many thanks, JnH.

You hit this out of the park! It seems that we're going through an all out assault from this administration and congress, doesn't it? The hits just keep on coming and I'm afraid to see what next year is going to bring.

Are we there yet?

Wishing you all a happy and merry revolution in the next year. One in which we 99 percent can survive and prosper and be happy. I can't wait til this year is over. Good Riddance with it.

Let's seize the year 2018.

Nearly every issue we face as a nation is caught in the grip of corruption.

They spend billions influencing America’s government. We give them trillions in return.

Source

Learn how we can fix this ourselves.

...excellent essay and so nice to see so many of your excellent political cartoons.

I think we will need to band together with like minded folks as we ride into 2018. I personally think the corporate coup is complete and all political channels have been clogged by the elite and their minions. Community avenues still exist to improve our lives and those of our neighbors.

1. Are you optimistic about the future?
2. For now, are progressives politically ascendant, or is it just a mirage?
3. Will the current political climate lead to a world reborn in coming years?
4. Are the problems of the country best resolved within, or outside the political process?
5. Does your participation in politics even matter?
6. How can you effectively contribute to this ongoing debate?
7. Looking deep into your crystal ball, do have any predictions for the future?

1. Weirdly, Yes. But not pain-free.
2. Yes. Even those who don't talk about it, or seem to be on the "right" know deep down - hence their defensiveness.
3. Climate change will lead to a world reborn.
4. Outside
5. I don't think it matters much.
6. Mimi's answer - "don't talk, walk"
7. No prediction other than climate will continue to kick our butts. All we can do is take one moment at a time. This moment I am going to work on the laundry.

Happy New Year everyone!

I await, at some point perhaps today, a replacement car battery to be delivered and installed. Of course, my snowplow guy's truck is broken so I will still be stuck here because my car will never make it back up my driveway. And my walking is not so safe now.

Are you optimistic about the future? Not for me.
For now, are progressives politically ascendant, or is it just a mirage? Not sure.
Will the current political climate lead to a world reborn in coming years? Yes.
Are the problems of the country best resolved within, or outside the political process? Outside.
Does your participation in politics even matter? It's a good debate question.
How can you effectively contribute to this ongoing debate? Withhold funding.
Looking deep into your crystal ball, do have any predictions for the future? Climate change will get us.

Good riddance to 2017. We had our eyes opened to some of the problems that have infected our system of self-regulation by governance. Loopholes.

Are the problems of the country best resolved within, or outside the political process?

We sure have a lot of early risers around here. Hat tip to Naked Capitalism, a related suggestion:

The headline: “Stop Writing ‘Trump’s America’ Profiles” [US News]. The deck: “Those of us who live here want to read about solutions, not be treated like foreign curiosities.” More: “We don’t want to diagnose Trumpism. We want the antidote. And you’d be surprised how many Trump voters do too. He’s a middle-finger to a broken system, not a means to fix it.” As I kept saying…

The embedded link:

https://www.usnews.com/opinion/thomas-jefferson-street/articles/2017-12-...

The Center Left Neoliberal Democrats are the problem, not the solution. The M$M is the problem, not the solution. Personally, I raise my Spiced Rum & Apple Cider hot toddy in a toast to the Democratic Socialists of America as the only genuine antidote to Trumpism.

Good to see you here, JnH!

It's good to read you here. Marilyn's answers reflect my feelings. Everyday is a day if anticipation. At least for me. I don't dwell, but I check on things. What can I do? Write letters? Check. Call my congress critters? Check. But things can turn on a dime. Thanks for being here.

Happy New Year, c99p!

but wanted to at least check in tonight for a minute.

First, let me say how good it is to we you back. At TOP I was a big fan, and would look forward to your collection of political cartoons. Your thorough piece on the Spanish Civil War is a tour de force.

After Obama I said I would never go in that deep again for electoral politics, dedicating myself to canvassing door to door, donating, making calls, etc. But Bernie's Occupy message melted my heart. I never heard a poltcian speak so clearly and with such focus on the fundamental problems. I'm still angry at how it was stolen from him (let's call it what it was).

Biggest disappointment for me about the people in this country who'vr been led by the nose by the MSM is how gullible and fear-laden they've been made by such a feckless and craven attempt to distract with this farcical Russian Red Herring Mania meltdown from a) that $hills was a horrible, thoroughly disliked candidate who couldn't get 500 people in a gym, and b) that Bernie was cheated badly by both the DNC and the MSM, while packing stadiums and generating a massive coalition of young voters and volunteers. All of that amazing energy was snuffed out by those thugs, potentially a whole generation turned off to corrupt politics. For all that I'll never forgive the Democrats.

I have to say also, that the Las Vegas shooting almost turned me into a misanthrope. Mass murder accepted as routine. And then the MSM buried the story. With Net Neutrailty on the chopping block and the most sinister money grab of the #GOPTaxScam, I'm not feeling too good about the human race, especially the denizens of this country. With two kids now its not the best place to be. But I'm resolved to teach them another way, and mist importantly always question authority and learn empathy and compassion.

The Secret KGB Manual for Recruiting Spies - 1st in a 3 part series by @michaeldweiss the never-before-published KGB manual sheds light on current news, such as Papadopoulos & 'the professor' Joseph Mifsudhttps://t.co/QxW9lHh5P9

— Wendy Siegelman (@WendySiegelman) December 27, 2017

Havent posted here in months though I lurk from time to time, but seeing a J&H thread inspired me to log in, especially to discuss this last crazy year.

1. Are you optimistic about the future?

This is not an easy question for I see both hopeful and desperate possible futures, though our current direct path is absolutely disasterous there are a couple of positive glimmers. Trump is the oligarchy unchained lacking the usual tempering of the political class trying to keep up appearances, so by the time hes done in office no one who cares will be wondering how bad it really is, the country will be as awake as it can be. The other is what looks like a progressive movement to get real people into political positions while Bernie looks like hes dotting his Is and crossing his Ts for 2020 with Our Revolution being pragmatic to get allies in Congress (I have more to say in this later).

So my view of the future looks like being on a runaway train no one really realized was runaway until our sleeping conductor accidently knocked the lever to full steam, which has caused dangerous swaying making people aware of the imminent danger so there are now people running to the locomotive to hit the breaks, but we can only wait and see if they get there in time before the whole thing flies off the track.

2, For now, are progressives politically ascendant, or is it just a mirage?

Absolutely though that doesnt mean it cant all just fade back to a mirage anyway, but at the moment progressives have more voice and influence than in decades. Bernie went from 3% to just barely losing even with the entire establishment cheating and working against him, you know that scared the shit out of them.

I see Bernie making sure next time he doesnt lose, using the momentum from the primary to build an unstoppable juggernaut that they cant even cheat to stop, looking where he got from 3% playing it by ear, imagine him starting at 45% with all the experience he has gained. The Dems will know hes unstoppable and wont let him run in the party next time, but I think he knows this too and is using the party to gather as much support as possible before being forced to break (I believe this is why he didnt accept the draft, he needs inside access to the party while he can get it).

Then he will be forced to run 3rd party but with the cover of the Dems forcing him, thus alienating far fewer voters and then we will see if America is ready to save itself or if its just too late and resistance is futile

3, Will the current political climate lead to a world reborn in coming years?

Reborn to me means from the ashes which very well could be the future, but i think its far more likely we take back control of the government starting a repair process, more standard wonky legislation over time than some sudden glorious rising phoenix. Of course if all goes to shit, then it will probably take some future pseudo second revolution that then will cause a rebirth, but the time between could be decades in some dystopia.

4, Are the problems of the country best resolved within, or outside the political process?

Best? Yes they are best resolved within the political system which allows a changing of directions with out too much chaos, because if we are forced to go outside it will get ugly. We as a nation of people have the power to override the oligarchy simply through voting, that is the most effecient means of applying our power with reasonable control, outside the system control is lost and unbridled power can cause all sorts unintended consequences and as such is the last resort.

5. Does your participation in politics even matter?

As a voter, not really since voting lacks broader influence. As a political butterfly adding my personal flaps to the collective storm is far more meaningful, just in showing another voice of reason in the wilderness can help push a movement or an idea in ways just a private vote cant.

6.How can you effectively contribute to this ongoing debate?

By flapping my little butterfly wings

7. Looking deep into your crystal ball, do have any predictions for the future?

There is never absolute victory, no matter how good or bad things look at any moment, it can all change very quickly, so i predict the slave planet utopia the global oligarchs are working towards will never come to pass because on the path the giant game of monopoly will become so unsustainable that either the players put the game away neatly in self preservation or the masses will burn the board and pieces to the ground.

I am still spending time with family and have been traveling over the last week, so I have not read all the comments on this essay before putting my own thoughts down. Bur here goes anyway...

Are you optimistic about the future?
I believe we are in for an upheaval in the near future, but being an optimist by nature, I believe that it may lead to a better world in the long term.

For now, are progressives politically ascendant, or is it just a mirage?
In general, progressive ideas have always been popular with the general public when presented to the masses individually. For example, do you support Medicare? Or do you support Social Security? These are progressive ideas that are broadly supported across the political spectrum among the general public. The problem lies with our elected officials who act as gatekeepers against the public interest and in favor of the donor and lobbyist classes.

Will the current political climate lead to a world reborn in coming years?
It must if humanity is to survive.

Are the problems of the country best resolved within, or outside the political process?
The wording of this question could be taken two ways. The first implies public/private partnerships or the privatization of government services. But my answer is not predicated upon that assumption so I may be misreading this question.

I have posted here and elsewhere that I am a firm believer that all real change comes from the bottom up. In other words, in order to get change, we the people must form social movements to push the gatekeepers into a political corner in which there is no other recourse than to act to effect that change.

Does your participation in politics even matter?
At this point, I believe our participation in organized politics of the duality has little effect, except perhaps at the local level.

How can you effectively contribute to this ongoing debate?
This question gets to why I participated in a local Peace vigil for over four years. I may not be able to change the entrenched minds of the politicians who are dependent upon the donor class, but I can educate and potentially change the minds of the people. This gets back to my belief in social movements as the way to effect real change.

Looking deep into your crystal ball, do have any predictions for the future?
This is a tough one. We are already seeing a slow unraveling of entrenched powers among the political class and some of the deep state. I am referring to the revelations of the Q anon posts on 4chan and 8chan. How far this will go is anyone's guess, but there does seem to be a neutering of sorts happening. Will it lead to real change or will a new evil class supplant the old evil class? Without the dismantling of the deep state and MIC, it may take an outside force (economic, perhaps?) to reel in the crumbling US empire.

Will Some Things Never Change?
I hope. Without a belief in the innate goodness of most of humanity, we can not have hope for a better world. I personally believe that most people are good. It is just the evil ones who have been driving the ship of state for far too long. It is time for goodness to prevail.

Great essay JnH!