>I'm trying to stay positive about the future. I've read enough and heard enough over the last couple months to remain upbeat.

I wish I could do so too, but too much adds up to the opposite conclusion.

A seemingly unrelated thing - the price of gas since BP announced half-flow from Prudhoe and extended shutdown of major gulf platform.
Under normal circumstances these would have been cause for instant "market pressure" for much higher prices for gas and oil. But there are 2 things at play:
1) Oil company fears that alternate energy research will get some *real* money behind it.
2) There is an election soon and the President, who's always been cozy with the oil companies, also knows that high gas prices hurt incumbents.

We are being manipulated on just about everything. Money can buy anything. Marketing (i.e. propaganda) is the single biggest industry in the U.S. Combine that with the Administration's proven record of lying to everybody (even world leaders of other countries and the U.N.) and the only sure thing is that the Republicans will fight with every dirty trick at hand to win.

UPDATED: Of course, the Democrats will do exactly the same thing, but the Republicans are in power now, have deeper ties with the controlling interests and have known master manipulators in their ranks.


>
>I went to a Melissa Etheridge concert last month. The loudest cheer she received was when she was discussing writing a song for Gore's global warming movie. He invited her over to see the slide show that was the basis for the movie. Afterwards he asked her if she would like to write a song for the soundtrack. In telling the story at the concert, she said she responded to Gore by saying, well sir, you are my President. So I'd be delighted to contribute to your movie. The place errupted in cheer.
>
>Of course that is in Los Angeles, where I see quite a few more "Impeach Bush" bumper stickers then I would guess are seen in Daniel's part of the world. But Melissa also mentioned that in talking to people during her tour, she feels upbeat based on the level of the feedback she's receiving.
>
>>>I've read several articles in the last couple weeks that echo the attitude expressed by some of the articles linked to. But the articles I've read weren't from professional authors. They were interviews with people on the street discussing their dismay with current events.
>>
>>I doubt that those articles mean too much overall. Consider that most outsiders (foreigners) assumed that President Bush would lose, and a goodly number of voters too.
>>Politics is broken in Canada but it is badly broken in the U.S. But the **REAL** options to fix it, there or here, really don't exist. There's lots of theory as to how that can be done, but the system and the monied have ensured that these remain unrealizable dreams.
>>
>>>
>>>In these current political environment re-establishing a real system of checks and balances is a necessity. Of course many will disagree. If investigations into Clintons affair with Lewinsky could drag on for several years, invesigations into the current administration should keep a gaggle of lawyers busy for many yrs.
>>
>>My thoughts exactly. And it would be more than fair for them to do it. BUT it would do nothing to fix the broken process.
>>
>>Maybe "Save W from jail" will be the slogan that wins the Republican the next presidential victory.
>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Time For Us To Go
>>>>Conservatives on why the GOP should lose in 2006.
>>>>
>>>>http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2006/0610.forum.html
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>I don't know if you've seen some of the articles discussing how many who are regarded as stallwarths of the conservative movement have come out against bush jr. Such as William Buckley. I don't understand why more haven't.
>>>>>
>>>>>>> some very ignorant assumptions regarding conservatism.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I'm completely informed as to what conservatism is, that is why I'm liberal. How do you defend conservatism's poor track record on civil rights and women's rights?