I wanted to concentrate on our commonalities in our party tonight, and to remember, who we are and where we came from. I happen to believe that is a good place to start from, and loved OPOL's Diary today:
And yes, I guess I am a rebel from the 'old school' of the old Democratic party, but that is A-OK with me.
I love that quote:
"The truth will set you free. But first, it will piss you off."
Gloria Steinem
What I do reject, is this notion, is that our President, Senators and House Members are not hearing, what we want. That has been verified over and over again in national polls and yet, some of us, as Democrats deny these voices of our fellow citizens who are simply trying to hold onto what is left of the Middle Class, the working poor and the American Dream, that has become the American nightmare, through no fault of their own:
"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free." This quote comes from Emma Lazarus' sonnet, New Colossus.
The reason I love this quote so much, is to me it represents, the heart of the Democratic party and our nation, that is etched on the Statue of Liberty in the Harbor of New York City. (I lived in that city for 5 years and often took the ferry out just to gaze at it, and I also read the history of our own immigrants, of the Irish and Jewish people, and the African Americans).
I believe by now we can agree, to these simple truths:
The Robber Barons are back in charge, and they have once again taken over our nation and our government. That is a fact, Jack. Consider these voice of Americans, that were ignored:
In asking its question Survey USA used the same exact words that NBC/Wall Street Journal had used when conducting its June 2009 survey. That one that found 76 percent approval for the public option: "In any health care proposal, how important do you feel it is to give people a choice of both a public plan administered by the federal government and a private plan for their health insurance--extremely important, quite important, not that important, or not at all important?"
To ensure that its respondent pool was composed of people from similar demographics and political mindsets, SurveyUSA asked respondents a question pulled directly from NBC's August survey. The results were nearly identical.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
That's a fact, Jack. Consider this fact on what passed as (OMFG) real financial reform:
Most back stricter financial reform, advantage Obama:
About two-thirds of Americans support stricter regulations on the way banks and other financial institutions conduct their business, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
Majorities also back two main components of legislation congressional Democrats plan to bring to a vote in the Senate this week: greater federal oversight of consumer loans and a company-paid fund that would cover the costs of dismantling failed firms that put the broader economy at risk.
A third pillar of the reform effort draws a more even split: 43 percent support federal regulation of the derivatives market; 41 percent are opposed. Nearly one in five - 17 percent - express no opinion on this complicated topic.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/...
And again, that's a fact Jack. And BTW, I did not pull these polls out of a shiny pony Black Satin Magic Unicorn President Obama Hat. These two particular polls on HCR and the Fake Financial Reform Bill, came well in advance of the final votes.
In other words, it is not like the American people have not expressed their concerns and their wishes and votes, for our Corporate Overlords: They have, over and over again, so this latest poll is again important for us all to pay attention to, including President Obama and the Democrats:
As Washington gears up for a fight over federal spending and the national debt, lawmakers may want to consider some new polling figures. A survey from CBS News' "60 Minutes" and Vanity Fair magazine shows that most Americans, given a set limited choices for balancing the national budget, would prefer to see taxes increased for the wealthy.
As many as 61 percent said they would prefer increasing taxes on the rich over three other options: cutting defense spending, cutting Medicare or cutting Social Security. Another 20 percent chose cutting defense spending as the best option. Just 4 percent said they would cut Medicare, and just 3 percent said they would cut Social Security.
Perhaps not surprisingly, those with higher incomes were less inclined to say increasing taxes on the wealthy would be the best option. Nevertheless, as many as 46 percent of Americans making more than $100,000 said it was the best option -- 26 points higher than the next-preferred option, cutting defense spending.
http://www.cbsnews.com/...
A while back I did a diary entitled:
http://www.dailykos.com/... The-Devastating-Collateral-Damage-to-Americans
And the fact is, and the point of this diary is that 'we the people,' have already paid, over and over again. And we are simply tired, worn out and in a deep state of despair, because regardless of what most Americans have been saying over and over again in the polls, no one is even listening to us anymore in Washington DC. Wish it were not so.
I loved bobswern diary today:
What am I referencing you might ask? I'm talking about the reality that our nation's largest bank announced on Monday that it just "settled" with taxpayer-owned, government-sponsored enterprises (GSE's) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for roughly the equivalent of one penny on the dollar, in terms limiting Bank of America's exposure to mortgage fraud put-backs (100% refunds) by Wall Street investors, going forward, which are expected to amount to scores of billions of dollars (if not hundreds of billions, once you add the other major mortgage lenders into the mix) in coming months and years. What!?!? You might then ask: "Is Fannie bailing out the banks?"
IMHO, you betcha! (And, this is from one of Wall Street's friendliest media outlets.)
Awesome diary bobs, one of your best, and as I described the other day, there is the recent 'shitty little backroom deals,' that all 50 US State Attorney's made with the Banks, to 'keep their mouths shut' about the illicit foreclosure mills. Not to mention, the Federal Reserve's new power grab on destroying the TILA, to gut 42 years of protection for the consumers on property rights.
The fact is, our eyes our TOTALLY WIDE OPEN, and that is what I love most about Democrats: We are fully informed, we are not 'low information 'Glen Beck/Rush Limbaugh' voters, we know exactly what is going on. The amazing brave diarist on this site, that keep us up to date and informed, with the truth, is why I keep coming back: to learn, to grow, to be brave enough to face what we like to call here: a reality based community. (LOL..if you want to see fiction, go to Red State).
What I find, truly disheartening and strange, is that for the past few years, I have been following these nation wide polls, and I can hear Americans asking for just a little bit of justice, a return to accountability and the laws, a return to the American dream, so they don't have to work 3 part time jobs, with no benefits, so they can actually believe in their hearts, (as they volunteer like we all do for our own party) to believe in the system, that no one is listening anymore.
BTW, the polls I mentioned were just a few of those polls, and there were plenty of others, supporting the same projections by most Americans. Fact is most Americans wanted a public option and competition, fact is most Americans wanted a return to sane policies that originally conducted our key financial markets, with protections that held fast for centuries that were destroyed....fact is most Americans want the Rich to be taxed and the defense budget cut, before the Oligarchy comes after our final safety net.
This is not 'rocket scientist crap,' this is the basic soul of the American people, that is simply no longer being addressed in our nation. We all know, and agree our MSM has been sold to the Republican party Overlords, who simply refuse to discuss any real issues that matter to us.
Wish it were not so. But it is, and it does not do our own party any good whatsoever, to protect these blatant violations of most of the people in our nation.
Let us be braver than that, let us be more honest than that, let us remember where we came from and what we stand for as a party. We as a party, must remember our commonalities, and perhaps the most absolute worst way of conducting ourselves, is to deny these national polls, and where most Americans want to move. Not to the Right, not into the hands of the Republican Oligarchy/Supreme Court Takeover of our nation, but back into a sane, and progressive, fairness, whereby the Middle Class and the working poor can be restored again.
That is who we are as a party, and that is who we always shall be:
"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free." This quote comes from Emma Lazarus' sonnet, New Colossus.
That quote represents, everything about my own party. And I just love that. We are good, we are kind, we are loving. We always help each other out. Now all I am asking, is when will my own President hear that plea? We already paid, Mr. President, and we are simply tired of paying.
The American people keep speaking, but who is listening? Anyone?
I welcome your comments and an honest and civil debate at always.
Thanks so much, for letting me speak to you all.
Ms. B.