Absolutely. Wonderfully stated and IMHO, exactly right.

I voted for Obama and am still proud, glad and believe in his abilities, goals and trustworthiness!

While I've been disappointed in his not moving immediately forward to cease Don't Ask Don't Tell for military service and in the initial flawed rollout of HCR - I comprehend that he has information we are not privy to, as well as the System to work within and confront.

I've done some research and acquired greater understanding of the basis for his response to both issues.

The horrific quagmire that is our government 'system' didn't evolve overnight and it will take We, The People to reconstruct it to be what we need. After all, it's because of us it is what it is! Daresay We, The People, are much more at fault than Obama!

Thanks much (and your little chickadee friend too!).

Rec'd

Here's something to ponder:

On TPM, people chuckle that the people on the mall want to inflate their numbers from 60-70K to 1 million. Okay, that's an inflation factor of about 15x or so.

However, when there was the "big" demonstration this summer promoting healthcare reform (HealthCare NOW! sponsored), what where the TPM estimates? I seem to recall about 1000.

Suppose we inflated that figure 15 times?

Even inflated 15 times, the leftist rally didn't produce the numbers that the rightist rally did in fact.

The problem is the system? BS!

The problem is the populace. Obama was elected because people were vocal and very vocal.

Now they mostly blog.

The "system" is the problem? How would the left even know what the system is? They essentially washed their hands of the process the day after the election.

The last great demonstrations in this country didn't take place 40 years ago, they were 20 years ago: it was the anti-nuke. (Please let's not discuss relative size between the civil rights and the anti-nukes.) If the healthcare reform movement had the size of the anti-nukes, you'd see a totally different action on the news...and in Congress.

Because, like'em or hate'em, the people in DC today show they care -- and that they care more than those merely whining about the situation.

The system? Sounds like an awfully convenient defeatist attitude to me. Justifies the inaction.

If the so-called "mouth-breathers" can organize to at least 60-70K, how come the people on the left can't?

Now that is something to ponder.

LisB, I'm sorry I wasn't there during the wee hours to defend your original idea, because I think what you said about the "System" has a lot of merit.

Obama is fighting against Big Money, and Big Money is a most formidable enemy. They've managed to recruit legions of soldiers in the form of everyday citizens, convincing them of all kinds of absurdities, not least of which is that government is bad and Big Money is good.

Gordon Gekko: Greed is good. They're buying it. When I saw pictures from Saturday's Tea Party Rally I was stunned at some of the signs being waved--

No Health Care Reform - NONE.

Charity is not a Constitutional Function of our Government.

Joe McCarthy was Right.

Brought to you by BC/BS.

Pictures of Obama as the Joker and as Che Guevara.

All designed to keep the Insurance Companies profitable and Big Money in its rightful place at the TOP.

What world are these people living in? You can argue until Kingdom Come whether the numbers in attendance are meaningful--but then you lose sight of the fact that Big Money is winning.

So, Lis, it IS as simple as The System. It's working against us as a country and the only way to combat it is to call it what it is. Runaway greed and selfishness.

You can fight it from within and without and break it down into sub-Systems, but the enemy is the entrenched System that is threatening to destroy us if we don't organize against it. We need to fight the big picture. If we break it down into a million little skirmishes we don't have the manpower or the strength to fight the main battle.

You were right, Lis, and I thought your argument was well thought out. You don't need to apologize for writing it. You were right.

I'm sorry you've lost your job. I am just so sorry. As usual, I feel helpless when I hear things like this, but if there's anything you need. . .

If you think rallies are important, by all means organize them. If you think money is important, by all means, keep giving it. Give your time and money in the ways that you can.

But keep in mind that the President didn't win the election because of the turnout for his rallies. There was turnout for his rallies because of the countless volunteers on the ground in every state, walking door to door and making phone calls--every night and all day Saturday and Sunday--talking to their friends and neighbors about why we needed change in Washington and why they thought Barack Obama personified that change. That's the real grassroots effort, but it's hard, slow work that doesn't get the recognition it deserves because it's way more fun to get thousands of people together chanting in a gym.

All around the country, there are still volunteers knocking on doors, talking to people about health care, explaining, one person at a time, what the reform plan is all about and patiently debunking the lies and half-truths. If you want to make an impact, consider joining them. It's not that our side isn't energized. The energy is being channeled into meaningful work.

Nice to have you back !

So you've decided to take on The System, eh?

At least you've done some homework on the subject:
a) The System itself;
b) It's one big machine;
c) Treat it as such.

But what kind of a machine are we talking about here? That's the important question.

My own take is The Machine is like a transmission with multiple gears that move mostly in a forward direction, but has the ability to reverse itself when necessary.

Now this transmission is finely tuned and slips into gears with the slightest of efforts when it's used correctly. Unfortunately, during the last eight years those who were driving it had no idea how to use a clutch so they kept reving up the engine and jamming the stick into gear hoping they could get the rpms at the right speed so they wouldn't need to use the clutch(yes you can do it so long as you have the spare cash available to rebuilt it when it falls apart a few years later).

Now Obama knows how to use a clutch, but the transmission is in dire need of repair simply because those clowns who jammed up the works are still fighting over who's turn it is to drive. He needs to take charge of the wheel and get the transmission repaired. Until he does that, were in for a jerky ride.

The System is not to be feared, it's to be used - you just need to know how to use it to get the desired results you're looking for. Of course, it doesn't help matters much where there are people out there hellbent on making sure the transmission doesn't get fixed because they know if it does, Obama will takeoff with it and they be stuck in the tourist seats and only able to watch where we go.

There is nothing wrong with this post, Lis.

None.

In Alchemy, you are currently in a caramelised state. Hurt, vulnerable and disillusioned. This is when you can recognize the veil of Maya... The bars of the prison.

It's okay. This is where you have the opportunity to rebuild yourself and survive. This where lead can become gold.

Don't give up.

There is a system. It is microcosmic and macrocosmic, subtle and obvious, like water to a fish. The big pieces are the calendar and clock. Small pieces are things like money and manners. Money is a conversion of energy and manners are a barrier of class. Current and structure, like water being irrigated.

Some of the structure is created by virtue of scientific law. Gravity, genetics, and volitional consciousness. But quite a bit of it is imposed-- civilization.

I judge a tree by its fruit. The United States has by and large produced a lot of rotten fruit. This is keeping with the finest traditions of civilization. You see, we have this bad habit of letting the system self-sustain. This creates an artificial intelligence where citizens perpetuate civilization without understanding what they are perpetuating. Before you know it, we estimate our intrinsic value in relation to our nation. So we ignore its faults and identify with its heroes. And we, above all, play by the rules of the game.

So let's take Obama. He needa to grow a pair. How exactly does this happen? Examine his biography. He has excelled by a combination of talent, tenacity, and conformity. There is nothing anti-establshment in his character. He is where he is because he is good at the game. How do an of us expect him to change or break the rules?

And as far as crowd size managimg to change fuckall, those days are over. I was part of the anti-war protests in San Francisco. I was a member of ANSWER. I attended conferences and sit-in with people like Alexander Cockburn. The numbers were huge and the rallies were regular. Hundreds of thousands. Millions across the planet. Yet Saddam still got his deadline and daisy-cutters still mowed down Afghan villages.

The show went on. So blaming the failure of progressivism on a lack of visible activism is bogus. The real power is money and feet on the ground. And now the SCOTUS is conveniently going to pull the plug on that.

Go figure.

So, in conclusion, there is a system. History and anthropology lay it out plainly. The world's wisdom traditions discuss it openly. And they both indicate that the level of force necessary to change the system is enormous and time-exhaustive.

Right now, Obama is coming on the heels of a sixty year rightward pendulum swing. The counterpressure to move it leftward have been constant and heroic. But it will take more time. For every Great Society there is a Keating 5 or a "just" war.

In my opinion, reforming the System requires understanding its components and dedicating your life to changing one aspect in a sacred image.

I chose child abuse because not only is the suffering unnecessary but it creates a compliant and anxious population. Everything else politically and personal is ancillary to this goal.

So pick your piece and focus mightily on its revolution. Otherwise, the social system will scatter your energy on the crisis of the moment. And you will go to your grave wondering about your contribution.

Anyway, that's enough.

He wanted to change the system, of course, really did.

But he underestimated the monied interests, the haters, the Swift-boater organizers, Bigots and Buttheads, and nitwits willing to sign up for sedition ("I want my country back!"). He gave them all a chance, though.

You're right that we need to attack this twisted perversity.

And here are your simple fucking answers, CT.

The people who showed up in DC today were really "average" Americans.

ROTFLMAO.

We need a whistle around here for when the blivet of misinformation starts his pompous leaking.

There was maybe one person at the rally that could be classified as non-white. And I'm not sure he wasn't an accident. And how many average citizens dress up for a stroll down the Mall looking like demented George Washingtons? Yes, indeedy. Flag polling at its best by 'average citizens'.

...despite it's own attempts to do so, the left can't even produce that! [60-70,000]

Nov. 15, 2008. anti-Proposition 8 protests garnered over one million in 300 cities.
Sept. 24, 2005. Cspan figured 500,000 at the anti-War against Iraq Rally.
April 25, 2004. March for Women's Lives had an estimated 500,000-800,000 by the BBC and AP.

Those are off the top of my head. Just had to look up the numbers. There are many more, but you're not worth it.

Q. How many teabaggers does it take to change a light bulb?

A. None. They prefer to stay in the dark.

You are so full of grand delusions, there aren't any left for the rest of us. Take some medication. Take a lot of it. Stock up on celery.

Nice post, Lis.

There are so many things I want to say about this that I don't know where to start. But I think I'll boil it all down to this -

There is a severe epidemic of Short Term Memory loss on the left, apparently, if some of us are at all sanguine about turning our backs on Obama and refusing to support him or the Democrats or vote Democratically again. They must have forgotten two things:

No administration or president is perfect and no administration or president belongs solely to one side or the other.

The only thing I have ever experienced that came close to perfection was how perfectly horrible it was here when the Republicans had the majority.

I don't ever want to see them get the majority again and I sure don't want this bunch of Republicans in particular coming back to power. These people are nowhere near as reasonable or serious about leadership as Richard M. Nixon was.

The left cannot afford to turn their backs on the Democrats - there is only one alternative to a Democratic majority - a Republican majority.

OMG....Lis you have really stirred up a hornets nest with this blog. :-)

C

"The System" isn't "one single unit" unless you get all macro and understand that The System is an economic order that puts wealthy corporate interests (and those of corporate heads) before those of the rest of us people. And, while I can get behind the writer's appeal to "pool our efforts to not only WORK The System, but Beat It," I'm here to tell ya, you won't beat it without a systemic revolution (emphasis on "revolution") that makes the little ideological shift in the structure of how health insurance is delivered look like an ACTUAL tea party.

"He has the right thoughts in mind, and the right spirit.....it's just that The System that's in place won't allow him to do what he wants to do."

Exactly.

And a big, big part of that system is a media that both intentionally and by the nature and structure and norms of its own system works to frustrate what Obama wants to do and by extension what we want him to do.

I doubt seriously that anyone in the nation understands that better that Obama and his key advisers. Anything they say or propose will be attacked, misrepresented and frustrated as soon as it is reported, so the Obama administration does not say anything to them until it is time to use them to reach his real audiences. He speaks to the public when the time comes that public action is required, and he speaks to Congress when Congressional action is required. In the meantime he works to placate the media and to quell the right-wing and media lies.

He also takes on the top priority first and does not create additional enemies ahead of time. DADT is for after health care reform because health care reform is a lot more important to a lot more people.

I think Clinton learned a lot of this after his health care debacle and the 1994 election losses. Obama ran his campaign with that in mind and brought it in with him.

That's damned unsatisfying for us wonks.

Obama is the only visible target to take that frustration out on. After all, he DID promise change and it's been seven whole months since the disaster - Bush - left office and took his minions into exile with him.

Hey Lis! Been a while. Missed you and all (hugs).

I like where you're going with this. The System is a very real dynamic. It exists as a struggle for control between government power and corporate power. The result is rarely something good for people. As a rule, neither one is often interested in people. But the ironic part is that people created the System. It's not some god; it's merely a reflection of our own desires. It's an extension of us. It is that shadow part of ourselves.

For those reasons, progressive solutions are well intended, but play into the hands of the System. Single payer or government-run insurance companies would simply shift power from corporate control into government control. And while that's a nice short-term solution, you can bet that corporate power would wrestle control away within a decade. In fact, any health system motivated by profit is -- by definition -- self-defeating.

What makes sense though, is a health system motivated by health; long-term profit would be a byproduct of health as opposed to the end of health. Of course I'm talking about non-profit co-operatives. And this is precisely why all Republicans are against co-ops: the power would move out of the System and into the hands of people. Patients would run the show. And that is a business model which the insurance companies do not want to compete against.

This can take place within the Exchange (by 2013). And it will take that long to network non-profit organizations, but they are already out there and will grow exponentially. While the System is a reflection of our collective shadow, the non-profit business model is a reflection of our better Angels. We should embrace it.

"He has the right thoughts in mind, and the right spirit"

I'm not sure how to formulate this without offending a lot of people around here. But I think the secret of Obama's success - and I think he has been successful and will continue to be successful in getting what he wants - is that the System thinks he is working for it, and leftists working against the system think he is working for them. Hence the lack of vigorous activism on the part of the latter.

From what I've seen, on HCR, banking reform, bailouts, judicial policy, foreign policy, I tend to think the System is right. Is he perhaps playing a long game in three-dimensional space chess, undermining the System from within? Could be, but I can't see it.