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Denise Donaldson's avatar

I agree with all you say here, Bill. And yet....the Rs have done a very effective job of convincing even many left-of-center people that progressive values are extreme left-wing, fringe, Commie ideas. I can't tell you how many comments I've seen in supposedly "liberal" forums decrying how far left the Dems have moved. Sanders keeps asking if affordable healthcare, a living wage, and a habitable planet are "fringe" values, but his voice is lost in the noise.

Bill Astore's avatar

Yes. Freedom is slavery, Denise! We can't be free to earn a living wage or free of bankruptcy due to medical bills etc. We must defer to our corporate masters to set wages and to provide -- or more likely to deny -- us healthcare, because to be free is to be a slave.

Best to be ignorant of all this because ignorance is strength. That Orwell guy was one smart cookie.

Denise Donaldson's avatar

Well....judging by the happenings in this country in the last 6 years (and obviously, the roots go back decades), there are a LOT of people who believe in the virtue of ignorance!

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Nov 8, 2022Edited
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Denise Donaldson's avatar

I didn't call you ignorant, Dennis. Not at all. Do you believe that Jewish space lasers started the wildfires out West a couple summers ago? Do you believe that the Dems are running a cannibalistic child sex trafficking ring out of a D.C. pizza parlor? Do you believe that Paul Pelosi was attacked by a gay, nudist lover?

I merely made the statement that a lot of people these days make a virtue out of ignorance. And I stand by my opinion that those who believe the kind of nonsense listed above, contrary to all logic, facts, and evidence, are ignorant. Your outrage is misplaced, my friend.

Bill Astore's avatar

I believe all those things. :-)

Denise Donaldson's avatar

Beware visits from orderlies bearing coats that fasten up the back, Bill.....

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Nov 8, 2022
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Denise Donaldson's avatar

Ms. Armstrong-Scott makes a great deal of sense, I think. Especially critical is the last sentence of her reason #4, about cooperation on disarmament and climate change. Thanks for sharing the link, Dennis.

Pink Prince's avatar

New Zealanders could be less worried about US politics by declaring their independence from the US. They can do that by shutting down US bases, making New Zealand a superpower, ending their participation in US wars and sanctions, they can declare their independence from the UK by breaking colonial ties with them, declare their independence from Israel by ending aid to them and condemning Israeli expansion into the Gaza Strip, W Bank, E Jerusalem and tell Israel to return the Golan Heights to Syria and declare their independence from Saudi Arabia by ending aid to them and switching sides in the war in Yemen.

Aron Blue's avatar

I admit I felt disappointment on learning that the DNC was funding the most out-there R candidates in the primaries so they could have a better chance at defeating them in November. I was surprised they could sink lower in my estimation. I wish I could remember where I read the comment, but it was something like, "America is so rich even their one party system has two parties." Like having two Cadillacs or two swimming pools. That said, my ballot is blue as the sky. Sigh.

Bill Astore's avatar

Yes, I just voted, and I was able to vote for one Green/Rainbow candidate. Otherwise my ballot was "blue."

More importantly, there were four referendum questions I was able to vote on, so there's that.

Aron Blue's avatar

Yes - referendums - the silver lining. Did you have any good ones? Here in Nevada we had an increase in minimum wage and the establishment of a state Equal Rights Amendment in addition to open primaries and ranked choice. So it was a good year here for referendums.

Bill Astore's avatar

Yes, the big one here was taxing millionaires to raise money for education and infrastructure. I hope it passes.

Denise Donaldson's avatar

Wow! You and Aron had some great measures to vote on! Here in Ohio.....nada.

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Nov 8, 2022Edited
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jg moebus's avatar

So Dennis: How'd all those bettors You cited do so far?

ranney's avatar

Hooray, you said it and I'm going to share it because I'm now a believer that the two party system is long dead! I loved your analogy of the bird with with two right wings going in circles. What a clever analogy and how apt. Thank you for your continued honesty, and who knows?- you may just singlehandedly manage to convince enough of us to leave the democrat party. What we need is a new one. Bernie calls himself a Democratic Socialist. and I sure as hell would like to join that party, but it doesn't exist. You'll note that Bernie is listed as an Independent not as a Democratic Socialist. How does one create a party? Does anyone know? We have a Green party - guess I'll go do that. Thank you Bill, keep writing!

Pink Prince's avatar

The Democrats can't stand up to the Republicans. Since they can't beat them, they join them. When George Warmonger Criminal Bush was POTUS, the Republicans were the biggest warmongers. After Ehud Barack Obama and Joe Biden became POTUS, the Democrats became the biggest warmongers. The Squad and many other Democrats disappointed me by supporting the war in Ukraine that Biden caused Russia to start.

The US should end aid to Israel and Saudi Arabia, its wars and bases in other nations. It could focus more on domestic affairs and provide job security, end student loan debt and provide better healthcare.

Bernie Sanders is not as good as his supporters say he is. He is for aid to Ukraine and talked about the war in Yemen that Saudi Arabia is waging when Trump was in office but neither under Obama's term nor Biden's term.

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Nov 9, 2022
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Bill Astore's avatar

Jimmy Dore's critique of what Democrats have failed at is spot on.

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Nov 8, 2022
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Bill Astore's avatar

How true. A quote Clint Eastwood used to good effect in "Pale Rider."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAUAVdI82l8