Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forumIt was the Democrats' embrace of neoliberalism that won it for Trump
NAOMI KLEIN 2016
They will blame James Comey and the FBI. They will blame voter suppression and racism. They will blame Bernie or bust and misogyny. They will blame third parties and independent candidates. They will blame the corporate media for giving him the platform, social media for being a bullhorn, and WikiLeaks for airing the laundry.
But this leaves out the force most responsible for creating the nightmare in which we now find ourselves wide awake: neoliberalism. That worldview fully embodied by Hillary Clinton and her machine is no match for Trump-style extremism. The decision to run one against the other is what sealed our fate. If we learn nothing else, can we please learn from that mistake?
Here is what we need to understand: a hell of a lot of people are in pain. Under neoliberal policies of deregulation, privatisation, austerity and corporate trade, their living standards have declined precipitously. They have lost jobs. They have lost pensions. They have lost much of the safety net that used to make these losses less frightening. They see a future for their kids even worse than their precarious present.
At the same time, they have witnessed the rise of the Davos class, a hyper-connected network of banking and tech billionaires, elected leaders who are awfully cosy with those interests, and Hollywood celebrities who make the whole thing seem unbearably glamorous. Success is a party to which they were not invited, and they know in their hearts that this rising wealth and power is somehow directly connected to their growing debts and powerlessness.
https://amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/nov/09/rise-of-the-davos-class-sealed-americas-fate?
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
LizBeth
(9,952 posts)Correct. There is not even any pretending otherwise.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Walleye
(31,039 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Recursion
(56,582 posts)Its chief tenants are sometimes called "The Washington Consensus" and describe the globalized trade and internationalism that prevailed for about 2 decades after the fall of the Soviet Union and saw the largest eradication of poverty and reduction in global inequality in human history. Its adherents run the political gamut from people like Ludwig von Mises on the right to people like Paul Krugman on the left.
In recent years it has also become a word that basically means "a Democrat I don't like" among a small but loud subset of the left.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Walleye
(31,039 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Polybius
(15,467 posts)The neo's are much more involved in foreign policy. The regular's are more inclined to oppose war and put America first.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Fiendish Thingy
(15,651 posts)Thats where most folks get confused. Its an economic theory, not a left/right ideology. There are both Democrats and Republicans who are strong free market neoliberals when it comes to economics.
Thats one reason why they use hot button social issues (guns, God, gays) as wedge issues, because they often were/are fairly close in practice on the economic stuff.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
wyldwolf
(43,869 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Fiendish Thingy
(15,651 posts)Like Reagan
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Recursion
(56,582 posts)Mostly they prefer regulations to come from international bodies rather than national ones.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
wyldwolf
(43,869 posts)FDR ran on free trade.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
aeromanKC
(3,326 posts)Because of "Hillary by a landslide" people stayed home, voted 3rd party or wrote in someone else as a protest vote.
That will not happen this time!!
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
TomCADem
(17,390 posts)This is why you cannot trust Bernie. He says he supports unity on the one hand, but then his campaign pushes these divisive talking points to attack the Democratic party when Bernie does not get his way.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
peoli
(3,111 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
TwilightZone
(25,473 posts)It's nothing new. It was true then, and it's still true now. Same divisive nonsense from the "unity" candidate.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
TomCADem
(17,390 posts)As explained below, Neoliberalism has just become a catch-all epithet to attack Democrats from the "left" regardless of their underlying policy positions. You posted the article, then you complain that it is from 2016?
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/07/how-neoliberalism-became-the-lefts-favorite-insult.html
And the term neoliberal doesnt mean a faction of liberals. It now refers to liberals generally, and it is applied by their left-wing critics. The word is now ubiquitous, popping up in almost any socialist polemic against the Democratic Party or the center-left. Obamas presidency? It was the last gasp of neoliberalism. Why did Hillary Clinton lose? It was her neoliberalism. Paul Krugman and Joseph Stiglitz? Neoliberals both.
The Bafflers Chris Lehmann dismisses an Atlantic story on the Democrats, which touts Elizabeth Warren as a model for the partys future, as just more neoliberal tripe. In the world of neoliberal consensus, its a simple taken-for-granted axiom that senators the lead fundraisers and media figures in both major parties call the shots, and should be entrusted with charting an electoral comeback, writes Lehmann. All the reliable notes of arms-length cultural puzzlement are struck soundly here, from the putative identity-politics-class-politics divide on the left to the neoliberal wonk classs painfully absent common touch. Obviously, the authentic way to demonstrate a common touch is to throw around the term neoliberal as frequently as possible. Try it if you ever need to strike up a conversation with some strangers in a bowling alley in Toledo.
Neoliberalism is held to be the source of all the ills suffered by the Democratic Party and progressive politics over four decades, up to and (especially) including the rise of Donald Trump. The neoliberal accusation is a synecdoche for the American lefts renewed offensive against the center-left and a touchstone in the struggle to define progressivism after Barack Obama.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
betsuni
(25,598 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
delisen
(6,044 posts)She did not know what she didn't know and her performance since has been worse.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
AGeddy
(509 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
DURHAM D
(32,611 posts)she was advising Al Gore to wear earth tones.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
abqtommy
(14,118 posts)We are obviously a match for tRUMP-style extremism but not for tRUMP-style ratfuckery...
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
StevieM
(10,500 posts)People were convinced that one of the candidates somehow broke the law and got away with it because she is rich and famous.
How much worse does it get for a candidate than that?
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
squirecam
(2,706 posts)Comey said they were looking at it again. It certainly cost her the election.
https://www.vox.com/2018/4/13/17233600/james-comey-weiner-emails
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-comey-letter-probably-cost-clinton-the-election/
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
StevieM
(10,500 posts)Her numbers went down after that. More importantly, she didn't get the recovery that she should have gotten when the bogus story finally wrapped up.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
SunSeeker
(51,657 posts)Obama had to fight REPUBLICANS for a greater stimulus package, not Hillary and her "machine," whatever the fuck you mean by that. Creating this bullshit nonexistent villain, "neoliberalism," only lets Republicans off the hook. It is insane and plays right into Trump's hands.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
betsuni
(25,598 posts)It's bizarre.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
mercuryblues
(14,537 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
YOHABLO
(7,358 posts)there's no point in discussing it. Someone up there said: "What's neoliberalism". Well that pretty much says it ALL.
Look up Milton Friedman, or even Google ''neoliberalism'' maybe you will learn something. Good luck to all of you.
(I'm almost afraid to click 'post reply')
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
peoli
(3,111 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
progressoid
(49,996 posts)Oh well.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
vercetti2021
(10,156 posts)I'm pretty sure Biden supporters are actual Democrats. Nice try.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
emmaverybo
(8,144 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Codeine
(25,586 posts)Should I be wearing a coup uniform? This is all so confusing!
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
wyldwolf
(43,869 posts)Let me guess! You were here before then under another name... or lurking. LOL.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gore1FL
(21,151 posts)I don't disagree with assessment of the younger poster.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
wyldwolf
(43,869 posts)It's a ridiculous statement.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gore1FL
(21,151 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
wyldwolf
(43,869 posts)No one 'took over," least of of Biden supporters.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gore1FL
(21,151 posts)I remember well the "we don't need you" statements and attitude. This was, of course followed by, cries "Where were you when we needed you?"
While we reach for GOP votes that we will never get, we tell the left to fuck off. Great strategy.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
wyldwolf
(43,869 posts)No site admin/owner booted them off.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gore1FL
(21,151 posts)In the last day or so I was told I should post at JPR. It's still going on, today. I don't intend to leave, but please don't try to gaslight me. I was there to witness and feel the abuse.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
wyldwolf
(43,869 posts)All through the 2000s, we heard how oh-so "proooogresssive" DU was. You're contending the small minority of moderates ran you off. The OP contends Biden supporters invaded and took over.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gore1FL
(21,151 posts)I am not contending anyone ran me off. I am here. I just consider thje behavior of some here too be divisive and shitty. It creates a hostile community destined to fail.
We lost a lot of good people. Many who remain became Biden supporters. Many of those behave badly today.
Your cute little violin emoji sure demonstrates the privilege you feel in being in the majority at DU, though. That must feel groovy.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Turin_C3PO
(14,031 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
loyalsister
(13,390 posts)Hierarchy, harsh competition, and Libertarianism, and money in politics at the expense of people were features of 90s politics.
That was what welfare reform, the crime bill, and deregulation were all about.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
rzemanfl
(29,567 posts)I read yours.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
RhodeIslandOne
(5,042 posts)Noonan, Dowd, and Klein.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
pecosbob
(7,542 posts)I have little respect for self-declared arbiters of party purity, but when a broken clock is right, it's right. If payday lenders are contributing to your campaign, you should probably ask yourself why you showed up in the first place. This is straight dope from the bottom socio-economic class. Truth is things suck at the bottom and Democratic office-holders have not been doing enough about it to bring people out to the polls.
IMO if you're losing splinters of your base at the same time you're losing swing voters, then your platform is too similar to the the other party.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Gothmog
(145,487 posts)I am a proud member of the Democratic Party
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
grossproffit
(5,591 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Turin_C3PO
(14,031 posts)but people like Hillary and Biden arent neoliberals. Theyre just pro free trade. Neoliberals are mainly found in the Republican party.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(145,487 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Uncle Joe
(58,402 posts)Thanks for the thread peoli.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Happy Hoosier
(7,375 posts)I like Klein, but she is letting her personal preference cloud the evidence, IMO. The GOP has honed their message to leverage resentment and fear against brown people, immigrants, and anyone who threatens their image of a white supremacist America ever since they adopted the Southern Strategy in the 70's.
They are leveraging cultural issues to manipulate working class white people in to opposing their own economic interests.
I personally think it's glaringly obvious.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
robbedvoter
(28,290 posts)But sure...
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Proud Liberal Dem
(24,435 posts)She was clearly the people's choice by millions of votes. Between everything else that happened (that she herself documents here), there was also a 4-way vote split that enabled Trump to scrape up just enough votes to win the EC in several states that put him over the top. I know that the PV doesn't put a candidate into the office but it does prove that people actually do vote for "neoliberals" like Hillary and Gore, who faced an almost identical outcome in 2000. But when other third-party candidates jump into these races, they help split the vote on (often) the progressive side so that the Republican can scrape by with a plurality of the votes and win the EC and get into office.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Marthe48
(17,011 posts)he was installed.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
wyldwolf
(43,869 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
redstateblues
(10,565 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
peoli
(3,111 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
still_one
(92,366 posts)Ithe same crap
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
JudyM
(29,265 posts)by moderates, IMO. We have so much to do to heal the world (tikkun olam), and such riches to a bring to bear. Instead we support military buildup and corporate socialism, Sanders is right about that. Its like, if Jesus walked in and looked around, would he be pleased... (not a believer, myself, but Jesus as metaphor )
I love Dems. I just have a different vision of what we are.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Gothmog
(145,487 posts)I never considered sanders to be a serious candidate. sanders has zero major legislative accomplishments in part because none of his fellow Democrats really want to support his agenda. I do not understand sanders' political revolution and how this revolution would somehow force congress to adopt his agenda. The only thing that is clear is that sanders attacks on other Democrats and the Democratic Establishment have backfired
Link to tweet
Sanders first defeat, on Feb. 29 in South Carolina, was a warning that he needed to assuage fears about his candidacy. Instead, he celebrated those fears as proof of his success. On March 1, he proudly told a crowd in San Jose, California, that the turnout at his rallies was alarming the establishment. The next day, in St. Paul, Minnesota, he repeated that message. When Sanders was informed that fellow candidates Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar were dropping out and endorsing Biden, he said it was no surprise, since the corporate elite was out to get him. And when Maddow asked Sanders whether he was specifically running against the Democratic Party establishmentnot just a generic political establishmenthe replied: Democratic establishment. Yes.
At his rallies, Sanders has continued to call for a political revolution. And he has added another villain to his list of enemies: the stock market. When the market surged after Super Tuesday, Sanders, far from welcoming this news, cited it as evidence of Bidens corruption. Were taking them all on, he said of the companies whose valuations had increased. The stock market went up this morning cause they thought that Biden did well. Sanders told Maddow that the health care industry and the drug companies did very well because Biden had a good day. And he warned these companies that if he got his way, their stocks would suffer. I got some bad news for those guys, he said. Dont count your chickens until theyre hatched. .
Meanwhile, Sanders has escalated his talk of conspiracies. On Sunday, he claimed that the establishment put a great deal of pressure on Buttigieg and Klobuchar to force them out of the race. What was very clear from the media narrative and what the establishment wanted, he told George Stephanopoulos, was to make sure that people coalesced around Biden and try to defeat me. On Wednesday, after his defeats, Sanders again rebuked the Democratic establishment and insisted that our campaign has won the ideological debate.
What Sanders fails to understand is the connection between his defeats and his rhetoric. It wasnt the media or the Democratic National Committee that turned Buttigieg, Klobuchar, and millions of voters against him. It was Sanders. His relentless message of conflict, along with his expanding list of putative enemies, attracted a fraction of the electorate but alienated everybody else. As the primaries narrowed to a two-man race, his base was no longer enough to win. The establishment didnt destroy Bernie Sanders. He destroyed himself.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden