-By Eric W. Dolan for RAW Story
August 2, 2011- In an interview with Countdown host Keith Olbermann on Tuesday, former vice president and Current TV founder Al Gore said the United States needed an “American spring” like the Arab spring in the Middle East and Northern Africa.
“We need to have an American spring,” he said. “Non-violent change, where people from the grassroots get involved again. Not in the tea party style. There are people who are genuinely upset in the tea party, I understand that, but that movement was funded with seed money from right-wing billionaires, the Koch brothers, and promoted on Fox News and turned into a stalking horse for this right-wing agenda that a lot of people have been trying to push on this country for a long time.”
“This country is in trouble,” Gore added. “Our democracy has been withering on the vine. This has been going on for some time.”
Monday on Countdown, Gore called the U.S. system of government “broken” and “in real trouble.”
Watch video, courtesy of Current TV, below:
PART 1
PART 2
The Arab spring was made possible, in large part, by use of the internet. The accessibility of instant communication among vast numbers of people have made it possible for like-minded strangers to come together for a cause. Mr. Gore is something of an internet expert. He is just the person to get this American spring organized.
I get a multitude of e-mails daily from disparate progressive groups. Each seems to have its own agenda and its own ideas for fighting the corporate takeover of the U.S. government. They generally just want me to sign a petition, write a letter or send them money. I do these things, but clearly that is not enough. To really change anything, the protests need to be huge and physically present. Isn't there some way for all of these groups to get together for a common cause; perhaps to get the people out into the streets to demand justice?
I really think that organization is all that's necessary, but I am not an organizer or a leader. I would follow Mr. Gore anywhere. The American spring just needs a spark and a waiting heap of fuel (people) to actually get going.
I agree with abbiehoff 1000%. From the first Dem meeting I went to I saw the same thing and immediately understood the problem with progressives/Dems. We have to not always look at all the ways we are right, but also look at how we are wrong if we want to fix our mistakes and be more successful. We also have to stop being bullied by aggressive conservatives. We are so sensitive to their attacks that we actually let them work against us where as they plow ahead no matter what we think. The sad part is the most Americans have more in common than we know, but we are so busy taking the bate of the divide and conquer strategy on both sides that, while we hate and fight each other our country turns to sh-.