Bingo. You are the only one that hits the nail on head every paragraph.
Why isn't Jennifer Welsh inviting you on her show? You are too left-wing?
I stopped going to a local Democratic organization meeting. They are drooling over the possibilty of Pete Buttigieg winning. I asked what did he do as Transportation Secretary? Did he fundamentally change how airlines are providing horrible service while upselling all the time? Did he do anything to slow down the train monopoly? He's so boring I can't think of one thing he did. Most Dems like him because he's articulate. You see where articulate Obama got us - trillions to Wall Street while millions lost their home and the winners were people like Steven Mnuchin.
Some believe it will take a revolution to have a government who puts its citizens first, over trillionaires and monopolies. What do you think Trent? Who is the progressive who is going to cause fundamental change? The only hope I see is Mamdani, but he can't run. He is a super power - the only one who can be against Trump and walk out with Trump having his back. It was magical. Perhaps the most amazing political moment I've witnessed.
Mamdani, like AOC, is too prone to believe system reformation, rather than political revolution, is the answer.
Platner, for all his warts, is what is needed. He could peel away half of working class MAGA in relatively short order by channeling FDR’s ‘I welcome their hatred’ attacks on monied interests, and actually meaning it. Plus, he has the same approach with Israel.
His main problem is going to be who in DC he can actually trust. That list is small.
I agree but just hope he doesn't pivot on Israel. Through his brother he has direct connection to the movement.
"Platner also noted his stepbrother is Seth Frantzman, an Israeli author, journalist and security analyst who has long worked for for The Jerusalem Post and lives in Jerusalem, saying they are “very close,” according to the audio."
Once again, Corbin, you hit the nail on the head. Nicely done, and thank you. If we do indeed sweep MAGA from power, we the people will need to fight even harder to hold our newly-elected representatives accountable. I do not want to simply return to the old status quo. I want better. Much better. Solving all of our national problems is not hard. It just takes the resolve to say no to the oligarchs. To start, eliminating the cap on wages subject to social security taxes would allow us to fund universal healthcare, among other things. The less fortunate among us should not be subsidizing the already obscenely wealthy. Throughout history, societies that have experienced the wealth inequality that the U.S. is experiencing now have all fallen to revolution. I fear we are ignoring that lesson.
Spot on Corbin. The problem is the democratic voting base as well. They have been so conditioned to believe there can only be small incremental change and that anyone will be better than Trump. I see too many people excited by Buttigieg and Marc Kelly and of course Newsome, based soley on the fact that they have either stood up to Trump or go on Fox News. They have no idea what their voting records or stances on policies are, nor do they really care as long as it isn't Trump.
All too true! And it's been true in the US for at least the past 50 years!
I can't see any reason it will change, unless groups like your PAC - A Fight Worth Having - can have a much bigger and faster impact. What can you do to change the current trajectory? An alliance with Bernie and AOC? A meeting of the current list of 40 (is that the right number?) candidates you are backing to publicly endorse A Fight Worth Having? An infusion of mega-$$$$'s from uber-rich folks who believe in what you are doing? All of the above? Something else?
Time is short, Corbin; and more of the same from the entrenched parties will doom us!
They, the establishment Democrats, also don’t work for structural change because the system as is works pretty good for them. Most are multi millionaires with degrees from top schools and connections to opportunities that working families don’t have.
I think this is a dangerous misreading of the UK election. Labour only won a "landslide" of constituencies because of tactical voting and everyone wanted the Tories out.
> Labour's vote share in the 2024 general election was 33.7%. This was the lowest vote share for a governing party on record in the UK.
Kier Starmer has no broad-based mandate for leftist policy in the UK. To the extent that a more ambitious left is crystallising, it's happening in the Green Party and likely to split the left/liberal vote and hand Parliament to Reform at the next general election.
Yes, people are angry and disappointed that Starmer can't accomplish anything, but Labour needs to be more effective, not more left.
The framing of centrists vs leftists is the wrong take.
Thank you for that perspective, and I looked at your link! If Reform does gain power, will policy become starkly different, or is there likely a buffer? I'm troubled to see MAGA-type influence growing there.
Above and beyond, I need to have a better understanding of UK politics, as I/we usually think in terms of our own US experience--which is likely ignorant. If there is a resource for understanding the basics of the UK system you can recommend, I would appreciate it.
... yet one addition: You message consistently about the need to build. but it must be made clear that the need is to build *things* rather than wealth. The former are the goods and services that people and society actually need whereas the latter has simply become a game of juggling numbers that increasingly have little attachment to lived reality. Musk a trillionaire -- how does that make any sense?
Exactly. When Obama was president he had both the House and the Senate. If he would have rallied the country for genuine change we could be living in a significantly better country. A dream. Instead, it was the dynamic status quo. We needed a movement that didn't allow that to occur. People, in part, were worried about racism if we pushed him too hard. So, we elected Obama and went home. A ton of lessons from that time.
We lack leaders, in politics, in corporations, in medicine…. No one wants to stick their necks out to be chopped off. Laziness, fear, indifference are all driving factors but more of the same I fear.
We lack leaders, in politics, in corporations, in medicine…. No one wants to stick their necks out to have their heads chopped off. Laziness, fear, indifference are all driving factors but more of the same I fear.
Crucially, the Democratic Party is NOT the left in any meaningful way. Apparently Labour wasn't the left either, based on their decisions when in power. If the United States had a functional left, I would have a lot more hope for our situation.
The political conversation is centered on anger and outrage, at what the left is not doing constructively and what the right is doing destructively, and of course each side accuses the other of what it is being accused of. All this emotional turmoil only harden opposition between people, with no one gaining anything other than more animosity toward the other.
What I’d like to hear is details on the structural change underlying these highfalutin, esoteric ideals that have become more elevator music that has the same tune as your favorite hit, but lacks the punch of the original. Like Medicare for All. What does the law(s) look like that will create universal health care? Like owning the research and patents funded by our tax dollars. Any employee of a corporation inventing something does not own the intellectual rights to their work related invention. Why doesn’t that same judicial ruling apply to government funded research?
Let’s pretend people are intelligent enough to understand the complex dynamics underlying our desired changes. History tells us that creating an angered mob may toss out the current rulers, but does little to change the legal and economic realities. Educate rather than agitate.
I believe the thesis of this article to be true. Democrats are fine with just taking power based on a backlash to Republicans. And Republicans are extremely adept at regaining power based on griping about Democrats. And so it goes, rocking back and forth while nothing gets done about our problems. Congress in general has been loathe to stick its neck out, legislate and then sell that legislation to the country. What passes for politics these days is merely avoiding getting primaried. That's the whole ball game right there-all insider tactics and no legislative strategy. Because Congress put all its eggs in that basket, it became a chicken just waiting to be plucked. And guess who came along? Donald Trump.
Democrats are obviously okay with that because instead of immediately bopping him back in the second term, they just waited for the economic pain to hit the people, hoping to just surf that wave back to power. Corbin is right. Unless Democrats start sticking their neck out and addressing problems, people will just boomerang back. What is the answer?
One answer is bubbling up from the grassroots. Did y'all know that Texas Democrats got tired of that BS from national Democrats? Our Democratic Party platform is the most progressive in the country. We have candidates on all the statewide ballots and most of the local ballots for the first time in thirty years. Don't tell me Texas and other red states won't vote for progressive policies. They will. Y'all just hide and watch. And study some history about rural America and the rural South as the incubators for progressivism.
Bingo. You are the only one that hits the nail on head every paragraph.
Why isn't Jennifer Welsh inviting you on her show? You are too left-wing?
I stopped going to a local Democratic organization meeting. They are drooling over the possibilty of Pete Buttigieg winning. I asked what did he do as Transportation Secretary? Did he fundamentally change how airlines are providing horrible service while upselling all the time? Did he do anything to slow down the train monopoly? He's so boring I can't think of one thing he did. Most Dems like him because he's articulate. You see where articulate Obama got us - trillions to Wall Street while millions lost their home and the winners were people like Steven Mnuchin.
Some believe it will take a revolution to have a government who puts its citizens first, over trillionaires and monopolies. What do you think Trent? Who is the progressive who is going to cause fundamental change? The only hope I see is Mamdani, but he can't run. He is a super power - the only one who can be against Trump and walk out with Trump having his back. It was magical. Perhaps the most amazing political moment I've witnessed.
Mamdani, like AOC, is too prone to believe system reformation, rather than political revolution, is the answer.
Platner, for all his warts, is what is needed. He could peel away half of working class MAGA in relatively short order by channeling FDR’s ‘I welcome their hatred’ attacks on monied interests, and actually meaning it. Plus, he has the same approach with Israel.
His main problem is going to be who in DC he can actually trust. That list is small.
I agree but just hope he doesn't pivot on Israel. Through his brother he has direct connection to the movement.
"Platner also noted his stepbrother is Seth Frantzman, an Israeli author, journalist and security analyst who has long worked for for The Jerusalem Post and lives in Jerusalem, saying they are “very close,” according to the audio."
Once again, Corbin, you hit the nail on the head. Nicely done, and thank you. If we do indeed sweep MAGA from power, we the people will need to fight even harder to hold our newly-elected representatives accountable. I do not want to simply return to the old status quo. I want better. Much better. Solving all of our national problems is not hard. It just takes the resolve to say no to the oligarchs. To start, eliminating the cap on wages subject to social security taxes would allow us to fund universal healthcare, among other things. The less fortunate among us should not be subsidizing the already obscenely wealthy. Throughout history, societies that have experienced the wealth inequality that the U.S. is experiencing now have all fallen to revolution. I fear we are ignoring that lesson.
Spot on Corbin. The problem is the democratic voting base as well. They have been so conditioned to believe there can only be small incremental change and that anyone will be better than Trump. I see too many people excited by Buttigieg and Marc Kelly and of course Newsome, based soley on the fact that they have either stood up to Trump or go on Fox News. They have no idea what their voting records or stances on policies are, nor do they really care as long as it isn't Trump.
All too true! And it's been true in the US for at least the past 50 years!
I can't see any reason it will change, unless groups like your PAC - A Fight Worth Having - can have a much bigger and faster impact. What can you do to change the current trajectory? An alliance with Bernie and AOC? A meeting of the current list of 40 (is that the right number?) candidates you are backing to publicly endorse A Fight Worth Having? An infusion of mega-$$$$'s from uber-rich folks who believe in what you are doing? All of the above? Something else?
Time is short, Corbin; and more of the same from the entrenched parties will doom us!
They, the establishment Democrats, also don’t work for structural change because the system as is works pretty good for them. Most are multi millionaires with degrees from top schools and connections to opportunities that working families don’t have.
Exactly. We deserve what we settle for.
I think this is a dangerous misreading of the UK election. Labour only won a "landslide" of constituencies because of tactical voting and everyone wanted the Tories out.
> Labour's vote share in the 2024 general election was 33.7%. This was the lowest vote share for a governing party on record in the UK.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_United_Kingdom_general_election
Kier Starmer has no broad-based mandate for leftist policy in the UK. To the extent that a more ambitious left is crystallising, it's happening in the Green Party and likely to split the left/liberal vote and hand Parliament to Reform at the next general election.
Yes, people are angry and disappointed that Starmer can't accomplish anything, but Labour needs to be more effective, not more left.
The framing of centrists vs leftists is the wrong take.
Thank you for that perspective, and I looked at your link! If Reform does gain power, will policy become starkly different, or is there likely a buffer? I'm troubled to see MAGA-type influence growing there.
Above and beyond, I need to have a better understanding of UK politics, as I/we usually think in terms of our own US experience--which is likely ignorant. If there is a resource for understanding the basics of the UK system you can recommend, I would appreciate it.
"... centrists throws up their hands, convinced the country is turning right, when in reality they’re turning desperate."
... that says it all in a phrase.
... yet one addition: You message consistently about the need to build. but it must be made clear that the need is to build *things* rather than wealth. The former are the goods and services that people and society actually need whereas the latter has simply become a game of juggling numbers that increasingly have little attachment to lived reality. Musk a trillionaire -- how does that make any sense?
Exactly. When Obama was president he had both the House and the Senate. If he would have rallied the country for genuine change we could be living in a significantly better country. A dream. Instead, it was the dynamic status quo. We needed a movement that didn't allow that to occur. People, in part, were worried about racism if we pushed him too hard. So, we elected Obama and went home. A ton of lessons from that time.
We lack leaders, in politics, in corporations, in medicine…. No one wants to stick their necks out to be chopped off. Laziness, fear, indifference are all driving factors but more of the same I fear.
We lack leaders, in politics, in corporations, in medicine…. No one wants to stick their necks out to have their heads chopped off. Laziness, fear, indifference are all driving factors but more of the same I fear.
Crucially, the Democratic Party is NOT the left in any meaningful way. Apparently Labour wasn't the left either, based on their decisions when in power. If the United States had a functional left, I would have a lot more hope for our situation.
The political conversation is centered on anger and outrage, at what the left is not doing constructively and what the right is doing destructively, and of course each side accuses the other of what it is being accused of. All this emotional turmoil only harden opposition between people, with no one gaining anything other than more animosity toward the other.
What I’d like to hear is details on the structural change underlying these highfalutin, esoteric ideals that have become more elevator music that has the same tune as your favorite hit, but lacks the punch of the original. Like Medicare for All. What does the law(s) look like that will create universal health care? Like owning the research and patents funded by our tax dollars. Any employee of a corporation inventing something does not own the intellectual rights to their work related invention. Why doesn’t that same judicial ruling apply to government funded research?
Let’s pretend people are intelligent enough to understand the complex dynamics underlying our desired changes. History tells us that creating an angered mob may toss out the current rulers, but does little to change the legal and economic realities. Educate rather than agitate.
Exactly this!
I believe the thesis of this article to be true. Democrats are fine with just taking power based on a backlash to Republicans. And Republicans are extremely adept at regaining power based on griping about Democrats. And so it goes, rocking back and forth while nothing gets done about our problems. Congress in general has been loathe to stick its neck out, legislate and then sell that legislation to the country. What passes for politics these days is merely avoiding getting primaried. That's the whole ball game right there-all insider tactics and no legislative strategy. Because Congress put all its eggs in that basket, it became a chicken just waiting to be plucked. And guess who came along? Donald Trump.
Democrats are obviously okay with that because instead of immediately bopping him back in the second term, they just waited for the economic pain to hit the people, hoping to just surf that wave back to power. Corbin is right. Unless Democrats start sticking their neck out and addressing problems, people will just boomerang back. What is the answer?
One answer is bubbling up from the grassroots. Did y'all know that Texas Democrats got tired of that BS from national Democrats? Our Democratic Party platform is the most progressive in the country. We have candidates on all the statewide ballots and most of the local ballots for the first time in thirty years. Don't tell me Texas and other red states won't vote for progressive policies. They will. Y'all just hide and watch. And study some history about rural America and the rural South as the incubators for progressivism.
A-fuckin'-men, brother.