much reason for hope, although I'm not in the greatest mood today! I had a conversation with a co worker, very smart woman, who is most likely voting for Trump because she thinks illegal immigration is THE biggest problem in this country. I tried arguing, I really did, and she commented on how angry I am about this too. It is the willful ignorance that drives me just nutso, the idea that anyone could buy into this whole shitty marketing scheme just makes the anger burn more. And it's depressing as hell to know that people I thought were rational humans are not even close when it comes to our "elections" in this country.

There are days I really wish I could stop caring about it but I know that's not possible for me anymore.

Now it is threading the needle of electoral politics in the campaign of a man uniquely qualified for this moment. A campaign banished from the spotlight but spreading underground with upset victories and unprecedented participation levels. And we have unique leverage, together, at this moment in history, where a few donations and a few hours phonebanking can turn the tide. The obliviousness of the MSM and the deluded DNC machine is a blessing in disguise. There is plenty of time for despair later, we are still fighting, and we are winning. Unlearn the helplessness, make some phone calls. Connecting with people out there will revive you, people know more than we imagine, and the media's silence hurts them more than Bernie.

...my children's future and very lives are at stake...

Bernie was genius in running in the Democratic party and he has succeeded in exposing them for what they really are.

That's a fact, Jack, and that alone keeps me hanging on to hope that a revolution really is brewing. People are sure starting to catch on. You and I might not see the end result, but it's happening. I'll go to my grave believing it...

he knows what is afoot at the convention. I don't know what his plan is going forward, but Clinton winning on the first ballot won't knock the wind out of his sails. I'm pretty sure his plan isn't settling for adjusting the wording on page 17 of the party platform.

Then Come Back Tomorrow Kickin'.

I have no idea what Bernie is cooking up. I trust him. I am willing to follow him to the end. IF he doesn't get the nomination, I want him to bolt and run third party. If he means anything he said about the state of the world and Hillary, I believe he has a moral obligation to do so. Sawant is doing everything she can to encourage a third run with Stein as his VP in the Green Party.

This election process is so corrupt, Hillary is an illegitmate as Bush. If we can't achieve success from within the party, I want to burn it all down.

If nothing else we have a front row seat from which to witness the apocalypse. But, even better, we need to look at this as having hit bottom. There's no way to go but Up, and we're on the right side of history. Either way it's going to be fun to watch, participate in.

in the front garden after our Elm's demise.

I will take pleasure in that. And watch it grow and enjoy the birds that find it of use.

And fly a flag that the neighbors will quiz me about.

Small things.

Who will carry Bernie's cause forward?

Elizabeth Warren,
Gabby Tulsi,
Jeff Merkley,
Keith Ellison,
Russ Feingold

????

Somebody should.

Many should.

Don, I have a couple of encouraging things to say:

The kids have got this!

https://donfordwriting.com/2016/05/06/bernie-told-us-hes-in-we-must-cont...

and >

remember.. these are the children of our children's children.. and we did a great job keeping the 'hope' alive.. through and in them.. we lived out the dream... that is on the road... to the end of one worldview and the beginning of another... Even Nature has voted for #BirdieSanders

Kathy

don
thanks for your writings, don't be lonely, many see it the same way.

Don, I want to tell you a personal story of mine.

Years ago, a decade or so back. I came to the point in this life where I was contemplating leaving this world. I don't mean is some dramatic way.. but I had honestly come to the end of myself and this life and could no longer see any reason or hope for any reason to continue. I was "literally thinking of leaving" ... As it happened a young friend of mine (at the last minute) swung by my gallery and convinced me to go with her to a 'goddess festival'.. all women at a resort on an island.. "invitation only" ... so, I was not expected by the hostess.. I tell you this part to reinforce that what I am about to tell you was not a 'set-up'...
While at this goddess festival I happened to wander outside into the beautiful back lawn area..where a Tarot Reader was reading the cards of another attendee... I'd never had anyone read cards for me.. I didn't particularly believe in it or not... but I decided it would be fun!
When my turn came (no charge) and I sat down.. the Tarot Reader.. (a very average looking middle-aged woman, no pretense) laid out the cards and began to read them.. then out of nowhere she stopped.. looked up at me and said.. "I have a message for you. You've been considering leaving... I want you to know .. You can leave if you want to.. you have completed the agreement we made.. you have fulfilled your part of the bargain.. so, if you want to go... that's okay..but... I want to tell you something... in the coming years.. our world is going to facing extremely difficult conditions.. storms and natural disasters.. suffering and all sorts of challenges that will not be pleasant for mankind... IF .. you decide to stay...the deal is this... It's the same as the last time... You'll not be told 'what' or 'when'.. there is no ending date.. (in other words you won't be told when you will die) just like the last agreement. (no, it's not a two-way contract it is a one-sided contract, as before) ... I just want you to know "WE COULD REALLY USE YOUR HELP!" .. And then she looked down and began reading the cards for my personal tarot......

That said.. Don....in the spirit of what it means to live in this world, WE COULD REALLY USE YOUR HELP! .. just so you know... You are not alone... there are legions of us.

Kathy

that the movement will last beyond this election. There is a gradual shift. Unfortunately I don't think it's necessarily a fast one.

I think that we need to educate people as to the facts. If you are a progressive its your job to understand what's gone wrong in the economy, and make those around you understand. Its a necessity for the country.

I recognize your name and your articles, and I've enjoyed reading them. I get depressed sometimes myself, but try not to focus on it too much. Its all a part of the tragic human comedy we are a part of.

that is waiting for me around the corner.

Why do I have hope? I am a simple thinker. There are two outcomes possible.

Bernie makes it through the convention and then we anyhow don't know how he is going to show us how to put the political revolution into action. But at least that is the outcome we hoped for. And then the itty-nitty stuff will start, the real work.

Bernie doesn't make it through the convention and that would be so clearly due to a rigged system that the sheer anger about it, will cause the people to get into a street-based political revolution mode. One that is necessary. And whatever bad will happen, it has to happen and there is no way that change (to the very worst or the best) will not come.

Mr. Mikulecki you are eighty years young, you still have some time ahead of you and it would be so nice to read and chat with you here, because it helps to not feel so alone. We all are in some way more or less. We really could need your wisdom here. I hope you feel a little bit encouraged to not give up and be around.

I don't ask myself the question if there is reason to hope anymore. Because if I come to the conclusion there isn't, I still need to hope, just to survive. So, I hope.

I'm worried about the immediate future, but I actually have some hope for the not-so-distant future. When this primary season is all said and done, probably more than 12 million people will have stood up along with Sanders. Many veterans from this campaign and grass roots organizers are going to help shape the political landscape over the next generation. As Sandino notes above, Occupy Wall Street didn't disappear either, it just became less visible for a time. However, a lot of people from OWS have taken what they have learned from that experience and helped to apply it to this campaign five years later.

Bernie's campaign has already gone a long way towards raising public consciousness about the degree of corruption in our politics and media. Like many here I follow things closely -- especially at the federal level -- but even I was a bit surprised at the level of interest in Sanders campaign nationally and in the amount of resistance from the Democratic Party establishment and the corporate media to his candidacy. There's a lot of work to do through multiple election cycles, but I think there's clearly reasons for optimism as well.

I'm a believer in the value of positive energy, so when those negative thoughts come up, I have this image in my mind of Bernie and Jane on the podium as Roberts swears him in and the crowd goes ballistic, and get those positive thoughts back on track.
XXX
Cheer up, a little birdie told me that we're making progress.

But of course, the easiest path will be for it to disperse after running up against the wall of Democratic party machine power.
Some of these outcomes depend on what Bernie does--not nearly all of them depend on what he does (something the MSM seems incapable of comprehending).

But this is a remarkably resilient movement, by the standards of post-1994. Which, for various reasons is my cut-off pt for us having even a corrupt American republic, w/some rights, representation, etc.

Don't give up.