We Lost the Battle for the Republican Party’s Soul Long Ago

[ousdahl]

The Progressive wing of the Democratic party. Luckily it's just a loud minority at this point... But loud minorities in the age of social media can wield power.

How so?

Specifically, what rhetoric or legislation would be an example of hating capitalism?

Maybe I spend too much time on Twitter. And here. Not maybe. Definitely.

But your anti-Capitalist rhetoric, as you know, is very, very present in social media.

That voice is heard in things that are talked about but haven't gotten real traction yet, such as a wealth tax or breaking up all large businesses or making private health insurance illegal (I mean, just listen to anything Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders talked about during the debates).

Yea, anti-capitalist rhetoric is present on social media, in large part cuz so many among We The People are becoming more intrigued by it.

But back to your original take that one party hates capitalism, it’s more like a fringe handful of lawmakers within one party - Bernie, Warren, maybe a couple others.

But often does that fringe actually get any policies advanced? Enough so to paint it as being a representation of a whole party. How’s their wealth taxes and breaking up big bidness and universal healthcare coming, anyway?

Cuz for decades now, the rich keep getting richer, bidnesses keep getting bigger, and healthcare keeps getting more unaffordable, with little difference whether it’s Dems or pubs in charge.

[Mjl]

I don't agree with that at all, I think we're just too comfortable with the rigged (i.e. racist, sexist, lgtbq-phobic) American capitalism system.

Capitalism is basically a winner-take-all economic model. It’s an even playing field maybe in a vacuum, til you realize that once you get economic power it becomes easier to consolidate more, especially with no policies or other mechanisms in place to prevent as much.

If an even playing field is NOT antithetical to capitalism, then how come capitalism has created so much inequality?

And the racism and social issues you mention are all related to capitalism too but that’s a big can of worms

Sure, if you're referencing pure capitalism. But that doesn't exist (nor has it ever existed) anywhere on the planet. Having an economic system that focuses on profit does not exclude all people from having a fair chance to participate. In America, all people certainly do not, and have not had a fair chance at participating in the market. The system is, and always has been, rigged to benefit white people. Mainly white, straight males.

Exactly.

An uneven playing field isn't truly a free market anyway. I think our disagreement lies mostly in how much we need to tilt things to make that playing field level.

Whereas my disagreement with Ous is he doesn't just want a level playing field, he wants everyone stuck at the 50 yard line regardless of what they do or don't do.

[japhy]

Well, in a sense, an even playing field IS antithetical to capitalism

I don't agree with that at all, I think we're just too comfortable with the rigged (i.e. racist, sexist, lgtbq-phobic) American capitalism system.

^^^ We have a winner!

As long as most of this stuff doesn't affect the majority of Americans, we will turn on the TV and have a beer every night and forget about it, you know, the way real folks do.

As long as you are comfortable, why start some shit you can't finish. Every time the Right says there is going to be a civil war I look at the 1,000 or so of the insurrectionists on Jan 6 and figure that's about where it is. Trump talks about fighting and goes back to the WH to watch it all on gleefully on TV. The pussyass bully who got a bunch of rubes to do his bidding, knowing they will take the fall for him. The rest of the trumpublican shitstains that spoke on the 6th did likewise.

The angry rubes are loud; but they don't want to go to prison and they don't want to lose their TV privileges. And they don't want to lose their homes and jobs and their kids and their jet skis.

Let's face facts, the majority of Americans are too comfortable to support and pull off a revolution. Have you read any reports on how personal wealth has grown in the last few years? The growth exceeds inflation, which is why inflation fear mongering seems to be mostly working on the already faithful. And as soon as the corporations who fund the trumpublican politicians think they might cause chaos that will cause a major economic disruption they will rein them in by closing the purse. Revolution is bad for the economy and that would affect the comfort level of the consumers. The rubes are useful drama to garner TV viewership.

I made my money the old fashioned way, deal with it you lazy millennial fucks and get off my lawns!

And don't forget to come to Solstice in June and spend some money. Small towns don't save themselves, they rely on you, the traveling real America consumers to stop in and spend a few hours and drop some coins on the sidewalk while you are here.

Have a great day!

[ousdahl]

“The majority of Americans are too comfortable to support and pull off a revolution”

But are they?

cuz there’s also a lot of stories like “majority of Mericans living paycheck to paycheck” type shit.

And stories like how many Mericans are worried about the fate of the republic and stuff.

And stories about Mericans literally trying to overthrow the gummint. As if January 6 was just politics as usual.

And the sad part is, they’re so close!

But rather than actually educate themselves in the ways of revolution, they instead scapegoat the wrong folks for their own marginalized condition, often on racial lines and socialist boogeymen lines and stuff.

[ousdahl]

And yes, the Merican economy depends more than anything on consumers.

So can we advance more policies that empower more consumers, rather than advancing policies full of hopes and dreams that maybe they’ll trickle down to consumers some day instead?

[KUTradition]

japhy going all internet deviant and malcontent

mich probably pissed himself

[Cascadia]

Capitalism is basically a winner-take-all economic model. It’s an even playing field maybe in a vacuum, til you realize that once you get economic power it becomes easier to consolidate more, especially with no policies or other mechanisms in place to prevent as much.

If an even playing field is NOT antithetical to capitalism, then how come capitalism has created so much inequality?

And the racism and social issues you mention are all related to capitalism too but that’s a big can of worms

Sure, if you're referencing pure capitalism. But that doesn't exist (nor has it ever existed) anywhere on the planet. Having an economic system that focuses on profit does not exclude all people from having a fair chance to participate. In America, all people certainly do not, and have not had a fair chance at participating in the market. The system is, and always has been, rigged to benefit white people. Mainly white, straight males.

Exactly.

An uneven playing field isn't truly a free market anyway. I think our disagreement lies mostly in how much we need to tilt things to make that playing field level.

Whereas my disagreement with Ous is he doesn't just want a level playing field, he wants everyone stuck at the 50 yard line regardless of what they do or don't do.

I disagree here completely. I've read ous's thoughts for years and I think he's constantly used a scapegoat and strawman for other posters.

He poses questions to start conversations and he's immediately put on blast by some posters who presume his personal beliefs align completely with those questions.

That said, ous can speak for himself.

[KUTradition]

And yes, the Merican economy depends more than anything on consumers.

So can we advance more policies that empower more consumers, rather than advancing policies full of hopes and dreams that maybe they’ll trickle down to consumers some day instead?

who advances those policies?

(there’s your answer on why such policies don’t get advanced)

[ousdahl]

Who advances these policies…maybe the party that hates capitalism?

[ousdahl]

Sure, if you're referencing pure capitalism. But that doesn't exist (nor has it ever existed) anywhere on the planet. Having an economic system that focuses on profit does not exclude all people from having a fair chance to participate. In America, all people certainly do not, and have not had a fair chance at participating in the market. The system is, and always has been, rigged to benefit white people. Mainly white, straight males.

Exactly.

An uneven playing field isn't truly a free market anyway. I think our disagreement lies mostly in how much we need to tilt things to make that playing field level.

Whereas my disagreement with Ous is he doesn't just want a level playing field, he wants everyone stuck at the 50 yard line regardless of what they do or don't do.

I disagree here completely. I've read ous's thoughts for years and I think he's constantly used a scapegoat and strawman for other posters.

He poses questions to start conversations and he's immediately put on blast by some posters who presume his personal beliefs align completely with those questions.

That said, ous can speak for himself.

Yeah. I don’t recall ever saying anything to the effect of “regardless of what they do or don’t do”

Perhaps that comes as some misunderstanding from just generally calling for some sense of equality. Or, perhaps it’s just strawman hyperbole.

[japhy]

“The majority of Americans are too comfortable to support and pull off a revolution”

But are they?

cuz there’s also a lot of stories like “majority of Mericans living paycheck to paycheck” type shit.

And stories like how many Mericans are worried about the fate of the republic and stuff.

And stories about Mericans literally trying to overthrow the gummint. As if January 6 was just politics as usual.

Call me when the revolution starts. I don't wanna miss it.



There are a lot of stories about a lot of sad stuff. There are not enough stories about bad stuff to move the needle.

Most people won't risk losing everything until they have nothing to lose. So don't expect them to fight and risk everything until that happens. The republicans and their moneyed constituents are trying to run out the clock on climate change. A lot more people will become uncomfortable once the worst effects of that hit. I am betting my money on that. It's why I bought a house sitting on top of an artesian well in the middle of the continent.

[japhy]

[Overlander]

Plus, GSH had that cool closer on that Talib Kweli and DJ Hitek song

[Cascadia]

File this under Not Surprised

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/an ... d=msedgntp

[japhy]

When do we get to see the video of his neighbor kicking his ass?

[RainbowsandUnicorns]

Besides being a dildo, what's wrong with him?

[sdoyel]

[sdoyel]

Besides being a dildo, what's wrong with him?

MS or Parkinson’s?

[Cascadia]

Besides being a dildo, what's wrong with him?

MS or Parkinson’s?

More likely to be drugs.

[sdoyel]