That's what I want to know.
We have a Democratic administration in Washington.
We have an escalation of police being militarized.
We are seeing the takeover of our public police force by corporations. Corporates hire the police we pay for with our tax dollars... to protect them from us. It is amazing.
And, fyi, the bail outs? Fought for and pushed by Democrats in Washington in 2008 and still being carried out ...
Updated with links provided by cosmic debris:
When the Police Go Military
How the Feds Fueled the Militarization of Police
How the War on Terror Has Militarized the Police
The Militarizing of Local Police
cross posted at writing in the rAw
I'm reading with horror so many posts at Daily Kos, for one, that illustrate the descent into a police state. Just today:
ALL HOLY HELL HAS BROKEN OUT IN OAKLAND. Many Updates.
Updated:With Police Attack Video-Occupy Oakland: Livestream of March and Police Response
and then there are posts like these:
POLICE STATE: Ailing 83-Year-Old Activist Priest Held in Solitary Confinement in Federal Prison
RIP Florence Cioffi Wall Street's most infamous killing
I listened to President Obama's SOTU address. There was not one mention of brutality of police towards #OWS protesters.
It seems the prominent (and prominently first) issues for Obama: war, cars, and oil. Can you imagine that he actually had the nerve to say that because of the war in Iraq, we are not only safer, but more respected around the world. Safer??? More respected for the mess we left? Really??? Well, I'd venture to say that those people in the #OWS movement don't feel safer.
There is a disconnect somewhere. Maybe it is me. Maybe I'm missing something here.
But really... I don't think so. The world and those in control are turning ideals and ideas upside down.
We need to get local, take control of our local offices, police, sheriff, state police.
National politics is the wrong place for our energy. We don't hold sway there.
I have to ask Daily Kos and its editors to consider less front page coverage of inane and apparently insane Republicans. We need more posts generating discussions and doable ideas about how we take our country back... real analysis of Obama and national Democrats... are they working for us?
We need credible advice, analysis, and ideas on forming local groups or shaking up existing Dem clubs, begin sane conversations with our neighbors... what kinds of tools do we need to match local credit unions with viable small businesses that could use some help and, if successful, could go a long way to reviving local/regional economies.
But if we continue to neglect main street and consolidate economies, we lose independence, power, freedom, and stability. imho. Not to mention cheap goods are the most expensive stuff we buy... basing economy on cheap is killing us, main street, and our freedom.
We need to look at our problems in new ways and maybe some old ways. But whatever our ideas and solutions... I can tell you conventional, brand Democrats, those professionals left/progressives (hahahaha) types in Washington are part of the fire slowly being stoked by the 1% as we frogs are being scalded.to.death.