Wednesday, October 01, 2008

The Sky Is Falling, The Sky Is Falling

by Martha Marshall

How is one supposed to get inspired to create with all the negative forces pushing in on us at this moment? Right now it's difficult to get centered and be inspired. The world is going to hell in a handbasket and I feel powerless to shout loudly enough over the noise and tell everyone to stop the madness.

For the past few nights my sleep has been disturbed, or when I do sleep, I have dreams of intense dread involving swirling dark currents of water lapping up around a few small perches of refuge. As a result, I am constantly sleep deprived.

And all because our leaders and the mainstream media are once again trying to paralyze us with fear. They say the sky is falling. They say only we can save you. Put your trust in us, they say. Just like when we saved you from future terrorist attacks, and weapons of mass destruction, and bird flu, hurricanes, and killer bees. The current threats are just as scary, they say -- a falling stock market, a credit freeze with certain joblessness, disappearing nest eggs, the loss of our homes, and starving people in the streets.

They told us that we "must act immediately" to avert "certain disaster." They say we just don't understand the complexities of the problems confronting us, and if we did, we would stop all those silly phone calls to our elected representatives and protests and emails and get behind Congress to pass this bailout. I am insulted and angry that they keep saying I don't understand what is happening. Do they truly believe we are stupid? I keep screaming this at the TV, even when it's not on.

The bailout bill did not pass yesterday. The stock market fell but the sky didn't. It's not that we don't need to do something. But we don't have to have this bill. No other alternatives have even been discussed.

What was it that George W. said? Fool me once, shame on you, fool me . . . fool me can't get fooled again."



(Dina says: Martha is a contributing editor to the DWJ. This is her post from her most excellent blog An Artist's Journal from yesterday. I told her that I wanted her to post it here as well because it just sang to me when I read it! I've been having the same fitfull sleep over the state of the State, but I don't believe that giving away the coop to the skunks is the payback they deserve. Several dozens of crack economists say that there are other and more sensible ways to handle this crisis, including ways to protect We The People, otherwise known as the Great Unwashed to Wall Street Biggies.

Call, write, email your Reps until they get the same sleepless nights we have and think about the real people!)

7 comments:

Eric S. said...

I agree completely. There are other options that have not been explored.

“The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money.”
— Alexis de Tocqueville

Unknown said...

Hey Cowboy,

Let's all keep calling and writing the Chicken Littles until some sense returns to Congress.

NO to bailouts for billionaires!!

D

Unknown said...

P.S. I just told my friend Mary Cummings about this debacle:

They remind me of a date I had with Steve Buzbee when I was a teen. I kept saying, "No"!! and he kept trying to feel me up and get my drawers off until I knocked the shit out of him, and walked all the way home from Riverview.

Heather said...

Write, call, email, fax, and pray...all these things are being done by the masses...but I am left with the same question, over and over again. Where is our collective anger? where is your anger? I mean they burned down their own town in LA over the Rodney King/OJ thing....but now nothing? When the new jobless numbers at almost 500,000 new claims for unemployment for the last month...where is our anger. Where atre the marches, the protests on the steps, hell even turning over some cop cars and setting them on fire (not really) but something other than sitting at home and writing, and thinking and just being blissfully unaware...I have just that one question running through my head. Where is your anger? I mean we almost impeach a President for lieing about diddiling a page in the oval office, but mass murder and fear mongering, gets...nothing? Really? Watching the congress start the debate on the bill last night before the VP debate...some of the speakers warned of Marshall Law and riots will happen if they don't pass this bill. Oh, really? This is taxation with out representaion, the is economic terrorism, this is not only against the law of our Land but against the laws of logic. I'll tell you what...I know where my anger is...and I plan to light a match and set that beast on fire...it's go time...I'm pissed that both nominees backed this bill too...crap it don't matter who wins...in America anyone can be elected to the office of President...that's the risk you take. I don't know what's next (well I do, but that's another post) but I do know that I do not have to swallow this bitter pill without bitching real loud, marching on my own streets, screaming...bring out your live human...ring the bells...bring out your live Americans!

Vikki North said...

Hi Dina,
I had read Martha’s blog version. I think we’re all just completely exhausted at this point. Today Congress passed the bailout. I’m just stunned. Bush did a quick TV appearance–‘No worries. We’re putting safeguards on all.’

It’s just dumbfounding. Hopefully with the new administration our energy will be renewed and there will be a better tomorrow. Who knows?
Vikki

Unknown said...

Heather Love,

Honey. I gave up the raging long ago and opted for a slow, simmering boil. Anger at this point does nothing because we are not listened to by any representative.

All of it is a sham. What to do? Prepare. Stock up, pay off, get off the grid. Put your dollars into something that has real value in your hands. And wait.

Chapters ten, eleven and twelve are coming. I realized that critical mass was reached years ago. Now, not even the semblance of a scam is bothered with.

This should be fair warning to all of us 'citizens' that we don't account for anything to the powers that be. So I quit playing.

Love,
D

Unknown said...

Hey Vikki,

No surprise on the bailout. We could have seen it coming. All we could do was write and call asking those who are supposed to represent us to NOT pass the thing. They've been warned.

D