There Will Be Little Change
This is one of those "Best of Times/Worst of Times" scenarios:
Yes, the Republican nominee will be going down to complete, humiliating defeat in this campaign year; Yes, the GOP will lose the senate. Not to sound like a publicity agent for the Democrats, they're obviously a huge part of what ails this sick country. It's like having to choose between terminal cancer and the flu: One will kill you a helluva lot quicker than the other. I'm not at all in ecstasy over the idea that Hillary Clinton will be living in the White House until at least 2021, but the alternative is too frightening to face: It would mean the end of "the American experiment". We can all breathe a deep sigh of relief. The happy news is that a Donald Trump administration is never going to happen. I'm not losing any sleep over the matter. You shouldn't either.
Now the not-so-good news: All available evidence tells us that the House of Reprehensibles will remain in the clutches of the GOP during the years 2017-2019 - and for the foreseeable future. The American people have yet to learn the lesson they should have learned a century-and-a-half ago about the inevitable economic disaster that always comes of right wing governance. But it should be conceded that it's not only the electorate that is at blame: This unfortunate situation is the end-result of years of the unconstitutional gerrymandering of congressional districts in states that are controlled by the Republicans. The key to victory for that disgusting party is, primarily, watering down the black vote. An area in any of these states that has a high percentage of people with dark skin, usually (conveniently) finds itself at the intersection of as many as four or five congressional districts, which are (conveniently) mostly white. As a result, the people most vulnerable get hurt even further by lack of representation. This is not a coincidence.
"Land of the free"? Really?
There's room for optimism - barely. The Democrats will certainly pick up at least a few seats in congress, perhaps even enough to slightly water-down the craziness of the right wing. Maybe between now and Election Day the American people will wake up. Yeah! There's something to hope for!
Please, boys and girls! Wish with me! Wish really hard - and maybe if we all wish hard enough - our wishing will bring Tinker Bell back again! Maybe wishing will make all of our dreams come true!Then again, maybe not....
I don't like being the one to throw a damp towel on the torch of liberty, but there isn't a whole lot of hope for a people who would happily place themselves into his kind of mess. Lincoln once memorably noted that it is impossible to "fool all the people all the time.". True enough, but it is quite easy to fool enough of the population to keep them subservient, helpless and economically miserable. That is exactly what has happened in the United States. (For more on this nasty topic, buy or rent the new Noam Chomsky DVD, "Requiem For the American Dream").
This past Wednesday, I spent the day on the campus of the state university in Albany, NY (about ninety miles north of me). As is my habit, I avoided the New York State Throughway and charted my route through the small towns lining the two-lane highways and back roads. On the drive up, I was amused by the number of "Trump for President" signs I saw adorning the front lawns (and even one small business). Most of the lawn signs I observed during the trip were obviously home made.
"Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public."
H.L. Mencken
Indeed. It's fair to say that Donald Trump will not be going broke in this campaign season. In fact, this race may very well prove to be the best investment he ever made. This is not about winning the office of the presidency; it was never about that. This was all about marketing the "Trump brand". He has succeeded beyond all of the wildest expectation of everyone - except Donald Trump. The guy is either a fool or a genius.
The jury is still out on that last one.
Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
SUGGESTED VIEWING:
Here are a few promo films made by The Weavers in the early 1950's. This was before they were blacklisted for their "un-American" views. Check out a ridiculously young Pete Seeger on the banjo.
The four Weavers are safe in Heaven now. No one can hurt them.
posted by Tom Degan @ 12:10 PM
11 comments
11 Comments:
Until corporatist neoliberalism is openly discussed and called out for being the guiding principle of our power structure, our country will continue towards its demise.
Corporate media is dutifully ignoring the term and acting as an Orwellian "Ministry of Truth".
Ignorance is strength, comrade. The Party, and their owners, know best.
Like Palin, Trump will profit from stupid and gullible Americans for the rest of his life. It doesn't take a genius, obviously.
Tom,
You may have missed these
DCLeaks, a website that releases information on powerful political figures, has had its Twitter account suspended and part of its website taken offline after releasing a cache of documents on billionaire donor George Soros.
The website had previously released 2,500 internal Open Society Foundation (OSF) documents in order to “shed light on one of the most influential networks operating worldwide.” OSF is one of Soros’ networks of organizations.
The leaked documents had resulted in several damaging reports about the organization. OSF had previously confirmed that the documents were legitimate
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton leads her Republican rival Donald Trump by 5 percentage points among likely voters, down from a peak this month of 12 points, according to the Reuters/Ipsos daily tracking poll released on Friday.
Tom Degan: "Am I missing something? Am I so out-of-touch that I am unable to comprehend the reasons behind the motives of so many people to support a man whose administration, were it to come to pass (and, again, that's never gonna happen, kids) would mean the assured destruction of the country they obviously love?"
Tom, when are you going to come to the realization that it has already happened?! The slow motion coup d'état has been taking place right under your nose since at least the start of the Reagan administration. It was tough to see, granted, unless one was really paying attention and in-tuned to it. Now it's unmistakable. Everything's speeding up, making it easier to see -- for most. (There are still, unbelievable as it may seem, those who cling to the old paradigm that money is sacred and free markets, if left alone, will solve all of our problems.)
Neither major party, and you know how I feel about each, will author the new story that needs to be written. Tom, we're in for the fight of our lives. No matter who's installed, this period of crisis we've chosen to live through will accelerate. You'll finally come to know this in the next few years. How this crisis will culminate is anybody's guess, but once the dominoes start falling nobody's going to be able to stop it.
Will Clinton Foundation mark the fall of our republic?
"No matter how extreme the future revelations of Julian Assange and others turn out to be, the truth about the Clinton Foundation is already clear. Whatever its original intentions, this supposed charity became a medium to leverage Hillary Clinton´s position as secretary of State for personal enrichment and global control by the Clintons and their allies. We also now know—as the Wall Street Journal´s Kimberley Strassel made clear in her recent oped—why Hillary decided to hide all her emails on her "infamous server." To my knowledge, nothing like this has ever been done in the history of the United States.
It could even be worse, because of the national security implications. The Clinton Foundation and the State Department were commingled to such an extent we may never know the truth, certainly not before the election since that same State Department has refused to release Hillary's official schedule before then.
This means, quite simply, that the United States of America has abandoned the rule of law. Maybe we did a while ago. In any case, we are now a banana republic—a rich and powerful one, at least temporarily, but still a banana republic."
Roger L. Simon
It's kinda funny how the Right gets all bent with pearl clutching hysteria when a Clinton takes money for a foundation and is therefor "corrupt" for it, but IOKIYAR to take oily money to promote the Big Oil's climate and science denial.
And speaking of the US becoming a banana republic, Nobody did more than Republicans to take us down that road.
Alex Henderson noted 10 Ways America Has Come to Resemble a Banana Republic
1. Rising Income Inequality and Shrinking Middle Class
2. Unchecked Police Corruption and an Ever-Expanding Police State
3. Torture
4. Highest Incarceration Rate in the World
5. Corrupt Alliance of Big Business and Big Government
6. High Unemployment
7. Inadequate Access to Healthcare
8. Dramatic Gaps in Life Expectancy
9. Hunger and Malnutrition
10. High Infant Mortality
Interesting, but wasnt Obama the president for the past 8 years?
I guess the one promise he made, to fundamentally change America is the one promise he kept.
I thought our unemployment was dropping under Obama, that more Americans had access to health care than ever before? Or is Henderson talking about Venezula?
Chuck, we're now at month number 76 of consecutive job growth....or is it 77? I lost count about twenty months ago.
And more Americans do in fact have access to health care than ever before.
Where do you get your information? Just curious.
This election will be over when it's over. Nothing in the past makes this one a walk-through to know how it'll end. The debates will be more significant. Right now the more Hillary stays out of view, the better she does. Sticking to big fundraisers suits her and doesn't risk her saying something that will turn off Americans. That ends with the debate.
The problem with health care is the cost of prescriptions, many of which have skyrocketed under the mandated, no-checks on costs and the rising copays and premimums. I know families who had insurance and have now opted out (Georgia) based on those rising premiums and reduced benerfits. The fines will apparently be lower than the premiums. Health care was set up to keep profits up for the corporations and not necessarily get people care. Increase the number who can go to a doctor is good but when there are not an increasing number of physicians, it means long waits or some being denied going to the nearest clinics. Health care is not a done deal and frankly without letting Americans order their prescriptions online at the lowest price (which could mean New Zealand), there is not going to be any control on the costs. We haven't heard whether United will still be giving Medicare recipients an option to buy the extended package or if they do what the premium will be but health care is a work in progress. Don't depend on what the news says, talk to actual people in various states for how it's going.
Both of these candidates are flawed and who knows what could come out on either before November. Their most devoted followers won't care and won't be moved. The middle though is where elections are won and that's a long way from decided.
Tom
Is what you said the truth or is what DAVE said in quoting Henderson the truth?
To wit:
6. High Unemployment
7. Inadequate Access to Healthcare
That's the question I'm asking. You should be asking Dave where he got his information.
And as you banned any posts under the name Chuck and told him to use another name, he is using Major Major, from the novel "Catch 22". Just following your rules.
Rain
What you said about Obama health care is spot on!! And let's remind everyone that Obama Care was passed by the Democrat controlled Congress without one Republican vote. (remember how Democrats used that no vote as an indication of how little the GOP cared about people? HA!) Blaming the GOP (like Dave and others do)for the failure of Obama care is like blaming the Titanic's 3rd class passengers for it's running into an iceberg. Ignoring the failures of Obama Care (like Mozart and others do) is like ignoring the lies of Hillary.
Remember, many conservatives predicted exactly what you said is happening if Obama Care was passed. Glad you have seen the light.
Rain accurately says: The problem with health care is the cost of prescriptions, many of which have skyrocketed under the mandated, no-checks on costs and the rising copays and premiums.
Health care was set up to keep profits up for the corporations and not necessarily get people care.
All this is directly attributable to Big Pharma and Big Insurance owning the politicians who refused to allow negotiation for drug prices. Even Trump supports price negotiation...this week.
Chuck: You should be asking Dave where he got his information.
Why? I provided a link for all the literate people here.
Chuck should learn to read before telling others what to do. Like that’ll happen. LOL!
Does Chuck know Obamacare is NOT a liberal program? I doubt it. Republicans obstructed, and Obama appeased, the removal of the public option.
Another neo-liberal half measure.
Republicans obstructed lol
Like how?
And site your sources to back your assine statement
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