Wall Street healthcare will never be affordable. Dividends, multi-million dollar CEO salaries and the extra bureaucratic costs add 30% or so of non-care costs.
Decades of lobbying and pleading Democrats and Republicans to push legislation that benefits working people has produced only marginal, token gains at best. Here we are at the brink of societal collapse. Lobbying is a failed strategy and misdirects our resources and efforts. Channel the energy and resources into replacing them with
Another problem is that voting for Democrats is, with apologies to Forest Gump, like voting for a box of chocolates. You might get a nice, caramelly Medicare for All Health Care is a Public Good Democrat. Or, once you bite into it you end up with that crappy hollow Democrat who votes with Republicans, or won't vote for a progressive policy until it's been watered down and privatized.
I try to start by rejecting the "nature hypothesis." If this is just "humans" being humans then we are in trouble. There's no reason to write what we are writing. What are the relevant structures? Republicans at this point have no problem lining up behind MAGA. Why? MAGA is scary to politicians. They have a solid voting bloc. But they are not scary to the corporate elite. Their goals are easily coopted by economic elites. So long as MAGA is cheering brown people being beaten up and thrown in concentration camps, the corporate elite can continue to steal to their hearts content. There's no liberal or left equivalent. Popular left policies that even liberals and many conservatives embrace, like Medicare for All, are rejected by the economic elite. Democrats remain enthralled to their corporate funders and their proxies...the so-called "moderates" who will have enough legislative power to scuttle any popular left measure. As it stands, Democrats cannot win without these "moderates." But they also can't win without progressives. Until this is resolved in some meaningful way it will take much more than a Democratic supermajority to accomplish anything. It will require a specifically progressive supermajority...and that's not in the cards. The "left" is not going to have a movement that economic elites are willing to dance with. Small "d" democratic movement building, including a discourse that can organize an overwhelming public support that the economic elite dares not contradict is necessary. We are nowhere close to that. Consequently, a Democratic victory this fall and in 2028 is only going to disappoint and likely bring us right back to where we are now in 2030 and 2032.
Did you even read the article? The entire point was the primaries are critical and the PAC is reaching out to the “not hollow” democrats. Democrats can EASILY win with only progressives. The big lie is that money is important in politics. It's not. The moderates are needed to bring in massive fundraising, but progressives bring the votes and its VOTES, not money, that wins elections.
Read the article. The PAC is great, but it would not need to exist if money was not important in politics. As such, it's a good start and should be regarded as an important first step. But you are absolutely wrong to believe that progressives can win without moderates at the national level at this point. There is no data that suggests this. Most survey data looking into this question concludes that progressives and moderates have effectively even presence in the party. That is, in fact, a huge improvement from where we were a decade ago. But we still have a ways to go. Democrats will likely win in 2026 and 2028. If history tells us anything it is that enough moderates will join Republicans to water down any progressive reforms that may be proposed in 2028. Think Manchinema. We need to be prepared for that and be able to tell a story to the voting public about why small "d" democracy is important and why they still can't afford health insurance or education or daycare and what more progressives means for the future. If not, we'll all be watching President J. D. Vance being sworn in in 2032.
Even voting for one is like voting for a box of chocolates — they say anything on the campaign trail to get votes, but in reality “you nevah know what you gon get.” 🤣🫠
We also need to get serious about redesigning the programs themselves. Medicare for All sounds good but would really just get a bunch more people covered under a ridiculously expensive system that delivers poor health outcomes. We need to wrestle power back from big pharma, insurance industry, etc. and incentivize health outcomes over procedures.
I certainly agree that the insurance industry is a part of the problem AND we need to redesign health care and how it is delivered, assessed and billed.
A majority of people on Medicare also have private insurance. Medicare for all does not eliminate private insurance.
This is why the article is spot on. Even if we achieve “Medicare for all”, people are still going to hate that system. We need major reforms, but honestly, most democrats aren't talking about major reforms, hence their abysmal approval ratings.
Gary, I would very strongly - very, very strongly - encourage you to read the actual Medicare for All Act introduced in both thenHouse and Senate.
Just because the majority of current Medicare beneficiaries her benefits through private insurance doesn’t mean that they will continue to do so.. The bill expands current Medicare coverage to eliminate premiums and cost sharing and yes, eliminates Medicare Advantage and other private health insurance. Full stop. It’s crystal clear in the language.
You’re assuming that because the title says “Medicare” it means “Medicare like it is now but covering more people”. Utterly false assumption. You’re wrong. Please read the bill.
I've already read every plan from every politician with the slogan. There is a bill, but it doesn't represent a concensus. Anybody who says there won't be a middle class tax increase is full of shit. Federal wealth taxes are also unconstitutional. I'm not sure why they even propose them... I'm for single payer. We just need to be honest about what is possible.
I'm always puzzled by people who make a factual claim, have it simply rebutted and launch into a tirade on another subject. You say M4A would leave millions of people on private insurance. I make the indisputable point that it would not. You start talking about middle class tax increases and the constitutionality of wealth taxes.
On the tax question, pretty much everyone who has ever examined the subject, including corporate economic consulting firms like Rand and Mercer, and - in excruciating detail with a transparent methodology - the Congressional Budget Office, has concluded that the taxes necessary to fund M4A would be significantly lower than the combined premiums and taxes that people currently pay. "Middle class tax increase?" Yes. Lower combined taxes and premiums? Also yes.
And what exactly are the "possible" things that we're supposed to get all honest about? There are plenty of policies to move us toward single payer or some other desirable outcome. Get rid of Part B premiums and brutal cost-sharing in Medicare (most of which could be financed by abolition of Medicare Advantage); lower the Medicare eligibility age; make kids eligible for Medicaid for 5 years (as CA is doing) instead of forcing their parents to prove their worthy poverty ever 6 or 12 months; set uniform hospital prices and control their growth like a normal country, even if you want to leave the incompetent thieves (insurers and employers) who have spectacularly failed to negotiate prices for a half century in a position to control workers’ health care and skim huge amounts of money off the top.
At the moment, what’s “possible” is pouring a few hundred more billion dollars into the insurance industry’s coffers to make the premiums on products that people don’t use anyway because the deductibles and copays are so high more affordable, and quadrupling down on insurance regulation that has failed to stop companies from killing people for a half century. That’s going to take a lot of organizing to change.
Even taking your constitutional lawyer credentials at face value, the current Medicare for All proposals includes progressive employer and income taxes. No wealth taxes. None. Not sure who or what that particular freak out is directed toward.
How would M4A make private insurance illegal? The UK has private insurance. Why do you think we wouldn't as well after M4A?
Total medical spending in the US is 4.9T. Total private insurance REVENUE is 1.5T. Obviously part of that revenue pays claims. Realistically, let's say you cut out half of insurance revenue you are only going to reduce total Healthcare costs by 12%. Most people think Healthcare is way more expensive than 12% too much.
Maybe you just need to accept that stupid slogans like M4A is promising what it cannot deliver.
This reflects the distrust and disillusionment with our leaders in DC who have become puppets of the rich and corporations based on our broken quasi Democracy. Until we fix our Democracy and get big money out of it completely - there will be no progress in the USA. 65% of all citizens/parties agree on the biggest issues - dealing with Global Warming, better wages, no more stupid wars, and common sense gun laws to name a few. If we got rid of the electoral system - we would not be in the horrible predicament based on tyranny of the ignorant MAGA minority. I am for a peaceful break up of the country - with a 10 year relocation plan. As a hard working Blue State citizen paying the highest taxes in the country - I am sick of carrying the dumb racist red states on my back. Let’s break up peacefully before it gets real ugly again.
Everything you’ve said resonates. There are a few other people doing exact what you’re doing. I already support some of them with my limited means. I’d like to know who you’ve identified to work with. Both candidates and wranglers like yourself. When we organize we win. But we don’t need multiple lone rangers.
I take umbrage with the 5 that stood up and said “yes”. Cory Booker only wants to replace leadership in a self serving move. He is another self aggrandizing politician that would pivot us solidly back into the status quo. He’s never met a mirror he didn’t admire.
I hope your list of candidates include people who care more about helping the people who need help in our country and way less about going after Donald Trump because of the things he’s done it’s time to help people not be mean
We're not even walking at this time. I'd like to see justice, but first let's try to get society back up and running. History will castigate the evil. The uniparty is corrupt and fighting each other has become a profitable game for them. 😢
100%, but again we can do more than one thing at once, and part of rebuilding is in fact holding those who have profited from our suffering accountable. That includes genocidaires, child rapists, etc.
It isn't mean to hold wrong-doers accountable. Too often they have gotten away with their crimes because we are sick of them and listen to those who tell us to focus 'only on the future'. The future includes a stable, lawfully operating justice system in addition to immigration system reform, infrastructure rebuilds, environmental protections and so much else. We have to be able to trust all the subsystems in our governments.
Get the Epstein files released that’s enough holding accountable for a start playing court games with him. Hasn’t worked in the past and it’s like same old same old treat Americans right that’s the way to fix things.
Focusing on putting him in jail did not work in the past, we need to care about the people that need caring about in terms of healthcare and housing if that gets worked out, everything else will work out. And we can get rid of things like the stupid arch and the name on the money. And other things that have his name on it.
We can do both if we elect people who are in congress to do their jobs. If Trump walks he will be followed by others just like him in short order. Whether he is jailed does not concern me. He is old and sick. But he still needs to be condemned by the sitting members of Congress. That is part of their responsibility. They certainly have the time and opportunity to start developing the infrastructures the rest of us need.
Here's a "cheap" solution to money in politics. What about a boycott movement whereby we the voters refuse to vote for anybody--regardless of party or platform--who takes corporate donations. In this way, we turn corporate donations from a rigged advantage to a fatal liability. In other words, we turn that corporate donor money into dogshit just by refusing to give it value by voting for its beneficiaries. America's Undoing is where it's at and Corbin is doing the macro strategizing that no else is doing. I think we need to pursue both expensive and cheap solutions. The cheap ones involve looking at what we-the-voters, we-the-consumers, etc., go along with that we could just stop going along with--and making a movement out of it.
Just no, sorry. If you want to make an actual difference in time to save the planet, it’ll require taking THIS energy and using it to build a viable third party. You could start something truly incredible, or help build an existing party like the Greens out. That you insist on trying to preserve rotten fruit is hugely disappointing.
There’s a way to combine those lifts, and maybe make the systemic transition quicker. That’s to endorse candidates who share the anti-corporate coup vision, and dispense with the label parsing.
Kshama Sawant is running for a congressional seat against a corporatist Dem and a bozo from the GOP. It’s not a primary, and it’s not an open seat, but she is far and away the best candidate running, nationwide.
I don’t like all of Thomas Massie’s libertarian leanings, but he gets the fact there has been a corporate coup, and we need to meaningfully address it.
Butch Ware is the Green candidate for governor in CA, and is far and away the best candidate, light years ahead in advocating for the policies we need. The plethora of Dem candidates running are hurl worthy; picking the best Dem is a fool’s errand.
Start contacting, and endorsing, the best candidates, regardless of label. That will drive the Overton Window back towards giving us the coalition of elected officials we need.
Thanks for your response, Corbin -- but you're so much more valuable than to settle for trying to polish a turd. Let others do that. Making the oligarch-serving Dem *machine* slightly more progressive and building a viable third party are not in any way comparable (as you seem to imply with the "massive lift either way" comment). Both are uphill battles, but only ONE outcome allows us to start tearing the system that serves only the ruling/Epstein class -- that outcome is a viable third party that challenges the duopoly meaningfully. That outcome is far and away better for the country and the world than trying to "unrot" rotten fruit -- why try? Why not go for gold? The survival of our country and world depend on a viable party that truly represents the working class and can meaningfully address climate change, and that will NEVER be the Democrats. Please use your voice, talent, and skills for true change, not repairing something that's clearly unfixable.
Third party candidates run on changing or even tearing down the system as it is -- yes voting is but one tool of the working class, but voting for third party candidates who advocate replacing our broken duopoly is imo part of the path to change.
I did, and disagreed. The system as-is was BUILT around a duopoly that works together to maintain power, which is exactly what the Dems and GOP are doing. "Cleaning up" a system built to shut out third parties cannot happen without finding ways to build third parties while tearing that system down. It has to happen simultaneously. We DO both agree that the system is rotten!
You initially simply said "the system" and we're talking about the political system here, so my assumption seems reasonable... Anyway the electoral system is a part of the political system, and if you think that we can "clean the voting system up" without involving third parties then it seems we're at an impasse. If feels like oxymoronic to say "let's clean up a system built to shut out third parties" while also saying "we shouldn't involve third parties until the system has changed." Anyway, not much more time to discuss this one... Have a good day and best!
If MAGA can supplant the Tea Partiers and neocons in four to eight years, it shouldn't seem *too* difficult for those following in the footsteps of FDR and his peeps to drive out the corporate and AIPAC usurpers. The good *can* drive out the bad. Witness Hungary voting out Orban. But the new wave needs to take pains to identify or brand itself apart from the Swamp. I am heartened by how quickly both the Democratic and Republican bases have made a 180-turn regarding Israel. The arc of justice isn't done with itself yet.
Neither the Dems nor GOP have changed in any meaningful way on Israel, I wonder what makes you state this... The only candidates talking about freeing Palestine, sanctions against Israel, abolishing ICE, etc are third party.
I wish you were the most subscribed to column on Substack. People are caught up in venting when you offer concrete solutions, not temporary fixes. Maybe you are too real (is there such a thing), and people just want to vote Blue No Matter Who, refusing to comprehend it as the mentality that brought us Trump, the promiser of all things for all people.
He is running to unseat corporate Democrat Ami Bera, and competing with a Democratic candidate who found progressivism just in the last few months, after seeing where the political winds are blowing. This centrism masking itself as progressivism is not we need to address the issues you lay out so well in your newsletters. The Bennett campaign has been running a community driven campaign for months that is exciting just about everyone who comes into contact with him. In late January, he placed second in the CADem pre-endorsement campaign, just six points behind Bera, and leading the other candidate by two points. Per your criteria, the has raised well over $100,000, and continues to do so. Please help CD3 join the ranks of those whose candidates will join the fight to build the future we all deserve.
If I were 20 years younger and in better overall health I would love to run for Congress myself. I was raised by parents of "the greatest generation". I can remember in the mid to late 60's my father having to pay almost 80% of his pay in taxes. He never complained. He knew what being poor meant. His family had been devastated during the depression. Since coming home from WWII he also realized just how blessed he was; both by God and by circumstances; most of which flowed from the federal government under programs enacted by a progressive leader who led us out of the Republican mess that was the great depression. He didn't mind helping others who had not been as fortunate as he was. Since this was pre civil rights era, he made sure that he also contributed in ways that he could to support people of color who were always struggling due to the damage that had been placed upon them by no fault of their own. We lived comfortably, however we did not squander our money. We lived within our means. My father was fortunate enough to have found a house he could afford that would be comfortable for his family. Houses were being built everywhere to accommodate all the GI's retuning from the war and using their GI bill funds. Life was good. For most everyone. There were very few simi-millionaires and billionaires had never even been thought of. No one was that greedy! Greed is going to be the downfall of not just us in the USA, but or civilization itself. There is only so much available; land, resources, etc; and when just a tiny few hold sway over almost all of it (and are still not satisfied!) the rest of us become expendable. We can; and must; stop this. It will not be easy. We have allowed this slow motion train wreck to continue for so long that those entrenched in power and position will not relinquish that power or money very easily. But, we can do it. There is relatively few people who hold that kind of power and wealth; there are billions of us world wide. They know if we ever quit quibbling over the small stuff; which both parties constantly keep stirred up to prevent us from unifying; we will conquer them relatively easily. But the will must be there. And we must get past our pettiness that serves to keep us apart when in reality, we are closer than we think. I hope I, for one, can find a way to contribute to this noble cause; it will take all of us; whether it be in monetary value or help in holding events or just cheerleading for the candidates. If we all come together and work towards what we know is for all of our best; this really will be a win for not just our country but the entire world and maybe soon we will all be a bit better off and closer to each other. And even the wealthy and greedy will be just fine. They may lose their billionaire status on paper, but they too will be able to live just fine. Maybe, like the dolls for Christmas that president Trump so ineloquently tried to tell us about, the once was billionaire class may have to learn to make it on just 1 Learjet, just one super yacht, and maybe just 3 houses. They'll still be fine. They won't starve or have to live on the streets, and maybe; just maybe neither will anyone else.
One minor suggestion is to look at Republicans as well as Democrats to back. Even in deep red districts, folks would likely vote for someone offering solutions other than farm subsidies, tax cuts, and permanent foreign wars.
Wall Street healthcare will never be affordable. Dividends, multi-million dollar CEO salaries and the extra bureaucratic costs add 30% or so of non-care costs.
HMOs destroyed our affordable health care.
https://davcer.substack.com/p/wall-street-healthcare-will-never
https://davcer.substack.com/p/wall-street-health-care-ii-costs
HMOs owning healthcare is an example of privatization. What you're describing is what happens when you sell off public services to corporate grifters.
Thanks, Ronald Reagan!
Decades of lobbying and pleading Democrats and Republicans to push legislation that benefits working people has produced only marginal, token gains at best. Here we are at the brink of societal collapse. Lobbying is a failed strategy and misdirects our resources and efforts. Channel the energy and resources into replacing them with
I’m not suggesting the lobbying of the party. I’m suggesting the beating of its leaders. Regime change.
I agree with you. It’s time to stop pleading to deaf ears and just take over government.
Aren't we supposed to be in charge of the government? I thought that's what democracy is all about.
Another problem is that voting for Democrats is, with apologies to Forest Gump, like voting for a box of chocolates. You might get a nice, caramelly Medicare for All Health Care is a Public Good Democrat. Or, once you bite into it you end up with that crappy hollow Democrat who votes with Republicans, or won't vote for a progressive policy until it's been watered down and privatized.
That’s humans. Not just democrats.
I try to start by rejecting the "nature hypothesis." If this is just "humans" being humans then we are in trouble. There's no reason to write what we are writing. What are the relevant structures? Republicans at this point have no problem lining up behind MAGA. Why? MAGA is scary to politicians. They have a solid voting bloc. But they are not scary to the corporate elite. Their goals are easily coopted by economic elites. So long as MAGA is cheering brown people being beaten up and thrown in concentration camps, the corporate elite can continue to steal to their hearts content. There's no liberal or left equivalent. Popular left policies that even liberals and many conservatives embrace, like Medicare for All, are rejected by the economic elite. Democrats remain enthralled to their corporate funders and their proxies...the so-called "moderates" who will have enough legislative power to scuttle any popular left measure. As it stands, Democrats cannot win without these "moderates." But they also can't win without progressives. Until this is resolved in some meaningful way it will take much more than a Democratic supermajority to accomplish anything. It will require a specifically progressive supermajority...and that's not in the cards. The "left" is not going to have a movement that economic elites are willing to dance with. Small "d" democratic movement building, including a discourse that can organize an overwhelming public support that the economic elite dares not contradict is necessary. We are nowhere close to that. Consequently, a Democratic victory this fall and in 2028 is only going to disappoint and likely bring us right back to where we are now in 2030 and 2032.
Did you even read the article? The entire point was the primaries are critical and the PAC is reaching out to the “not hollow” democrats. Democrats can EASILY win with only progressives. The big lie is that money is important in politics. It's not. The moderates are needed to bring in massive fundraising, but progressives bring the votes and its VOTES, not money, that wins elections.
Read the article. The PAC is great, but it would not need to exist if money was not important in politics. As such, it's a good start and should be regarded as an important first step. But you are absolutely wrong to believe that progressives can win without moderates at the national level at this point. There is no data that suggests this. Most survey data looking into this question concludes that progressives and moderates have effectively even presence in the party. That is, in fact, a huge improvement from where we were a decade ago. But we still have a ways to go. Democrats will likely win in 2026 and 2028. If history tells us anything it is that enough moderates will join Republicans to water down any progressive reforms that may be proposed in 2028. Think Manchinema. We need to be prepared for that and be able to tell a story to the voting public about why small "d" democracy is important and why they still can't afford health insurance or education or daycare and what more progressives means for the future. If not, we'll all be watching President J. D. Vance being sworn in in 2032.
Even voting for one is like voting for a box of chocolates — they say anything on the campaign trail to get votes, but in reality “you nevah know what you gon get.” 🤣🫠
We also need to get serious about redesigning the programs themselves. Medicare for All sounds good but would really just get a bunch more people covered under a ridiculously expensive system that delivers poor health outcomes. We need to wrestle power back from big pharma, insurance industry, etc. and incentivize health outcomes over procedures.
Isn’t eliminating private insurance altogether wrestling a tiny bit of power back from the insurance industry?
I certainly agree that the insurance industry is a part of the problem AND we need to redesign health care and how it is delivered, assessed and billed.
A majority of people on Medicare also have private insurance. Medicare for all does not eliminate private insurance.
This is why the article is spot on. Even if we achieve “Medicare for all”, people are still going to hate that system. We need major reforms, but honestly, most democrats aren't talking about major reforms, hence their abysmal approval ratings.
Gary, I would very strongly - very, very strongly - encourage you to read the actual Medicare for All Act introduced in both thenHouse and Senate.
Just because the majority of current Medicare beneficiaries her benefits through private insurance doesn’t mean that they will continue to do so.. The bill expands current Medicare coverage to eliminate premiums and cost sharing and yes, eliminates Medicare Advantage and other private health insurance. Full stop. It’s crystal clear in the language.
You’re assuming that because the title says “Medicare” it means “Medicare like it is now but covering more people”. Utterly false assumption. You’re wrong. Please read the bill.
I've already read every plan from every politician with the slogan. There is a bill, but it doesn't represent a concensus. Anybody who says there won't be a middle class tax increase is full of shit. Federal wealth taxes are also unconstitutional. I'm not sure why they even propose them... I'm for single payer. We just need to be honest about what is possible.
I'm always puzzled by people who make a factual claim, have it simply rebutted and launch into a tirade on another subject. You say M4A would leave millions of people on private insurance. I make the indisputable point that it would not. You start talking about middle class tax increases and the constitutionality of wealth taxes.
On the tax question, pretty much everyone who has ever examined the subject, including corporate economic consulting firms like Rand and Mercer, and - in excruciating detail with a transparent methodology - the Congressional Budget Office, has concluded that the taxes necessary to fund M4A would be significantly lower than the combined premiums and taxes that people currently pay. "Middle class tax increase?" Yes. Lower combined taxes and premiums? Also yes.
And what exactly are the "possible" things that we're supposed to get all honest about? There are plenty of policies to move us toward single payer or some other desirable outcome. Get rid of Part B premiums and brutal cost-sharing in Medicare (most of which could be financed by abolition of Medicare Advantage); lower the Medicare eligibility age; make kids eligible for Medicaid for 5 years (as CA is doing) instead of forcing their parents to prove their worthy poverty ever 6 or 12 months; set uniform hospital prices and control their growth like a normal country, even if you want to leave the incompetent thieves (insurers and employers) who have spectacularly failed to negotiate prices for a half century in a position to control workers’ health care and skim huge amounts of money off the top.
At the moment, what’s “possible” is pouring a few hundred more billion dollars into the insurance industry’s coffers to make the premiums on products that people don’t use anyway because the deductibles and copays are so high more affordable, and quadrupling down on insurance regulation that has failed to stop companies from killing people for a half century. That’s going to take a lot of organizing to change.
Even taking your constitutional lawyer credentials at face value, the current Medicare for All proposals includes progressive employer and income taxes. No wealth taxes. None. Not sure who or what that particular freak out is directed toward.
How would M4A make private insurance illegal? The UK has private insurance. Why do you think we wouldn't as well after M4A?
Total medical spending in the US is 4.9T. Total private insurance REVENUE is 1.5T. Obviously part of that revenue pays claims. Realistically, let's say you cut out half of insurance revenue you are only going to reduce total Healthcare costs by 12%. Most people think Healthcare is way more expensive than 12% too much.
Maybe you just need to accept that stupid slogans like M4A is promising what it cannot deliver.
Finally, actions I believe in!
This reflects the distrust and disillusionment with our leaders in DC who have become puppets of the rich and corporations based on our broken quasi Democracy. Until we fix our Democracy and get big money out of it completely - there will be no progress in the USA. 65% of all citizens/parties agree on the biggest issues - dealing with Global Warming, better wages, no more stupid wars, and common sense gun laws to name a few. If we got rid of the electoral system - we would not be in the horrible predicament based on tyranny of the ignorant MAGA minority. I am for a peaceful break up of the country - with a 10 year relocation plan. As a hard working Blue State citizen paying the highest taxes in the country - I am sick of carrying the dumb racist red states on my back. Let’s break up peacefully before it gets real ugly again.
Have been waiting for just that
We are NOT United in any sense of the word
The stark differences are obvious and the fact that we pay the federal govt to use our tax dollars
pay salaries for ICE!!!!
Please read From Dictatorship to Democracy by Dr Gene Sharp
Everything you’ve said resonates. There are a few other people doing exact what you’re doing. I already support some of them with my limited means. I’d like to know who you’ve identified to work with. Both candidates and wranglers like yourself. When we organize we win. But we don’t need multiple lone rangers.
Hey Susan. Who is it that you’re supporting that you reckon is doing this already?
I've supported through Vote Save America in the past, but I'm done with the former Obama guys. I look forward to supporting you instead!!
I take umbrage with the 5 that stood up and said “yes”. Cory Booker only wants to replace leadership in a self serving move. He is another self aggrandizing politician that would pivot us solidly back into the status quo. He’s never met a mirror he didn’t admire.
I hope your list of candidates include people who care more about helping the people who need help in our country and way less about going after Donald Trump because of the things he’s done it’s time to help people not be mean
It’s “mean” to hold child rapists and genocidal war mongers accountable? Sorry but we can walk and chew gum at the same time my friend.
We're not even walking at this time. I'd like to see justice, but first let's try to get society back up and running. History will castigate the evil. The uniparty is corrupt and fighting each other has become a profitable game for them. 😢
100%, but again we can do more than one thing at once, and part of rebuilding is in fact holding those who have profited from our suffering accountable. That includes genocidaires, child rapists, etc.
Except that the Democrats are just as much genocidal warmongers as the Republicans.
Remember when Biden was called "Genocide Joe"? It wasn't that long ago.
Plus getting the Epstein file stuff worked out will go a long way to fixing him.
It isn't mean to hold wrong-doers accountable. Too often they have gotten away with their crimes because we are sick of them and listen to those who tell us to focus 'only on the future'. The future includes a stable, lawfully operating justice system in addition to immigration system reform, infrastructure rebuilds, environmental protections and so much else. We have to be able to trust all the subsystems in our governments.
Get the Epstein files released that’s enough holding accountable for a start playing court games with him. Hasn’t worked in the past and it’s like same old same old treat Americans right that’s the way to fix things.
Focusing on putting him in jail did not work in the past, we need to care about the people that need caring about in terms of healthcare and housing if that gets worked out, everything else will work out. And we can get rid of things like the stupid arch and the name on the money. And other things that have his name on it.
We can do both if we elect people who are in congress to do their jobs. If Trump walks he will be followed by others just like him in short order. Whether he is jailed does not concern me. He is old and sick. But he still needs to be condemned by the sitting members of Congress. That is part of their responsibility. They certainly have the time and opportunity to start developing the infrastructures the rest of us need.
Here's a "cheap" solution to money in politics. What about a boycott movement whereby we the voters refuse to vote for anybody--regardless of party or platform--who takes corporate donations. In this way, we turn corporate donations from a rigged advantage to a fatal liability. In other words, we turn that corporate donor money into dogshit just by refusing to give it value by voting for its beneficiaries. America's Undoing is where it's at and Corbin is doing the macro strategizing that no else is doing. I think we need to pursue both expensive and cheap solutions. The cheap ones involve looking at what we-the-voters, we-the-consumers, etc., go along with that we could just stop going along with--and making a movement out of it.
I've been saying this since 2020!
Just no, sorry. If you want to make an actual difference in time to save the planet, it’ll require taking THIS energy and using it to build a viable third party. You could start something truly incredible, or help build an existing party like the Greens out. That you insist on trying to preserve rotten fruit is hugely disappointing.
I’m just not convinced that starting from scratch is the path. I hear it. I do. I think there is a massive lift either way.
There’s a way to combine those lifts, and maybe make the systemic transition quicker. That’s to endorse candidates who share the anti-corporate coup vision, and dispense with the label parsing.
Kshama Sawant is running for a congressional seat against a corporatist Dem and a bozo from the GOP. It’s not a primary, and it’s not an open seat, but she is far and away the best candidate running, nationwide.
I don’t like all of Thomas Massie’s libertarian leanings, but he gets the fact there has been a corporate coup, and we need to meaningfully address it.
Butch Ware is the Green candidate for governor in CA, and is far and away the best candidate, light years ahead in advocating for the policies we need. The plethora of Dem candidates running are hurl worthy; picking the best Dem is a fool’s errand.
Start contacting, and endorsing, the best candidates, regardless of label. That will drive the Overton Window back towards giving us the coalition of elected officials we need.
Thanks for your response, Corbin -- but you're so much more valuable than to settle for trying to polish a turd. Let others do that. Making the oligarch-serving Dem *machine* slightly more progressive and building a viable third party are not in any way comparable (as you seem to imply with the "massive lift either way" comment). Both are uphill battles, but only ONE outcome allows us to start tearing the system that serves only the ruling/Epstein class -- that outcome is a viable third party that challenges the duopoly meaningfully. That outcome is far and away better for the country and the world than trying to "unrot" rotten fruit -- why try? Why not go for gold? The survival of our country and world depend on a viable party that truly represents the working class and can meaningfully address climate change, and that will NEVER be the Democrats. Please use your voice, talent, and skills for true change, not repairing something that's clearly unfixable.
I don't think that plugging a third party into a rotten system will change the system. It will just drag that party down.
We need to clean up the system and then we can have as many parties as we want.
Third party candidates run on changing or even tearing down the system as it is -- yes voting is but one tool of the working class, but voting for third party candidates who advocate replacing our broken duopoly is imo part of the path to change.
Maybe you didn't completely absorb what I said.
I did, and disagreed. The system as-is was BUILT around a duopoly that works together to maintain power, which is exactly what the Dems and GOP are doing. "Cleaning up" a system built to shut out third parties cannot happen without finding ways to build third parties while tearing that system down. It has to happen simultaneously. We DO both agree that the system is rotten!
I'm not talking about the political system. I said "the electoral system" for a reason, which includes voting.
You initially simply said "the system" and we're talking about the political system here, so my assumption seems reasonable... Anyway the electoral system is a part of the political system, and if you think that we can "clean the voting system up" without involving third parties then it seems we're at an impasse. If feels like oxymoronic to say "let's clean up a system built to shut out third parties" while also saying "we shouldn't involve third parties until the system has changed." Anyway, not much more time to discuss this one... Have a good day and best!
If MAGA can supplant the Tea Partiers and neocons in four to eight years, it shouldn't seem *too* difficult for those following in the footsteps of FDR and his peeps to drive out the corporate and AIPAC usurpers. The good *can* drive out the bad. Witness Hungary voting out Orban. But the new wave needs to take pains to identify or brand itself apart from the Swamp. I am heartened by how quickly both the Democratic and Republican bases have made a 180-turn regarding Israel. The arc of justice isn't done with itself yet.
Neither the Dems nor GOP have changed in any meaningful way on Israel, I wonder what makes you state this... The only candidates talking about freeing Palestine, sanctions against Israel, abolishing ICE, etc are third party.
Phil Smith said that the Democratic and Republican BASES have changed their stand on "Israel," not that the corporate party leadership has.
And who are these people who are following in the footsteps of FDR? I haven't seen them. Name names.
I wish you were the most subscribed to column on Substack. People are caught up in venting when you offer concrete solutions, not temporary fixes. Maybe you are too real (is there such a thing), and people just want to vote Blue No Matter Who, refusing to comprehend it as the mentality that brought us Trump, the promiser of all things for all people.
If you haven't yet engaged with CD3 Candidate Chris Bennett, I urge you to do so. https://www.bennettforca.com/
He is running to unseat corporate Democrat Ami Bera, and competing with a Democratic candidate who found progressivism just in the last few months, after seeing where the political winds are blowing. This centrism masking itself as progressivism is not we need to address the issues you lay out so well in your newsletters. The Bennett campaign has been running a community driven campaign for months that is exciting just about everyone who comes into contact with him. In late January, he placed second in the CADem pre-endorsement campaign, just six points behind Bera, and leading the other candidate by two points. Per your criteria, the has raised well over $100,000, and continues to do so. Please help CD3 join the ranks of those whose candidates will join the fight to build the future we all deserve.
If I were 20 years younger and in better overall health I would love to run for Congress myself. I was raised by parents of "the greatest generation". I can remember in the mid to late 60's my father having to pay almost 80% of his pay in taxes. He never complained. He knew what being poor meant. His family had been devastated during the depression. Since coming home from WWII he also realized just how blessed he was; both by God and by circumstances; most of which flowed from the federal government under programs enacted by a progressive leader who led us out of the Republican mess that was the great depression. He didn't mind helping others who had not been as fortunate as he was. Since this was pre civil rights era, he made sure that he also contributed in ways that he could to support people of color who were always struggling due to the damage that had been placed upon them by no fault of their own. We lived comfortably, however we did not squander our money. We lived within our means. My father was fortunate enough to have found a house he could afford that would be comfortable for his family. Houses were being built everywhere to accommodate all the GI's retuning from the war and using their GI bill funds. Life was good. For most everyone. There were very few simi-millionaires and billionaires had never even been thought of. No one was that greedy! Greed is going to be the downfall of not just us in the USA, but or civilization itself. There is only so much available; land, resources, etc; and when just a tiny few hold sway over almost all of it (and are still not satisfied!) the rest of us become expendable. We can; and must; stop this. It will not be easy. We have allowed this slow motion train wreck to continue for so long that those entrenched in power and position will not relinquish that power or money very easily. But, we can do it. There is relatively few people who hold that kind of power and wealth; there are billions of us world wide. They know if we ever quit quibbling over the small stuff; which both parties constantly keep stirred up to prevent us from unifying; we will conquer them relatively easily. But the will must be there. And we must get past our pettiness that serves to keep us apart when in reality, we are closer than we think. I hope I, for one, can find a way to contribute to this noble cause; it will take all of us; whether it be in monetary value or help in holding events or just cheerleading for the candidates. If we all come together and work towards what we know is for all of our best; this really will be a win for not just our country but the entire world and maybe soon we will all be a bit better off and closer to each other. And even the wealthy and greedy will be just fine. They may lose their billionaire status on paper, but they too will be able to live just fine. Maybe, like the dolls for Christmas that president Trump so ineloquently tried to tell us about, the once was billionaire class may have to learn to make it on just 1 Learjet, just one super yacht, and maybe just 3 houses. They'll still be fine. They won't starve or have to live on the streets, and maybe; just maybe neither will anyone else.
One minor suggestion is to look at Republicans as well as Democrats to back. Even in deep red districts, folks would likely vote for someone offering solutions other than farm subsidies, tax cuts, and permanent foreign wars.
You.... Not Me... All of Us against a few of them... We can do this...