I believe one has to look past the individuals and focus on the structures of power that put them there. There is a national Democratic Party organization that is supported by 50 state organizations. From even a passing observation of the local party in this state, it doesn't appear there is mainstream criticism of the national party or its candidates (I assume there are objections at the fringes, but they get little to no coverage).
My point is that fixing the Democrats is not a matter of a new hero, but would require ripping the guts out of the existing party at all levels - something I don't see happening. It is too corporatized, too built on notions of identity and privileged groups, and its other ills - to be reformed. It needs to die.
One hopes something new will emerge, but that is uncertain. From what appears likely, the Republicans will shatter too - once Trump diminishes (I believe after the 2026 elections) as other pretenders to the throne fight for control. If there is an election in 2028, it will be a new low in demagoguery between candidates who stand for nothing - no matter their party label.
Watching the Democratic party decay over the last 40ish years has brought me to to conclusion that there is likely no way back to redemption for it. I agree we need a strong party that follows the philosophy of FDR, JFK, RFK et al, but I no longer believe it will be possible using the tarnished label "Democratic". American needs something strong and effective to replace the Democratic Party, that is for sure.
I don't believe the Democratic Party (or the Republican Party) can be fixed. The entire system has become too corrupt. As Chris Hedges often says, we are beyond the point where we can vote our way out of problems. The Green Party is also not the answer, as they seem to only attract white, liberal voters and come across as elitist to the working class. Few people knew the policy platforms of two truly progressive candidates who ran third party in 2024 -- Claudia de la Cruz and Cornel West. The corporate media kept these candidates out of the news, and when they did interview or report on their campaigns the coverage was negative (i.e. questioning them as to why they want to be "spoilers" for the Democrats, and why they don't see that they will be the reason Trump gets elected). If we truly want to support third party candidates in this country, we have to support candidates that may offend our sensibilities about who really has privilege in this country.
The Democratic "strategy" seems to be to goad and enable Trump into his worst excesses, then run "centrist" (corporate) candidates who promise to fix those worst excesses, even as the DNC rakes in more cash.
Forget about the workers. Who cares? It's about money and power.
Hello Bill... This is one of your best Posts... "Forget about the workers. Who cares? It's about money and power."... They call this "Neo-Realism"... Obama has been Over-Rated... He was always Lucky, from College-Student, thru POTUS... When tested in the recovery from the Crash of '08, Syria, and Ukraine of '14.... Obama always flubbed...
Thanks! Obama pretty much did as he was told. He surrounded himself with the usual suspects and did the usual things, i.e. whatever the bankers, the corporations, the MIC, AIPAC, etc. "suggested."
This makes me think of military functions where you were "highly encouraged" to attend--meaning MANDATORY. Obama was highly encouraged to do what the powerful and rich wanted, so he did. After which he and his wife cashed in. They are now worth roughly half a billion dollars. Not bad for a neighborhood organizer!
Those “workers” either voted for those politicians, or maybe, just maybe, they aren't very numerous and that their complaints aren't valid. I go with that proposal.
I don't know Bill, I have been hearing all my life how the Democrats need to be reformed to come and save us. I am still a registered Democrat, only so I can try and do something during the primaries here which only allow party votes in the primary (another scam to keep control from passing to good people). The Democrats have screwed people over since I can first started voting back in the 1970s. Never once did any Democrat president reverse course or make any significant changes. In fact, under political pressure during Vietnam, Nixon did more good things like open talks with China and pass the clean water act. People like Clinton totally screwed the US over and we have never recovered from what he did with the telecommunications act killing the news and the financial modernization act undoing bank regulation. The party of Hillary Clinton cannot be saved from the oligarchs. I see them moving more in the other direction in fact. More war, lower taxes on the rich, spying on everyone, brutal suppression of speech and protest, genocide and extreme poverty. Not holding my breath for a turnaround of that pack of vipers. And with the current primary system, no good person can ever get nominated, so they have a lock on it. If there is one thing that Democrat politicians really hate, it's youth movements. They will never embrace them, but they might pepper spray and arrest them.
I hope I am wrong too, but so far all my hopes have been thoroughly dashed by the Democrats who love war and always bow down to the billionaires. We both know that the primaries are fully rigged by the DNC and RNC, so even someone like Bernie, who is not really much of a threat, is completely shut down with dirty tricks. I will be the first to say I was wrong if a miracle happens, but I am not counting on divine intervention.
We need rank choice voting at our voting booths. Without it 3rd parties are behind the 8 ball. The duopoly does everything in its power to inhibit 3 party participation in our zrepublic. Also everything in its power from getting rank choice voting into the system.
**BOTH PARTIES**
(the United Duopoly Party of supression and war mongering empiricism and genocide)
No point in denying collapse. Books that put the collapse into a healthy perspective: Hospicing Modernity and Outgrowing Modernity: Navigating Complexity, Complicity, and Collapse with Accountability and Compassion By Vanessa Machado de Oliveira. At Work in the Ruins By Dougald Hine
Yesterday, on Judging Freedom, Ambassador Charles Freeman (ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Nixon's translator in China) said that if he was a foreign ambassador to the U.S. he would report back that the U.S. is in a pre revolutionary situation.
As he said, there is widespread dissatisfaction; laws are being broken (implied by the leaders); the legitimacy of the government is in question; the operation of the Federal system is broken; the policy process is chaotic; and it appears the legislative branch is attempting to take over foreign policy.
It's difficult to argue with any of it - and collapse may be closer than even feared. There will be a tipping point, one I think won't be recognized until after it happens.
The American constitution was written by rich property owners-slave owners who wanted to stay advantaged. Colonialism and capitalism were based on endless material growth exploitation taking advantaged of the disadvantaged rather than fair sharing and stewarding of resources on a finite planet. This system failed the Global South and now it is failing us. Collapse is here and now it's just not evenly distributed yet.
Given what's been said in this essay, as well as some of the comments made in response, and not to ignore or minimize the unmentioned malignancy in the room, aka Israel, we're not gonna make it.
truthout’s Marjorie Cohn’s 11 Jun 25 article AS TRUMP SETS MILITARY AGAINST CIVILIANS, SERVICE MEMBERS HAVE DUTY TO DISOBEY concludes as follows:
“The Uniform Code of Military Justice requires that all military personnel obey lawful orders. A law that violates the Constitution or a federal statute (such as 10 U.S.C. section 12406, the Posse Comitatus Act, and the Insurrection Act) is an unlawful order. Both the Army Field Manual and the Nuremberg Principles enshrine a duty to disobey unlawful orders.
“Trump’s deployment of military forces to L.A., and particularly an invocation of the Insurrection Act, will create a legal and ethical dilemma for service members. ‘Soldiers have not only a right, but a duty, to refuse illegal orders; yet the legality of those orders would be determined by courts-martial of refusers. And service members have a moral obligation not to harm the innocent; yet such harm would be inevitable if troops are used against civilians here,’ Kathleen Gilberd, executive director of the National Lawyers Guild’s Military Law Task Force (MLTF), told Truthout.
“The task force said in a statement that it is ;opposed to the use of military forces to ‘put down’ or ‘control’ the heartfelt reactions by community members to workplace immigration raids in Los Angeles and other cities.’ Moreover, it added:
“’The MLTF will be developing a more comprehensive plan of action, including the use of Article 138 of the UCMJ and the Nuremberg Principles. For now, we pledge our support for members of the National Guard and the active-duty military personnel who are opposed to attacking and killing those who oppose the illegal and immoral removal of undocumented workers.’
"The situation in Los Angeles is precarious as the Marines prepare to deploy and Trump continues to escalate his spurious claims and frightening threats. People are demonstrating around the country in opposition to the actions of ICE and the Trump administration. And we can expect the protests to grow in strength.
"Meanwhile, the legality of Trump’s deployments will be litigated in federal court, and service members deployed to the streets of L.A. will have to decide whether to follow orders they deem unlawful or risk harming civilians."
Note: The article includes a detailed examination of the applicability of 10 U.S.C. Section 12406, the Posse Comitatus Act, and the Insurrection Act to the situation, and an overview of California Governor Newsome’s legal effort to end the mobilization of the California National Guard and the deployment of active duty United States Marines.
"This just in": I see from NY Times website (one MSM source I "sort of" believe!!) that young David Hogg--unfortunate surname, but he rose to prominence in wake of Parkland, FL mass shooting (needless to say, hated by the far right)--has given up trying to get back on Dem. National Committee. He HAD been elected, I think, but DNC was terrified and found a way to boot him. Way to go, Dems!!
So astutely do I avoid MSM I only just learned here what "TACO" is supposed to stand for!! Emperor Trump is, personally, a coward of the first magnitude I am sure. But this bullying coward hankers to declare Martial Law on a national level, and we should not call his bluff on that. How much of the property damage being done in anti-ICE demonstrations is the work of provocateurs, either professional or "volunteers," seeking to give Donald the "excuse" to pull the Martial Law trigger?? I don't pretend to know the answer to that, but I'll bet dollars to anyone's donuts that this is partially what's going on.
SO MUCH to say about your position and the value of retaking the Democratic Party instead of of jettisoning it for a “third party” that you admit in this piece doesn’t have a chance, because of the way our government is currently structured. I notice you did not speak to that idea of the youth, progressive, and disaffected Left TAKING the Dem Party back, nor is there any reflecting on the merits of voting for a spoiler in 2024, thus assisting Mr. Trump in taking swing states and other Electors … {I didn’t and still do not think the Dems would have sat by and watched Bibi rain terror on Gazans as Trump has — Kamala was not hearty in her statements, but she did speak of justice for Palestinians and a state for them. Not a Seaside Resort}. I still hold that, if Stein wanted to have a real effect, she’d run for an office she can win and fight like hell to take the Left back. I still hold that her campaign is part of what has brought us to where we are now. Certainly not all of it, but certainly part of it.
The 1st person to blame for Trump is Trump himself.
The 2nd entity to blame for Trump are all those who trim their sails to catch his wind, and, as a blowhard, there's a lot of wind to catch.
The 3rd entity to blame is the DNC, which is always appealing to fence-straddling Republicans while suppressing the liberal/progressive base of the party. Thus the rigging of the primaries in 2016 and 2020 to eliminate Bernie Sanders.
Not to blame for Trump is Jill Stein or indeed anyone who resisted him and refused to vote for him.
Let's not forget that Hillary helped to prop up Trump in 2016 (the "Pied Piper" strategy) because she believed Trump would be much easier to defeat than Jeb Bush. That did not work out well.
Mostly, Bill, mostly. I think those who saw the writing on the wall and still did not vote strategically have a lesson to learn and a skosh of responsibility for not heading Trump off at the pass. Taking the Democratic Party back from the Clintonians is my desire, too. But, again, I want to think strategically … {so many places in the world are hurting now, and SO much DOGE horror unleashed … So much to do. I hope we can do it. Strategic. We NEED to be strategic.}
With all the turmoil/ drama happening now it's not much to admit that it could be any worse with any other parties/ candidates, so why not 10 say!, but I also think youth will be served at some pt., and a new Democratic leader will emerge. An anti. war activist who will advocate for nuclear disarmament. A workers reform party candidate maybe. Our whole voting system is so messed up at present! Hopeful...
Dos Equis "When opportunity knocks and he doesn't answer "Opportunity" Waits!!"lol Miss these. Last I heard Jonathan Goldsmith left his home in Vermont-- on a one way journey for to be the First Man, and most interesting of course on Mars...! "Stay Thirsty"
I believe one has to look past the individuals and focus on the structures of power that put them there. There is a national Democratic Party organization that is supported by 50 state organizations. From even a passing observation of the local party in this state, it doesn't appear there is mainstream criticism of the national party or its candidates (I assume there are objections at the fringes, but they get little to no coverage).
My point is that fixing the Democrats is not a matter of a new hero, but would require ripping the guts out of the existing party at all levels - something I don't see happening. It is too corporatized, too built on notions of identity and privileged groups, and its other ills - to be reformed. It needs to die.
One hopes something new will emerge, but that is uncertain. From what appears likely, the Republicans will shatter too - once Trump diminishes (I believe after the 2026 elections) as other pretenders to the throne fight for control. If there is an election in 2028, it will be a new low in demagoguery between candidates who stand for nothing - no matter their party label.
Watching the Democratic party decay over the last 40ish years has brought me to to conclusion that there is likely no way back to redemption for it. I agree we need a strong party that follows the philosophy of FDR, JFK, RFK et al, but I no longer believe it will be possible using the tarnished label "Democratic". American needs something strong and effective to replace the Democratic Party, that is for sure.
I don't believe the Democratic Party (or the Republican Party) can be fixed. The entire system has become too corrupt. As Chris Hedges often says, we are beyond the point where we can vote our way out of problems. The Green Party is also not the answer, as they seem to only attract white, liberal voters and come across as elitist to the working class. Few people knew the policy platforms of two truly progressive candidates who ran third party in 2024 -- Claudia de la Cruz and Cornel West. The corporate media kept these candidates out of the news, and when they did interview or report on their campaigns the coverage was negative (i.e. questioning them as to why they want to be "spoilers" for the Democrats, and why they don't see that they will be the reason Trump gets elected). If we truly want to support third party candidates in this country, we have to support candidates that may offend our sensibilities about who really has privilege in this country.
The Democratic "strategy" seems to be to goad and enable Trump into his worst excesses, then run "centrist" (corporate) candidates who promise to fix those worst excesses, even as the DNC rakes in more cash.
Forget about the workers. Who cares? It's about money and power.
Hello Bill... This is one of your best Posts... "Forget about the workers. Who cares? It's about money and power."... They call this "Neo-Realism"... Obama has been Over-Rated... He was always Lucky, from College-Student, thru POTUS... When tested in the recovery from the Crash of '08, Syria, and Ukraine of '14.... Obama always flubbed...
Thanks! Obama pretty much did as he was told. He surrounded himself with the usual suspects and did the usual things, i.e. whatever the bankers, the corporations, the MIC, AIPAC, etc. "suggested."
This makes me think of military functions where you were "highly encouraged" to attend--meaning MANDATORY. Obama was highly encouraged to do what the powerful and rich wanted, so he did. After which he and his wife cashed in. They are now worth roughly half a billion dollars. Not bad for a neighborhood organizer!
Thanks Bill... Obama was always very Timid, even before he came into Power... Michelle Obama said so...
Those “workers” either voted for those politicians, or maybe, just maybe, they aren't very numerous and that their complaints aren't valid. I go with that proposal.
The “corporate media” loves those parties you mentioned, for they were part of the LA rioters.
You've been deceived.
I don't know Bill, I have been hearing all my life how the Democrats need to be reformed to come and save us. I am still a registered Democrat, only so I can try and do something during the primaries here which only allow party votes in the primary (another scam to keep control from passing to good people). The Democrats have screwed people over since I can first started voting back in the 1970s. Never once did any Democrat president reverse course or make any significant changes. In fact, under political pressure during Vietnam, Nixon did more good things like open talks with China and pass the clean water act. People like Clinton totally screwed the US over and we have never recovered from what he did with the telecommunications act killing the news and the financial modernization act undoing bank regulation. The party of Hillary Clinton cannot be saved from the oligarchs. I see them moving more in the other direction in fact. More war, lower taxes on the rich, spying on everyone, brutal suppression of speech and protest, genocide and extreme poverty. Not holding my breath for a turnaround of that pack of vipers. And with the current primary system, no good person can ever get nominated, so they have a lock on it. If there is one thing that Democrat politicians really hate, it's youth movements. They will never embrace them, but they might pepper spray and arrest them.
I think you'll understand when I say I hope you're wrong.
I hope I am wrong too, but so far all my hopes have been thoroughly dashed by the Democrats who love war and always bow down to the billionaires. We both know that the primaries are fully rigged by the DNC and RNC, so even someone like Bernie, who is not really much of a threat, is completely shut down with dirty tricks. I will be the first to say I was wrong if a miracle happens, but I am not counting on divine intervention.
Fuck no
We need stronger 3rd parties.
Get real...the Dems are not worthy of the support of the American working class that want world equality not world dominance
I can live with the party of FDR, JFK, RFK Sr., and George McGovern. Even of Bernie Sanders.
The problem is that party no longer exists.
We need rank choice voting at our voting booths. Without it 3rd parties are behind the 8 ball. The duopoly does everything in its power to inhibit 3 party participation in our zrepublic. Also everything in its power from getting rank choice voting into the system.
**BOTH PARTIES**
(the United Duopoly Party of supression and war mongering empiricism and genocide)
Bill: please reassess
Oh, I'm always reassessing :-)
No point in denying collapse. Books that put the collapse into a healthy perspective: Hospicing Modernity and Outgrowing Modernity: Navigating Complexity, Complicity, and Collapse with Accountability and Compassion By Vanessa Machado de Oliveira. At Work in the Ruins By Dougald Hine
Yesterday, on Judging Freedom, Ambassador Charles Freeman (ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Nixon's translator in China) said that if he was a foreign ambassador to the U.S. he would report back that the U.S. is in a pre revolutionary situation.
As he said, there is widespread dissatisfaction; laws are being broken (implied by the leaders); the legitimacy of the government is in question; the operation of the Federal system is broken; the policy process is chaotic; and it appears the legislative branch is attempting to take over foreign policy.
It's difficult to argue with any of it - and collapse may be closer than even feared. There will be a tipping point, one I think won't be recognized until after it happens.
Yes--when does "decline" become "fall"? We may learn this the hard way--and sooner than we think.
That's what should keep us all awake at night.
The American constitution was written by rich property owners-slave owners who wanted to stay advantaged. Colonialism and capitalism were based on endless material growth exploitation taking advantaged of the disadvantaged rather than fair sharing and stewarding of resources on a finite planet. This system failed the Global South and now it is failing us. Collapse is here and now it's just not evenly distributed yet.
Couldn't have said it better Glen. The US has always been an oligarchy masquerading as a democracy.
Given what's been said in this essay, as well as some of the comments made in response, and not to ignore or minimize the unmentioned malignancy in the room, aka Israel, we're not gonna make it.
Ah, what difference does it make, the Atlantic Meridional Oscillating Circulation [AMOC] seems on track possibly to collapse sometime this century, and then we're cooked - or frozen https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/11/climate/ocean-currents-amoc-collapse-extreme-cold. May as well "Drill, Baby, Drill!"
Yes nature hates a vacuum. So let's fill it with greater diversity,: think outside the duopoly box....think 3rd party.
Meanwhile in Other News...:
truthout’s Marjorie Cohn’s 11 Jun 25 article AS TRUMP SETS MILITARY AGAINST CIVILIANS, SERVICE MEMBERS HAVE DUTY TO DISOBEY concludes as follows:
“The Uniform Code of Military Justice requires that all military personnel obey lawful orders. A law that violates the Constitution or a federal statute (such as 10 U.S.C. section 12406, the Posse Comitatus Act, and the Insurrection Act) is an unlawful order. Both the Army Field Manual and the Nuremberg Principles enshrine a duty to disobey unlawful orders.
“Trump’s deployment of military forces to L.A., and particularly an invocation of the Insurrection Act, will create a legal and ethical dilemma for service members. ‘Soldiers have not only a right, but a duty, to refuse illegal orders; yet the legality of those orders would be determined by courts-martial of refusers. And service members have a moral obligation not to harm the innocent; yet such harm would be inevitable if troops are used against civilians here,’ Kathleen Gilberd, executive director of the National Lawyers Guild’s Military Law Task Force (MLTF), told Truthout.
“The task force said in a statement that it is ;opposed to the use of military forces to ‘put down’ or ‘control’ the heartfelt reactions by community members to workplace immigration raids in Los Angeles and other cities.’ Moreover, it added:
“’The MLTF will be developing a more comprehensive plan of action, including the use of Article 138 of the UCMJ and the Nuremberg Principles. For now, we pledge our support for members of the National Guard and the active-duty military personnel who are opposed to attacking and killing those who oppose the illegal and immoral removal of undocumented workers.’
"The situation in Los Angeles is precarious as the Marines prepare to deploy and Trump continues to escalate his spurious claims and frightening threats. People are demonstrating around the country in opposition to the actions of ICE and the Trump administration. And we can expect the protests to grow in strength.
"Meanwhile, the legality of Trump’s deployments will be litigated in federal court, and service members deployed to the streets of L.A. will have to decide whether to follow orders they deem unlawful or risk harming civilians."
The entire piece is at https://truthout.org/articles/as-trump-sets-military-against-civilians-service-members-have-duty-to-disobey/ .
Note: The article includes a detailed examination of the applicability of 10 U.S.C. Section 12406, the Posse Comitatus Act, and the Insurrection Act to the situation, and an overview of California Governor Newsome’s legal effort to end the mobilization of the California National Guard and the deployment of active duty United States Marines.
"This just in": I see from NY Times website (one MSM source I "sort of" believe!!) that young David Hogg--unfortunate surname, but he rose to prominence in wake of Parkland, FL mass shooting (needless to say, hated by the far right)--has given up trying to get back on Dem. National Committee. He HAD been elected, I think, but DNC was terrified and found a way to boot him. Way to go, Dems!!
So astutely do I avoid MSM I only just learned here what "TACO" is supposed to stand for!! Emperor Trump is, personally, a coward of the first magnitude I am sure. But this bullying coward hankers to declare Martial Law on a national level, and we should not call his bluff on that. How much of the property damage being done in anti-ICE demonstrations is the work of provocateurs, either professional or "volunteers," seeking to give Donald the "excuse" to pull the Martial Law trigger?? I don't pretend to know the answer to that, but I'll bet dollars to anyone's donuts that this is partially what's going on.
SO MUCH to say about your position and the value of retaking the Democratic Party instead of of jettisoning it for a “third party” that you admit in this piece doesn’t have a chance, because of the way our government is currently structured. I notice you did not speak to that idea of the youth, progressive, and disaffected Left TAKING the Dem Party back, nor is there any reflecting on the merits of voting for a spoiler in 2024, thus assisting Mr. Trump in taking swing states and other Electors … {I didn’t and still do not think the Dems would have sat by and watched Bibi rain terror on Gazans as Trump has — Kamala was not hearty in her statements, but she did speak of justice for Palestinians and a state for them. Not a Seaside Resort}. I still hold that, if Stein wanted to have a real effect, she’d run for an office she can win and fight like hell to take the Left back. I still hold that her campaign is part of what has brought us to where we are now. Certainly not all of it, but certainly part of it.
The 1st person to blame for Trump is Trump himself.
The 2nd entity to blame for Trump are all those who trim their sails to catch his wind, and, as a blowhard, there's a lot of wind to catch.
The 3rd entity to blame is the DNC, which is always appealing to fence-straddling Republicans while suppressing the liberal/progressive base of the party. Thus the rigging of the primaries in 2016 and 2020 to eliminate Bernie Sanders.
Not to blame for Trump is Jill Stein or indeed anyone who resisted him and refused to vote for him.
Let's not forget that Hillary helped to prop up Trump in 2016 (the "Pied Piper" strategy) because she believed Trump would be much easier to defeat than Jeb Bush. That did not work out well.
I mostly agree with those you hold to account, Bill. I disagree with those you let off the hook.
I think those who supported Trump "bigly" are those most responsible for him.
Those who voted for him, of course, have to own their vote.
Those who voted against him, whether Democrat, Green, Libertarian, etc., are not responsible.
Those who stayed home and didn't vote have no say in the election result now, just as they had no say in November when they decided to stay home.
Mostly, Bill, mostly. I think those who saw the writing on the wall and still did not vote strategically have a lesson to learn and a skosh of responsibility for not heading Trump off at the pass. Taking the Democratic Party back from the Clintonians is my desire, too. But, again, I want to think strategically … {so many places in the world are hurting now, and SO much DOGE horror unleashed … So much to do. I hope we can do it. Strategic. We NEED to be strategic.}
With all the turmoil/ drama happening now it's not much to admit that it could be any worse with any other parties/ candidates, so why not 10 say!, but I also think youth will be served at some pt., and a new Democratic leader will emerge. An anti. war activist who will advocate for nuclear disarmament. A workers reform party candidate maybe. Our whole voting system is so messed up at present! Hopeful...
My vote is for the 2nd most interesting man in America :-)
Dos Equis "When opportunity knocks and he doesn't answer "Opportunity" Waits!!"lol Miss these. Last I heard Jonathan Goldsmith left his home in Vermont-- on a one way journey for to be the First Man, and most interesting of course on Mars...! "Stay Thirsty"
They were funny commercials. I miss them too.