People on the far left, and as a socialist, I am one of ‘those’ people, recoil at the ‘pragmatic aspects of politics’, because we understand the practice of such political ideology is a main driver of populist rage/frustration and the accompanying increasing extremism within the GOP, courtesy of Bill Clinton and his lineage of milquetoas…
People on the far left, and as a socialist, I am one of ‘those’ people, recoil at the ‘pragmatic aspects of politics’, because we understand the practice of such political ideology is a main driver of populist rage/frustration and the accompanying increasing extremism within the GOP, courtesy of Bill Clinton and his lineage of milquetoast centrist Democrats.
There is nothing pragmatic about incremental solutions to catastrophic problems.
Sure socialists have a hard time getting elected, but it’s as much based on the cowardice of liberals as it is any fear on the behalf of voters writ large. And it’s also based on a centrist Democratic Party establishment that seeks to hold on to power just as much as any of the wackos in the GOP. Neither group will lift a finger in the face of bald-faced media propaganda or campaign ad lies using ‘Socialism’ as a cudgel, except to offer up a meek, gutless ‘l am not a Socialist’ defense.
Tell me what the difference is between any run of the mill power play done by any GOP nut job, and the example of Biden Administration attempted malfeasance in the link below. Other than, the tribal ‘if my side does it it’s ok’.
I am not going to have this argument with you. What I am saying is that one cannot call oneself a socialist in my area and expect to be elected. I am not gutless, but I am a realist. I do not approve of everything that the Biden administration does either, but it is a much much better than the alternative. If you want people like the Trumpets to prevail, then by all means, vote for someone who cannot win. People can claim that they are going to do all sorts of things once they are elected and then they find out that, for example, the Rs walked out of the Oregon Senate and business there stopped. We voters passed by a reasonable large margin that those who do that cannot run again in the next election. But of course, those Rs who cannot run are taking this to court. The gun measure we passed is stuck in an Eastern Oregon court although it will probably eventually get to the Oregon Supreme Court. And we wouldn't have the Supreme Court we have now where this gun measure will probably end up. And we wouldn't have had that Court if HRC had prevailed no matter how some see her.
I am not going to have this argument with you, except now I am going to argue with you. Gotcha.
How many socialists have been on the ballot ‘in your area’? Lesser evil voting gets you evil, and then gives you greater evil, via the ratchet effect and the rightward drift of the Overton Window. I vote for the candidate who best reflects the principles, values, and policy initiatives I hold dear, regardless of the chance of success, regardless of opponent.
You voted for Trump every time you voted for either Clinton, Obama, or Biden, because every one of those candidates, win or lose, by virtue of their neoliberal bonafides, was guaranteed to create more GOP voters. Hillary would have appointed corporate justices to SCOTUS if she had been elected; comparing any benefit to working people based on being better than the GOP is a lowest of a low bar rationalization.
Being a political realist means recognizing tribalism, cognitive bias, propaganda/narrative, an eye on long-term as opposed to short-term electoral success (something which the GOP kicks the crap out of the Dems on a regular basis), an ability to self-correct, and enough humility to admit mistakes and complicity in being part of the problem.
Bob Dole? End of the world! George Bush? End of the World! John McCain? End of the world! Donald Trump? Really, really, really End of the world!!! So let’s nominate Bill Clinton, Al Gore, John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden… neoliberals all, corporate donor sycophants all, none of whom would stick their political necks out and invite the rage of the capitalist class and monied interests on a consistent basis.
And so here we are. Keep going with the lesser evil voting…. It will not end well.
People on the far left, and as a socialist, I am one of ‘those’ people, recoil at the ‘pragmatic aspects of politics’, because we understand the practice of such political ideology is a main driver of populist rage/frustration and the accompanying increasing extremism within the GOP, courtesy of Bill Clinton and his lineage of milquetoast centrist Democrats.
There is nothing pragmatic about incremental solutions to catastrophic problems.
Sure socialists have a hard time getting elected, but it’s as much based on the cowardice of liberals as it is any fear on the behalf of voters writ large. And it’s also based on a centrist Democratic Party establishment that seeks to hold on to power just as much as any of the wackos in the GOP. Neither group will lift a finger in the face of bald-faced media propaganda or campaign ad lies using ‘Socialism’ as a cudgel, except to offer up a meek, gutless ‘l am not a Socialist’ defense.
Tell me what the difference is between any run of the mill power play done by any GOP nut job, and the example of Biden Administration attempted malfeasance in the link below. Other than, the tribal ‘if my side does it it’s ok’.
https://inthesetimes.com/article/white-house-request-waiver-arms-sales-gaza-israel
I am not going to have this argument with you. What I am saying is that one cannot call oneself a socialist in my area and expect to be elected. I am not gutless, but I am a realist. I do not approve of everything that the Biden administration does either, but it is a much much better than the alternative. If you want people like the Trumpets to prevail, then by all means, vote for someone who cannot win. People can claim that they are going to do all sorts of things once they are elected and then they find out that, for example, the Rs walked out of the Oregon Senate and business there stopped. We voters passed by a reasonable large margin that those who do that cannot run again in the next election. But of course, those Rs who cannot run are taking this to court. The gun measure we passed is stuck in an Eastern Oregon court although it will probably eventually get to the Oregon Supreme Court. And we wouldn't have the Supreme Court we have now where this gun measure will probably end up. And we wouldn't have had that Court if HRC had prevailed no matter how some see her.
I am not going to have this argument with you, except now I am going to argue with you. Gotcha.
How many socialists have been on the ballot ‘in your area’? Lesser evil voting gets you evil, and then gives you greater evil, via the ratchet effect and the rightward drift of the Overton Window. I vote for the candidate who best reflects the principles, values, and policy initiatives I hold dear, regardless of the chance of success, regardless of opponent.
You voted for Trump every time you voted for either Clinton, Obama, or Biden, because every one of those candidates, win or lose, by virtue of their neoliberal bonafides, was guaranteed to create more GOP voters. Hillary would have appointed corporate justices to SCOTUS if she had been elected; comparing any benefit to working people based on being better than the GOP is a lowest of a low bar rationalization.
Being a political realist means recognizing tribalism, cognitive bias, propaganda/narrative, an eye on long-term as opposed to short-term electoral success (something which the GOP kicks the crap out of the Dems on a regular basis), an ability to self-correct, and enough humility to admit mistakes and complicity in being part of the problem.
Bob Dole? End of the world! George Bush? End of the World! John McCain? End of the world! Donald Trump? Really, really, really End of the world!!! So let’s nominate Bill Clinton, Al Gore, John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden… neoliberals all, corporate donor sycophants all, none of whom would stick their political necks out and invite the rage of the capitalist class and monied interests on a consistent basis.
And so here we are. Keep going with the lesser evil voting…. It will not end well.