Ah, we sentient 3%; those whose actions keep the other 97 from abject collapse! But just remember that any new member of congress elected is NOT personally responsible (yet) for the preceding fiascos; and can also be (turned out) for any emanating from his actions (or failure thereof)!! Presently, take NO incumbents!!!

Historically, societies almost always get government that reflects that society's values. And, since we are a society that prizes entertainment over education (look at the TV we watch), and money over virtually everything else, we get a dog and pony show from both parties every two years fueled by money rather than issues and reasoned discussions.

American democracy is completely and totally corrupt; and very much the laughing stock of the western world.

Only half of the country even bothers to vote. Over 30 million (that's MILLION) American voters cannot read above the 4th grade level, cannot name the three branches of congress, and do whatever is necessary to dodge jury duty; but still feel entitled to educated and honest politicians!?!?

We've gotten a bunch of greedy, uneducated political "representatives" who are JUST LIKE US!

three branches of congress? I am uneduated

Uneducated?? The internet is full of articulate people who haven't forgotten ANYTHING! We know our world history from the ancients through modern times. We know our Political Science, Civics, Geography, Literature, Philosophy, the causes of war, and Economics--voodoo and otherwise. We have been well schooled in the Liberal Arts. Obviously, we don't get polled, and are not considered Americans.

I can't help but draw a distinct parallel between Vietnam and Afghanistan, with Pakistan fast becoming the new Cambodia. My eyes are wide open, my ears hear it all, and I've been screaming since 1969.

Right on NaplesMan!

And yes Mr. Pitt, we do have a monstrous capacity to forget and not learn the lessons of history. We also have deeply disturbing personal selfishness and self-absorbtion that stops us caring about much that doesn't touch our little worlds. Afghanistan, climate change, the weight of future obligations, or even the neighbor the next street over are distant concerns compared to one's own salary, 401k balance, or mortgage payment. And for as long as we are so self-absorbed, we will continue to forget.

This is funny: "After an era of Republican rule that saw vast economic collapse, the abrogation of basic rights, the trashing of Constitutional law, two decade-long wars that still have no end in sight, a catastrophic terrorist attack that could have been prevented, the virtual annihilation of a major American city that could have been prevented, and the theft and waste of trillions of dollars, every available poll appears to indicate that the American people have already forgotten all about it, and are perfectly ready to let the wolves back inside the fence."

How much of that has changed? It's just a different gang of wolves.

And what is more remarkable are the number who sort of remember and are now blaming it all on Obama's two years not the eight years plus of the party in power when it all started, and the party whose leaders pushed and endorse the deregulation that let banks become "too big to fail" while allowing them into inappropriate risks but not also cutting off their ability to socialize the disaster while receiving and rationalizing their undeserved bonuses. As if the American dream consisted solely of the holy mission of making financiers whole at any cost.

PROOFREAD!!!

Every person who complains about illiteracy and stupidity of "Comments" contributors online, seem inevitably to make a dumb typo which makes them seem hypocrites.

Next: I emphasize that Shades of gray (grey) do not equal black. There are degrees of "the man"

It would be a shame if Feingold lost. It would be stupidity as he believes most everything similar about lethargic liberalism. His being Democrat and full knowing how dangerous Republican re-control would be, he is hated by those Know-Nothings (which is really what they are, unfocused)

[I did this in 3 straight messages because otherwise it claims one long one is spam]

Thanks, Mr. Pitt, for telling it like it Is.
Clearly this is now the United States of Amnesiacs. As long as we have our ball games, stupid situation comedies on TV, and fat cat Politicians around to beg, borrow and steal from us 'little people' while we keep 'voting' for them, nothing will change. Until we decide to Bum's-Rush the MSM in this country and Demand that all of them Run for their damn lives, nothing is going to change, except for the worse. If not today....when ?

When did the American people become such a blight on the world that we cannot even smell our own rot ? The rest of the world sure can. I think that it is past time that we all woke up from our deep sleep and took this country back ...if we have not completely forgotten how. It is sure not via the ballot box as it is so rigged, it thinks it is a trash disposal..and is correct in that assumption.

We are ALL being manipulated/bullied by the war mongers of the Military/Industrial/Complex. As long as there are wars they get richer and richer. I believe Obama understands this; If he stood up to this conglomeration - he wouldn't last long.
The Rich have taken over - as y'all probably know by the statistics that say The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Those who are easily manipulated are those who don't think - they follow the crowd that dumbs themselves down by watching nonsense onTV. So Lord help the 3 percent left...we just keep on trying because we can't do anything else.

Exactly! I posted the following on my blog (reverse-spin.com) on July 18th:

The Insanity of Short-Term Memory

If you burn your hand on the stove and after trying several remedies it still hurts too much, it would be insane to put your hand back into the flame as a way to ease the pain. Americans are still hurting very much from the crash of the economy, and according to the pundits, Americans are about to “stick their hands back into the fire” by electing Republicans during the mid-term elections. Now, that’s insane!

There is no question that the financial meltdown was the result of extreme and risky behavior on the part of Wall Street and the big banks. That behavior was only possible because of the 8 years of deregulation and “in bed with Wall Street and big business” government during the Bush Administration and Republican control of Congress. And worse yet, even now that the Democrats have taken control, the Republicans continue to fight tooth and nail to stop any new regulation, to protect Wall Street and big business, and to stop any reform. They also obstruct and fight against any and all legislation meant to help the economy or improve the lives of Americans. They would rather the entire country go to Hell in a hand-basket than let Obama and the Democrats have any success at all. But, of course, the wealthy will be the last to go. Now, that’s insane!

I saw a bumper sticker the other day that said “so far, change sucks!” Talk about memory loss! Have we forgotten the nightmare of the Bush years? Yes, the economy still sucks, but are people seriously suggesting America is not in a better place?? Just how long do people think it takes to unravel 8 years of destruction, corruption, and crimes against the Constitution and America? Torture, illegal wiretaps, lying to the American people in order to invade another country, a redistribution of wealth from the middle class and poor to those who are already wealthy (the Bush tax cuts), exposing a CIA agent to take revenge on her husband for not supporting an illegal war, politicizing the Justice Department and threatening the very structure of our form of government in the process, and much more. That was just the short list. Just Google “The crimes of the Bush Administration” and see for yourself.

Hands down, the Bush Administration was the most criminal, the most power-grabbing, the most secretive, the most deceitful, the most destructive, and the most un-American in history. And today, the ONLY thing the Republican Party is offering America is a return to the Bush years. Voting for a Republican in the mid-terms is insanity! Americans who want to switch back to Republican rule seem to have no memory beyond yesterday. Insanity!

My Memory Is Sharp, Looking Back to the campaign... When I first donated some big bucks to O's campaign thinking that he was really something different - then I smelled a rat, and told my co-campaigners "We'll find out if he's the real deal very shortly after he's elected - if he doesn't 'un-sign' those Bush executive orders, giving the Presidency dictatorial powers, then watch out - it's gonna be more of the same" and unfortunately, I was right. Not only did he maintain the dictatorship, but he also appointed the very incompetents and crooks who created our financial disaster to run the economy. Pitt - try boosting your anti-oxidants and maybe getting some more sleep - it'll help your memory. Nothing has changed, and just like you can only blame your parents for so long before you have to take responsibility for your own life - you can only blame the last President so long. This fool is spending at a spectacular clip and is ensuring the destruction of the US dollar - which is equivalent to a massive pay-cut for all US workers - who will get 'the change' instead of 'real money'. Dump both parties - they are both disasters - stop pretending.

Too many Americans have been conditioned for three decades to compartmentalize life, to play the "rugged individual" and fear/ridicule the collective (unless collective action suits corporations: i.e. Freedom Works leading Tea Partiers; or churches organizing to support pro-bigbusiness candidates).

Lacking are the connections brought up by Eisenhower and MLK to war and social justice. When since MLK has the linking of war, jobs, and social justice been made by those who held power to persuade a mass audience?

I can understand an American either directly affected by unemployment or an American who listens to far right conservative voices. That American will not see any connection between war and jobs and social justice and respond accordingly.

Nor does that American see any connection between "green energy" and the soldier killed/maimed as a result of a fuel convoy attack.

Americans have been used and abandoned by those politicians and their corporate friends/masters who pledge allegiance to foreign labor capital and markets (even in a war zone!). Is it finally no longer "justice for all" but "just us wealthy for all"?

Margaret Thatcher had it figured out to a T. "TINA".

.

The dumbing down of America continues at an alarming rate. While the carnage of American war profiteering takes place abroad, fattened lambs at home are either unknowingly or willingly leading themselves to economic slaughter.

The fall of the (insert name here) empire has taken place over and over throughout world history and here we go again. It's not just that many people forget; many people can't forget because they never even bothered to learn the lessons in the first place. These are the ones who will be blindsided the worst by what is approaching just over the horizon.

I disagree totally with the assertion stated above that government is to blame. That bunk! It's the corporate media, plain and simple. They own the megaphone, and they catapult the propaganda that smaller government is better (how, when there's 300 million of us?), tax cuts create jobs (which they don't, otherwise the Bush tax cuts, at 1920's levels, would have created all sorts of jobs), and anybody to the left of center is out of the "mainstream." And of course thank Ronald Raygun: he got rid of the fairness doctrine in the media, when each side of an issue got fairly the same time on the radio and TV. In other words, Fixed Noise wouldn't be able to operate today if that doctrine still existed, and you wouldn't have so many ill-informed people willing to vote against their best economic and social interests!

Clearly, we forget because of the media.

Americans have forgotten about the ME wars--Not so. This is more MSM propaganda and not to be believed. The problem is no one in govt. is listening to what we want. The majority spoke two years ago about torture, rendition, Gitmo, Bagram, getting out of the ME, health care, jobs, etc and we were ignored. Now we are merely fed up. Obama lies, we know what the GOP has done and will do with a majority: Worse. We know Obama will ride out the last two years and do nothing. We are now merely trying to survive all of this mess as we know we are powerless except by taking to the streets and seizing our govt. We are now a breath away from martial law. Corporations own this country and now us. Why the majority and our youth are in the streets in revolt baffles me. Bring back the draft and I assure you we will be out of the ME in 30 days.

So many "forget" the GOP almost killed our economy and our nation in 2008.
Now they want to vote them back in power and give them the ability to do it again.
Which they will.
It's not just memory that concerns me. It's the lack of awareness.
These people despise America. And want to destroy the future of most to greatly reward the coffers of a few.
And you know what happens next.

Among your best articles, William; lucid and sober. We are a short-term recall t.v. society, a real Pavlov's dogs national community. They make us jump, as they please. Afghanistan is turning into their *low-grade* long term war, to which we have become insensitized to. The press, even when announcing deaths, completely ignores the type of casualties coming out of this engagement -- the high number of limbs being lost, and, the burgeoning industry that is coming about in order to profiteer off that madness -- artificial limbs. National Geographic had an issue on it this past year, almost making it sound like we have the problem licked, eh? Now that replacement limbs are becoming more sophisticated, bionic-like, like that t.v. show. So we can keep on, keeping on, with warfare, right? I also read, that in Iraq, for example, many soldiers were coming back with their testicles and penis blown off. We never hear about that, do we? Or in the high schools where the military is recruiting minors, who wind up, like the 19 year old, in this story. Thank you for this article. Wake up, America!

And, it is our nature to forget. Especially men's, no offense but I believe it. Do we mother's teach them to tune out. Is it the testosterone level? Is this some weird evolutionary trait? Are we looking at where to put blame? In the schools we won't invest in, so that even bright, college educated people don't read. "I can't read the paper, it's too painful." And women, we do not act on what we know in our hearts; we are too invested in approval still. I just hope, above all, that Obama gets to put in a 5th lib. S.C Justice before all is said and done.
AG, Eugene

Correct , we forget too much, we forget in fact
everything. Why do we forget? yes, the press,
yes, the establishment, yes, the churches.
Time to remember!
Time to fight fascists!
Time to 'rouse the electorate to vote
against Rupert and against Koch.
Rise up people! Schedule time on election day
to help get out the vote,
the vote against the fascists!

Thank you William,

I thank you this insightful piece and for being the first one to point me to the "Project for a New American Century" 10 years ago when I suspected we were being lied to about Bin Laden and the "attack" by "terrorists" on 911. They got their "New Pearl harbor". We have our 1380 architects and engineers for 911 truth. Who will win?

Forgetting, ok. What about denial?

Yes, the level of amnesia is astounding, but not quite as astounding as the history leading up to this point and our new normal: Never Ending War. The information is available to all who want to see, Ah, but we forget. Or do we not care?

We live at the top of a mountain of mangled bodies that has used false flag events for the excuse for hundreds of years, Again, who cares?

We calmly put up with engineered boom and bust cycles siphoning the wealth to the upper 2%, Shit happens.

We allow Insurance companies to control our access to our doctors and health-care. Bummer, but as long as it is not me, who cares?

Yes, we are a nation of forgetters, and as a whole, racist, homophobic cowards.

We are no longer the land of the free and the home of the brave. Who cares?

Although no fan of the war - far from it - I'm also not a fan of sloppy writing and poor reasoning.
If your quotation on the New York Times/CBS poll is accurate, then the theme of this essay is badly misleading.

According to the poll, 3% cite Afghanistan as the MOST important problem facing the country, choosing instead the economy. Based on the information provided, they did NOT say that Afghanistan was not important; they did NOT say they had forgotten it or they didn't care, etc. Only that it was not MOST important.
We might disagree about the degree of "importance", but this response is not, on its face, unreasonable.

And the emotional, psychological impact to the survivors is significant and largely untreated. These continuing, never ending wars are the number one reason I'm most disappointed in the Obama administration.

I completely agree -absolutely horrifying.

There must be some cause, some good reason, why the Americans were so eager for liberty then, and now are eager for servitude.

That, if you didn't know, came from Demosthenes' speech denouncing the Greek orator, Isocrates' alignment with Philip II of Macedonia, a leader who was systematically turning each city-state into regions of subservient subjects. I substitute Greeks with Americans not only because it is a convenient and telling matter of swapping out, but also because it illustrates just how much has changed and how little.

It’s self explanatory. Millions are rushing headlong into what they think is the embrace of a warm future without fear of whatever it is they fear. Deflecting to absolutes only glosses our eyes and blurs the features of our reality--OUR reality. Either we face it, and take up the challenge, or we become slaves to those who distort it and leave us in a stupor, a daze of fradulent safety and comfort which leads us further and further from the freedoms we claim to cherish, yet little understand. What we truly forgot is worse than the facts of history: we forgot the reality of the past, and how easy it is to turn freedom into farce.

And it won't change while the rubes keep voting for the two corrupt, corporate-funded parties that are ripping us off and abusing us for the wealthy.

The Green Party doesn't accept ANY corporate money and represent US!

Your Green vote sends a message to the corporate politicians even if the Green-Party candidate doesn't win.

You think the Democrats are going to make life better for us? This is what they stand for:

NAFTA. WTO. Patriot Act. No universal health care. Unitary president. Genetically-modified "foods". Mass government wiretapping. Corporate media consolidation. Government disinformation directed at Americans. No prosecution of Bush-Administration torturers. No real investigation of neocons' involvement in 9/11 attacks. Fascists on the Supreme Court. Squandering money on war.

It's time to take OUR country back from the corporations: VOTE GREEN!

it would be great if all of you who have commented would spend your time MAKING A DIFFERENCE, helping our troops (especially those who have come back injured), and trying to educate those people who have forgotten. Stop arguing on message boards and start MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Lots of American cities have been annihilated - just depends which section you're referring to. Baltimore, Detroit, Chicago - look for those sections of town, you'll see the annihilation.

Nobody has forgotten.

We hated the Republicans and voted for Democrats, hoping for change. What we got was an expansion of the Republican agenda, bigger wars, more money for the rich, and change for the worse.

We wanted the Republicans prosecuted, not protected.

We wanted the wars to end, not be expanded.

We wanted the torture to stop, not just be shifted to different black sites.

We wanted democracy, and after a Republican who shredded the Constitution, we got a Democrat who shredded the Magna Carta, taking us back to the 13th Century with his assassination hit list. Not even Bush and Cheney were that openly tyrannical.

There's no point voting for Greens--the two party system is too entrenched for a few Greens in Congress to make any real difference. In fact, since the Supreme Court can overturn the vote any time it wishes, there's really no point in voting.

Despite a decade of solid documented evidence that our faith-based, unverifiable, corporate sponsored elections are rigged to perpetuate the oligarchy, half of the electorate is so apathetic that they keep right on voting anyway.

They KNOW that no matter who is elected, the outcome will be more war, more favoritism for the rich, and fewer civil rights.

Voting in the elections of an undemocratic form of government like ours, where supreme power is vested in an unelected Supreme Court and unaccountable legislative and executive branches, instead of in the hands of the people (the dictionary definition of democracy) is abject submission to tyranny.

Withdraw your consent--don't vote! You're legitimizing everything you don't want, delegating your power to people who don't care about you, and supporting a system that has destroyed our economy and is trying to destroy the planet out of unbridled greed.

Please, people! You're naivetee . . . ! The 3 branches of Congress: The Senate (AKA the American House of Lords); The House (AKA the Circus); K Street (AKA $$$$$). I mean, DUH!