DemocracyMouse
DemocracyMouse's JournalLibertarianism is officially dead
The events of this past week, indeed of Trump's entire self-serving, hyper-capitalist modality, have done us at least one favor: Ayn Rand's libertarian creed is now exposed for what it is lawless, self-serving chaos.
We have had several centuries of historical experiments and the outcome could not be more clear: good government and robust economy and meaningful participation in both is a BALANCING act. These in pure form do not work:
monarchy
capitalism
libertarianism
socialism
communism
anarchy
If we define democracy as a civic infrastructure informing a civic economy it escapes the list above and we can position it as an emerging alternative leading towards a solution.
When protesters shout "this is what democracy looks like!" they (we) are effectively acknowledging that there are no clean, simple solutions. Complex and messy civic involvement is really quite natural. The new thinking in biology supports the notion that a complex balancing of the individual with the collective, freedom with responsibility, has always lead to the most satisfactory state of health (homeostasis). The new paradigm I'm fond of expresses this balancing act thus:
A civil, democratically informed, infrastructure gives rise to a civil, small business economy (with plenty of room for a not-for-profit sector). The soundbite version:
DEMOCRACY =
CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE x FREE ENTERPRISE
(Feel free to provide balance to my language in the great North African tradition of uncompleted sentences in group decision-making).
Muellar may be pursuing obstruction as a front.
After all the buckets of information have rolled in about Trump's dalliance with the Russian mob (so quaintly referred to as "oligarchs" and "Putin" and "Russia" ) after going bankrupt in Atlantic City, it seems clear Trump is a traitor. He's a traitor in plain sight with the charm of a 4 year old saying, essentially "look Mom, I'm cheating." (This childish modality obviously appeals to his base).
Could Muellar's apparent focus on obstruction of justice simply be a distraction while piecing together an argument for criminal conspiracy with an enemy of the American people?
On every car bumper, people:
Homemade signs saying "Vote for Constitutional integrity, vote for Democrats Nov 6" (etc.)
This chart could win Democrats both the House and the Senate
DAILYKOS:
"Democrats [should be] pounding on this chart every single day'
https://m.dailykos.com/stories/2018/8/13/1788002/--I-don-t-understand-why-the-Democrats-are-not-pounding-on-this-chart-every-single-day?detail=emaildkre
Indeed.
Coincidentally, the above chart looks eerily similar to a graph that shows a sharp divergence between wages and productivity since Ronald Reagan made the world safe for greedy assholes again
Krugman: Why Pelosi is so demonized
Raw Story quoting Krugman in NYT:
https://www.rawstory.com/2018/08/paul-krugman-reveals-republicans-obsessed-demonizing-nancy-pelosi/
Its quite a record, Krugman wrote. Oh, and whenever you hear Republicans claim that Pelosi is some kind of wild-eyed leftist, ask yourself, whats so radical about protecting retirement income, expanding health care and reining in runaway bankers?
Economist on Salon: "I hope to god we have a downturn when Donald Trump goes up for reelection."
Mainstream economists no longer mince words:
Salon:
https://www.salon.com/2018/08/12/the-end-is-near-a-play-by-play-of-the-coming-economic-collapse/
Contained as of today: California fires: 70%. White Trumpian Nationalists: 90%
Fires have been severely curtailed today in northern California and in a weird parallel, another kind of containment has occurred. Less than two dozen white nationalist bozos turned up in DC for their assinine "Unite the Right" anniversary. And they were met by hundreds upon hundreds of patriots standing up for the US Constitution and a peaceful, multicultural society. The ratio of resistors to imbeciles was exhilirating.
What's going on?
Get out the vote friends. We're on a roll.
CNN on white nationalists sputtering out in DC:
https://www-m.cnn.com/2018/08/12/us/unite-the-right-charlottesville-anniversary/index.html?r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F
The best news
... is each one of us with a friend and a clipboard walking through the streets of America speaking up for democracy... and the Democrats!
Just Google your local Dem headquarters. Or simply commit to smiling at every tollboth and retail counter and ask your fellow Americans if they've registered to vote and do consider the joy they will experience knowing they did their part to save their country.
Trump's leaving the Whitehouse...
... IF WE WANT IT! (paraphrasing John Lennon and Yoko Ono). But don't wait till the day after the election! Please start planning to help get out the vote.
1) Google your local Democratic headquarters, contact them, and ask where you are needed most. They will assign you to a town or neighborhood and provide specific addresses to go door-to-door (and they'll provide a clipboard with helpful guidelines).
2) Bring a friend or two for company and confidence. This is what fellow DU member "underpants" says about safety:
But campaigning with a buddy is more about enthusiasm. You are saying with your group energy: "We can't wait to vote!" That's infectious.
3) You will probably be asked to emphasize certain points while speaking to people, but you'll quickly get the hang of it and can speak in your own words. Always be polite and let the person feel heard. Just standing calm and convinced is a better argument than getting into a huff. Let your warmth and calm be a model for the better party. Inspire people to vote, don't tell them to.
4) Tell your social networks you are planning to go door-to-door. Start a fever in your network.
5) Have fun saving your country! Tell your social network the election night party is at your place and anyone who goes door-to-door gets a kiss (or whatever your scene would find charming).
I welcome corrections and further suggestions below. When I first posted this under a less scintillating title, a rather street smart DU member (those "underpants" again!) recommended bringing along a Sharpie:
What most cats hate to do
I guarantee most of our feline associates find going door-to-door for the Democrats this fall a huge inconvenience, but MAYBE one or two will pack a few sandwiches for the team.
To my fellow humans who share my conviction it's up to OUR species to turn this planet around: I am not claiming to be an expert in campaigning, but I can share my experiences going door-to-door for Obama, Sanders and Clinton. I welcome your input here. (And please forgive my clumsy attempts to get everyone's attention!).
1) Google your local Democratic headquarters, contact them, and ask where you are needed most. They will assign you to a town or neighborhood and provide specific addresses to visit (and a clipboard to look super official with).
2) Bring a friend or two for company and confidence. This is what fellow DU member "underpants" says about safety:
But campaigning with a buddy is more about enthusiasm. You are saying with your group energy: "We can't wait to vote!" That's infectious.
3) You will probably be asked to emphasize certain points while speaking to people, but you'll quickly get the hang of it and can speak in your own words. Always be polite and let the person feel heard. Just standing calm and convinced is a better argument than getting into a huff. Let your warmth and calm be a model for the better party. Inspire people to vote, don't tell them to.
4) Tell your social networks you are planning to go door-to-door. Start a fever in your network.
5) Have fun saving your country! Tell your social network the election night party is at your place and anyone who goes door-to-door gets a kiss (or whatever your scene would find charming).
I welcome corrections and further suggestions below. When I first posted this under a less scintillating title, a rather street smart DU member (those "underpants" again!) recommended bringing along a Sharpie:
Don't go door-to-door for the Democrats...
...if it interrupts all the fun you're having reading stories about crazy Trumpworld.
BUT if you want actual political change, stop watching and join us in campaigning door-to-door.
GO DOOR-TO-DOOR? YES!!!
I am not claiming to be an expert in these matters, but I can share my experiences going door-to-door for Obama, Sanders and Clinton. I welcome your input here.
1) Google your local Democratic headquarters, contact them, and ask where you are needed most. They will assign you to a town or neighborhood and provide specific addresses to visit.
2) Bring a friend or two for company and confidence. You are saying with your group presence and enthusiasm: "I can't wait to vote." That's infectious.
3) You will probably be asked to emphasize certain points while speaking to people, but you'll quickly get the hang of it and can speak in your own words. Always be polite and let the person feel heard. Just standing calm and convinced is a better argument than getting into a huff. Let your warmth and calm be a model for the better party. Inspire people to vote, don't tell them to.
4) Do mark down on the clipboard whether each home you visit is answered by the resident and where they are leaning. The sheets provided to you should be self-explanatory. (And if any Dem committee folks are listening: PLEASE make your clipboard materials graphically clear and user-friendly. Don't skimp on giving a serious graphic designer a job.)
5) Tell your social networks when you are planning to go door-to-door. Start a fever in your network.
6) Have fun saving your country! Tell your social network the election night party is at your place and anyone who goes door-to-door gets a kiss (or whatever your scene would find charming).
I welcome corrections and further suggestions below. When I first posted this under a less scintillating title, a DU member ("underpants" ) recommended bringing along a Sharpie:
Profile Information
Name: Mouse de la SoulGender: Do not display
Hometown: New Jersey
Home country: USA
Member since: Sat Dec 9, 2017, 01:41 PM
Number of posts: 2,275