Is The U.S. Constitution and America doomed? (Al Gore, enemies, global warming)

[sickofnyc]

Hats off to the individuals of this planet that are trying so hard to make a difference or improve situations.
The environmentalists that are attempting to raise awareness of what we need to do about global warming.
The various groups and organizations that rally and speak out against issues that are destroying our world.
The advocates for animal rights and protection of endangered species.
The people that make films and documentaries or write books to expose and explore the unfair or unjust actions of
corrupt political and corporate entities and how they wreak havoc on society.
The citizens that get politically active when they see the wrongs that are being done where greed or lust for
power is the bottom line.
The celebrities that use their public platform to speak truth to power.

A worthy mention is a woman that was born to two of the most famous Hollywood parents
a person could have. She did not choose to use the clout of either of her parents to
secure a film career, which is very often the case these days with a majority of the talentless
celebrities popping up like stubborn weeds. In fact, I've never seen her other than in magazines
devoted to healthier living. I would love to meet her one day and thank her for her contribution
to society. ( I must confess I'd also love to meet her mom and dad.) She is an agriculturalist who spends
her life convincing farmers throughout the world of the benefits of organic farming. Utilizing the crops that
these farmers provide, she produces a great line of organic products. All proceeds of sales is given to charity.
If you don't know by now who I'm speaking about...it is Nell Newman. A truly admirable woman. Thank you Nell.

With all of that said, I am feeling so sad. Sad that with all of the beautiful and noble intentions, I cannot help but feel
that it is as if (pardon me) they are "shoveling **** against the tide".
This Nation and it's Constitution have been so desecrated by fetid individuals. With parasitic behavior, they suck the blood out
of America and the rest of the world. They live off of misery and death. They destroy our natural resources as if these resources
are inexhaustible. They spew propaganda and prey on the people that they have successfully dumbed down or brainwashed with
religious hypocrisy.

If Americans can forget or not teach their children that once upon a time in the 1970's we were being urged to cut
our fuel consumption, what does that say about us? Are we really so easily led to slaughter? When did manufacturing and
and buying fuel efficient vehicles become out of style? When did unchecked corporate power dictating our ridiculous need
for an SUV or Hummer become acceptable? Why is prostituting this country and selling it off at the auction block to the
largest bidder alright? Why is privatizing government agencies a good thing and accepted? Why is Walmart and like businesses
allowed to flourish when they are in reality a detriment? Why America, why? Outsourcing of jobs, prohibitive college tuition,
expensive healthcare, bogus drugs invented in corporate labs for bogus diseases. Enron. Haliburton. Corporate crimes going unpunished. Agents risking their lives to protect our security
are exposed, putting their lives and our lives at risk.
Why is being the first to own a little plastic phone with intrusive features enough to distract you from what is really urgent?
85% of the stock market is owned by 10% of the population.
The tentacles of the corporate Fascist monster spread too wide and are wrapped around the Earth and choke the life out of it. The rotten roots go too deep. The web of deceit is too tangled.
America, you bought it all...hook line and sinker!

So, thank you again, you good Samaritans in full possession of a heart and a soul. Forgive me for my pessimism, but after all is said and done...you are just
"shoveling **** against the tide".

[TXboomerang]

.....sigh.....

is this a cut and paste from thinkprogress or mediamatters?

It is the exact kind of propoganda and ignorance that comes from the extreme right. It is tiresome, rhetorical, and does nothing except increase the volume of the mindless political party cheerleading that got us into the mess we are in now to begin with. The left blames the right and the right blames the left. As the people argue, politicians continue on both sides to pursue political interest more than the people's interest. Yes, as long as this continues, America will slowly deteriorate.

[rd2007]

just curious, what has the OP done to make a difference?

and hopefully there will not be another mention of buying a terrapass....

[sickofnyc]

tnbound2day

I suppose that your post is a left handed compliment.. I am not a journalist and doubt that you will find these words printed in any publication...they are my words and thoughts. Extreme right??? I don't vote for a political party, I vote for a candidate that is worthy. In fact until a few years ago, I was not politically active at all. How can anyone with common sense and humanity not be asking theselves the questions that I have asked myself and posted here? Maybe I misunderstood you response, but I really do not get it! You sound as if you are putting forth the rhetoric, mine came from the heart. I am a mom and this is not the Nation I am secure raising my kids in. In fact it has morphed into a pretty strange world and anyone that does not see and feel that fact is a bit insesitive.

[NewToCA]

Originally Posted by sickofnyc

Hats off to the individuals of this planet that are trying so hard to make a difference or improve situations.
The environmentalists that are attempting to raise awareness of what we need to do about global warming.
The various groups and organizations that rally and speak out against issues that are destroying our world.
The advocates for animal rights and protection of endangered species.
The people that make films and documentaries or write books to expose and explore the unfair or unjust actions of
corrupt political and corporate entities and how they wreak havoc on society.
The citizens that get politically active when they see the wrongs that are being done where greed or lust for
power is the bottom line.
The celebrities that use their public platform to speak truth to power.

A worthy mention is a woman that was born to two of the most famous Hollywood parents
a person could have. She did not choose to use the clout of either of her parents to
secure a film career, which is very often the case these days with a majority of the talentless
celebrities popping up like stubborn weeds. In fact, I've never seen her other than in magazines
devoted to healthier living. I would love to meet her one day and thank her for her contribution
to society. ( I must confess I'd also love to meet her mom and dad.) She is an agriculturalist who spends
her life convincing farmers throughout the world of the benefits of organic farming. Utilizing the crops that
these farmers provide, she produces a great line of organic products. All proceeds of sales is given to charity.
If you don't know by now who I'm speaking about...it is Nell Newman. A truly admirable woman. Thank you Nell.

With all of that said, I am feeling so sad. Sad that with all of the beautiful and noble intentions, I cannot help but feel
that it is as if (pardon me) they are "shoveling **** against the tide".
This Nation and it's Constitution have been so desecrated by fetid individuals. With parasitic behavior, they suck the blood out
of America and the rest of the world. They live off of misery and death. They destroy our natural resources as if these resources
are inexhaustible. They spew propaganda and prey on the people that they have successfully dumbed down or brainwashed with
religious hypocrisy.

If Americans can forget or not teach their children that once upon a time in the 1970's we were being urged to cut
our fuel consumption, what does that say about us? Are we really so easily led to slaughter? When did manufacturing and
and buying fuel efficient vehicles become out of style? When did unchecked corporate power dictating our ridiculous need
for an SUV or Hummer become acceptable? Why is prostituting this country and selling it off at the auction block to the
largest bidder alright? Why is privatizing government agencies a good thing and accepted? Why is Walmart and like businesses
allowed to flourish when they are in reality a detriment? Why America, why? Outsourcing of jobs, prohibitive college tuition,
expensive healthcare, bogus drugs invented in corporate labs for bogus diseases. Enron. Haliburton. Corporate crimes going unpunished. Agents risking their lives to protect our security
are exposed, putting their lives and our lives at risk.
Why is being the first to own a little plastic phone with intrusive features enough to distract you from what is really urgent?
85% of the stock market is owned by 10% of the population.
The tentacles of the corporate Fascist monster spread too wide and are wrapped around the Earth and choke the life out of it. The rotten roots go too deep. The web of deceit is too tangled.
America, you bought it all...hook line and sinker!

So, thank you again, you good Samaritans in full possession of a heart and a soul. Forgive me for my pessimism, but after all is said and done...you are just
"shoveling **** against the tide".

A little sympathetic to your point of view, and a little not. Let me briefly address your specific issues from a somewhat different perspective:

Environmentalist issues. I believe global warming to be a legitimate issue, but I don't see the conversion of folks to mass transit, Prius's and small homes as the answer. I view technology as our solution, and believe that we are making pretty good progress, considering all of the economic upheaval associated with the issue. Photovoltaic construction in new homes out here in California is an excellent example of technology usage to optimize energy sourcing. The other part about environmentalism, some destruction of wooded areas is OK with me if we replace what we cut down, but I don't favor wholesale destruction. Pristine areas with no land management lead to wildfires like Lake Tahoe just experienced.

Endangered species. I think that the protection of species is very robust today, far more so than before the past 20 or so years. What I think you are seeing now is some bristling against these protections when they prevent needed infrastructure for growing cities to take place. I think it needs to be a consideration within the context of a balanced approach.

Corrupt corporations and politicians. The exposure of Abramoff and what happened at Enron shows that processes are in place and effective to root out corruption if accurately identified. Not wanting a police state, this needs to be done in a measured way. Recent changes to accounting standards, and audit practices, are doing an effective job of finding problems, and resulting in the publicity of fraudulent behaviors. Computers and the internet have also expanded the capacity to commit bad behavior, but also the tools to find it and take action. The publicity associated with this may seem to make it more significant today than it has historically been. Corporate greed has always existed, for all of our lifetimes, it is how companies prosper. Appropriate regulation, which is more difficult in the internationalization of work, keeps this from being excessive.

The Supreme Court enforces the Constitution on a case by case basis. If anything, they are going more towards original intent. You may not always agree with these interpretations, and I may not either, but the Constitution is alive and well.

Natural resource depletion. I think we are doing a better job than ever in trying to manage resources, from water to mining. The growth in ethanol production is a good indication of where we are going here, and considering the 30 year moratorium on building nuclear power plants, we have done one heck of a good job absorbing an additional 50 million folks in the USA.

Corporations are getting better accountability from the increasing power of the Pension Funds and other active investors. Balancing short term returns vs long term investment strategy is always a tough balancing act, but more public ownership in corporate stock via the defined contribution pension funds is actually bringing added light to an area historically only managed by a good old boys network.

Could things be better? Certainly. But I don't share your sense of despair.

[mhouse2001]

To those who think the Constitution is alive and well, please realize that our leader is on record complaining that "it's just a g-d piece of paper". Even the Geneva Conventions have been tossed aside and freedoms proposed in the 1700s have been removed, too inconvenient in our pursuit of our enemies. Rights are a thing of the past. I'd complain about this even if the opposite party was ruling our government, so don't label me as partisan on this issue.

I share the despair of sickofnyc on many issues mostly the destruction of the environment. Every major environmental success of the last 40 years was effectively erased by this administration, so there's no evidence whatsoever to suggest that it's going swell. There are large regions of the ocean where plastic coats the surface, dead zones where life is no longer present. And, what's happening to the bees? Why are they all dying? Again, this is not a partisan issue, though it's clear to see the present administration is more culpable since their disdain for the environment is far from covert. In reality, we all share in the guilt.

Rd2007 asks what sickofnyc has done to make a difference which, to me, suggests that only those mad enough to complain should be shouldered with the responsibility of fixing things. Deflecting accountability is a major part of the problem. And I don't for a second understand how these complaints are 'tiresome' or a waste of time. That, too, is deflection. "Perhaps if we shut up about all this garbage, it'll go away." Sorry, that's no solution either.

Rather than complain about what's wrong (which ultimately does not accomplish much), let's outline what is wrong--a subtle but important difference. Let's agree on what needs fixing. Let's redefine core values. This is no difficult task. It should be very easy. We know what we want. We have ideals. Hopefully, those ideals don't trespass on others and actually are inclusive of other points of view without sacrificing a core value.

I agree it feels hopeless, like the world is a freight train and our opposition to the direction it's going has the effect of a penny laid on the tracks. I believe that when enough people express and share their outrage, there will be powerful forces at our disposal. Until enough are not only able to see this system for the failure that it is but also willing to abandon it, a newer design will not materialize.

Recipe for a New World: Intend. Focus. Act. Believe. Repeat as needed.

[rd2007]

thanks for placing words in my mouth and thoughts in my head, but next time I need an ASSumption I'll make sure and PM you..

It was a simple question, directed at the OP. I even made it clear that it was to the OP.

Thanks again

edit- BTW, got a link to this quote about the piece of paper? I've never heard that one.. Not saying you're not correct, just asking about it as I have never heard it before.

[mhouse2001]

Originally Posted by rd2007

thanks for placing words in my mouth and thoughts in my head, but next time I need an ASSumption I'll make sure and PM you..

It was a simple question, directed at the OP. I even made it clear that it was to the OP.

Thanks again

I put no words in your mouth. You could easily have responded to my assumption instead of taking it so personally. I, like you, have every right to make assumptions since we don't have the luxury of face-to-face discussions and real-time responses. It's much easier in person than online.

If the OP responds to your question, what answer would satisfy you? BTW, what's a terrapass?

[rd2007]

I wasn't looking to be satisfied, I'm just wondering if they were complaining only or actually doing something.

I realize there are plenty of problems and I do things about them. Of course I only do things about what I care about, but I at least do something, including vote...

terrapass believe it or not, people actually fall for this. I like it though, it gave me an idea for a business....

[Northwoods Voyager]

Originally Posted by tnbound2day

.....sigh.....

is this a cut and paste from thinkprogress or mediamatters?

It is the exact kind of propoganda and ignorance that comes from the extreme right. It is tiresome, rhetorical, and does nothing except increase the volume of the mindless political party cheerleading that got us into the mess we are in now to begin with. The left blames the right and the right blames the left. As the people argue, politicians continue on both sides to pursue political interest more than the people's interest. Yes, as long as this continues, America will slowly deteriorate.

This is all very interesting to read...However, correct me if I am wrong, but isn't it Al Gore who has talked about global warming and the problems with the environment? And is not he a Democrat and considered 'left'? If so, then how could the OP's comment be considered far right? Just wondering what I am missing here.

I do not agree with all of th OP's post. I am concerned about a number of issues she mentions. In my mind I put so many of our problems on the shoulders of our elected officials, be they Democrat or Republican. No single 'party' can be accused of initiating or continuing to ignore all of these issues.

I am tired of both 'parties' and their monopoly. If only an individual would be brave enough to stand up and express the wishes of the majority. You know, some of these issues are caused by exactly who we are and what our great country stands for. We believe in capitalism, freedoms, the Rights of that famous Bill (NO NOT Clinton) and perhaps because we so freely give of ourselves to others we complain or are dumbfounded when issues aren't addressed in the way we think they should be.

We are all so different and each of us see a different slant on the problems that exist and sometimes just don't get it nor visualize the solutions as others would like. We are different, for goodness sake and shouldn't expect all to agree with us at all times. At a university that I attended and later worked for, one of our professors liked to remind us of the saying 'if you do not have a solution then you are part of the problem'. I liked that 'part of'. not the whole.

If we could just quit the 'blame game' and each in our own way do just a little something everyday and don't expect the next fellow to do it all. Enough said, sorry for the rambling if this is considered as such.