I was curious about coverage of Citizens' United in the TradMed. Went to ABC News.com which had a decent article about Stevens's dissent. Stupidly, I read the 118 comments (why do I DO that to myself???)
As comments on non-Kos sites go, they weren't awful. But half of them were "What part of 'Congress shall make no law abridging freedom of speech' do you Libs not understand??" and "Stevens says the Court should defer to Congress; that's unconstitutional."
I left the site depressed. Suddenly felt a strong need to hear Melissa Etheridge's medley at the 2008 Convention -- the one where she brought heart and soul to God Bless America, The Times They Are A-Changin', Give Peace a Chance, and Born in the USA. I headed to YouTube for my Melissa fix. Ahhhhhh, blessed relief.
It took me back to that night in Aug '08 when I first heard her performance. As she sang, I had realized how much I really did love this country, warts and all. Huge warts, to be sure, but trumped by the underlying spirit -- free and open and wild, always seeking new frontiers and trying to build a better future.
But that was then.
And this . . . God help us, this is now.
(Here's Melissa's performance. Enjoy.)
So what do we do, Kossacks, to stay sane as the fabric of our democracy is systematically destroyed and our fellow Americans applaud? I mean, listening to Melissa Etheridge buoyed my spirits for a few minutes, but it's not a long-term fix.
Any long-term fix will have to include feeling that I can actually contribute to a solution. I've signed the petitions -- Alan Grayson's and one or two others. But what's next after the petition?
I've heard suggestions of a constitutional amendment eliminating corporate personhood. I've heard suggestions that we each buy a share or two in a few corporations, then attend the shareholder meetings and make a scene there. Good ideas. Is anyone organizing these efforts? Are there websites we can go to for more constructive guidance? Are there additional actions we should be taking?
What are you doing to stay sane? And what can we do to try to restore sanity to the body politic? I'm open to suggestions.