It is good to know that my hubby still believes

[nadinbrzezinski]

in this country. I don't. I talked about my fears with him and how things will get MUCH WORST... MUCH, MUCH WORST.

And what you all saw last week in KY... get ready for more of that.

Yes I am scared, but what can I do? Go into the fetal position? No...

But we will reach a point when all of us will have to decide whether to continue to speak out and risk something ugly... or shut up for safety sake and try to become witnesses to the horror. But it is coming... and I hate to say it... this is NOT the country I came to as a young person...

Perhaps it is family ghosts... (Dad survived the holocaust) but this will not end well.

[Liberty Belle]

1. Nadin, take heart. There is hope, and here's why.

While the nation is foundering beneath the yoke of crazed Tea Party wingnuts, California swept Democrats into every single statewide office. Yes, even the AG -- Harris flipped into the lead overnight. The majority vote budget measure passed (though weakened by passage of a measure requiring 2/3 for fee increases.) Dems held their margins in the state legislature, both houses.

I am hoping Jerry Brown and Dems in California will find a way to lead the nation - lift CA out of the recession with a new green-powered economy. Let those mired in messes in other states look to California with envy.

Megabucks Whitman couldn't buy the governership. Maldonado couldn't hold onto the Lt. Governorship, either, putting Gavin Newsom in place to step into Jerry's shoes if needed in the future.

We defeated Prop 23 -- which went down resoundingly even in conservative San Diego. How? Grassroots efforts, meetings and presentations at local town councils, and a lot of new internet media filling the void even where we have zero progressive radio. This model can be emulated in other parts of the country. Sites like Patch.com (AOL's new hyper local news sites) will be launching in 500 more cities. That provides a place for Dem candidates without money to connect and get their messages out directly to voters--free.

I launched a regional nonpartisan media site and my readers supported Jerry Brown 47% - 41% in a conservative region, just because we provided truth. Two hyper-local news sites that launched in my hometown just before this election got voters and candidates engaged and allowed for a truthful exchange of ideas as well as background disclosures on one less-than-clean candidate. I foresee more of this --and it will make a difference.

Most Tea Party people are schooled in ignorance and bigotry. Education through enlightened media is the answer. I urge everyone here to seek out the new online media outlets in your region and become a frequent poster of comments. Ask for your own blog if the site allows it. Truth is the greatest disinfectant for the scum that pervades so much of America today.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. I am a subscriber

but I still don't think this will end well.

It is larger than California... The American Empire is on the decline. It will be official by 2020. We are already a second tier power... (Yeah I know how much DOD spends, but they need chips produced far east for the gear, for example)..

Me... it will come the point when it will be time to decide to shut up.

Now on the weirdness for the state, check the returns for Imperial county... that is a FASCINATING place right now. Why? Outlier for jobs (highest unemployment in the state) and went blue on many a things.

[Liberty Belle]

3. I don't think it's a coincidence that California went blue on all statewide offices.

Right after Debra Bowen decertified touchscreen voting machines.

The vote was probably honest in most if not all areas.

I really don't think the whole country is as stupid as the results would have us believe -- some of those elections were likely rigged.

[Waiting For Everyman]

4. In the '60s, there was martial law - I remember it very well, burning cities all over.

The civil rights/Viet Nam era was much worse than this, believe me.

And those of us who stood up to that shit were mostly kids. If these nitwits today want to get it on, this old lady will get out in the street with them again. Whatever it has to be, I don't care. Screw them. Now that I'm old, I don't have that much to lose anyway.

If it comes down to that, then as the indian chief said, "it's a good day to die".

[leftstreet]

6. We're living in a worse police state now & we're not even protesting anything

I think I'm getting really old

[Waiting For Everyman]

7. Tanks on the streets, troops on street corners, curfews, cities burning all over

all at once, kids shot down on college campuses by national guard troops, lots of people arrested everywhere no-knock kick in the door style, demonstrations just about constantly...

It gets worse than this. And as far as RWers there was the open Klan activity, which was pretty bold and widespread too.

It might get that bad again, but this isn't anything to despair over. We've survived those much worse times, that's all I'm saying - we'll probably get through whatever's next.

As Churchill said... "We have not journeyed all this way across the centuries, across the oceans, across the mountains, across the prairies, because we are made of sugar candy."


(Heck, even the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago was something few today would believe. And that was the Dems, for petes' sake, not even the Rethugs.)

[Naturyl]

5. The word you want to use is "worse" rather than "worst."

Not meaning to be pedantic or or annoying, just trying to be helpful.

And K&R. :)