As soon as the Democrats in the House of Representatives, marshaled by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), passed the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (H.R.
The Biden "legacy" is being cemented. The passing of this Infrastructure Bill will be remembered as part of a series of efforts by his administration to improve the quality of life in America. Of course, the legacy will be recapped starting with the efforts to save life itself...as many millions of Americans became vaccinated. The lovely side effect of being alive and being able to go back to work was that the economy was boosted faster than anyone expected. Apparently, being alive and not being afraid of death by disease were helpful factors in such mundane issues like stats about unemployment, GDP, etc. Wall Street loved it, too.
As to socialism as a term, what else would we expect from the people of Party Q? They have perverted, twisted and wrecked other perfectly normal words. If "socialism" now means all the evil that a Democrat does, then doesn't "Conservative" now mean authoritarian liar? And then there is our favorite: "Liberal". It used to mean tolerant, open minded.
For a very long time I thought of myself as a fiscal conservative with liberal values. Now that sounds like some sort of maniac based on today's usage. So I give up. Just call me a socialist and be done with it.
I voted for Ike in 1956. I put my life on the line for my country. Somewhat later I was on the Nixon White House Enemies List. Later still I was on my union’s negotiating team determined to get a fair share for my colleagues. Now Republican means reprehensible to me. I guess that I’ve become a sensible socialist who cares deeply about my fellow citizens and my country.
I think that covers a lot of us, your last paragraph fits me to a tee. The Republican Party of John McCain and Colin Powell, men of decency, integrity, and honor has evaporated with their passing RIP, it’s remnant's are inhabited by people that share none of those qualities, none, zero, zip, most of them are highly educated and wealthy to 🥾 boot, so it makes no sense that they would align themselves with a con man who’s entire entitled life has been built on lies. None of us are perfect and we have all probably at one time shaded the truth to benefit ourselves only to realize what a mistake that was, can you imagine a lifetime in which every single time you opened your mouth a lie came out. The Republicans have embraced a con man and a cheater and a large part of our evidently uneducated nation is in his thrall. Disaster on the order of what Hitler did to Germany is on the horizon and approaching very fast. We have to get the voting rights legislation passed, our nation depends on it, if we do that there are enough of us to straighten out this mess, this is a battle that we must win, the stakes are that high.
can you imagine a lifetime in which every single time you opened your mouth a lie came out? And yet with 24/7 news coverage of DJT - it doesnt bother him or his twits one bit! Certainly telling, isnt it?
The Frontline show called The Decision (I think) about the upcoming presidential election did a deep dive into the both candidate's lives. It really drove home for me how Trump is just not a normal human being.
No he is not Kim. And these are not normal times. And it would be good for the press to keep that at top of mind when they write articles that strain to equate “both sides”.
I guess that was never a surprise - couldnt stand him from the moment I first heard of him - normal - far from "normal" & not a decent human being to put it plainly.
anyone who's lived in NYC for the last four decades knew what he is. it amazes me that ANYONE here voted for him (even on--god help us--Staten Island, which is mostly a fascist coven). and it's all about the excising of social studies as a serious subject in public schools. it was better back when I was in school, even if it wasn't great. but now, with these miserable tests, it's only about math and "English language arts," god help us yet again.
Approaching at the speed of a meteor. The absolute highest of stakes.
The R’s have used him to distract us for four years while the final pieces of endgame were tuned up and installed. The state houses. The judiciary. SCOTUS. Sleepers in all federal departments, including the military, etc. They’re out in the open now: attempted hostile takeover in CA, a completed one in VA. No attempt to hide what they are accomplishing in GA, TX, FL. (I feel like a raving paranoid, but my natural skepticism can’t overcome what I’m seeing!)
If they take the House and Senate next year, I am afraid it’s all OVER.
Well said Keith and Dick. It is sad that these knuckleheads can't put aside their politics to build infrastructure that will benefit this country and improve our economy. And the 13 Republicans who voted for the bill are getting backlash from breaking ranks from the likes of Green, Gaetz, and Boebert who called them RINOS. In reality, the 202 who voted against the bill are RINOS! And, how crazy is it that the Squad voted against it as well! So, this apparently isn't a socialist bill if the real claimers of that position voted in opposition.
Bipartisan opposition? No, Nancy had a comfortable margin, and apparently allowed the Squad to be true to what they are made of. It all worked out for the liberal good
Isn't it sad that a member of Congress can't vote their conscience without leadership permission or suffering insults from their party, which is what the 13 Republicans who gave Pelosi her comfortable majority endured.
it's funny. I keep seeing those scumbags in Congress being described as "highly educated." I take exception. they might have gone to good, expensive universities and top-rated law schools, but I still wouldn't call them "highly educated" if they either are or pretend to be yahoos because that tells me they didn't learn anything. or rather, anything of real value (like, say, honesty, morality, kindness or any of the "core values" everyone likes to pretend is somehow a part of "America's DNA." and lawyers reading this might resent a non-lawyer saying this (although I DID write briefs for two years in my brother-in-law's law practice), but a great memory and a reasonably intact intelligence (which is to say, an IQ in three digits) will get somebody through law school.
I would agree with your taking exception as well as the fact that most of them are scumbags. To me the fact that they are so divorced from the truth, not slightly shaded away, but not even on the same planet with it, is infuriating. They are playing a game with people’s lives and are smart enough to know it, and the people who’s lives are at stake are clueless about it. Dishonorable does not begin to capture a description of them.
Unfortunately not all in his thrall are "uneducated", or stupid. Just taken in. Saying that serves to feed division, feed their anger at the elites for condescending.
Yeah they are taken in - but as in a cult - its a safe place where they dont have to think! The elite excuse (?) is just another excuse to blame someone else - both the ones they call elites & "others" who they want to "keep in their place".
I’ve objected to labeling myself a long time ago. Just judge me on my label-less values. Discuss current issues on moral and ethical grounds. It serves clarity
Of course, there are those that get confused by morals and ethics because those concepts escape them
They are the ones that attempt to “own me” and are quite satisfied with themselves by labeling me a Communist/Socialist for my attempts to explain basic supply and demand curve effects on the price of gas
Yes, supply and demand. So Biden's aggressive efforts to vaccinate have subdued the pandemic just enough to get people back to work and school - driving up demand for gas. So we definitely can blame Joe for higher gas prices, right? Ooops, I forgot. Everything is Obama's fault. Joe, you are off the hook.
Here’s where we need to start our messaging. The fact that there are now sports events, including the New York marathon today, Broadway shows back, movies back in theatres, etc. is a big “thank you” to Joe Biden and his vaccination efforts. There should be great bigs signs saying so at each of these places.
Maybe including a big thank you to all Americans who complied with health directives ( you know, masking and distancing and vaccination) and stayed strong, and businesses that also supported those efforts. A real WW II type campaign.
The supply side is manipulated to maximize profits for the producers.
But, what drivers see at the pump is the only thing that matters as they fill their tank and watch the cost dial on the pump spin faster than ever.
Voters will look to President Biden for answers.
From CNN
“Gas prices are sky high and Bank of America warns $120-a-barrel oil is on the way
Oil prices backed off from recent highs on Wednesday. US crude tumbled 3% to around $81 a barrel and Brent lost 2% to $83 amid jitters ahead of Thursday's OPEC meeting.
A further oil spike would raise the already-elevated cost of living for Americans. And it would squeeze businesses grappling with sticker shock, shortages and supply chain disasters.
Americans pay very close attention to prices at the pump and concerns about inflation have helped sour their views on the overall economy.
Nearly two-thirds of Americans described the economy as poor in a poll released this week. In Virginia, where Republicans won a key prize in the state's governor's mansion, the economy ranked in exit polls as the most important issue, surpassing education, taxes and Covid.”
Unfortunately close to half the people in this country will see you as their enemy because you believe we should take care of vulnerable people and help them get their basic needs met.
I know. And most of them consider themselves "Christians", eh? I think if there was a Jesus he would be very irritated with them. Sorry if I got you riled up about your "favorite" subject :) But I just can't escape the pathetic irony. So much for "my brother's keeper".
If more Christians spent more time emulating the version of Jesus that ministers to the poor by feeding them I might be more sympathetic to the Christian diaspora.
I actually have an old voter registration card from Miami, 1982 that has Socialist written in the Party space. I never actually participated in any Socialist Party activities, but just rebellious against the white Cuban bourgeoisie that took over the place. (I've only met one black Cuban in Miami - There are hundreds of them still in Havana) Now ppl accuse me of being a Democrat, altho I am registered NPA.
Rob There has been an historic discrimination against blacks in Latin America, even in Brazil. This remains true in Cuba according to news reports in recent years.
I like your comments. Economist Richard D. Wolf has just published his new book, entitled "UNDERSTANDING SOCIALISM". Readers might wish to read this. Richard D. Wolf is not your usual economist.
Richard Leonard Silk of the NYT years ago published several common sense books on economics. I taught ECONOMICS FROM FEUDALISM TO THE PRESENT for two decades and prefer Groucho Marx to Karl Marx who, not so incidentally was subsidized by his friend Engels, who was running a factory in, I believe, Birmingham. As part of Marxist communality, Karl got his housemaid pregnant. Karl mistakenly placed class above nationalism and his theory that only workmen’s labor provided value to products was wrong headed.
I wish that Republicans would stop driving on our Socialist highways and sending their children to our Socialist public schools. It's been my hope that Republicans burn their Medicare cards in a great public protest of that creeping Socialist movement that grows as Boomers come of age.
They know it’s all bull Schitt. The republican pols that is. The rank and file are just lemmings who are led by hate, the socialism scare word, and/or any other phony cause (red herring) that their think tanks can come up with to arouse emotion, (CRT, unquestioned life for zygotes, Christianity under attack, evil libtards, etc.). For the republican pols it’s greed and power, period.
Sad but true. Dreaming dreamy dreams of functional, values-driven government might provide inspiration--but, agreed, we can't settle in for soothing fantasies. Still, I think, worth a laugh at a good zinger.
Yes, socialism is a dirty word to Republicans. They also seem to equate it with communism to make it sound even worse. Yet the true socialist countries like the Scandinavian have the best well-being in the world. I'm tired of Senator Manchin talk about "entitlements" when people pay into social security and medicare their entire careers. The benefits in retirement are simply return on one's investment. If the income disparity wasn't so extreme, we wouldn't need to be talking about big social safety nets. I'm tired of the zero sum game where if white males will get less if they have to share it with minorities and women. When I started my career women got 59 cents on the dollar to men in salaries. It is now about 79 cents to the dollar and for minority women it's worse. why can't we just be fair, work together and make more pies rather than bickering over the existing pie.
Thank you for so clearly articulating how I feel. I was hired at a mental health agency 40 years ago with another male counterpart who had no experience and was hired at a higher pay level. I went to the board and fought it. I did get a raise but no compensation for my experience.
I am very tired of the inequity that persists in this country. I am very tired of the self righteousness that persists in this white male republican culture. We currently have some great role models in congress to remind us of what we are up against.
Texas is not an autocracy with the gerrymandered districts assuring Republican rule despite the white population being now being less than half the population. And, lots of other red states are becoming minority rule with super majority Republican legislatures. Just ordered the book "Laboratories of Autocracy" by David Pepper.
which explains what is happening and what we need to do about it.
I just read that with the take over of the Virginia house of delegates/legislature, they now have the power to appoint the state supreme court justices. Their court will lose 2 justices soon and you can bet that their replacements will be conservative. Another reason to pay attention to the state legislatures.
In high school in the early 1960s, in the midst of the Cold War and Red Scare, I was still exposed to Karl Marx statement, "From Each According to his Ability - To Each According to his Need." That sounded most fair for a society.
Much of my work history in human services, "according to my ability" I cared for ppl who were funded by SSI & Medicaid "according to their need." Even now retired, I list my job as "recovering the money I paid into Social Security" and that pittance goes back into economy for all my consumer needs, not like the stashed excess money of the elite in off-shore accounts.
Yes, starving the middle class hurts capitalism by starving the consumers. Great point about the money going to off-shore accounts rather than back into the country's economy.
Rob, I was taught that Social Security is a federally managed “mandated investment” retirement and security program. Like you, I couldn’t live without it. So I guess I’m a retired socialist bum....recovering my money and glad that it’s there.
I once (35 years ago) received an almost 30% raise, retroactive 6 months, when I discovered what a male coworker was making and confronted my boss about it. Damage control, to prevent a lawsuit for discrimination. The pay gap is real. When I first started working in 1983, I thought the work was done for women’s equality. It didn’t take long for my naïve thinking to disappear.
My first real job after finishing grad school in 1981 paid me $11,000/yr! I got a few raises and was earning $15k when I left. People accused me of having not "earned" the raise. After that I found the only way I could really increase my earnings was to change jobs every few years...because 3% of nothing looks like nothing. Finally after nearly 20 yrs of experience a man was hired over me that didn't know how to do his job and was paid twice what I was being paid. I moved on and was able to establish myself by finding a world in freelance where they paid you what you were worth to them regardless of whether you are male or female. Yet there were still times I had to roll my eyes at what I saw happening to women and minorities.
I was so angry. I didn’t even stop to think, just stormed into my boss’s office, demanding to know if my assessment of my value to the firm was flawed, or if they were discriminating against me because I was a woman, young, and single. “Let me get back to you” and 15 minutes later a huge raise. Hmmmmm. I guess I’m still angry about it. I’d had three promotions in five years, and produced more than anyone else at my level. Sigh. At 25, I was the highest ranking woman in the firm. So no role models, although I absolutely had wonderful mentors. And I loved my job and my coworkers. It was the best job I ever had.
Thank you, Ashley. This is one of the (huge) reasons why I love Hilary Clinton. At a decade and a half older than I am, it was much worse for her. And look what she achieved!
Thank you for expressing eloquently what women have experienced and continue to experience in the American workplace: inequality. To counter disrespect, I urge women, people of color, lgbtq and any letter I forgot to add that signifies gender identity - everywhere - to run for public office at every level of public service. In my career, women who disagreed would work together toward an agreement. Men, not so much, by a long shot. Gains by election have been made. They need to increase. ❤️🤍💙
Yes, we need our elected officials and legislatures to reflect the population of the voters. Whenever I can I vote for women and minorities .. and veterans who have fought for our country who will put country over party.
Cathy Learoyd, your statement "Yet the true socialist countries like the Scandinavian have the best well-being in the world" contributes to the overwhelming misinformation problem we face on this issue. They have a significant social safety net, but their economic model is not socialism, it is very much a market economy, capitalism. There are many comments today that repeat this misunderstanding, so I'm not picking on you. This goes way beyond a question of semantics. Republicans are killing Democrats with this label and it is completely wrong. I have no suggestions how to counter a misinformation campaign dating back over 100 years.
Thank you GMB, Just looked up the definition of socialism.
1. a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.
2. (in Marxist theory) a transitional social state between the overthrow of capitalism and the realization of Communism.
Senator Bernie Sanders said if you had a Social Security Card you were a card carrying socialist. Enjoyed that line.
I do think one of the things wrong with our economic system is the employees are not stakeholders and do not get the benefits of stakeholders for their contribution to the profit of the enterprise. That's why wages have not increased with the economy in general. We have an oligarchic kleptocracy now.
The pay inequality between CEOs and workers in the United States is probably the highest in the world. It needs to be regulated by the government which even to me sounds extreme, but given the trend line for more than 40 years there doesn't seem to be any other option. It still wouldn't be socialism, just a way to prevent our current slide to oligarchy. And yes Bernie Sanders is funny but just reinforces the misperception.
Yes, when I was sitting in meetings with the senior managers I would calculate how much the meeting was costing based on their salaries. Of course, if they are making million/billion dollar decisions perhaps the salaries were worth it. I remember a story (not at my company) about senior executives hiring the prettiest secretaries not always competent. The company made a rule that the executive assistants had to have a salary no less than 50% of the executives. Sure worked. the executive assistants were highly competent! It is also good if the decisions are being made on human terms. I remember this hitting home when having to come up with how many of the product we were developing would be manufactured over its life. For me, I realized i was making a decision that could close a manufacturing plant or open a new one and the impact it would have on 800 or more families. I had some sleepless nights over that.
What is the difference between stakeholder and stockholder? Seems my dad was a stockholder at Dow from the get go, employees encouraged to buy stock with a good discount.
I am proud to be a ‘socialist.’ Though I have never drawn unemployment compensation, I benefit from Medicare and Social Security and FEMA provides under market rates for the flood insurance on my home. I suggest that everyone who opposes ‘socialism’ refuse to accept these and other ‘socialist’ benefits, including the many corporations that happily accepted massive funds from the federal government during the pandemic. Also, without aggressive pandemic action during the pandemic, the 1% would not have benefited from a 30+% rise in the stock market since pre-pandemic.AND REPUBLICANS ARE LOCK STEP IN OPPOSING ANY REVERSAL OF TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S GIVEAWAYS TO CORPORATIONS AND VERY WEALTHY AMERICANS. Personally I much prefer being a ‘socialist’ than a plutocrat, because then I have no need to be hypocritical.
It's so interesting. I guess the GOP makes it about the 2nd amendment for some folks, about abortion for others, about race for others, all the while what it's really about is keeping people down and maintaining power and wealth. Quite the con job.
I've decided that the Texas GOP whining about wearing masks and their egocentric freedoms while telling women the have to carry a fetus to term with no exceptions and critical race theory worried about hurting the feelings of the little white boys makes the white male the weaker gender.
But no one in the either party never mentions that do they? I dont expect it of the Repubs, but its one more "message" not given by the Dems or perhaps by an enterprising journalist with the ability to print it!
Maybe we can petition John Oliver to do a segment on socialism, pointing out the many entitlements corporations and the wealthy enjoy. The great thing about John is he will run ads on Fox and publicize the information where it will have an impact.
But the message has to get to the people who don’t watch Oliver or read the NY Times, or the other avenues for learning what’s so that others of us do absorb. I like the commonality of an approach like this one above, suggested by Annette D.:
“ Here’s where we need to start our messaging. The fact that there are now sports events, including the New York marathon today, Broadway shows back, movies back in theatres, etc. is a big “thank you” to Joe Biden and his vaccination efforts. There should be great bigs signs saying so at each of these places.”
In 1970, I was denied a promotion I had been promised and foregone a pay increase earlier because I would get it with the promotion. They hired a man and paid him TWICE what I was making. When I protested I was told that I was a married woman of childbearing age and they couldn’t risk giving me the responsibility. My two weeks notice coincided with the 2 weeks vacation I was owed. There was no place to take this for review or remediation. Btw, this was at an Ivy League university.
I worked as a secretary for a couple of years while my husband earned his masters degree. I came home one day and told my mind was rusting. He said well, why you go study engineering. I said YES! and did so. After one semester in engineering I was offered a summer job at twice the salary of my full time secretarial job. I had entered a "man's" occupation with all its benefits. Some of the problem is the jobs that are majority women are not as valued as like teachers are not given the value they deserve. On the other hand, when I was promoted to the manager of my engineering group I found out that 2/3's of the people working for me made more money than I did. Most of that may have been that I was climbing the corporate ladder rather quickly, but they had to give me 20%+ raises every six months for two years to get my salary in line with the job I was doing.
I taught school and paid for my husband’s last year of college. In his first job right out of college, he made twice what I made. Where would anyone be without teachers? Teachers who have profound influence on kids often caring for them when no one else does.
I think teachers are the most exploited group in our society. It should be the most valued job in our society because it will make the most difference to the next generation being successful and have well-being.
Maria, I’m also a retired academic, a librarian. In my last two jobs (one private, one public), former colleagues told me after I left that they couldn’t find anyone to hire who would accept the job at the salary they were willing to pay. I retired at the end of the academic year after I turned 62.
I was a software engineer for over 40 years, and I guarantee I never was paid as much as the men. I have some savings I haven't dipped into yet, but right now I live exclusively on Social Security, and I earned every penny of it.
When I became a group engineering manager, the personnel group asked me to come present to them. So, I made a histogram that showed the number of women at each level on the left and the number of men at each level on the right. Sort of a Rorschach looking graph. Surprising to me was that it showed two glass ceilings for women - one for women on the technical track and one for women on the managerial track - while the male side of the chart showed quite a smooth distribution in both. I did work for a highly ethical Fortune 100 computer corporation and they took that chart very seriously.
HST knew them well “Socialism is a scare word they have hurled at every advance the people have made in the last 20 years. Socialism is what they called public power. Socialism is what they called Social Security. Socialism is what they called farm price supports. Socialism is what they called bank deposit insurance. Socialism is what they called the growth of free and independent labor organizations. Socialism is their name for almost anything that helps all the people.” Harry S. Truman Oct 10, 1952.
Republicans are no longer the party of Lincoln, haven’t been for 100 years. When he died, they pretty much died too. They like to hang “socialism” around every Democrats neck,” maybe a good word for them would be “Hypocrits,” until we can agree whether traitor, seditionist, insurrectionist, or cult nut describes them best.
HST's comment and yours, Jeri, should be read by every journalist on TV! Repetition works for DJT's minions - would work for the Dems IF THEY WOULD JUST DO IT!
Yes. We suck at the messaging and the repetition. The showmanship and the “like” getting. It’s a shame we have to take a page out of their play book to get our points across, to help new voters understand. And we must do this. If we don’t step up our communications game, we’re dead. Adman J.Walter Thompson said it well generations ago: “The Truth Well Told.” We need to tell the truth well and get it out there in rap songs, rock’n’roll. Tik Tok videos and movies. TV shows and concerts. On the Hill in testimonies from experts and whenever and wherever we can. We need to make our message exciting, benefit-based, sexy, palatable, worthy of repeating, tattooing, being passionate about.
Absolutely! I'm reading (still) Fiona Hill's "There is nothing for you here". She tells the same story thats told in comments here - and compares, the US, the UK, and Russia, all oddly enough with the same issues over the past 30 (?) years. She still speaks out for all of us! Well worth reading.
The oligarchs own media, government & businesses. I'm still reading Friendly Fascism by Bertram Gross ( pre 1985 footnotes). Even then there was the .1% who controlled everything. His take is that most CEOs are fodder. Same with generals. I get hung up on remembering that this book is before cell phones, internet, social media & at the very beginning of women's lib & cable channels.
There’s nothing about smart promotion that necessarily betrays ethics. Getting a simple message that hits home out and repeating and repeating is the game being played, that we aren’t playing.
We can do it with integrity, not lies. And we can do it as you suggest in music and other cultural forms in addition to the fields Republicans currently play on.
Republicans know one thing; their misinformed, ignorant base Will believe anything fed to them. Lazy, entitled American slugs — and I mean Republicans here—Continue to make their slow March to suffocate democracy.
Excellent comment. And, Truman provided a level-headed, easily understood definition of socialism for people in confusion or already prejudiced about the term.
Republicans behave more like "communists" that is Stalin or Moscow communists in that they believe in a one party totalitarian government that demands total loyalty to the party and a handful of militant leaders. They use the same tools: lies, misinformation, secret police, partisan judges and party controlled media. They prefer to see the nation deteriorate as they force themselves into controlling every activity, than to see any other group, method or idea thrive. They undermine all forms of education, books, reading, writing and religion except where they control it. Everyone and everything is a potential enemy. And even if it's not, saying it is, is a useful political tool.
This is where they want to take us. If it comes to pass, much if not most of their majority will wonder what happened to freedom, even their one-sided view of it.
They have already taken us there. It shows in many ways, the disparity of wealth beginning with the Reagan administration is an obvious example. Then along came Biden. I wouldn't have expected it, given his record as a senator. Joe saw where it has gone and as Bernie says, 'Enough is enough!' Many Americans, rightfully angry as they were 'disposable' and treated as such glommed on to Trump their tribal leader, who knew instinctively how to nail them. Then there is social media/Zuker/Face/berg/book/Meta and Fox/Rupert/Carlson/News/Hannity/Murdoch; Charles Koch, along with the other Oligarchs -- this is no small clash of ideologies.
I am no history expert but I'm wondering if disparity of wealth really began with Reagan. I'm thinking that the "modern" version of wealth disparity began with him, by which I mean having to respond to different set of rules that tried to make things more equal created in the decades just prior (FDR). Reagan had to continue white supremacy and wealth accumulation in sneakier ways and focus on different bogey men (like welfare being for lazy people.) All the while still cutting taxes and starting to borrow money leading to deficit spending and national debt.
Hi Kim, I wrote a long comment posted today, which has material about the transfer of wealth in this country, taken primarily from the Pew Research Center, and a bit from Robert Reich. You might be interested. There are a lot sources for material about the effects of Reaganomics, if you'd like to pursue that subject. I recommend the Pew Center as well for data/factual material about the economic unequally and economic trends, etc.
"Regulation of business and promotion of infrastructure is not, in fact, the international socialism today’s Republicans claim. According to Abraham Lincoln, who first articulated the principles of the Republican Party, and under whom the party invented the American income tax, the 'legitimate object of government, is to do for a community of people, whatever they need to have done, but can not do, at all, or can not, so well do, for themselves---in their separate, and individual capacities.' Those things included, he wrote, 'public roads and highways, public schools, charities, pauperism, orphanage, estates of the deceased, and the machinery of government itself.'"
When will Republicans -- and Democrats alike -- learn the definition of socialism?! I find it so disconcerting that so many in the US are incapable of making an effort to truly understanding this socio-economic theory. Thank you, Heather, for bringing this issue to the fore.
Another reader also asked when will Republicans learn the definition of socialism.
The far right purveyors of “socialism” and “CRT” as derogatory terms do not care what they really mean. They are co-opting these terms for the purpose of “driving up negative perceptions” and emotionalizing their base. It is a continuation of what Newt Gingrich started in 1990 with the assistance of pollster Frank Luntz: a memo for Republicans titled "Language, a Key Mechanism of Control.”
That's why it's an important part of the GOP agenda to keep people uneducated, so they keep falling for these buzzwords that have been co-opted by the party and turned into different things entirely.
It's just a word like communism and Marxism that Rs like to throw around even though they don't know what it means. I have found that they really get upset when I tell them they don't know what any of these words mean.
Yes, and this week someone wrote no CRT on an elementary school here in Salem. So we the taxpayers will pay to have this nonsense cleaned up. They do have some sort of knowledge that somehow it reflects on their entitlement as white people. Most of them probably do not understand the concept of grad school either. It is just those liberal universities. I am reminded of when I was in grad school at the UO in Eugene. Springfield, next door, was a mill town. First, they had a fit when the UO shut down a street that went through campus as if it would matter to them as it just a part of the campus. I was in a seminar on the Crusades and we had a lady who had worked in the foreign service at one point, but was now a bartender in Springfield. She came to class with her face cut up because some oaf had slammed a glass on to the bar when he was angry about the UO. That was in the late 60s.
Well, here's hoping infrastructure spending is done well and in the next couple of years visibly improves the lives of the average people. In that case, it won't be thought of as socialism, as the Obamacare example has shown. But honestly, infrastructure feels like a Hail Mary to restore trust that there can be good government that is worth funding with our tax dollars.
Even better is "Social Democracy" which sounds less threatening than "Democratic Socialism". While I'm sure HCR or even Google could clearly explain the difference better than I can, I think that to many Americans "Democratic Socialism" sounds like the-USSR-with-some-voting, while "Social Democracy" sounds more like democracy-with-improvements.
Of course if many Americans had better schooling and personal reading habits, they might be less susceptible to the GOP's favorite propaganda tool: The Big Lie.
And it must be consistent. Everyone using the exact same words, every time. They and Faux used to get a list of talking points, and they stuck to them. It worked.
Hi Roshan, as a former Bernie supporter, I always thought he should have called himself a social Democrat - as opposed to corporatist Democrat - and stayed in the Democratic Party.
The key to your question is the word "learn" - there is no need to learn anything when one already knows all of the answers; at least those that serve one's purpose.
Thank you for this wonderful and illuminating American history lesson.
Abraham Lincoln must be turning in his grave that the nihilistic GOP calls itself the Republican party.
I'm sure the majority of middle-class, working-class and poor Americans would be thrilled to have the safety net benefits major industrialized European counties and Canadians take for granted.
If corporate media stopped mimicking conservative talking points, our country would be more receptive to socialism.
It seems the American political system is only amenable to socialistic redistribution when corporations asked to be bailed out.
Most of the Republicans in the Republican Party at the time hated Lincoln, he was keeping them from, taking power. Within four years of his death, the Republicans had created their Gilded Age. Lincoln, T. Roosevelt and Eisenhower were flukes. The party didn't want them where they were, but they had to accept them to take/keep power.
The R’s have done a stunning job at characterizing *everything* D’s do as “socialism” and simultaneously made that term the boogie man. They have been quite good at that. The D’s have done a poor job pointing out that what the opposing party is doing is basically promoting a religious (Christian) autocracy with a shot of oligarchy…
Most "Christians" never quote Jesus the Christ. Notice they cherry-pick from Paul and the Bronze Age writings of the Old Testament. They should be called Paulists (or Puritans). The right-wing scum have co-opted "Christian" as in Christian Identity terrorists. You have to be that kind of "Christian" to be in the KKK. My uncle in MS was deacon of his Baptist Church and in the KKK.
While talking on the phone with a friend the other day, I overheard the male voice coming from her TV mention “Critical Race Theory”. I asked her what she was watching and she said the 700 Club. These people are well educated, extremely successful, wealthy evangelicals……who, along with most of my friends and family, think I’ve gone off the deep end. My heart is broken…..
Before the Biden election, people were terrified of his turning the country into Venezuela because of Republican propaganda. Bernie Sanders made the mistake of using the term ¨Socialism¨ rather than ¨Democratic Socialism¨ which is practiced my many countries here in Europe. He never took the time to educate the public. He never called the Republicans on the inaccuracy. The Democrats need to begin doing this with smart marketing. This is what needs to be taught to Americans. There was something I read a week or so ago. An article about how Americans live such lives of poverty, but don't realize it. They are the frogs sitting in the pot of water which they think is warm. It isn't. No government is perfect, but the government in the U.S. needs an overhaul. The people in the U.S. need fact based education. Too many are leading lives of Quiet Desperation or Rage.
If the MAGAs and many GOP believe Covid is a hoax, Ivermectin its treatment, vaccines dangerously implanting tracking devices and altering DNA, that masks spread the virus...do really think these people are capable of understanding political theory-even if they wanted to do so?
Some people have realized during the pandemic that their old job really was not their best option. People have found other, better jobs. Hence, some employers are realizing they need to pay better than $10/hour. Crunch the numbers and see if you could live on that amount and eat & live indoors at the same time. Which leads to the question-if your business model is dependent on cheap labor, do you really have a viable business?
If you cannot afford to pay a living wage to your employees, then no - you do not have a viable business model. Another business that can afford to pay a living wage will always put your business out of business by attracting your employees.
It is interesting to me that the GOP's dishonest use of the Word "socialism" comes to us straight from our own politics circa 1870, not from Russian politics circa 1917. Of course they know it's a racist dog-whistle with deep connotations for their base.
David, I agree that the 1870's use of "socialism" was the most illuminating aspect of today's Letter. I still like dogs, but I do not care for dog-whistles.
In the 50´s when Eisenhower was President, and he wanted to use FDR's form of government, those Republicans against him and for corporate profit brought the word back. I learned this from one of HCR's amazing lessions.
you can pin that down to ignorant advisors (Hey, Bernie doesn't have to do ALL the hard lifting - and the mindset of the times, would be inimical to reflective thought).
Now, the recent GOP faux tropes… like pseudo socialism… should be taught in historical context in courses in 8th through 12th grades, and in college, with skilful and increasingly analytical and sophisticated use of the OED along with contemporary interpretation coupled with current examples.. with vigorous class discussion, repetition and comparative analytics, starting with the definition of latter day socialism, of early 1920s communism and latter half of the 21st century wokeness, new and subtle woke racism, and modern sophisticated intolerance, all this should be compared with fascism, totalitarianism and pre antitrust capitalism with frequent guest lectures from Timothy Snyder… of Yale. Parents should be allowed to observe if they will remain quiet.
Sandy, another home run. That about covers it....thanks! Lots to think about. Including the realization that -- after about 12 years of higher education and the paper that goes with it -- I would flunk such a course!
I am starting with these books and resources that get mentioned here quite frequently. Frankly, this is just the background reading to prepare you for Sandy's high school seminars.
WHY is most of GOP soooo against spending $1.2T over 10 years on American infrastructure and yet happy to spend $2.26T in Afghanistan nation building and $5T in Afghanistan and Iraq over 20 years? WHY does no one mention the absurdity of this fact? WORSE yet, many in GOP complain we are not STILL spending money in Afghanistan.
Different interest groups - war generates profits for certain industries and serves 'population control' ... infrastructure spending will upset that applecart ....
It isn't that. It is because McConnell and Republicans do NOT want a democrat as President to succeed and help the country. It makes it harder for them to take ultimate control.
Republicans strategists are fine with middle class and low income citizens paying a higher percentage of their income in taxes than millionaires and billionaires. They are horrified at the thought of tax dollars helping ordinary Americans and call that “socialism”, knowing it is not, but they are fine with corporate socialism.
Getting the message out requires a charismatic political personality with integrity, one who can take the place of Trump in the hearts and minds of his supporters. I don’t see any other way to break that thrall than to replace it. There is no reasoning.
Would you please post a link to Politics Girl actually speaking the message. Her articulate and compelling rants about the lack of messaging make me hungry for the message. Thanks in advance!
Here is a list of most of Politics Girl's videos - there are more, and doubtless will be more to come ... just in case you don't have time to explore her site, these links will give you easy access ... enjoy!!
The woman in California Leigh McGowen, who calls herself politics girl with the kind of messaging a lot of Democrats might love to hear from the party chair, Speaker, Majority Leader perhaps the President himself.
Partisan gerrymandering allows politicians to pick their voters rather than voters to pick their candidate. It’s drawing the lines so you can’t lose and the Republicans are in a prime position to win back the House in 2022 by just making impossible for Democrats to win.
Part of ‘The Importance of Voter Rights’ series. Part 3.
Knowing the Republicans can win back the house without actually winning more voters, what do we do? Hard Work & Passing Voter Protections. Including the For the People Act if we can get it.
They want the government in every part of our lives.
Lots of people think the Democrats are the big spenders. Turns out that might not be entirely true. In fact, over any length of comparison period (say, 25 years more), by pretty much any economic measure (job growth, debt, deficit), Democrats have outperformed Republicans for a century.
So, why do the Dems keep getting saddled with the big spender nametag?
_______
ARGUMENT #2: The Democrats want to get or give everything away for free.
They are in your pocket and live from cradle to Grave.
The image of the Welfare Queen living off the Government Dole is embedded into many Republican tropes but who is the biggest Welfare Queens in America if you look at the numbers? Dem or GOP the money is going to be spent. You have to ask yourself what do YOU think it should be spent ON?
This just has no basis in reality but where did the idea stem from and who benefits if people believe one party is law and order and the other is the party of the anarchists?
Can you respect the police and still ask more from them?
_______
ARGUMENT #4: Democrats want to release all prisoners and abolish jails.
Democrats definitely have far different ideas on immigration than Republicans but, open borders certainly aren’t one of them. We have a wonderful country but Democrats believe it’s important to also be a benevolent country. You can’t keep saying America is the best country on earth but giving the middle finger to anyone who wants to come here.
I’m not even sure where this one came from but, it seems to be a concern so, let’s address it.
What is freedom of religion?
What is the separation of church and state?
Do other faiths count or is it just Christianity?
Is is freedom if one religion gets to impose it’s laws on others? How would you feel if that religion wasn’t Christianity. If you had to conform to Muslim law or Buddhist law?
There is a big difference between having well funded, useful government social programs and being socialist. The idea of socialism is a boogyman the Republicans have been using for almost a century to scare voters away from social programs - including social security, medicare and unemployment insurance. Real socialism, where the government is authoritarian and runs the private economy is light years away from the responsible capitalism suggested by current Democrats or even the democratic socialism that Bernie Sanders and members of the “squad” favor.
_______
ARGUMENT #10: Democrats want to get rid of your Cars, Planes & Burgers
This idea is part of the current talking points of modern day Republicans to scare voters into thinking Democrats are nuts. The ideas come from cherry picking line items from the original ‘Green New Deal’ proposed in 2019. What needs to be noted is that particular bill wasn’t written to create legislation but, conversation. To point us in the direction the party believed we should be going if we wanted to really address climate change and economic inequality in America.
Democrats aren’t Anti-Military they’re just not Pro-War. I’d argue that Democrats are deeply patriotic but, it’s our love for the county that makes us question who we are and if we can be better. Self-improvement is one of the biggest indicators of self-love. You can’t improve without coming to terms with the fact that you need improvement. As Maya Angelou said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
The woman in California Lima Gowen, who calls herself politics girl with the kind of messaging a lot of Democrats might love to hear from the party chair, Speaker, Majority Leader perhaps the President himself.
I was here and then I was gone. I didn’t go away I just wasn’t sure where my voice fit into the endless circus of today’s political commentary. But, it’s the election and I couldn’t just let that go by.
Republicans should really take a good look at what’s in the Build Back Better bill and the infrastructure bill before rejecting it out of hand for being a democratic bill.
The election in Virginia on November 2 is a test. Are we willing to fight for democracy at every step, on every battlefield, every time or, are we willing to concede ground to those who would strip our rights for their own power just because it’s easier.
Yes, there is definitely a backlog in things getting to America but, this is not liberals canceling Christmas. This is the result of 18 months of a worldwide pandemic and the inevitable fallout of losing millions of people to a virus.
This should not be a hard decision. Virginians should be coming out in droves to vote for Terry McAuliffe. We need to make sure we defeat those who are anti-democracy every single chance we get.
It’s easy to make the progressives the scapegoat but, in this case, it’s the moderates that are causing our problems and deserve all the attention and blame.
"men of wealth insisted these programs meant a redistribution of wealth through tax dollars"
Exactly. That is what they are meant to do. Redistribute *to* the nation, the wealth *of* the nation - which powerful men, through preference and privilege, through exploitation and greed, have funneled into their private nosebags and corporate troughs. When the nation's wealth is put to work for the general welfare, the wealthy also benefit not only morally but practically.
As Rawls describes it, if I understand correctly, a role of government in a just society is to distribute benefits fairly - in such a way as to mitigate the unearned privileges of some and the undeserved burdens of others. If we act behind 'a veil of ignorance' as to our own relative positions then we can designate how benefits can be distributed fairly - which ups all our chances.
Lin, I am utterly delighted to see your reference to Harvard Philosophy Professor John Rawls' _A Theory of Justice_. I find it most helpful when thinking about the veil of ignorance and the original position as a social theory version of the golden rule "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
In simplest terms, if you were choosing the overall structure of society, and you could choose between (a) one person has all of the resources and power with everyone else in abject poverty, and (b) everyone has an equal share of resources and power, *and you the chooser did not know what position you would have in either such society*, which would you choose?
Of course, the choice should be along a continuum from (a) to (b), and that is where the devil is in the details. Nonetheless, the direction in the US seems to be moving closer to (a), while many of us would feel that movement towards (b) would be preferred. More of us might think all the more so if we were able to truly follow Rawlsian methods -- without the goggles of privileged knowledge of our current position that distort the choice.
" I find it most helpful when thinking about the veil of ignorance and the original position as a social theory version of the golden rule "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." "
Yes! You say/summarize it so well. (And Rabbi Hillel's "Do not do to others, what you do not want done to you.")
I think the Constitution, with its revolutionary message of radical equality, looks toward translating these into our secular civic life. That government preserve the ethical message of religious doctrine without retaining the irrationality of religious belief. That we leave the absolutes and authoritarianism of religion for the provisional truths of science and the contextual truths of history. Instead of creed we have agreed frameworks.
The Founders essentially introduced 'the scientific method' to our political, legislative, and judicial processes. We the people transfer power, amend the constitution, devise and revise the laws, and set and overturn legal precedent by coming to consensus through reasoned debate of empirical evidence. Nothing is *sacred*.
But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
Luke 12:48
For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
— Matthew 25:29, RSV.
I tell you, that to every one who has will more be given; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
— Luke 19:26, RSV.
For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
— Mark 4:25, RSV.
Take heed then how you hear; for to him who has will more be given, and from him who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.
Luke 8:18, RSV.
To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to him who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away."
Ahhh...parables. Ahhh...the Kennedys. Don't get me started. Especially on Joe. Our own Neville Chamberlin. Fanboy of Hitler. Supporter of Joe McCarthy and Richard Nixon...
Yes! If the war in Afghanistan cost us $300 million a day, and we’re no longer spending that money, why hasn’t the defense budget been reduced? And that money redirected to things like infrastructure?
The message of this and other letters need to be popularized in bites that the general public can digest. What most needs emphasis is the benefit that ALL Americans get from it, that is, roads, bridges, schools, hospitals etc. which enable the many things we all need and want. It would mean a truthful explanation of what socialism, American style, would mean to their daily lives.
As I've said to many people, especially as the stimulus checks were going out (which, just as an aside, Jeff Bezos received due to our wonderful tax loops), that what they say is socialism are the many things they enjoy and expect in life. So I asked, did you send back your stimulus check, did you reject medicare, do you want to send back the 1/2 of your social security put in by the government, or maybe you don't want to drive on public roads anymore, or hike in our national parks...and it goes on and on. Once again, no clue as to what it really means.
Well, over one's lifetime of work you pay approximately 1.45% % of your pay towards medicare and the employer pays the same amount. If you consider that on half of your medicare and social security are supplemented by the employer, and considering you live a reasonably long life, or your SS goes to a surviving spouse, you get quite a deal out of the amount you pay in. In my opinion (if it hadn't been raided by many other things), in concept it is a perfect symbiotic relationship between individuals and government.
Usually stimulus checks are just that...they want you to spend it. I didn't need one so when it came I gave it to charities and shopped for things I didn't really need at local businesses with it. I didn't see sending it back as particularly helpful.
I don't disagree with that at all. It was mainly a point that many overlook. Happily accepting it, but not thinking how that connects to THEIR idea of socialism and people's insistence that socialism is Communism.
Trump and Company found and took full advantage of many many loopholes - Why do they still exist? Is it because Congress is using them to benefit as well. I'm so suspicious of way too many members in Congress right now. We need an overhaul of rules for Congress.
What is frustrating to me is that the next gen is oft to say, as soon as the boomers die off, then all the nonsense about race will go away. The next gen is not afraid of white minority. They are interested in all color majority. I, for one, agree with this. To me, the difference in skin color was a last minute challenge by the creator. “Will your separateness from the Creator manifest in a scramble for hierarchy?” How convenient to use skin color; a visual, definitive manifestation. It’s a travesty. In any conversation I have in discussing the threat to democracy or the common good, any discussion of racism (and may I clarify, not race) is met with discomfort, confusion, and dismissal with anyone that feels a shred of guilt in their souls. And quite frankly, it’s white people. That it all almost went to shit after the Civil War when reconstruction was a concept and not an actuality and it’s upon us again? Really?
Look. The original download from the Creator remains. “We are all in this together. There is enough to go around.” It’s so simple but so difficult if greed is insisted.
I choose simple, my optimism of the human race stems from this belief, I only plead that like minded can change a mind every minute, and that we can flourish and not fade. The Universe counts on us.
Very much so, Christine - my comment is an addendum to yours - always, I appreciate a reminder of deeper dynamics - a valuable redirect from constant emphasis on political polarities ... thank you for consistent enthusiasm and emphasis on substance and relevant truths!!
The Biden "legacy" is being cemented. The passing of this Infrastructure Bill will be remembered as part of a series of efforts by his administration to improve the quality of life in America. Of course, the legacy will be recapped starting with the efforts to save life itself...as many millions of Americans became vaccinated. The lovely side effect of being alive and being able to go back to work was that the economy was boosted faster than anyone expected. Apparently, being alive and not being afraid of death by disease were helpful factors in such mundane issues like stats about unemployment, GDP, etc. Wall Street loved it, too.
As to socialism as a term, what else would we expect from the people of Party Q? They have perverted, twisted and wrecked other perfectly normal words. If "socialism" now means all the evil that a Democrat does, then doesn't "Conservative" now mean authoritarian liar? And then there is our favorite: "Liberal". It used to mean tolerant, open minded.
For a very long time I thought of myself as a fiscal conservative with liberal values. Now that sounds like some sort of maniac based on today's usage. So I give up. Just call me a socialist and be done with it.
I voted for Ike in 1956. I put my life on the line for my country. Somewhat later I was on the Nixon White House Enemies List. Later still I was on my union’s negotiating team determined to get a fair share for my colleagues. Now Republican means reprehensible to me. I guess that I’ve become a sensible socialist who cares deeply about my fellow citizens and my country.
You’re one of us, Keith, and we’re the better for having you. Thank you for your service.
I think that covers a lot of us, your last paragraph fits me to a tee. The Republican Party of John McCain and Colin Powell, men of decency, integrity, and honor has evaporated with their passing RIP, it’s remnant's are inhabited by people that share none of those qualities, none, zero, zip, most of them are highly educated and wealthy to 🥾 boot, so it makes no sense that they would align themselves with a con man who’s entire entitled life has been built on lies. None of us are perfect and we have all probably at one time shaded the truth to benefit ourselves only to realize what a mistake that was, can you imagine a lifetime in which every single time you opened your mouth a lie came out. The Republicans have embraced a con man and a cheater and a large part of our evidently uneducated nation is in his thrall. Disaster on the order of what Hitler did to Germany is on the horizon and approaching very fast. We have to get the voting rights legislation passed, our nation depends on it, if we do that there are enough of us to straighten out this mess, this is a battle that we must win, the stakes are that high.
can you imagine a lifetime in which every single time you opened your mouth a lie came out? And yet with 24/7 news coverage of DJT - it doesnt bother him or his twits one bit! Certainly telling, isnt it?
The Frontline show called The Decision (I think) about the upcoming presidential election did a deep dive into the both candidate's lives. It really drove home for me how Trump is just not a normal human being.
No he is not Kim. And these are not normal times. And it would be good for the press to keep that at top of mind when they write articles that strain to equate “both sides”.
I guess that was never a surprise - couldnt stand him from the moment I first heard of him - normal - far from "normal" & not a decent human being to put it plainly.
Nope! He is a bottom feeding creature Not a human being!
anyone who's lived in NYC for the last four decades knew what he is. it amazes me that ANYONE here voted for him (even on--god help us--Staten Island, which is mostly a fascist coven). and it's all about the excising of social studies as a serious subject in public schools. it was better back when I was in school, even if it wasn't great. but now, with these miserable tests, it's only about math and "English language arts," god help us yet again.
Approaching at the speed of a meteor. The absolute highest of stakes.
The R’s have used him to distract us for four years while the final pieces of endgame were tuned up and installed. The state houses. The judiciary. SCOTUS. Sleepers in all federal departments, including the military, etc. They’re out in the open now: attempted hostile takeover in CA, a completed one in VA. No attempt to hide what they are accomplishing in GA, TX, FL. (I feel like a raving paranoid, but my natural skepticism can’t overcome what I’m seeing!)
If they take the House and Senate next year, I am afraid it’s all OVER.
The absolute highest of stakes....
Well said Keith and Dick. It is sad that these knuckleheads can't put aside their politics to build infrastructure that will benefit this country and improve our economy. And the 13 Republicans who voted for the bill are getting backlash from breaking ranks from the likes of Green, Gaetz, and Boebert who called them RINOS. In reality, the 202 who voted against the bill are RINOS! And, how crazy is it that the Squad voted against it as well! So, this apparently isn't a socialist bill if the real claimers of that position voted in opposition.
Bipartisan opposition? No, Nancy had a comfortable margin, and apparently allowed the Squad to be true to what they are made of. It all worked out for the liberal good
This time....
Isn't it sad that a member of Congress can't vote their conscience without leadership permission or suffering insults from their party, which is what the 13 Republicans who gave Pelosi her comfortable majority endured.
it's funny. I keep seeing those scumbags in Congress being described as "highly educated." I take exception. they might have gone to good, expensive universities and top-rated law schools, but I still wouldn't call them "highly educated" if they either are or pretend to be yahoos because that tells me they didn't learn anything. or rather, anything of real value (like, say, honesty, morality, kindness or any of the "core values" everyone likes to pretend is somehow a part of "America's DNA." and lawyers reading this might resent a non-lawyer saying this (although I DID write briefs for two years in my brother-in-law's law practice), but a great memory and a reasonably intact intelligence (which is to say, an IQ in three digits) will get somebody through law school.
I would agree with your taking exception as well as the fact that most of them are scumbags. To me the fact that they are so divorced from the truth, not slightly shaded away, but not even on the same planet with it, is infuriating. They are playing a game with people’s lives and are smart enough to know it, and the people who’s lives are at stake are clueless about it. Dishonorable does not begin to capture a description of them.
Unfortunately not all in his thrall are "uneducated", or stupid. Just taken in. Saying that serves to feed division, feed their anger at the elites for condescending.
Yeah they are taken in - but as in a cult - its a safe place where they dont have to think! The elite excuse (?) is just another excuse to blame someone else - both the ones they call elites & "others" who they want to "keep in their place".
I’ve objected to labeling myself a long time ago. Just judge me on my label-less values. Discuss current issues on moral and ethical grounds. It serves clarity
Of course, there are those that get confused by morals and ethics because those concepts escape them
They are the ones that attempt to “own me” and are quite satisfied with themselves by labeling me a Communist/Socialist for my attempts to explain basic supply and demand curve effects on the price of gas
Is it time for the sequel to “Dumb and Dumber”?
Yes, supply and demand. So Biden's aggressive efforts to vaccinate have subdued the pandemic just enough to get people back to work and school - driving up demand for gas. So we definitely can blame Joe for higher gas prices, right? Ooops, I forgot. Everything is Obama's fault. Joe, you are off the hook.
Here’s where we need to start our messaging. The fact that there are now sports events, including the New York marathon today, Broadway shows back, movies back in theatres, etc. is a big “thank you” to Joe Biden and his vaccination efforts. There should be great bigs signs saying so at each of these places.
Maybe including a big thank you to all Americans who complied with health directives ( you know, masking and distancing and vaccination) and stayed strong, and businesses that also supported those efforts. A real WW II type campaign.
Thank You Brandon!
I agree. If we wait to long to claim that, the R’s will swear the anti-maskerswon!
Here's more messaging: https://twitter.com/BrunoAmato_1/status/1456994880572452868
We need more of this ...Go Bruno!!!!!
The demand side is strong.
The supply side is manipulated to maximize profits for the producers.
But, what drivers see at the pump is the only thing that matters as they fill their tank and watch the cost dial on the pump spin faster than ever.
Voters will look to President Biden for answers.
From CNN
“Gas prices are sky high and Bank of America warns $120-a-barrel oil is on the way
Oil prices backed off from recent highs on Wednesday. US crude tumbled 3% to around $81 a barrel and Brent lost 2% to $83 amid jitters ahead of Thursday's OPEC meeting.
A further oil spike would raise the already-elevated cost of living for Americans. And it would squeeze businesses grappling with sticker shock, shortages and supply chain disasters.
Americans pay very close attention to prices at the pump and concerns about inflation have helped sour their views on the overall economy.
Nearly two-thirds of Americans described the economy as poor in a poll released this week. In Virginia, where Republicans won a key prize in the state's governor's mansion, the economy ranked in exit polls as the most important issue, surpassing education, taxes and Covid.”
https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/03/business/gas-prices-oil-opec/index.html
Love the Turn around. Can I borrow?
Please do.
I don’t add depth of observation on this platform, I come here to reassure myself that there are many others, more articulate than I am, right here!
Me too! And for me, to learn from those much wiser voices than I.
We have been watching that unfold for the last 5 years, the strange part is that so many don’t get it, I mean they literally have no clue.
I believe they either have made the sequel or are going to!
We are living the sequel to “Dumb and Dumber”- Green and Boebert.
Ha! Ha! We’re living Dumb and Dumber!
I used to call myself that too. Social liberal, fiscal conservative. No more. Liberal all the way, baby!
Unfortunately close to half the people in this country will see you as their enemy because you believe we should take care of vulnerable people and help them get their basic needs met.
I know. And most of them consider themselves "Christians", eh? I think if there was a Jesus he would be very irritated with them. Sorry if I got you riled up about your "favorite" subject :) But I just can't escape the pathetic irony. So much for "my brother's keeper".
If more Christians spent more time emulating the version of Jesus that ministers to the poor by feeding them I might be more sympathetic to the Christian diaspora.
If you were to visit the church of one of those 'Christians', you probably wouldn't be surprised to find that Jesus has left the building.
Smart and witty, thank you, Bill the Socialist.
I actually have an old voter registration card from Miami, 1982 that has Socialist written in the Party space. I never actually participated in any Socialist Party activities, but just rebellious against the white Cuban bourgeoisie that took over the place. (I've only met one black Cuban in Miami - There are hundreds of them still in Havana) Now ppl accuse me of being a Democrat, altho I am registered NPA.
Rob There has been an historic discrimination against blacks in Latin America, even in Brazil. This remains true in Cuba according to news reports in recent years.
Castro was always the #1 racist in Cuba.
Worst things to be accused of.
I just read your "Dream on" post. If only! I enjoy your writing.
Welcome to the « Socialist Club »👍🏻❤️🤍💙
It’s worked so well. Ahhhh. Reminds me of a song from long ago.
Beatles. I’ a Loser…
Ah yes. The Beatles. https://youtu.be/f70Z3cvrQd0
A "Democratic Socialist" a la Bernie Sanders seems to modify the sting.
Yes, that would be me. Ala Finland, etc. But such subtleties would escape the zombies impersonating Republicans.
We may not know what to call ourselves Bill, or what we are. But we definitely know what we’re NOT, yes?
Yes, we definitely know we are not #45. But we do know, if you know shat book/movie of which I speak, that the answer to life is 42.
I like your comments. Economist Richard D. Wolf has just published his new book, entitled "UNDERSTANDING SOCIALISM". Readers might wish to read this. Richard D. Wolf is not your usual economist.
Richard Leonard Silk of the NYT years ago published several common sense books on economics. I taught ECONOMICS FROM FEUDALISM TO THE PRESENT for two decades and prefer Groucho Marx to Karl Marx who, not so incidentally was subsidized by his friend Engels, who was running a factory in, I believe, Birmingham. As part of Marxist communality, Karl got his housemaid pregnant. Karl mistakenly placed class above nationalism and his theory that only workmen’s labor provided value to products was wrong headed.
Well said!
I wish that Republicans would stop driving on our Socialist highways and sending their children to our Socialist public schools. It's been my hope that Republicans burn their Medicare cards in a great public protest of that creeping Socialist movement that grows as Boomers come of age.
If they were true to their believes they should return their social security checks.
They know it’s all bull Schitt. The republican pols that is. The rank and file are just lemmings who are led by hate, the socialism scare word, and/or any other phony cause (red herring) that their think tanks can come up with to arouse emotion, (CRT, unquestioned life for zygotes, Christianity under attack, evil libtards, etc.). For the republican pols it’s greed and power, period.
“Greed and Power” has a ring to it!
All so true. While they continue to cash their “Social” security checks.
I feel the same as you, but in theory Social Security checks come from a fund they paid into (before they looted it) …
Yes, but the “social” security program makes it all possible.
Exactly. Hypocrites.
Yes! And they should return those relief checks Biden sent out for their precious businesses and their oh, so special children.
A belated reply, but you reminded me of an oldie but a goodie:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyqzPu5pX6U
cheers
Oh the fantasy! Remember when... It was never. 😔
Sad but true. Dreaming dreamy dreams of functional, values-driven government might provide inspiration--but, agreed, we can't settle in for soothing fantasies. Still, I think, worth a laugh at a good zinger.
OMG! That was great.😂🤣😂🤣
Yes, socialism is a dirty word to Republicans. They also seem to equate it with communism to make it sound even worse. Yet the true socialist countries like the Scandinavian have the best well-being in the world. I'm tired of Senator Manchin talk about "entitlements" when people pay into social security and medicare their entire careers. The benefits in retirement are simply return on one's investment. If the income disparity wasn't so extreme, we wouldn't need to be talking about big social safety nets. I'm tired of the zero sum game where if white males will get less if they have to share it with minorities and women. When I started my career women got 59 cents on the dollar to men in salaries. It is now about 79 cents to the dollar and for minority women it's worse. why can't we just be fair, work together and make more pies rather than bickering over the existing pie.
Thank you for so clearly articulating how I feel. I was hired at a mental health agency 40 years ago with another male counterpart who had no experience and was hired at a higher pay level. I went to the board and fought it. I did get a raise but no compensation for my experience.
I am very tired of the inequity that persists in this country. I am very tired of the self righteousness that persists in this white male republican culture. We currently have some great role models in congress to remind us of what we are up against.
Ah yes, they hold our lives in their hands, like wet clay - and know how to shape it - just so ...
AND still no ERA!! How many years has it been since that was first put forth? Far far too many.
Texas is not an autocracy with the gerrymandered districts assuring Republican rule despite the white population being now being less than half the population. And, lots of other red states are becoming minority rule with super majority Republican legislatures. Just ordered the book "Laboratories of Autocracy" by David Pepper.
which explains what is happening and what we need to do about it.
Oops... that NOW rather than "not" .... Texas is no longer a democracy.
Durn auto spell....
I just read that with the take over of the Virginia house of delegates/legislature, they now have the power to appoint the state supreme court justices. Their court will lose 2 justices soon and you can bet that their replacements will be conservative. Another reason to pay attention to the state legislatures.
In high school in the early 1960s, in the midst of the Cold War and Red Scare, I was still exposed to Karl Marx statement, "From Each According to his Ability - To Each According to his Need." That sounded most fair for a society.
Much of my work history in human services, "according to my ability" I cared for ppl who were funded by SSI & Medicaid "according to their need." Even now retired, I list my job as "recovering the money I paid into Social Security" and that pittance goes back into economy for all my consumer needs, not like the stashed excess money of the elite in off-shore accounts.
Yes, starving the middle class hurts capitalism by starving the consumers. Great point about the money going to off-shore accounts rather than back into the country's economy.
Rob, I was taught that Social Security is a federally managed “mandated investment” retirement and security program. Like you, I couldn’t live without it. So I guess I’m a retired socialist bum....recovering my money and glad that it’s there.
This white guy is in complete agreement with you.
White old gal too
Thank you!
I once (35 years ago) received an almost 30% raise, retroactive 6 months, when I discovered what a male coworker was making and confronted my boss about it. Damage control, to prevent a lawsuit for discrimination. The pay gap is real. When I first started working in 1983, I thought the work was done for women’s equality. It didn’t take long for my naïve thinking to disappear.
My first real job after finishing grad school in 1981 paid me $11,000/yr! I got a few raises and was earning $15k when I left. People accused me of having not "earned" the raise. After that I found the only way I could really increase my earnings was to change jobs every few years...because 3% of nothing looks like nothing. Finally after nearly 20 yrs of experience a man was hired over me that didn't know how to do his job and was paid twice what I was being paid. I moved on and was able to establish myself by finding a world in freelance where they paid you what you were worth to them regardless of whether you are male or female. Yet there were still times I had to roll my eyes at what I saw happening to women and minorities.
Dr. Fiona Hill experienced the same thing. It's appalling.
I was so angry. I didn’t even stop to think, just stormed into my boss’s office, demanding to know if my assessment of my value to the firm was flawed, or if they were discriminating against me because I was a woman, young, and single. “Let me get back to you” and 15 minutes later a huge raise. Hmmmmm. I guess I’m still angry about it. I’d had three promotions in five years, and produced more than anyone else at my level. Sigh. At 25, I was the highest ranking woman in the firm. So no role models, although I absolutely had wonderful mentors. And I loved my job and my coworkers. It was the best job I ever had.
Kathy, Martha, Maia, Cathy, Sharon, and Spooky:
A world of thanks to you strong women who have ceaselessly fought the good fight for and with us 💙💙💙💙💙💙!
Thank you, Ashley. This is one of the (huge) reasons why I love Hilary Clinton. At a decade and a half older than I am, it was much worse for her. And look what she achieved!
Me too!!
Thank you for expressing eloquently what women have experienced and continue to experience in the American workplace: inequality. To counter disrespect, I urge women, people of color, lgbtq and any letter I forgot to add that signifies gender identity - everywhere - to run for public office at every level of public service. In my career, women who disagreed would work together toward an agreement. Men, not so much, by a long shot. Gains by election have been made. They need to increase. ❤️🤍💙
Yes, we need our elected officials and legislatures to reflect the population of the voters. Whenever I can I vote for women and minorities .. and veterans who have fought for our country who will put country over party.
Cathy Learoyd, your statement "Yet the true socialist countries like the Scandinavian have the best well-being in the world" contributes to the overwhelming misinformation problem we face on this issue. They have a significant social safety net, but their economic model is not socialism, it is very much a market economy, capitalism. There are many comments today that repeat this misunderstanding, so I'm not picking on you. This goes way beyond a question of semantics. Republicans are killing Democrats with this label and it is completely wrong. I have no suggestions how to counter a misinformation campaign dating back over 100 years.
Thank you GMB, Just looked up the definition of socialism.
1. a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.
2. (in Marxist theory) a transitional social state between the overthrow of capitalism and the realization of Communism.
Senator Bernie Sanders said if you had a Social Security Card you were a card carrying socialist. Enjoyed that line.
I do think one of the things wrong with our economic system is the employees are not stakeholders and do not get the benefits of stakeholders for their contribution to the profit of the enterprise. That's why wages have not increased with the economy in general. We have an oligarchic kleptocracy now.
I believe the Nordic model is what contributes to the very high ranking of well being in the Scandinavian countries.
The pay inequality between CEOs and workers in the United States is probably the highest in the world. It needs to be regulated by the government which even to me sounds extreme, but given the trend line for more than 40 years there doesn't seem to be any other option. It still wouldn't be socialism, just a way to prevent our current slide to oligarchy. And yes Bernie Sanders is funny but just reinforces the misperception.
Yes, when I was sitting in meetings with the senior managers I would calculate how much the meeting was costing based on their salaries. Of course, if they are making million/billion dollar decisions perhaps the salaries were worth it. I remember a story (not at my company) about senior executives hiring the prettiest secretaries not always competent. The company made a rule that the executive assistants had to have a salary no less than 50% of the executives. Sure worked. the executive assistants were highly competent! It is also good if the decisions are being made on human terms. I remember this hitting home when having to come up with how many of the product we were developing would be manufactured over its life. For me, I realized i was making a decision that could close a manufacturing plant or open a new one and the impact it would have on 800 or more families. I had some sleepless nights over that.
What is the difference between stakeholder and stockholder? Seems my dad was a stockholder at Dow from the get go, employees encouraged to buy stock with a good discount.
I am proud to be a ‘socialist.’ Though I have never drawn unemployment compensation, I benefit from Medicare and Social Security and FEMA provides under market rates for the flood insurance on my home. I suggest that everyone who opposes ‘socialism’ refuse to accept these and other ‘socialist’ benefits, including the many corporations that happily accepted massive funds from the federal government during the pandemic. Also, without aggressive pandemic action during the pandemic, the 1% would not have benefited from a 30+% rise in the stock market since pre-pandemic.AND REPUBLICANS ARE LOCK STEP IN OPPOSING ANY REVERSAL OF TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S GIVEAWAYS TO CORPORATIONS AND VERY WEALTHY AMERICANS. Personally I much prefer being a ‘socialist’ than a plutocrat, because then I have no need to be hypocritical.
To read about W VA residents and how they have been anything BUT “entitled,” read Wildland by Evan Osnos. They NEED what BIF and BBB will do for them.
When will people quit voting against their own best interests? McConnell has kept Kentucky poor for decades. And he keeps winning.
It's so interesting. I guess the GOP makes it about the 2nd amendment for some folks, about abortion for others, about race for others, all the while what it's really about is keeping people down and maintaining power and wealth. Quite the con job.
I've decided that the Texas GOP whining about wearing masks and their egocentric freedoms while telling women the have to carry a fetus to term with no exceptions and critical race theory worried about hurting the feelings of the little white boys makes the white male the weaker gender.
Sure does seem that way, doesnt it?
But no one in the either party never mentions that do they? I dont expect it of the Repubs, but its one more "message" not given by the Dems or perhaps by an enterprising journalist with the ability to print it!
Maybe we can petition John Oliver to do a segment on socialism, pointing out the many entitlements corporations and the wealthy enjoy. The great thing about John is he will run ads on Fox and publicize the information where it will have an impact.
But the message has to get to the people who don’t watch Oliver or read the NY Times, or the other avenues for learning what’s so that others of us do absorb. I like the commonality of an approach like this one above, suggested by Annette D.:
“ Here’s where we need to start our messaging. The fact that there are now sports events, including the New York marathon today, Broadway shows back, movies back in theatres, etc. is a big “thank you” to Joe Biden and his vaccination efforts. There should be great bigs signs saying so at each of these places.”
Yeah, John Oliver, and Jon Stewart who now has a very good new show - in fact, I would expect both of them to do something on this.
Your statement is exactly what needs to be promoted!
Read "Dying of Whiteness" for some insight on that.
Thanks My question was rhetorical though. Hatred is a powerful force, isn't it. Sad.
Incredible book. Learned a lot but couldn’t read it right before bedtime.
Right. Doubtless, they have worked their finners to the bone for every penny in their piggy banks ...
In 1970, I was denied a promotion I had been promised and foregone a pay increase earlier because I would get it with the promotion. They hired a man and paid him TWICE what I was making. When I protested I was told that I was a married woman of childbearing age and they couldn’t risk giving me the responsibility. My two weeks notice coincided with the 2 weeks vacation I was owed. There was no place to take this for review or remediation. Btw, this was at an Ivy League university.
I worked as a secretary for a couple of years while my husband earned his masters degree. I came home one day and told my mind was rusting. He said well, why you go study engineering. I said YES! and did so. After one semester in engineering I was offered a summer job at twice the salary of my full time secretarial job. I had entered a "man's" occupation with all its benefits. Some of the problem is the jobs that are majority women are not as valued as like teachers are not given the value they deserve. On the other hand, when I was promoted to the manager of my engineering group I found out that 2/3's of the people working for me made more money than I did. Most of that may have been that I was climbing the corporate ladder rather quickly, but they had to give me 20%+ raises every six months for two years to get my salary in line with the job I was doing.
I taught school and paid for my husband’s last year of college. In his first job right out of college, he made twice what I made. Where would anyone be without teachers? Teachers who have profound influence on kids often caring for them when no one else does.
I think teachers are the most exploited group in our society. It should be the most valued job in our society because it will make the most difference to the next generation being successful and have well-being.
Maria, I’m also a retired academic, a librarian. In my last two jobs (one private, one public), former colleagues told me after I left that they couldn’t find anyone to hire who would accept the job at the salary they were willing to pay. I retired at the end of the academic year after I turned 62.
Infuriating, Camilla. I’m glad you’re retired.
Thank you, so am I. Early retirement was one of the best things I ever did for myself.
Also IT. And a system I wrote for them was still in operation 20 years later.
But, of course, they named it after you, right? /s
I was a software engineer for over 40 years, and I guarantee I never was paid as much as the men. I have some savings I haven't dipped into yet, but right now I live exclusively on Social Security, and I earned every penny of it.
When I became a group engineering manager, the personnel group asked me to come present to them. So, I made a histogram that showed the number of women at each level on the left and the number of men at each level on the right. Sort of a Rorschach looking graph. Surprising to me was that it showed two glass ceilings for women - one for women on the technical track and one for women on the managerial track - while the male side of the chart showed quite a smooth distribution in both. I did work for a highly ethical Fortune 100 computer corporation and they took that chart very seriously.
HST knew them well “Socialism is a scare word they have hurled at every advance the people have made in the last 20 years. Socialism is what they called public power. Socialism is what they called Social Security. Socialism is what they called farm price supports. Socialism is what they called bank deposit insurance. Socialism is what they called the growth of free and independent labor organizations. Socialism is their name for almost anything that helps all the people.” Harry S. Truman Oct 10, 1952.
Republicans are no longer the party of Lincoln, haven’t been for 100 years. When he died, they pretty much died too. They like to hang “socialism” around every Democrats neck,” maybe a good word for them would be “Hypocrits,” until we can agree whether traitor, seditionist, insurrectionist, or cult nut describes them best.
I'm good with the Repugnant Party.
HST's comment and yours, Jeri, should be read by every journalist on TV! Repetition works for DJT's minions - would work for the Dems IF THEY WOULD JUST DO IT!
Yes. We suck at the messaging and the repetition. The showmanship and the “like” getting. It’s a shame we have to take a page out of their play book to get our points across, to help new voters understand. And we must do this. If we don’t step up our communications game, we’re dead. Adman J.Walter Thompson said it well generations ago: “The Truth Well Told.” We need to tell the truth well and get it out there in rap songs, rock’n’roll. Tik Tok videos and movies. TV shows and concerts. On the Hill in testimonies from experts and whenever and wherever we can. We need to make our message exciting, benefit-based, sexy, palatable, worthy of repeating, tattooing, being passionate about.
Absolutely! I'm reading (still) Fiona Hill's "There is nothing for you here". She tells the same story thats told in comments here - and compares, the US, the UK, and Russia, all oddly enough with the same issues over the past 30 (?) years. She still speaks out for all of us! Well worth reading.
Yes, a great read. Go Fiona!
Very much agreed. But I'm sorry we have to.
As well, bring back journalism, and educate for enlightened citizenship. Yesterday someone posted a link to this piece by Thom Hartmann about how our news media has been coopted by big business. Sure brought home to me why so many in this country don't know what's really happening: https://hartmannreport.com/p/the-news-is-too-vital-to-be-left?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxMjUwODI1OSwicG9zdF9pZCI6NDM1MjM2ODcsIl8iOiJoaUszMiIsImlhdCI6MTYzNjI0NzM1NywiZXhwIjoxNjM2MjUwOTU3LCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMzAyMjg4Iiwic3ViIjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.B5NFvAnzwq0GotjNwWKJAoeZzwIgF6y_HEKrwSvxGcI
The oligarchs own media, government & businesses. I'm still reading Friendly Fascism by Bertram Gross ( pre 1985 footnotes). Even then there was the .1% who controlled everything. His take is that most CEOs are fodder. Same with generals. I get hung up on remembering that this book is before cell phones, internet, social media & at the very beginning of women's lib & cable channels.
There’s nothing about smart promotion that necessarily betrays ethics. Getting a simple message that hits home out and repeating and repeating is the game being played, that we aren’t playing.
We can do it with integrity, not lies. And we can do it as you suggest in music and other cultural forms in addition to the fields Republicans currently play on.
In fact, it’s what the Democrats MUST do.
How about all of the above. The descriptors all fit.
Republicans know one thing; their misinformed, ignorant base Will believe anything fed to them. Lazy, entitled American slugs — and I mean Republicans here—Continue to make their slow March to suffocate democracy.
Absolutely agree with you Randy. But, uh, it’s not a slow March anymore! More like Escape Velocity.....
Excellent comment. And, Truman provided a level-headed, easily understood definition of socialism for people in confusion or already prejudiced about the term.
Republicans behave more like "communists" that is Stalin or Moscow communists in that they believe in a one party totalitarian government that demands total loyalty to the party and a handful of militant leaders. They use the same tools: lies, misinformation, secret police, partisan judges and party controlled media. They prefer to see the nation deteriorate as they force themselves into controlling every activity, than to see any other group, method or idea thrive. They undermine all forms of education, books, reading, writing and religion except where they control it. Everyone and everything is a potential enemy. And even if it's not, saying it is, is a useful political tool.
This is where they want to take us. If it comes to pass, much if not most of their majority will wonder what happened to freedom, even their one-sided view of it.
They have already taken us there. It shows in many ways, the disparity of wealth beginning with the Reagan administration is an obvious example. Then along came Biden. I wouldn't have expected it, given his record as a senator. Joe saw where it has gone and as Bernie says, 'Enough is enough!' Many Americans, rightfully angry as they were 'disposable' and treated as such glommed on to Trump their tribal leader, who knew instinctively how to nail them. Then there is social media/Zuker/Face/berg/book/Meta and Fox/Rupert/Carlson/News/Hannity/Murdoch; Charles Koch, along with the other Oligarchs -- this is no small clash of ideologies.
I am no history expert but I'm wondering if disparity of wealth really began with Reagan. I'm thinking that the "modern" version of wealth disparity began with him, by which I mean having to respond to different set of rules that tried to make things more equal created in the decades just prior (FDR). Reagan had to continue white supremacy and wealth accumulation in sneakier ways and focus on different bogey men (like welfare being for lazy people.) All the while still cutting taxes and starting to borrow money leading to deficit spending and national debt.
Hi Kim, I wrote a long comment posted today, which has material about the transfer of wealth in this country, taken primarily from the Pew Research Center, and a bit from Robert Reich. You might be interested. There are a lot sources for material about the effects of Reaganomics, if you'd like to pursue that subject. I recommend the Pew Center as well for data/factual material about the economic unequally and economic trends, etc.
OK, thanks so much Fern!
The backfire will be bigger than Mt. St. Helens when voters realize they don't know how to govern without having us to blame for everything.
I thought that the backfire would come when people realized that about tfg. Except the base clings even tighter to the corrupt failure that is trump.
... it will be "a good day to die" ....
... and will hold Democrats and uppity inferiors to blame ...
Exactly! It amazes me how people don't see that!
Really good points.
So it seems.
"Regulation of business and promotion of infrastructure is not, in fact, the international socialism today’s Republicans claim. According to Abraham Lincoln, who first articulated the principles of the Republican Party, and under whom the party invented the American income tax, the 'legitimate object of government, is to do for a community of people, whatever they need to have done, but can not do, at all, or can not, so well do, for themselves---in their separate, and individual capacities.' Those things included, he wrote, 'public roads and highways, public schools, charities, pauperism, orphanage, estates of the deceased, and the machinery of government itself.'"
When will Republicans -- and Democrats alike -- learn the definition of socialism?! I find it so disconcerting that so many in the US are incapable of making an effort to truly understanding this socio-economic theory. Thank you, Heather, for bringing this issue to the fore.
Another reader also asked when will Republicans learn the definition of socialism.
The far right purveyors of “socialism” and “CRT” as derogatory terms do not care what they really mean. They are co-opting these terms for the purpose of “driving up negative perceptions” and emotionalizing their base. It is a continuation of what Newt Gingrich started in 1990 with the assistance of pollster Frank Luntz: a memo for Republicans titled "Language, a Key Mechanism of Control.”
https://twitter.com/strongrob12/status/1455261168747036677?s=21
I remember when Newt was teaching at Kennesaw College here in Georgia, when my daughter attended there. So sorry we let him loose on the country....
Remember, he was a transplant, not a native Georgian.
Unlike Larry McDonald, another force we unleashed for a while.
I remember him (I lived in GA for three years). A John Bircher.
Yes, but it's little relief. He called by here and we let him go....
"BIG GOVERNMENT SOCIALISTS ... are a secular religious movement;
They can't deal with reality;
They can't cope with facts;
If it doesn't fit their narrative,
they just shrug it off and refuse to pay attention to it."
(Newt Gingrich - 10/14/21)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=207&v=OD-PTG4A-wk&feature=emb_logo
\\
Newt is the virus that attacks the brain and makes it unable to compute
... also, a salamander in the subfamily Pleurodelinae ...
Well, now you're getting technical....
So that's what's wrong with me. I thought it was a brain injury or something....
... self portrait ...
100% agree, Ellie. The Rs know exactly what socialism means and they profit from intentionally mislabeling it and lying to their constituents.
That's why it's an important part of the GOP agenda to keep people uneducated, so they keep falling for these buzzwords that have been co-opted by the party and turned into different things entirely.
Exactly, I remember this in the election for Tx Governor in 1994. I thought people wouldn’t be that stupid, I was so wrong…
100% true. Frank has done more damage than most.
Clarification: This doesn't link to Frank Luntz's memo, but gives an example of what he prescribed.
The text is available here:
https://agendatwentytwenty.com/2018/08/17/gopac-memo-language-a-key-mechanism-of-control-gingrichs-declaration-of-war-against-civil-debate-and-respect-for-opponents/
Thanks very much.
It's just a word like communism and Marxism that Rs like to throw around even though they don't know what it means. I have found that they really get upset when I tell them they don't know what any of these words mean.
Including Critical Race Theory as words they don't understand.
Yes, and this week someone wrote no CRT on an elementary school here in Salem. So we the taxpayers will pay to have this nonsense cleaned up. They do have some sort of knowledge that somehow it reflects on their entitlement as white people. Most of them probably do not understand the concept of grad school either. It is just those liberal universities. I am reminded of when I was in grad school at the UO in Eugene. Springfield, next door, was a mill town. First, they had a fit when the UO shut down a street that went through campus as if it would matter to them as it just a part of the campus. I was in a seminar on the Crusades and we had a lady who had worked in the foreign service at one point, but was now a bartender in Springfield. She came to class with her face cut up because some oaf had slammed a glass on to the bar when he was angry about the UO. That was in the late 60s.
From an earlier LFAA post:
“𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝐼 𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑎 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑑,” Humpty Dumpty said [to Alice], in rather a scornful tone, “𝑖𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑠 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝐼 𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑖𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛—𝑛𝑒𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑟 𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠.”
"𝐼 𝑑𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝑏𝑦 '𝑔𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑦,' " Alice said.
Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. "𝑂𝑓 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑑𝑜𝑛'𝑡—𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝐼 𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝑦𝑜𝑢. 𝐼 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑡 '𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒'𝑠 𝑎 𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑐𝑘-𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢!'"
"𝐵𝑢𝑡 '𝑔𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑦' 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠𝑛'𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛 '𝑎 𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑐𝑘-𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡'," Alice objected.
"𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝐼 𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑎 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑑," Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, "𝑖𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑠 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝐼 𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑖𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛—𝑛𝑒𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑟 𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠."
"𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑠," said Alice, "𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑠 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝑠𝑜 𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠."
"𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑠," said Humpty Dumpty, "𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟—𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡'𝑠 𝑎𝑙𝑙."
“𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑦’𝑣𝑒 𝑎 𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟, 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚—𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟𝑙𝑦 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑏𝑠, 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦’𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑡—𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑑𝑜 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑏𝑠—ℎ𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟, 𝐼 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑡! 𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦! 𝑇ℎ𝑎𝑡’𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝐼 𝑠𝑎𝑦!”
Humpty Dumpty to Alice in Lewis Carroll's classic:
THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS
𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐲 𝐃𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐥,
𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐲 𝐃𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥.
𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠'𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠'𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐧
𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧.
I’m impressed you got Substack to use a variety of fonts and bold!
I have found a couple of websites to be useful for this:
https://yaytext.com/bold-italic/
and
https://www.piliapp.com/cool-text/bold-italic/
Don't waste your time Michelle. It means what they say it means.
Even (especially) road construction is not socialism. The work is farmed out to private contractors.
Oooh ..., and forced on prison populations ...
Well, here's hoping infrastructure spending is done well and in the next couple of years visibly improves the lives of the average people. In that case, it won't be thought of as socialism, as the Obamacare example has shown. But honestly, infrastructure feels like a Hail Mary to restore trust that there can be good government that is worth funding with our tax dollars.
It's all we have for now....
All that is necessary is to add the word “democratic” in front of the word “socialism “.
Even better is "Social Democracy" which sounds less threatening than "Democratic Socialism". While I'm sure HCR or even Google could clearly explain the difference better than I can, I think that to many Americans "Democratic Socialism" sounds like the-USSR-with-some-voting, while "Social Democracy" sounds more like democracy-with-improvements.
Of course if many Americans had better schooling and personal reading habits, they might be less susceptible to the GOP's favorite propaganda tool: The Big Lie.
Deep literacy has almost completely vanished in this country.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_democracy
Thanks, Christine, for the wiki link. Now I can better explain why I prefer the term "social democracy" over "democratic socialism". If anyone asks.
This is interesting, too, David. The Nordic model of social democracy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordic_model
Agree. More we know and understand, better our messaging.
And it must be consistent. Everyone using the exact same words, every time. They and Faux used to get a list of talking points, and they stuck to them. It worked.
As Hitler explained in Mein Kompf
That's what Bernie has done and they continue to call him a communist
Hi Roshan, as a former Bernie supporter, I always thought he should have called himself a social Democrat - as opposed to corporatist Democrat - and stayed in the Democratic Party.
Excuse me. Rowshan. Damn autocorrect...
Maybe, only wasn't the party that brought Hitler to power "Democratic Socialists" ...?
No, it was the National Socialists - with emphasis on Patriotic Nationalism. Germany First or "Deutschland Über Alles"
Republican pols will never tell the truth. They have Rupert and clones to spew the lies far and wide, at 90 decibels.
What Dave Conan and Ellie Kona said.
Dave Conant, not "Conan." Sorry, Dave.
The key to your question is the word "learn" - there is no need to learn anything when one already knows all of the answers; at least those that serve one's purpose.
Thank you for this wonderful and illuminating American history lesson.
Abraham Lincoln must be turning in his grave that the nihilistic GOP calls itself the Republican party.
I'm sure the majority of middle-class, working-class and poor Americans would be thrilled to have the safety net benefits major industrialized European counties and Canadians take for granted.
If corporate media stopped mimicking conservative talking points, our country would be more receptive to socialism.
It seems the American political system is only amenable to socialistic redistribution when corporations asked to be bailed out.
Thanks again.
Most of the Republicans in the Republican Party at the time hated Lincoln, he was keeping them from, taking power. Within four years of his death, the Republicans had created their Gilded Age. Lincoln, T. Roosevelt and Eisenhower were flukes. The party didn't want them where they were, but they had to accept them to take/keep power.
Decent, talented leaders are VERY RARE.
It is a threshing floor ... we are tested, amd sorted according to choices we make ... and so, the wheels turn ....
The R’s have done a stunning job at characterizing *everything* D’s do as “socialism” and simultaneously made that term the boogie man. They have been quite good at that. The D’s have done a poor job pointing out that what the opposing party is doing is basically promoting a religious (Christian) autocracy with a shot of oligarchy…
Religious Autocracy,Yes
Christian Autocracy ,No
Christ was not an Autocrat.
No did he spew hate and racism.
Most "Christians" never quote Jesus the Christ. Notice they cherry-pick from Paul and the Bronze Age writings of the Old Testament. They should be called Paulists (or Puritans). The right-wing scum have co-opted "Christian" as in Christian Identity terrorists. You have to be that kind of "Christian" to be in the KKK. My uncle in MS was deacon of his Baptist Church and in the KKK.
What Would Jesus Do?
I ask myself, What would Magnum P.I. do? Then I open a beer.
While talking on the phone with a friend the other day, I overheard the male voice coming from her TV mention “Critical Race Theory”. I asked her what she was watching and she said the 700 Club. These people are well educated, extremely successful, wealthy evangelicals……who, along with most of my friends and family, think I’ve gone off the deep end. My heart is broken…..
Spot on, Rob!!
At this point, I think he would cry over how badly we have missed the mark of loving our neighbors.
People who vote R now know all that -- that's what they want, too, and that's why they're voting R.
... they may just get more than they bargained for ...
"BIG GOVERNMENT SOCIALISTS ... are a secular religious movement;
They can't deal with reality;
They can't cope with facts;
If it doesn't fit their narrative,
they just shrug it off and refuse to pay attention to it."
(Newt Gingrich)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=207&v=OD-PTG4A-wk&feature=emb_logo
\\
Call Dems what you are, Goebbels favorite propaganda tactic. And Republicans do it best.
Michael Jackson - Man In The Mirror (Official Video)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PivWY9wn5ps&feature=emb_imp_woyt
Before the Biden election, people were terrified of his turning the country into Venezuela because of Republican propaganda. Bernie Sanders made the mistake of using the term ¨Socialism¨ rather than ¨Democratic Socialism¨ which is practiced my many countries here in Europe. He never took the time to educate the public. He never called the Republicans on the inaccuracy. The Democrats need to begin doing this with smart marketing. This is what needs to be taught to Americans. There was something I read a week or so ago. An article about how Americans live such lives of poverty, but don't realize it. They are the frogs sitting in the pot of water which they think is warm. It isn't. No government is perfect, but the government in the U.S. needs an overhaul. The people in the U.S. need fact based education. Too many are leading lives of Quiet Desperation or Rage.
If the MAGAs and many GOP believe Covid is a hoax, Ivermectin its treatment, vaccines dangerously implanting tracking devices and altering DNA, that masks spread the virus...do really think these people are capable of understanding political theory-even if they wanted to do so?
If they would stop watching Fox and clones, it fries the brains of the cultists. Doesn’t it always..
Excellent point.
Some people have realized during the pandemic that their old job really was not their best option. People have found other, better jobs. Hence, some employers are realizing they need to pay better than $10/hour. Crunch the numbers and see if you could live on that amount and eat & live indoors at the same time. Which leads to the question-if your business model is dependent on cheap labor, do you really have a viable business?
If you cannot afford to pay a living wage to your employees, then no - you do not have a viable business model. Another business that can afford to pay a living wage will always put your business out of business by attracting your employees.
It is interesting to me that the GOP's dishonest use of the Word "socialism" comes to us straight from our own politics circa 1870, not from Russian politics circa 1917. Of course they know it's a racist dog-whistle with deep connotations for their base.
David, I agree that the 1870's use of "socialism" was the most illuminating aspect of today's Letter. I still like dogs, but I do not care for dog-whistles.
In the 50´s when Eisenhower was President, and he wanted to use FDR's form of government, those Republicans against him and for corporate profit brought the word back. I learned this from one of HCR's amazing lessions.
you can pin that down to ignorant advisors (Hey, Bernie doesn't have to do ALL the hard lifting - and the mindset of the times, would be inimical to reflective thought).
I agree Hugh. It just makes me nuts.
Based on screen addiction?
Now, the recent GOP faux tropes… like pseudo socialism… should be taught in historical context in courses in 8th through 12th grades, and in college, with skilful and increasingly analytical and sophisticated use of the OED along with contemporary interpretation coupled with current examples.. with vigorous class discussion, repetition and comparative analytics, starting with the definition of latter day socialism, of early 1920s communism and latter half of the 21st century wokeness, new and subtle woke racism, and modern sophisticated intolerance, all this should be compared with fascism, totalitarianism and pre antitrust capitalism with frequent guest lectures from Timothy Snyder… of Yale. Parents should be allowed to observe if they will remain quiet.
Sandy, another home run. That about covers it....thanks! Lots to think about. Including the realization that -- after about 12 years of higher education and the paper that goes with it -- I would flunk such a course!
Where do I start?
I am starting with these books and resources that get mentioned here quite frequently. Frankly, this is just the background reading to prepare you for Sandy's high school seminars.
Timothy Snyder, _On Tyranny_, _Bloodlands_, _Black Earth_, _The Road to Unfreedom_
Heather Cox Richardson, _How the South won the Civil War_
New York Times, 1619 Project materials [https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/1619-america-slavery.html]
Isabel Wilkerson, _Caste_
George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, _Metaphors we live by_
Maybe others can suggest others?
Excellent reading list. LFAA may need a book club.
Hiding in Plain Sight by Sarah Kendzior
A hit out of the park, Sandy.
Actually, this sounds to me like critical, ummm, theory. Naughty!
Or rather, critical thinking. Auch ist es verboten!
No. It does not. Nor is it taught in Va.
Big if
WHY is most of GOP soooo against spending $1.2T over 10 years on American infrastructure and yet happy to spend $2.26T in Afghanistan nation building and $5T in Afghanistan and Iraq over 20 years? WHY does no one mention the absurdity of this fact? WORSE yet, many in GOP complain we are not STILL spending money in Afghanistan.
“But I don’t want to go among mad people,” Alice remarked.
“Oh, you can’t help that,” said the Cat: “we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.”
“How do you know I’m mad?” said Alice.
“You must be,” said the Cat, “or you wouldn’t have come here.”
"You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave!"
Ah yes, there's a catch. Catch-22.
Different interest groups - war generates profits for certain industries and serves 'population control' ... infrastructure spending will upset that applecart ....
I certainly hope so Kathleen!
It isn't that. It is because McConnell and Republicans do NOT want a democrat as President to succeed and help the country. It makes it harder for them to take ultimate control.
Republicans strategists are fine with middle class and low income citizens paying a higher percentage of their income in taxes than millionaires and billionaires. They are horrified at the thought of tax dollars helping ordinary Americans and call that “socialism”, knowing it is not, but they are fine with corporate socialism.
Getting the message out requires a charismatic political personality with integrity, one who can take the place of Trump in the hearts and minds of his supporters. I don’t see any other way to break that thrall than to replace it. There is no reasoning.
Politics Girl!!!
Would you please post a link to Politics Girl actually speaking the message. Her articulate and compelling rants about the lack of messaging make me hungry for the message. Thanks in advance!
It’s Leigh McGowen. Here’s her intro as Politics Girl and a way to contact her. http://www.politicsgirl.com/contact
Thank you Christine!!!
POLITICS GIRL - name correction/revised list
Here is a list of most of Politics Girl's videos - there are more, and doubtless will be more to come ... just in case you don't have time to explore her site, these links will give you easy access ... enjoy!!
POLITICS GIRL - Leigh McGowen
http://www.politicsgirl.com
https://incaseimgone.com
_______
WHAT IS POLITICS GIRL?
http://www.politicsgirl.com/what-is-this-1
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cUt6rTail6g&feature=emb_logo
_______
POLITICS GIRL - How To Vote
http://www.politicsgirl.com/how-to-vote-2
https://iwillvote.com
_______
POLITICS GIRL - About/Contact
http://www.politicsgirl.com/contact
leigh@politicsgirl.com
_______
The woman in California Leigh McGowen, who calls herself politics girl with the kind of messaging a lot of Democrats might love to hear from the party chair, Speaker, Majority Leader perhaps the President himself.
https://www.nbc.com/the-11th-hour-with-brian-williams/video/the-11th-hour-11321/9000191920
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2vrvzE8mbbs
_______
_______
POLITICS GIRL - YouTube
https://m.youtube.com/c/PoliticsGirl
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC0VTA6PQH7nKKgRO8ptMatQ
_______
POLITICS GIRL - Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/breakfastrant/
_______
POLITICS GIRL - Facebook
https://m.facebook.com/IAmPoliticsGirl/videos/vive-la-france/561604018544375/
_______
POLITICS GIRL - TikTok
https://www.tiktok.com/@breakfastrant
_______
POLITICS GIRL - Twitter
https://mobile.twitter.com/iampoliticsgirl
_______
_______
Tails we win. Heads you cheated.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GNTsA71LhIQ
“They cheated! Unless we won, then never mind.”
Republicans are like the boy who cried wolf but, if they’re so concerned about election integrity why do they keep voting against election integrity?
_______
Republicans Can Win Without Winning
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=naGl4ZCLi4g
Part of ‘The Importance of Voter Rights’ series. Post Census Redistricting & Partisan Gerrymandering.
#Redistricting #Gerrymandering #census #voter #voterrights
_______
Republican Power Forever
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KK5EoFE8oV0
Part of ‘The Importance of Voter Rights’ series.
Partisan gerrymandering allows politicians to pick their voters rather than voters to pick their candidate. It’s drawing the lines so you can’t lose and the Republicans are in a prime position to win back the House in 2022 by just making impossible for Democrats to win.
#gerrymandering #republicans #cheating #politics
_______
So, How Do We Fix It?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt9Z_KDLIk4
Part of ‘The Importance of Voter Rights’ series. Part 3.
Knowing the Republicans can win back the house without actually winning more voters, what do we do? Hard Work & Passing Voter Protections. Including the For the People Act if we can get it.
#Indivisible #ForThePeopleAct #VoterProtections #democracy #politics
_______
_______
Political Cheating - TikTok 1
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hs56Y9xaFag
This is the stuff I think about as soon as I wake up. www.politicsgirl.com
#politics #trump #biden #vote #census2020 #gerrymandering #cheating
_______
COURT PACKING- TikTok 2
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TBn1YEDwxKg
Stop asking Joe Biden if he’s going to pack the courts. The courts are packed. www.politicsgirl.com
#politics #SCOTUS
_______
NEW SCOTUS PICK - TikTok 3
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Z87Oz82UiOM
This SCOTUS hearing is a sham for many reasons.
#politics #scotus #trump #ACB #vote #Roe
_______
_______
POLITICS GIRL - Election 2020 Series: The Argument Against Democrats
_______
ARGUMENT #1: Democrats spend too much money
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bQhsTwtSauE
They want the government in every part of our lives.
Lots of people think the Democrats are the big spenders. Turns out that might not be entirely true. In fact, over any length of comparison period (say, 25 years more), by pretty much any economic measure (job growth, debt, deficit), Democrats have outperformed Republicans for a century.
So, why do the Dems keep getting saddled with the big spender nametag?
_______
ARGUMENT #2: The Democrats want to get or give everything away for free.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=biF2V78pUAs
They are in your pocket and live from cradle to Grave.
The image of the Welfare Queen living off the Government Dole is embedded into many Republican tropes but who is the biggest Welfare Queens in America if you look at the numbers? Dem or GOP the money is going to be spent. You have to ask yourself what do YOU think it should be spent ON?
_______
ARGUMENT #3: Democrats want to defund the police.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NoKlF2gKNEE
They hate the police and want them abolished.
This just has no basis in reality but where did the idea stem from and who benefits if people believe one party is law and order and the other is the party of the anarchists?
Can you respect the police and still ask more from them?
_______
ARGUMENT #4: Democrats want to release all prisoners and abolish jails.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EVTk43sBdtQ
Again, no basis in actual reality. How much sense would that make?
But, should prisons be reformed? Do people profit from prisons? If so, who? And who do they support and why?
_______
ARGUMENT #5: Democrats want open borders.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VnFQOMS_RZ4
Democrats definitely have far different ideas on immigration than Republicans but, open borders certainly aren’t one of them. We have a wonderful country but Democrats believe it’s important to also be a benevolent country. You can’t keep saying America is the best country on earth but giving the middle finger to anyone who wants to come here.
_______
ARGUMENT #6: Democrats want to take your guns.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SbSfvzSq-fk
Nope. Well, for the most part…nope. But should we have stricter laws? Maybe.
Can we have guns and a safe society? Democrats think so.
_______
ARGUMENT #7: Democrats are anti-Christian.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hbnD1qvoMQ4
I’m not even sure where this one came from but, it seems to be a concern so, let’s address it.
What is freedom of religion?
What is the separation of church and state?
Do other faiths count or is it just Christianity?
Is is freedom if one religion gets to impose it’s laws on others? How would you feel if that religion wasn’t Christianity. If you had to conform to Muslim law or Buddhist law?
_______
ARGUMENT #8: Democrats are pro-abortion.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pZG9Nm3SQs8
Democrats are pro-choice not pro-abortion. What’s the difference? Shouldn’t wanting to protect the unborn be without question?
How can anyone argue against that?
_______
ARGUMENT #9: Democrats are Socialists
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8U8CcJ5TGTg&pp=QAFIAQ%3D%3D
There is a big difference between having well funded, useful government social programs and being socialist. The idea of socialism is a boogyman the Republicans have been using for almost a century to scare voters away from social programs - including social security, medicare and unemployment insurance. Real socialism, where the government is authoritarian and runs the private economy is light years away from the responsible capitalism suggested by current Democrats or even the democratic socialism that Bernie Sanders and members of the “squad” favor.
_______
ARGUMENT #10: Democrats want to get rid of your Cars, Planes & Burgers
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CoyjlwLRFks
This idea is part of the current talking points of modern day Republicans to scare voters into thinking Democrats are nuts. The ideas come from cherry picking line items from the original ‘Green New Deal’ proposed in 2019. What needs to be noted is that particular bill wasn’t written to create legislation but, conversation. To point us in the direction the party believed we should be going if we wanted to really address climate change and economic inequality in America.
#politics #greennewdeal #AOC #GOP #EdMarkey #Democrats #Biden2020
_______
ARGUMENT #11: Democrats are Unpatriotic & Anti-Military
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_bWWV2Y9nCo
Democrats aren’t Anti-Military they’re just not Pro-War. I’d argue that Democrats are deeply patriotic but, it’s our love for the county that makes us question who we are and if we can be better. Self-improvement is one of the biggest indicators of self-love. You can’t improve without coming to terms with the fact that you need improvement. As Maya Angelou said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
POLITICS GIRL
The woman in California Lima Gowen, who calls herself politics girl with the kind of messaging a lot of Democrats might love to hear from the party chair, Speaker, Majority Leader perhaps the President himself.
https://www.nbc.com/the-11th-hour-with-brian-williams/video/the-11th-hour-11321/9000191920
_______
_______
POLITICS GIRL
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC0VTA6PQH7nKKgRO8ptMatQ
_______
POLITICS GIRL: BACK AT IT!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-zupgHcygSQ
Politics Girl: Back at It!
I was here and then I was gone. I didn’t go away I just wasn’t sure where my voice fit into the endless circus of today’s political commentary. But, it’s the election and I couldn’t just let that go by.
_______
Facebook
https://m.facebook.com/IAmPoliticsGirl/videos/vive-la-france/561604018544375/
_______
Vive la France
https://m.facebook.com/IAmPoliticsGirl/videos/vive-la-france/561604018544375/
_______
Why don’t you representatives want your life to be better
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ljagdEaQ1sA
Republicans should really take a good look at what’s in the Build Back Better bill and the infrastructure bill before rejecting it out of hand for being a democratic bill.
_______
Tails we win. Heads you cheated
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GNTsA71LhIQ
“They cheated! Unless we won, then never mind.”
Republicans are like the boy who cried wolf but, if they’re so concerned about election integrity why do they keep voting against election integrity?
_______
Virginia is a Test
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=f9KIOHwA2zo&feature=emb_logo
The election in Virginia on November 2 is a test. Are we willing to fight for democracy at every step, on every battlefield, every time or, are we willing to concede ground to those who would strip our rights for their own power just because it’s easier.
_______
Christmas is Canceled?
https://m.facebook.com/IAmPoliticsGirl/videos/christmas-is-canceled/279496544063391/
Yes, there is definitely a backlog in things getting to America but, this is not liberals canceling Christmas. This is the result of 18 months of a worldwide pandemic and the inevitable fallout of losing millions of people to a virus.
_______
Freedom to Vote Act
https://m.facebook.com/IAmPoliticsGirl/videos/freedom-to-vote-act/444380180444207/
We need to protect our democracy. TheSenate is scheduled to vote Wednesday, Oct. 20 on the #FreedomToVote Act.
The bill's provisions have 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 strong bipartisan support.
Make time to call your senators today or tomorrow!
Capitol switchboard: (202) 224-3121
_______
Pick Team Democracy 💙
https://m.facebook.com/IAmPoliticsGirl/videos/pick-team-democracy-/129682216024811/
This should not be a hard decision. Virginians should be coming out in droves to vote for Terry McAuliffe. We need to make sure we defeat those who are anti-democracy every single chance we get.
_______
$3.5 Trillion
https://m.facebook.com/IAmPoliticsGirl/videos/35-trillion/191213793125401/
People like to throw around the number like it’s so big. Republicans refer to it like it’s astronomical and shocking but is it really?
_______
You’re Blaming the Wrong People
https://m.facebook.com/IAmPoliticsGirl/videos/youre-blaming-the-wrong-people/1321592538271777/
It’s easy to make the progressives the scapegoat but, in this case, it’s the moderates that are causing our problems and deserve all the attention and blame.
😃🤩😃
Thanks for the links.
Sure Tom - please see a revised list from Politics Girl's site above with name correction as well ... 👍🤩👌🤩👍
Hi Emily, please my reply to Christine below for a revised list ...
Maybe a casting director can find one…
"men of wealth insisted these programs meant a redistribution of wealth through tax dollars"
Exactly. That is what they are meant to do. Redistribute *to* the nation, the wealth *of* the nation - which powerful men, through preference and privilege, through exploitation and greed, have funneled into their private nosebags and corporate troughs. When the nation's wealth is put to work for the general welfare, the wealthy also benefit not only morally but practically.
As Rawls describes it, if I understand correctly, a role of government in a just society is to distribute benefits fairly - in such a way as to mitigate the unearned privileges of some and the undeserved burdens of others. If we act behind 'a veil of ignorance' as to our own relative positions then we can designate how benefits can be distributed fairly - which ups all our chances.
Lin, I am utterly delighted to see your reference to Harvard Philosophy Professor John Rawls' _A Theory of Justice_. I find it most helpful when thinking about the veil of ignorance and the original position as a social theory version of the golden rule "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
In simplest terms, if you were choosing the overall structure of society, and you could choose between (a) one person has all of the resources and power with everyone else in abject poverty, and (b) everyone has an equal share of resources and power, *and you the chooser did not know what position you would have in either such society*, which would you choose?
Of course, the choice should be along a continuum from (a) to (b), and that is where the devil is in the details. Nonetheless, the direction in the US seems to be moving closer to (a), while many of us would feel that movement towards (b) would be preferred. More of us might think all the more so if we were able to truly follow Rawlsian methods -- without the goggles of privileged knowledge of our current position that distort the choice.
" I find it most helpful when thinking about the veil of ignorance and the original position as a social theory version of the golden rule "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." "
Yes! You say/summarize it so well. (And Rabbi Hillel's "Do not do to others, what you do not want done to you.")
I think the Constitution, with its revolutionary message of radical equality, looks toward translating these into our secular civic life. That government preserve the ethical message of religious doctrine without retaining the irrationality of religious belief. That we leave the absolutes and authoritarianism of religion for the provisional truths of science and the contextual truths of history. Instead of creed we have agreed frameworks.
The Founders essentially introduced 'the scientific method' to our political, legislative, and judicial processes. We the people transfer power, amend the constitution, devise and revise the laws, and set and overturn legal precedent by coming to consensus through reasoned debate of empirical evidence. Nothing is *sacred*.
Many wealthy missed having a Mom like Rose Kennedy. “To those who have much, much is expected.” A paraphrase, but you get the gist.
But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
Luke 12:48
For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
— Matthew 25:29, RSV.
I tell you, that to every one who has will more be given; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
— Luke 19:26, RSV.
For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
— Mark 4:25, RSV.
Take heed then how you hear; for to him who has will more be given, and from him who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.
Luke 8:18, RSV.
To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to him who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away."
— Matthew 13:11–12,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_effect
Ahhh...parables. Ahhh...the Kennedys. Don't get me started. Especially on Joe. Our own Neville Chamberlin. Fanboy of Hitler. Supporter of Joe McCarthy and Richard Nixon...
Funny how nobody ever mentions the fact that we spend half our tax dollars on defense, though. I guess "socialism" for the Pentagon is just fine.
Yes! If the war in Afghanistan cost us $300 million a day, and we’re no longer spending that money, why hasn’t the defense budget been reduced? And that money redirected to things like infrastructure?
Yes, I call military contractors "Welfare for white people" because: They mostly only hire white people and especially relatives of current employees.
The message of this and other letters need to be popularized in bites that the general public can digest. What most needs emphasis is the benefit that ALL Americans get from it, that is, roads, bridges, schools, hospitals etc. which enable the many things we all need and want. It would mean a truthful explanation of what socialism, American style, would mean to their daily lives.
As I've said to many people, especially as the stimulus checks were going out (which, just as an aside, Jeff Bezos received due to our wonderful tax loops), that what they say is socialism are the many things they enjoy and expect in life. So I asked, did you send back your stimulus check, did you reject medicare, do you want to send back the 1/2 of your social security put in by the government, or maybe you don't want to drive on public roads anymore, or hike in our national parks...and it goes on and on. Once again, no clue as to what it really means.
Thanks, Pam! If I may, going to use your words.
I have a friend(voted for Trump) commented that her Medicare “wasn’t free” !
Well, over one's lifetime of work you pay approximately 1.45% % of your pay towards medicare and the employer pays the same amount. If you consider that on half of your medicare and social security are supplemented by the employer, and considering you live a reasonably long life, or your SS goes to a surviving spouse, you get quite a deal out of the amount you pay in. In my opinion (if it hadn't been raided by many other things), in concept it is a perfect symbiotic relationship between individuals and government.
I've always wondered why Congress never had to pay back what they took from the taxpayers.
Commented =complained
Usually stimulus checks are just that...they want you to spend it. I didn't need one so when it came I gave it to charities and shopped for things I didn't really need at local businesses with it. I didn't see sending it back as particularly helpful.
I don't disagree with that at all. It was mainly a point that many overlook. Happily accepting it, but not thinking how that connects to THEIR idea of socialism and people's insistence that socialism is Communism.
I also enjoyed giving some of the trump bucks to democrats:)
P>S. and I heartedly support people who did use their checks to help others.
Trump and Company found and took full advantage of many many loopholes - Why do they still exist? Is it because Congress is using them to benefit as well. I'm so suspicious of way too many members in Congress right now. We need an overhaul of rules for Congress.
Benefits INDUSTRY and CORPORATIONS get from it : roads, bridges, schools,hospitals...
I agree with you Stephen…
What is frustrating to me is that the next gen is oft to say, as soon as the boomers die off, then all the nonsense about race will go away. The next gen is not afraid of white minority. They are interested in all color majority. I, for one, agree with this. To me, the difference in skin color was a last minute challenge by the creator. “Will your separateness from the Creator manifest in a scramble for hierarchy?” How convenient to use skin color; a visual, definitive manifestation. It’s a travesty. In any conversation I have in discussing the threat to democracy or the common good, any discussion of racism (and may I clarify, not race) is met with discomfort, confusion, and dismissal with anyone that feels a shred of guilt in their souls. And quite frankly, it’s white people. That it all almost went to shit after the Civil War when reconstruction was a concept and not an actuality and it’s upon us again? Really?
Look. The original download from the Creator remains. “We are all in this together. There is enough to go around.” It’s so simple but so difficult if greed is insisted.
I choose simple, my optimism of the human race stems from this belief, I only plead that like minded can change a mind every minute, and that we can flourish and not fade. The Universe counts on us.
Love and Light.
Postscript… in the End or the Beginning…it is the human adherence to death or birth of our equality that will define us. Not politics.
... we become what we believe ourselves to be ... it is a dynamic process unfolding - not static finality ...
I was not suggesting finality. I am advocating for choice. Not submission to authoritarianism.
Very much so, Christine - my comment is an addendum to yours - always, I appreciate a reminder of deeper dynamics - a valuable redirect from constant emphasis on political polarities ... thank you for consistent enthusiasm and emphasis on substance and relevant truths!!
Christine, yes!
I love this:
“Original download…
‘We are all in this together. There is enough to go around.’
“It’s so simple but so difficult if greed is insisted.”
Here’s to the ripple effects of those of us who choose simple💙!