Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
 

Armstead

(47,803 posts)
6. Maybe you ought to open your mind as to WHY people feel that way
Sun May 15, 2016, 08:16 AM
May 2016

Stated simply the Democrats and Republicans fight over certain issues, but on the underlying issues related to Wealth and Power, they overlap far more than they disagree. Time and again, Democratic "centrist" politicians like the Clintons raise the hopes of liberals that the bad old GOP has been beaten back, and finally Democrats can bring back enlightened, progressive/liberal government.

But it always turns out that we fight over certain specific issues, such as abortion and gun control, while behind the scenes both parties are bought and paid for by Big Corporations, Wall St. and their lobbyists. So we have seen an unending tide of laws, policies and messages that drain money and political power to the Elites, at the expense of everyone else.

The fact that Comcast -- one of the most distrusted and monopolistic corporations in America -- is a major sponsor of the Democratic convention, tells you all you need to know.

After a while, one starts to believe the actions instead of the pretty words.

-----------------------------

Here's a link to an article you might want to read.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511954521


But all this provided only a patchwork solution to the Democratic party’s crisis of legitimacy. Was it a pro-corporate (neoliberal) or pro-labor (New Deal) party? The actual tendency was for the party to move firmly in the former direction, while escalating rhetorical claims for the rights of cultural minorities, at the same time as the Republican party moved swiftly toward a neoconservative solution to its own crisis. Meanwhile, the Democrats never really addressed the popular roots of dissatisfaction: in a global economy with more dispersed power, both economic and political, how was the standard of living of the American middle-class to be maintained?......

The huge popularity of Bernie Sanders on the left today speaks to precisely this dilemma, fundamentally unaddressed through four decades of deceit and illusion to maintain elite power, as inequality continuously rose in that period of time, the middle class became ever more diminished, and real political power became confined to a vanishingly small elite group......

Had the elites chosen to be more democratic thirty or forty or twenty years ago, both parties would have naturally evolved and reshaped themselves in accord with shifting social and economic realities. Liberalism and conservatism, in their authentic manifestations, would have continued fighting the good fight, rather than the situation that has developed, where economic anxiety is continually suppressed and allowed to manifest only in twisted movements that have little chance of accomplishing any objectives given the present distribution of power.

It is noteworthy that a great many among America’s intellectual elite support Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders, offering standard neoliberal justifications, whereas those outside elite intellectual circles are more likely to support Sanders; likewise with Trump and his antagonists and supporters. What the establishment will not do is take either of them seriously; meaning that they will not, as they haven’t for forty years, acknowledge the concerns of the constituencies they are supposed to represent, and direct the very real anxieties felt on all parts of the political spectrum toward positive resolutions good for the country and for the rest of the world.
I'm absolutely sure the feeling is mutual. nc4bo May 2016 #1
Both parties have been the same, largely, since the days of Ronald Reagan. Everyone has been sucking highprincipleswork May 2016 #2
Jeezus H.Christ on a Cracker! chervilant May 2016 #3
Your IL list is too long because some people like to bury their head in the sand and not read..... Logical May 2016 #4
There is no chervilant May 2016 #5
I bet your definition of those topics is the issue. nt Logical May 2016 #7
+1 Agschmid May 2016 #9
So, you would choose to shove unwelcome negativity right up our asses? Trajan May 2016 #59
Gungeonite? LOL, show me some posts where I love guns. I have will counter where I dont. You... Logical May 2016 #60
Maybe you ought to open your mind as to WHY people feel that way Armstead May 2016 #6
I know exactly why they feel that way, I just disagree Fast Walker 52 May 2016 #36
As much as I hate the Idea of her retread presidency Sky Masterson May 2016 #8
Exactly. AirmensMom May 2016 #11
I remember you! Sky Masterson May 2016 #13
We did! AirmensMom May 2016 #15
I still see her on Facebook. Sky Masterson May 2016 #17
Yes... AirmensMom May 2016 #19
email? Sky Masterson May 2016 #23
I understand and I can relate more than it appears. I actually phrased my original post Fast Walker 52 May 2016 #38
+ a gazillion. nt Live and Learn May 2016 #49
There are two types of Hilary Clinton supporters PowerToThePeople May 2016 #10
Nailed it. djean111 May 2016 #14
Drop the mic, thread win. 99Forever May 2016 #21
Ouch jack_krass May 2016 #24
Spot on! whatchamacallit May 2016 #41
Agree sort of but IMO wrong label for the Hortensis May 2016 #12
yes, I basically agree... and I definitely could have written the second part better Fast Walker 52 May 2016 #39
A facile cynicism meant to cover their Hortensis May 2016 #43
I don't agree LWolf May 2016 #16
yeah, I over simplified for sure... but that it just Fast Walker 52 May 2016 #40
Happy to drive you crazy, then. Lizzie Poppet May 2016 #18
They are the same in many aspects now pinebox May 2016 #20
Devine vs. Weaver nt firebrand80 May 2016 #22
I'm the former Dem2 May 2016 #25
The farther people move from the center to both sides of the political spectrum, the more we see Trust Buster May 2016 #26
Not being a centrist is a personality disorder? You're funny. Redwoods Red May 2016 #34
Not being a centrist is a personality disorder pmorlan1 May 2016 #54
Lol, most your posts are textbook whatchamacallit May 2016 #42
Nonsense. There are countless types of Sanders supporters. There are many (most, I bet) who wanted Vote2016 May 2016 #27
Pigeon holes are for pigeons. Tierra_y_Libertad May 2016 #28
I'm the second type Matrosov May 2016 #29
"you actually work for the 1%?" jack_krass May 2016 #32
"drive me crazy." Hiraeth May 2016 #30
You forgot the 3rd type realmirage May 2016 #31
And I say, what the f*ck does it matter? It is abou the ISSUES. What is wrong with people? pdsimdars May 2016 #33
LOL pmorlan1 May 2016 #56
No, there's not. Sweet Freedom May 2016 #35
Perceptive post. kstewart33 May 2016 #37
thanks, and count me like that too. Fast Walker 52 May 2016 #45
I'd bet that will happen. kstewart33 May 2016 #47
I think the latter types are a small percentage but they sure make a lot of noise Fast Walker 52 May 2016 #48
some additional points: Fast Walker 52 May 2016 #44
...and the second type has destroyed his candidacy. nt auntpurl May 2016 #46
I've been a Democrat since 1968 Blue_In_AK May 2016 #50
There's another type trudyco May 2016 #51
You do know you can think both parties have reached a level of "suck" never before Fawke Em May 2016 #52
IMO, no matter how bad the Dems are, they are never quite as horrible as Repubs Fast Walker 52 May 2016 #57
There are two kinds of people in the world... Binkie The Clown May 2016 #53
Haha, true. I should have known better. Fast Walker 52 May 2016 #55
I don't 'hate' Hillary. Maedhros May 2016 #58
Nice fake chart you have there Generic Brad May 2016 #61
It's from here: Maedhros May 2016 #62
Congratulations! You can source a chart of imaginary dot placement Generic Brad May 2016 #63
It's a useful chart for illustrating a point. Maedhros May 2016 #65
Nope. You've missed some MAJOR issues. Skwmom May 2016 #64
Latest Discussions»Retired Forums»2016 Postmortem»There are two types of Be...»Reply #6