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Bush Regime Countdown Clock

On October 17, 2007 Take the Day Off

by: Steven D

Thu Oct 04, 2007 at 05:10:35 AM PDT

(This may be the only way to ever effect change. Violence is probably not even an option anymore, given the rise of Blackwater. It'll take the entire country shutting itself down before anything gets done at points. Or so methinks. - promoted b

Just a reminder: Please join a General Strike on October 17, 2007 (anniversary of the original Solidarity strike in Poland) to protest the war and the inaction of Congress to rein in the Bush administration. If you can, stay home from work, school, trips to the mall, etc. that day and spend quality time with your family and/or friends on behalf of a more peaceful world. For more details go to Shut it Down October 17, 2007.
This image (and a similar version with a white background) which is available at Shut it Down October 17, 2007 may used however you wish. Download it from Shut it Down October 17, 2007 to place on your blogs. Download it to your computer and make posters or handouts using the image. Send the image with emails to friends, family and your local newspaper. Whatever you can do will be appreciated.
I know some will say that this effort will accomplish nothing. That too few of us will spread the word, and even fewer participate. All I can say to that is great things have small beginnings. This protest may start small, but there will be others to follow. I've already seen mention of another call for a general strike on November 6, 2007 by Garret Keizer in Harpers Magazine. Here are some other places where a general strike call is mentioned online: here, here, here, here, here. It doesn't matter which day ultimately becomes the BIG EVENT that gains media attention and coverage. What matters is that we keep trying until we get that attention, whether on October 17th, November 6th, or some other day.
Because it has become clear to me that we can't depend upon the political leadership of the Democratic Party to stop Bush from spreading more wars in the Middle East, bankrupting our future and destroying the planet. They are either too craven, too weak or too opportunistic and calculating to take the steps necessary to stop President Bush from killing more people and committing more war crimes. Nor will the leading Democratic presidential candidates commit to withdrawing all our troops from Iraq, even by the late date of 2013! No, the Democratic Party offers us no solutions to the crisis we face as a nation.

Steven D :: On October 17, 2007 Take the Day Off

As Seymour Hersh has made clear in his articles in the New Yorker, many military leaders are opposed to this administration's Iran war plans, but they have been publicly silenced so long as they wear the uniform. And once they take the uniform off so that they can speak out? They have been ignored and/or smeared by the right wing crazy talk machine. Just ask former generals John Batiste, Wes Clark and Lamar Odom, to name just a few. So, no, we cannot expect the military to stop Bush either.

Which leaves it up to those of us who have warned all along about the perfidy of the Neoconservative agenda in the Middle East, and catastrophic consequences to allowing that agenda to continue to be carried out by President Bush and Vice President Cheney without any prior restraint from Congress. We are the ones who must find new ways to oppose the war and prevent a new war with Iran. We are the ones who must act to serve, and save, our nation from further degradation, moral, physical and spiritual.

We need mass action by an outraged citizenry, fed up with the failure of our politicians to end this constitutional crisis. A crisis caused by a power mad leader, who all but a few fanatics and zealots believe is a liar and a fool. A leader who effectively rules over us as a dictator because no one in authority will stand up to him, and no one in Congress will challenge him, despite the overwhelming desire of the American Public to see a stake driven through the heart of his disastrous war policies, his abrogation of our laws (including the Constitution), and his regime's continuing and ever more numerous violations of our individual rights and liberties.

A General Strike, whether on October 17th or November 6th or whatever date you prefer, is a good way to start.

Thank you.

Tags: Bush, Iraq, Activism, General Strike, (All Tags)

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On October 17, 2007 Take the Day Off | 12 comments

Please Spread the word (11.00 / 4)

Thank you.

And that link again is Shut it Down October 17, 2007

by: Steven D @ Thu Oct 04, 2007 at 07:11:43 AM CDT

by: you @ soon

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Word Spread (11.00 / 4)

Excerpted your page over here

Worldwide Sawdust

Bob Higgins

Bob Higgins Worldwide Sawdust

by: BobHiggins @ Thu Oct 04, 2007 at 12:52:49 PM CDT

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Thank You Raybin (8.67 / 3)

Much obliged.

by: Steven D @ Thu Oct 04, 2007 at 12:50:41 PM CDT

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Secret Torture Memos 2 & 3 (11.00 / 3)

This should be written as an essay but it does seem pertinent to put the link up here, the New York Times today has an article

Secret Torture Memos 2 & 3

Along with the privatization of our military as in Blackwater and the police state that is already here and no doubt will be expanding, coupled with what Stephen D has written so well here, it seems it's all pretty clear what direction this country is going, will we even recognize it in ten years?

The simple life beckons, more and more every single day.

I will not die an unlived life. Fuck em, I will not live in fear, I will live out loud and on the record.

Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) 1-800-787-3224 (TTY)

by: caliberal @ Thu Oct 04, 2007 at 12:55:16 PM CDT

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Quite frankly, (4.00 / 1)

with the rigidity and stubbornness and inflexibility of this present administration, I'm not optomistic about the idea of a "general shut-down" day achieving anything.

Ahhhh....Life goes on.

by: independentminded @ Thu Oct 04, 2007 at 13:30:11 PM CDT

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You're probably right (9.00 / 2)

I still think a general strike is the only way to fix things....but will one day do it?

This thing needs to be dragged out as long as it needs be. If these one day strikes are successful, they can be considered as "shots across the bow"

Maybe something longer term can be organized for next year. I'd give up all my vacation next year to particpate in it.

The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present...As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country.

by: Raybin @ Thu Oct 04, 2007 at 15:49:16 PM CDT

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I'm in & committed! n/t (10.33 / 3)

by: Diane W @ Thu Oct 04, 2007 at 14:03:14 PM CDT

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It's about time (7.50 / 2)

You should have been committed long ago. I'm in room number 9, number 9, number 9; how about you? :) Peace

by: imhotep @ Thu Oct 04, 2007 at 18:14:22 PM CDT

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number? (7.00 / 1)

19873864-=-12974393875209368, ( divided by pi.)

Don't let them read the code, man!

by: Diane W @ Thu Oct 04, 2007 at 20:41:59 PM CDT

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Good Idea (8.75 / 4)

This is a good idea. It doesn't have to be a big success....just let it happen and don't worry about media coverage.

Have to start somewhere.

Stu Piddy....a free range human

by: Stu Piddy @ Thu Oct 04, 2007 at 15:38:57 PM CDT

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I did this on 9/11... (10.67 / 3)

... called in sick and stayed in. My only transgression was to call for dinner delivery...! I don't know if anyone else was doing it, and I didn't even care. I observed the stupid day in my way.

I will likely participate in October and November and even further... thanks for posting here.

by: PaulWillis @ Thu Oct 04, 2007 at 15:43:25 PM CDT

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I love General Strikes (11.00 / 1)

And general elections. Peace

by: imhotep @ Thu Oct 04, 2007 at 18:18:51 PM CDT

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On October 17, 2007 Take the Day Off | 12 comments