Dennis Kucinich gives a six-minute summary of the disaster that has been occurring over the past eight years.
According to Kucinich, what the neocons want to do is to drill into our wallets some more.
I concur entirely. We truly need to wake up. We excel at being complacent (and see here).
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVp9cWOcZ7g[/youtube]
In the meantime, the “Networks Sleep While Democracy Burns.”
As I understand it, the neoconservative world view is that true democracy leads to chaos and anarchy. That we need a nation governed by laws (aka a republic), but that the population is made up entirely of individuals who are too self-centered to do what is in the best interest of the nation. Therefore the laws should only be made by a select few who know what is in the best interest for the nation.
The fly in the ointment here is psychological projection. which is a tendency to assume that others think like you do. The proponents of neo conservativism are those that are self-centered and egotiscal enough to believed that what benefits them is in the best interest of the nation, even if people die as a result of those actions.
Fortunately, reality is not on their side.
Niklaus:
Yes, the radical conservatives want the People to sit by and participate in the Democracy only as spectators. We can't trust them to actually run the country. The dumbed down media makes sure that we stay dumbed down.
But compare the economic system, where conservatives have it as their highest creed that self-centered individuals, participating in discreet acts of buying and selling, give rise to a Wise and Good Free Market.
As unsatisfying as it seems, I think that the best solution lies in the middle. Citizens must have serious input into the political process–not make-believe input where they walk into the ballot booth on election day and choose between only two candidates with any chance of winning, both of whom are heavily supported by many of the same corporations, who have paid big money to buy access.
With regard to the free market, it is clear to me, based on the ongoing rape of our planet, that it needs some guidance from those who aren't in it just to make a buck or to buy goods that satisfy immediate wants.
Erich, I agree. The role of government in a capitalist democracy should have a dampening effect, that is to say, that the government should act to counter economic and political extremes. While to most on this site can see the problems caused by the neoconservative attitudes, they may fail to realize being ultra liberal also has many problems. The current Republican mindset has a tendency to attract the people that are distrustful of society to the point of paranoia. The Democratic part has it's share of dreamers that are completely trusting of society, and have grand ideas that can't be implemented due to practical considerations.
I prefer to stand close to the middle, sometimes a little to the right, sometimes a little to the left, like riding a balance-board, keeping my center of gravity over the roller.