General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: As a member of what has become known as the "far left" those who attack me here don't anger me [View all]Zorra
(27,670 posts)The polarization of wealth, and the degree of inequality and injustice experienced by the middle/working class, are accelerating exponentially at unprecedented rates.
I vote for Democrats because they are always better than republicans. Would I vote for a democrat instead of a Democratic Corporatist, if the democrat had a real chance of winning an election? Absolutely.
Yes, we are on the same team in that we will vote for Democrats in that they are almost always the lesser of two evils. I am a mixed race LGBT female. Not electing Democrats has many more clear and present life threatening consequences for me than electing them does.
The trap laid by the oligarchs is simple, but clever and effective: Either vote for the MSM supported corporatist candidate who will support some human rights, and probably institute some environmental protections, or vote for the MSM supported corporatist candidate who will crush human rights and destroy the environment with reckless abandon.
The controlled dissemination of information, and the institutionalized beliefs that conservative media has instilled into the general American consciousness, and the campaign finance system ensures that few democratic candidates (and only on a local or regional level) except for those chosen by the oligarchs can be elected in our two party system.
Under these circumstances, we clearly do not live in a Democracy, when democracy is considered in its basic definition:
Power in the US is not vested in the people, and we do not rule directly or through freely elected representatives.
I don't have nomenclature issues. Governments in other nations that are horribly oppressive and non-democratic do not prove that the US system is democratic, only that it is less oppressive and less horrible for most people. Unfortunately, the US is getting farther and farther from being a democracy with each passing day, and the obvious result of this process will be a feudal system, where the majority of the populace are serfs or indentured servants in the service of wealthy private interests.
Perhaps, in reality, we are already there.
It has been said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result. This definition is somewhat appropriate for our political process: Some keep engaging in the same political process, and expect things to get better. Meanwhile, in the overall scope of things, things are definitely getting worse. Every day, wealthy private interests gain more control over our lives, and our and choices.
The problem with the Overton Window theory with regard to our situation in the US is that not enough people are allowed inside the window to make the necessary changes necessary for those outside the window, because those inside the window are employed by the multi-national wealthy corporation that owns the building.
I'm all for working together. A well planned and prepared focused, coordinated mass general strike with enough support might make the oligarchs consider relinquishing control of the government to those to whom it rightfully belongs.
The people.