mood of the electorate seems to be favoring more authoritarian rule by one side or another. Will we lose either way?

Obama came to Washington to transform it.

That means corruption, a lack of trust in institutions, and a general malaise in everything we hold dear.

Between the invasion of a sovereign nation on cooked intel, the subprime meltdown, and a few other mere peccadilloes, that's as fair a description of the situation on January 19, 2009 as I've seen recently.

Sadly, I don't see how things have gotten any better. Corruption is still prevelant; intel, that isn't cooked, seems to be either ignored or misused; lack of trust in the government is the same (at best); divisivness seems to be at an all time high (at least in my lifetime); I don't see ANY real leadership from EITHER side of the aisle. But, it doesn't really matter anyway, because the masses are more concerned with Hollywood gossip, and what the Kardashians are up to. So sad, so udderly, tragicly sad. We are losing our Republic, and noone seems to notice, let alone care....

I wonder, though, how much of that is reality and how much is perception? In other words, because of the Internet (and especially the Twitterverse) and the 24/7 news cycle, are we simply more aware of the corruption and divisiveness than we were before all that?

Possibly. However, I do not recall any rioting, on racial issues, between the Rodney King case and Obama taking office. Just saying...

 

[regent]

THIS IS NOT A RANT AGAINST LIBERALS. It is a question about whether the imposition of liberal policies which conflict with established social norms inevitably breeds a political overreaction which results in an even less liberal society. This has happened throughout history, and is happening right now in many Muslim countries.

Can it happen here? There are a growing number of people who believe that our country is in grave danger not seen since the Civil War. With mounting evidence, they view the agencies of the federal government to be both corrupt and illegal organs of political suppression and intimidation. The ascendance of "anti-establishment" political candidates indicates a serious lack of faith in these institutions.

What will be the result? Will the bare faced political shenanigans of the last eight years be reversed with a vengeance? Will fire be met with even greater fire? The mood of the electorate seems to be favoring more authoritarian rule by one side or another. Will we lose either way?

Obama came to Washington to transform it.

That means corruption, a lack of trust in institutions, and a general malaise in everything we hold dear.

Between the invasion of a sovereign nation on cooked intel, the subprime meltdown, and a few other mere peccadilloes, that's as fair a description of the situation on January 19, 2009 as I've seen recently.

Sadly, I don't see how things have gotten any better. Corruption is still prevelant; intel, that isn't cooked, seems to be either ignored or misused; lack of trust in the government is the same (at best); divisivness seems to be at an all time high (at least in my lifetime); I don't see ANY real leadership from EITHER side of the aisle. But, it doesn't really matter anyway, because the masses are more concerned with Hollywood gossip, and what the Kardashians are up to. So sad, so udderly, tragicly sad. We are losing our Republic, and noone seems to notice, let alone care....

I wonder, though, how much of that is reality and how much is perception? In other words, because of the Internet (and especially the Twitterverse) and the 24/7 news cycle, are we simply more aware of the corruption and divisiveness than we were before all that?

Possibly. However, I do not recall any rioting, on racial issues, between the Rodney
King case and Obama taking office. Just saying...

Not racial but perhaps the difference between political parties:
When the WWI vets asked for their bonus to be paid a wee bit early because of the Great Depression. Hoover sent MacArthur down and they killed a couple of vets and burned their huts. Later when FDR was president the vets tried again, and this time FDR sent Eleanor down alone to talk to the vets. She and the vets talked, she had some tea with them, they sang a few songs from WW1 and she left.
Nope, the vets didn't get their bonus early because of FDR.