It’s amazing despite the imperfections of our founding fathers, how prescient they were. Hyper-Capitalism and upward mobility has replaced the idea of a nation of laws not men. We stopped teaching civics. How can we keep a republic when we’ve lost the understanding of what it is. I guess we will find out this year.
It’s amazing despite the imperfections of our founding fathers, how prescient they were. Hyper-Capitalism and upward mobility has replaced the idea of a nation of laws not men. We stopped teaching civics. How can we keep a republic when we’ve lost the understanding of what it is. I guess we will find out this year.
Your comments are all true but we are not going to find out "this year." If you haven't noticed the perpetual wars and mass murder of black and brown people that both parties engage in equally (Democrats now more than Republcans), or Biden's Crime Bill of 1994 that essentially started our for-profit carceral state, or our proxy wars using the armies of other countries to do our dirty work...these things have been going on as ou point out since our country's founding, and Jow Biden is part of the reason Trump is in office in the first place. I would argue that Trump is more likely to upset that system (not necessarily in a good way) than Biden who is the utmost servant of it.
"Jow Biden?" OK, maybe I'll make allowance for a typo, but that isn't a common one. You provide no back up for Democrats mass murdering black and brown people, "more than Republicans." Where'd you get that gem from?
As for the proxy wars, those are generated by the military industrial complex, which is primarily a Republican thing. I should know; I worked as a director at one of the largest defense companies in the world and I was "encouraged" to join their Political Action Committee (I went to one meeting and that was it.) The company gave to both parties; much more to Republicans, though because (in the words of the company president) "They are much more favorable to us." Because I worked on the business development side, I interfaced with executives of some of the biggest defense firms in the world. If you know the name of the company, I most likely knew many of the execs. Not one was, to my knowledge and based on our discussions, was Democrat. I kept my political leanings close to the vest out of necessity. We also gave to certain Democrats to hedge our bets. That's how the game is played. I once believed in all the hype about "defending democracy" but it was never about that. It was about making certain people rich[er] and protecting corporate interests around the globe. Stop trying to smear the Democrats with what the right wing has been doing for decades. They aren't perfect, but they aren't tyrants.
Again, it is the billionaires, as Thom points out, who further these things. And they, my friend, are Republican to the core. I do agree with you regarding the for-profit carceral state, but the private prison industry is owned by Republicans and is primarily based in the South. Trump won't do anything but talk, while behind the scenes accelerating the looting of the USA on behalf of himself, primarily, and those billionaires who support him. As you say, the upset won't be "necessarily in a good way."
And I need to add that when the right-wing SCOTUS made political bribery legal, it put Democrats into the bind of having to play along to get donors. He/She with the biggest electoral war chest almost always wins. So, pass legislation favorable to donors (or at least don't oppose it), or don't bother to even try to get elected.
I get the part about the Democrats having to play along, but I do blame them for not playing hardball like the Republicans seem to be able to do. We need to expand the Supreme Court, instead they seem to be worried about the optics, so nothing gets done and people get angry and don't vote or they vote for someone who wants to tear it all down.
Totally agree arshambow. I am a severe critic of the Democrats and Biden, because they are timid and don't play hardball. The Problem is the DNC, and it's strategists, they are gun shy and effete, soft and afraid of their own shadow. We need an aggressive DNC. And the public eats up hyperbole.
The problem with the DNC and it's strategists, is that they are "high brow", they won't stoop to the gutter, and they are out of touch with the Americans just like that asshole Dr Oz.
Americans for the most part, aren't tuned into politics and the world scene like we are, they are busy earning a living, listening to the radio while on a long commute to and from work, shopping for food, taking kids to school, watching their kids in a play or at play. Worrying whether to buy new clothes or call an electrician, deciding whether to buy food or medicine.
They don't live in the real world, they live in a bubble called the Beltway.
It seems the Democrats only know how to play hardball with the progressives ( remembering what they did to Bernie Sanders), they don't want to piss the wrong people off or they will lose money.
Yep,good way to put it, hardball with progressives, soft ball with the corporations and billionaires.
I hate Rahm Emanuel from the bottom of my heart, he called progressives "fucking retarded"
And the "strategists" they hauled out in front of cameras on MSNNC, Begala, Biggs, all of them are effete milquetoasts, weak, soft shoeing, ineffectual.
James Carville speaks brashly, but how can you trust someone married to that right wing Mary Matalin?
My wife told me that if I wasn't [progressive she would never have had a second date, and the same with me. Makes me wonder about George and Kellyanne Conway, except that both are conservative, that is right wing, only Kellyanne made a living working for Trump, but otherwise they are ideologically predisposed to right wingerism.
Progressives do move the party (somewhat) to the left, but in a centrist-leaning country, they cannot win elections. Perfect is the enemy of the good and their purity tests put reality at a disadvantage.
I totally agree. I for long considered myself a progressive, despite their insanity when it comes to political correctness, the progressive movement is driven by the immature, self indulgent and self righteous left and backed up by old time Marxist ideologues who live in the past.
At the same time I find the centrist position on many things appalling. I am definitely not conservative, except when it some to my own personal behavior and well being.
I have take the ideological purity tests a number of times, and I always come out radical.
As I don't fit in any label or group.
Common sense and critical reasoning has no place in politics, it is either/or
I am also generally conservative in personal behavior (wasn't always so - lol.) But freedom to choose is fundamental. We have a tweedle-dem and tweedle-pug situation with our two-party system and I choose tweedle-dem as the best option. LOL I don't have a whole lot of faith in either party, because SCOTUS made political bribery both legal and essential to gain office.
Don't know about Carville these days. He recently said: "A suspicion of mine is that there are too many preachy females … ‘Don’t drink beer, don’t watch football, don’t eat hamburgers, this is not good for you,'” he said. “The message is too feminine: ‘Everything you’re doing is destroying the planet. You’ve got to eat your peas.' ...“When I look at these polling numbers, it’s like walking in on your grandma naked. You can’t get the image out of your mind.”
He said this in an interview with Maureen Down on NYT on Saturday.
I said before Carville is an asshole. Being aggressive when it comes to policy is one thing, but he strikes below the belt, his misogyny sure shows. Sounds like he is still pissed at is mother.
And I remember the Bernie Sanders bros wearing anti-Clinton T-shirts that read, "Bern the Witch." I remember his "She's not fit," comments. Whatever happened to Bernie, he did to himself. He was NOT a Democrat, and in no way was he entitled to the resources of the Democratic Party, having never participates in the hlonf NS ard work of earning those resources. Why do you think a man who wasn't part of the party and had never been involved in developing the infrastructure of that party should have been privileged by that party?
Don’t agree with the statement that Bernie caused what happened to him. I remember the DNC pushing Hillary , remember Donna Brazille ?(not sure I spelled her name correctly), and then Elizabeth Warren calling him sexist. Sheesh! No, the DNC wanted Hillary and that was the end of that.
Yes, that’s true. But maybe that’s the problem. Bernie raised a lot of money from A LOT of people - he wasn’t bought - but he wasn’t a Democrat so he did not become the nominee - so how is that in the best interest of the voter??
This corruption was organized and has been executed by Republicans factions throughout . You can torture the truth by blaming Democrats , but it’s a damn lie.
The Heritage Foundation has created the rules of engagement for Republicans right down the line.
Paying off SC judges that will do and have done their bidding.
Reagan another noteworthy lying bastard who started out telling the working class to “tighten their belts “
While sending enrich the rich messages constantly .
It’s still going on , how that gets twisted
to make Joe Biden the alleged kingpin of all this evil . It boggles the mind . It’s like a ‘ spin the wheel’ with only Democratic leaders names on it .
Republicans supporting Trump ( the evil lying wizard behind the curtain) are enriching themselves and their own malevolent greed.
Thanks Suzie. But your words fall on deaf ears with Boris. He is on a mission and that is to disrupt and distract, to get Trump elected. Putin needs Trump.
His responses are more erudite and seemingly "rational" than your garden variety troll. Either he is being fed the text or he is a true believer - another well-educated MAGA - educated, but not all that smart. I know he can't be changed, but his rhetoric needs to be challenged.
It’s amazing despite the imperfections of our founding fathers, how prescient they were. Hyper-Capitalism and upward mobility has replaced the idea of a nation of laws not men. We stopped teaching civics. How can we keep a republic when we’ve lost the understanding of what it is. I guess we will find out this year.
Your comments are all true but we are not going to find out "this year." If you haven't noticed the perpetual wars and mass murder of black and brown people that both parties engage in equally (Democrats now more than Republcans), or Biden's Crime Bill of 1994 that essentially started our for-profit carceral state, or our proxy wars using the armies of other countries to do our dirty work...these things have been going on as ou point out since our country's founding, and Jow Biden is part of the reason Trump is in office in the first place. I would argue that Trump is more likely to upset that system (not necessarily in a good way) than Biden who is the utmost servant of it.
"Jow Biden?" OK, maybe I'll make allowance for a typo, but that isn't a common one. You provide no back up for Democrats mass murdering black and brown people, "more than Republicans." Where'd you get that gem from?
As for the proxy wars, those are generated by the military industrial complex, which is primarily a Republican thing. I should know; I worked as a director at one of the largest defense companies in the world and I was "encouraged" to join their Political Action Committee (I went to one meeting and that was it.) The company gave to both parties; much more to Republicans, though because (in the words of the company president) "They are much more favorable to us." Because I worked on the business development side, I interfaced with executives of some of the biggest defense firms in the world. If you know the name of the company, I most likely knew many of the execs. Not one was, to my knowledge and based on our discussions, was Democrat. I kept my political leanings close to the vest out of necessity. We also gave to certain Democrats to hedge our bets. That's how the game is played. I once believed in all the hype about "defending democracy" but it was never about that. It was about making certain people rich[er] and protecting corporate interests around the globe. Stop trying to smear the Democrats with what the right wing has been doing for decades. They aren't perfect, but they aren't tyrants.
Again, it is the billionaires, as Thom points out, who further these things. And they, my friend, are Republican to the core. I do agree with you regarding the for-profit carceral state, but the private prison industry is owned by Republicans and is primarily based in the South. Trump won't do anything but talk, while behind the scenes accelerating the looting of the USA on behalf of himself, primarily, and those billionaires who support him. As you say, the upset won't be "necessarily in a good way."
And I need to add that when the right-wing SCOTUS made political bribery legal, it put Democrats into the bind of having to play along to get donors. He/She with the biggest electoral war chest almost always wins. So, pass legislation favorable to donors (or at least don't oppose it), or don't bother to even try to get elected.
I get the part about the Democrats having to play along, but I do blame them for not playing hardball like the Republicans seem to be able to do. We need to expand the Supreme Court, instead they seem to be worried about the optics, so nothing gets done and people get angry and don't vote or they vote for someone who wants to tear it all down.
Totally agree arshambow. I am a severe critic of the Democrats and Biden, because they are timid and don't play hardball. The Problem is the DNC, and it's strategists, they are gun shy and effete, soft and afraid of their own shadow. We need an aggressive DNC. And the public eats up hyperbole.
The problem with the DNC and it's strategists, is that they are "high brow", they won't stoop to the gutter, and they are out of touch with the Americans just like that asshole Dr Oz.
Americans for the most part, aren't tuned into politics and the world scene like we are, they are busy earning a living, listening to the radio while on a long commute to and from work, shopping for food, taking kids to school, watching their kids in a play or at play. Worrying whether to buy new clothes or call an electrician, deciding whether to buy food or medicine.
They don't live in the real world, they live in a bubble called the Beltway.
It seems the Democrats only know how to play hardball with the progressives ( remembering what they did to Bernie Sanders), they don't want to piss the wrong people off or they will lose money.
Yep,good way to put it, hardball with progressives, soft ball with the corporations and billionaires.
I hate Rahm Emanuel from the bottom of my heart, he called progressives "fucking retarded"
And the "strategists" they hauled out in front of cameras on MSNNC, Begala, Biggs, all of them are effete milquetoasts, weak, soft shoeing, ineffectual.
James Carville speaks brashly, but how can you trust someone married to that right wing Mary Matalin?
My wife told me that if I wasn't [progressive she would never have had a second date, and the same with me. Makes me wonder about George and Kellyanne Conway, except that both are conservative, that is right wing, only Kellyanne made a living working for Trump, but otherwise they are ideologically predisposed to right wingerism.
Progressives do move the party (somewhat) to the left, but in a centrist-leaning country, they cannot win elections. Perfect is the enemy of the good and their purity tests put reality at a disadvantage.
I think the GOP of today has gone off the rails, the Dems are more GOP light, the progressives are the centrists IMHO.
Agree. In every other part of the developed world, our "left" is center right and our "far left" is center left.
I totally agree. I for long considered myself a progressive, despite their insanity when it comes to political correctness, the progressive movement is driven by the immature, self indulgent and self righteous left and backed up by old time Marxist ideologues who live in the past.
At the same time I find the centrist position on many things appalling. I am definitely not conservative, except when it some to my own personal behavior and well being.
I have take the ideological purity tests a number of times, and I always come out radical.
As I don't fit in any label or group.
Common sense and critical reasoning has no place in politics, it is either/or
I am also generally conservative in personal behavior (wasn't always so - lol.) But freedom to choose is fundamental. We have a tweedle-dem and tweedle-pug situation with our two-party system and I choose tweedle-dem as the best option. LOL I don't have a whole lot of faith in either party, because SCOTUS made political bribery both legal and essential to gain office.
Don't know about Carville these days. He recently said: "A suspicion of mine is that there are too many preachy females … ‘Don’t drink beer, don’t watch football, don’t eat hamburgers, this is not good for you,'” he said. “The message is too feminine: ‘Everything you’re doing is destroying the planet. You’ve got to eat your peas.' ...“When I look at these polling numbers, it’s like walking in on your grandma naked. You can’t get the image out of your mind.”
He said this in an interview with Maureen Down on NYT on Saturday.
I said before Carville is an asshole. Being aggressive when it comes to policy is one thing, but he strikes below the belt, his misogyny sure shows. Sounds like he is still pissed at is mother.
Agree. As for the progressive part, you can take the girl out of Amsterdam, but you can’t take Amsterdam out of the girl!😀
And I remember the Bernie Sanders bros wearing anti-Clinton T-shirts that read, "Bern the Witch." I remember his "She's not fit," comments. Whatever happened to Bernie, he did to himself. He was NOT a Democrat, and in no way was he entitled to the resources of the Democratic Party, having never participates in the hlonf NS ard work of earning those resources. Why do you think a man who wasn't part of the party and had never been involved in developing the infrastructure of that party should have been privileged by that party?
Not to belaber a point but this dropped today in my mailbox, the whole system is rigged and Citizens United has got to be repealed.
https://mail.yahoo.com/d/folders/1/messages/834259
Don’t agree with the statement that Bernie caused what happened to him. I remember the DNC pushing Hillary , remember Donna Brazille ?(not sure I spelled her name correctly), and then Elizabeth Warren calling him sexist. Sheesh! No, the DNC wanted Hillary and that was the end of that.
The DNC wanted a Democrat as their nominee, not an Independent.
Yes, that’s true. But maybe that’s the problem. Bernie raised a lot of money from A LOT of people - he wasn’t bought - but he wasn’t a Democrat so he did not become the nominee - so how is that in the best interest of the voter??
In the hard work....autocorrect not my friend.
Merick the Meek Garland is poster child for what you point out.
This corruption was organized and has been executed by Republicans factions throughout . You can torture the truth by blaming Democrats , but it’s a damn lie.
The Heritage Foundation has created the rules of engagement for Republicans right down the line.
Paying off SC judges that will do and have done their bidding.
Reagan another noteworthy lying bastard who started out telling the working class to “tighten their belts “
While sending enrich the rich messages constantly .
It’s still going on , how that gets twisted
to make Joe Biden the alleged kingpin of all this evil . It boggles the mind . It’s like a ‘ spin the wheel’ with only Democratic leaders names on it .
Republicans supporting Trump ( the evil lying wizard behind the curtain) are enriching themselves and their own malevolent greed.
Thanks Suzie. But your words fall on deaf ears with Boris. He is on a mission and that is to disrupt and distract, to get Trump elected. Putin needs Trump.
His responses are more erudite and seemingly "rational" than your garden variety troll. Either he is being fed the text or he is a true believer - another well-educated MAGA - educated, but not all that smart. I know he can't be changed, but his rhetoric needs to be challenged.
Always Biden Boris, Never Putin or Trump, Never ever. Whatever your real name Boris, you should get fired, you are such a transparent troll.
Biden is more a servant of the "system" than Trump, you say, that statement alone gets one rolling on the floor laughing their ass off