Michael Moore: People Still Have the Power

The Creeping Fascism of American Politics

FOCUS: States Unite Against Citizens United

Dimon's Deja Vu Debacle

Cut It Out: An Open Letter to Black Bloc Anarchists

This Is What Tyranny Looks Like

Intro: "'This is a movement that is not going to stop,' says filmmaker Michael Moore of the uprising in Madison, Wisconsin (and across the country - all 50 states held solidarity rallies this weekend). 'I knew sooner or later people would say they've had enough.'"

Portrait, Michael Moore, 04/03/09. (photo: Ann-Christine Poujoulat/Getty)

Comments

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+12 # m 2011-03-04 22:50

Governor Walker's efforts to take away COLLECTIVE Bargaining Rights from State Workers seem to me to be a part of the bigger, ongoing Rightwing plan to keep us all-- ALL of the American People together from being any kind of COLLECTIVE... any kind of WE THE PEOPLE... of any size and power capable of standing up to the 2% Global Corporate Wealthy Class and their greedy agenda and Wacked out Far Right Ideologues with Talk Shows.
Rightwing Media works 24/7 to divide Americans into straw man camps, to label us as this and that and then pit us against each other-- thus breaking up Our COLLECTIVE Power, the People Power of the Average, ordinary 98% of American People into small, contentious bits and pieces tearing away at each other over what is mostly Corporate Conservative Media driven nonsense. And what isn't nonsense to many Americans, is deliberately blown out of proportion and hyped and fanned through deliberately crafted vitriol, misinformation and outright lies into unreasonable ongoing states of national division, fear and anger.
We are being torn away, torn apart from each other. The concepts of 'We the People'..'Fellow Americans'... 'Neighbors'... 'Fellow Workers'... 'Fellow Citizens'... even 'Our Country' and 'Our Right to Assemble' are being reduced to rubble deliberately by the want and greed of the Corporate Rightwing.

+10 # Glen 2011-03-05 07:01

You are right m. This has been coming for quite a while, but has never been so obvious as now. The folks proceeding with the agenda to divide and conquer appear to know they have a power backing them that perhaps cannot be overcome. That gives them the confidence that is daunting to many citizens. Of course, many citizens are already cemented into their Us Against Them attitudes and will not be swayed into joining a collective dedicated to regaining freedoms or fighting to protect those rights and freedoms.

It is very hard to organize 300 million people.

+8 # DaveW. 2011-03-05 09:57

Glen, You're right to.Americans are so goddamned preoccupied with the latest fad or celebrity scandal that they ignore the very things that imperil their livelihoods.
You have to give up something to get something in return.This is the "me" generation,comp rised of large amounts of people across both age,gender and even ethnic groups.They dance around the eternal fire of wealth and power.They are NOT concerned with the general welfare of a neighbor,fellow citizens or their country as long as THEY are still living the lifestyle they feel they so RICHLY deserve.They generally have a limited, parochial view of history and often accede to the notion that GOD is making things happen for them because they are somehow SPECIAL.If you took away the cell phones,I-Phones,Video Games,Big Screen Tv's,Computers,and all the other gadgetry that has overwhelmed the human senses,THEN you'd see a mass realization that maybe we need to pay attention to the actions of those who would fetter us.We are CAPITALISTIC slaves,working (when possible) for a continually smaller piece of the pie,pitted against one another by nefarious men and women whose souls have been sold and lost in a netherworld of consumer consumption. "God" is merely a handy term to be used for false credentials and true allegiance to both planet and the fellow creatures who live upon it has been lost pursuing the "good life."

+8 # Glen 2011-03-05 17:29

There was a time when I blamed Americans for attitudes, but realized they cannot help being born into a culture of capitalism and technology. Spending a childhood awash in that technology is hard to overcome.

It would appear first hand experience will be the best teacher. But it may come too late. Gary Pierson relates his first hand experience, and I'll bet he has passed that along whenever possible.

We'll have to deal with reality as it is, not as we wish it to be. It ain't gonna be easy.

+2 # Gary Ray Pierson 2011-03-06 08:24

Thanks Glen and your absolutely right about getting 300 million people on the same wave length.. But it has happened.. WW2.. The French Resistance.. People may say they just gave Paris to em, but it was a hell of a lot better choice than having Paris turn into rubble... That way, instead of them bringing the fight to you.. You bring it and fight back on your own grounds.. Only reason the Indians lost is because of fire power and over whelming odds.. They(we) were over ran by superior forces.. Now Drones... What do you think they will use them for? Crop dusting?? You'll never know what hit ya.... God bless you and yours Glen, stay safe and hope for peace.. Or fight for it! garyray

+3 # Glen 2011-03-06 08:57

Past engagements were very different than what we would face in the U.S. today. Obviously, American citizens would have no help from abroad, and would face firepower never before seen in any war during the last century. France had help and is a much smaller country. The indians were overwhelmed by numbers and firepower, yes.

I don't think it possible to fight back except in skirmishes. With today's technology, there is absolutely nowhere to hide.

We shall see. All this effort to kill the U.S. for some future agenda remains a mystery as to WHY.

+1 # DaveW. 2011-03-06 10:15

Glen, "There was a time I blamed Americans for attitudes,but realized they cannot help being born into a culture of capitalism and technology." Kind of a sad eulogy Glen. You have to "admit" you have a problem before you can solve it. Americans aren't ready to do that. When we had a draft millions of Americans eventually protested the Vietnam War. Take away the cell phone of every American and young people in particular would be on the streets. "Dealing with reality" will ultimately involve "getting dirty." Too many Americans would rather "wash their hands" of the responsibility.

+3 # Glen 2011-03-06 10:42

I remember the draft well.

The U.S. is very isolated compared to countries in Europe, Africa and South America and elsewhere. There is little for citizens to fear, which is most often a driving force when countries are border to border with a threatening government or have their own dictatorial government and have experienced back to back wars.

The War Between the States has been commemorated, but even the losers of that war are of little understanding of the hideous trauma and death, maybe because the north rather much absorbed the south. No matter why, there's not much the average American is afraid of (except each other). Everything happens Over There, somewhere. Kids, especially don't understand, but it is not their fault that they have had an easy life, in spite of our poverty homelessness. I just hope they don't have to learn the hard way what serious suffering is.

+6 # Gary Ray Pierson 2011-03-05 11:07

Quoting

You are right m. This has been coming for quite a while, but has never been so obvious as now. The folks proceeding with the agenda to divide and conquer appear to know they have a power backing them that perhaps cannot be overcome. That gives them the confidence that is daunting to many citizens. Of course, many citizens are already cemented into their Us Against Them attitudes and will not be swayed into joining a collective dedicated to regaining freedoms or fighting to protect those rights and freedoms.

It is very hard to organize 300 million people.

Bingo! That's why they keep coming up with ways to keep us from Solidarity... Keep em divided and mad, since the fear has wore off.. Cpl. Pierson, 101st Vietnam.. But what do I know, I'm just an old man now, that use to get his head busted open protesting the Vietnam War and then got drafted.. Then I got shot, I killed and then some.. I saw the lies and still see them and hear them and am amazed at how complacent we have become.. Oh gee, my flat screen TV just went blank and I can't tweet any one!!!!!!!! Where's my cell phone??? GPS system??? Put it all down and use your minds and open your eyes.. Nothing like a few zombies to help out the GOP..... Gary Pierson

+8 # genierae 2011-03-05 05:52

The local Republican paper had a hit-piece today about how unions are losing power and becoming irrelevant. Not one word about Wisconsin's worker revolution. It made me sick to my stomach to realize that so many in this town will read it and believe it. They will refuse to fight for their own rights, they will make fun of those who do, and they will never watch anything other than Fox News. Make no mistake. A relatively small group of rich elites are trying to destroy the American middle class, and they will stop AT NOTHING to accomplish this. They've already stripped the poor of any rights, and now they want to break the backs of those who still have a good life. The middle class didn't stand up for the poor, I wonder if the poor will stand up for them now? War has been declared on us and we must come together against this onslaught. We must confront this evil with a nonviolent progressive movement, to be sustained as long as it takes. This is our last chance to unite as one people, against the tyranny of the rich. Egypt and Wisconsin are showing us how its done, all we have to do is follow their blueprint.

+8 # Windy126 2011-03-05 07:01

It ain't working here in Wisconsin. I am on the way to sign a petition to recall just enough Republican state senators so that the Democrats can come back home and vote down Walker's stupidity. I never cease to marvel at how dumb they think the average American is. It's not from want of trying on the part of the Koch bros. or others. Walker is trying to sell off Wisconsin's assets to the whom ever will cross his palm with silver. We have so much more than Union rights to lose. We have water. That commodity that is becoming increasingly rare in this world and which people throw away on nonsense when someday they will be willing to kill just for a glass of clean water. Do we really need "Water Parks"? We need water in Wisconsin for agriculture to feed people not for people to pee in. If we start shipping it out of state we will be royally screwed.
Everyone reading this should think of how their life would be affected if they had to ration water or did not have access to it. I once had to live for 4 months getting water for everyday out of old milk cans. It gave me nice arms, lifting and pouring out of them. Heat water on the stove to wash dishes, save the rinse water to mop the floor or flush the toilet. Fun!

0 # genierae 2011-03-06 18:11

Windy126: Speaking of water, the process of hydro-fracking has contaminated thousands of wells and still it is being touted as safe by the gas companies! This corporate Republican attack, if not stopped, will destroy what's left of our environment, and damage our schools beyond repair. This is serious business, people need to get involved if they want to live in a decent world where everyone counts.

0 # genierae 2011-03-07 06:11

I just heard this morning that the hundreds of mini-quakes in Arkansas are being attributed to hydro-fracking. When are we going to put a stop to the insane actions of corporations and their Republican flunkies? This country belongs to all of us, not just to the rich elites. Its time they were made aware of that fact!

0 # Glen 2011-03-07 11:23

Yes, genierae, the fracking in Arkansas is the source of tremors and there is a moratorium on the injections until further investigations can be carried out. Citizens in states everywhere it is happening are beginning to fight against the practice.

+6 # DPM 2011-03-05 08:34

Of course, Glen is right. But Glen, join the solution and fight. There have always been people that "hang back" and let others do the work for them. The vast majority of people in this country, benefited from the courage of those that joined or supported unions, even when many "played it safe" and didn't participate. And, that will happen again. So what! It is up to those of us that believe in our ideals to fight for them. Everyone on this page, so far, believes we need to cast off the spell of corporate criminals and force the "Peoples" representatives to do what is best for the people of this country, not those attempting (and so far succeeding) in raping us. Join and enlist others.
Stop the tyranny!

+8 # Glen 2011-03-05 09:52

I didn't say to not resist, I said it will be difficult. Also, it just might turn seriously ugly if citizens push too hard. Guess you have read about the coming drone sites proposed, to be set up in New York, Oregon, and elsewhere. There is no way to declare these drones will not be used against citizens.

The amount of power being garnered by the wealthy and those aiding and abetting could easily become our worst nightmare. Ever talked to anyone from a country that had the government turn on them? The U.S. just might not ever recover.

Of course, it isn't just the middle class being taken down - it is the poor becoming VERY poor.

+5 # don fahrney 2011-03-05 13:01

Sorry Michael, the people have no power, never have, never will. How do you think we got here, man you are naive to the max. We are a divided, ill informed, ignorant society who will go down in flame due to our own stupidity.

0 # genierae 2011-03-06 18:14

Mr Fahrney: That's what the Egyptian people used to think. We must open our mind to new possibilities, negative attitudes bring on negative conditions.

+6 # Clayton Stouffer 2011-03-05 15:35

I am sorry to say that I think don fahrney is closer to the truth than Michael Moore, but I hope Michael wins the argument. In the meantime, don and the rest of us had better get busy TAKING ACTION. One way to actually engage significantly is to go to www.actionsources.org which site directs you to some of the organizations that are working to overturn the treasonous ruling in the "Citizens United" (fake group) which removes all restrictions on corporate spending on supporting the candidates of their choice, including some foreign corporations. THIS IS THE ISSUE that trumps all other issues BECAUSE this Supreme Court decision will put the final nail in coffin of our tattered democracy and will lead to a fascist corporate state which will snuff all other issues.

+4 # Glen 2011-03-05 17:12

There is no longer three branches of government. There is a merger being agreed upon and all are as one. The "Supreme Court" is nothing more than an arm of the agenda that appears to be more neo-con agenda. So - you are correct, Clayton Stouffer, that court's decisions will end the era of U.S. endeavors, which were pretty much a myth once the little colonies began to expand and the world became more complicated, even for the non-elites.

+4 # Tom 2011-03-05 22:03

I agree that we are stupid but I disagree that we don't have the power. When Republicans speak they speak with one voice. When Democrats speak they speak like a bunch of independents, each with a greedy agenda. To me the Republicans have an agenda to crush the middle class and they are doing it quite well by breaking our unions, giving away public school dollars to private schools, cutting back funding to education, teaching to the lowest school student so that "No one is left behind" and by allowing big corporations to buy our elections. Hey we use to have the brightest students in the world and now we aren't even in the top ten. It makes me sad to see these other countries fighting for Democracy when we in the United States are just giving ours away. What we need to do is quit bashing Democrats for not getting things done when they lack the votes to do so. We need to get Democrats to be less greedy and start speaking as one. We need to get Democrats to point out the fallacies of the Republican rhetoric. In 2008 the Republicans lost control and they rolled up their sleeves to take it back. Now after the 2010 elections Democrats need to do the same. In Pa. 46% of union voters voted Republican in 2010. Why? Today it is the unions and tomorrow we will be going back to company stores and company housing and will the big corporations will become our "Big Brother."

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