You’re not going to see me pretend that Republicans aren’t at fault, but I really would like some solutions, and the only people competent enough, to do that are Democrats.
And then they wonder why they’re losing rural America. It’s because they’ve given up on them entirely. I think Democrats would make huge dents in rural America if we had sound economic policy. Instead, we’re just so darn corporatist.
It reminds me of all the fascism going on right now. Why are Democrats not stopping it? Someone has to be in charge, and they’re just dropping the ball. So no wonder they get the image of a spineless party.
I agree, Democrats are not doing enough to end our corporate mindset and push the needle back toward the common good. But that’s not the same as doing nothing. Biden’s policies have been far more progressive than Obama’s, and Obama’s were more progressive than Clinton’s. AOC’s “the Squad” have increased their numbers (they’re still a tiny minority, but they’re growing) and the more we elect people like them the more traction we’ll see for progressive policy.
I’m sorry we can’t just turn the ship around on a dime. Our government wasn’t broken all at once, and it won’t be fixed any quicker. It’s going to take time, patience, and persistence before we see the changes we demand, and undermining the only faction willing to be reformed isn’t going to help those efforts. Criticize, yes, but make those criticisms based on factual, verifiable criticisms. “Biden is old” doesn’t help us, not as long as Biden is still willing to listen to us (and he has!) and adjust his policy for the better.
We’re never going to have the perfect candidate, one we align with 100%. I didn’t think Biden was going to be anything more than a corporate shill when he took office. But he’s pleasantly surprised me, and I think he’s more than earned the benefit of the doubt.
I am watching as fascism is taking over America, and Democrats are in fact doing nothing to stop it. No, we are not doing anything close to what we need to be doing.
When the other side of snakes, I expect to have some snake wranglers in charge
You are intentionally misreading what I’m saying. I specifically said what has he done to stop the creep of fascism that the GOP is engaging in right now, because it’s quite possible we lose the next election, and fascism takes over America, and Democrats did not do what they needed to do to smother it in the crib.
So every time they opposed Republican attempts to install fascism but failed because they didn’t have the power, because we didn’t vote for them to enable them to control policy, that’s their fault? Seriously? People keep saying Democrats have a messaging problem and I agree, but no one ever seems to acknowledge that the reason Republicans have the advantage in messaging is because they’ve got dedicated media organizations tipping the scales in their favor and bombarding the public with pro-Republican disinformation. No private, independent organization has done the same for Democrats, and it would be illegal for them to spend campaign money to create one.
So please, tell me what they could have done differently with the information they had at the time.
I don’t exactly see where Republicans are failing at instituting their fascism right now. They’re successful in every single state in which Republicans hold power, where one election away from completely losing our democracy. So, yes, what other choice do we have than to rely on Democrats in power to stop them? We have no other choice.
Would they be successful if we were consistently getting out the vote to deny them majority control? Would they be successful if we were actively participating in primaries to put forward more progressive candidates? How do you justify blaming Democrats for not doing enough to block Republicans when voters keep enabling Republican majorities? How are we not reaping the consequences of our voting patterns?
I’m going to give you a real example as someone who lives in West Virginia. Let’s take the 2020 primary season.
I tried to vote for Bernie Sanders. I did vote for him in the end, but my vote did not matter because by the time the primary had already rolled around to my state, Bernie Sanders has dropped out of the race. That can only happen because we don’t have same day primaries all throughout the country. We allow for this fundraising attrition to let the capitalists pick who our candidate is.
So, whatever, we still have a chance at a Democrat, so I go to vote on Election Day in the general election. Here’s the problem. I live in Ruby Red West Virginia, so my vote actually does not matter. I can’t swing things in Biden’s favor. I sure did vote for him, but it’s not like my vote was goning to matter. It doesn’t matter how many Republicans vote because there are always going to be enough of them to a voted for Trump. So where did I get any say in the Democratic process in this entire exchange?
But much like one of the other posters in this thread, not you, you’ve been quite pleasant, by the way, he just doesn’t see states like West Virginia as a mattering whatsoever. Democrats don’t see West Virginia as a mattering whatsoever.
And then we wonder why so many people feel disenfranchised and apathetic. It feels like there’s absolutely nothing I can do to affect the country based on my geography.
What exactly do you recommend to strengthen the economy in rural West Virginia? There’s no return on investment in an area with negative population growth, just as there aren’t enough rate payers to justify millions of dollars in broadband infrastructure to service half a dozen 20-acre homesites. Businesses are moving to areas with a positive ROI where labor is widely available (and educated), houses are available for that labor, and economic synergy is magnified due to proximity with supporting industries. The reason the economy boomed in WV in the first place was extractive industries who knew they could make bank by paying no-education rural residents next to no money to shovel coal out of open pits. If that’s not a viable industry anymore, then what’s left? Tourism? Hospitality? Retail? The government can’t force businesses to set up shop where they’ll lose money.
Funny you say this, I’m not even a capitalist, and that’s part of the capitalist problem. If it’s not profitable, nobody gets help.
And therein lies the problem. You, much like all the other Democrats, are so capitalistic in nature that you’re willing to let anybody who’s not wealthy enough just suffer.
You’re not going to see me pretend that Republicans aren’t at fault, but I really would like some solutions, and the only people competent enough, to do that are Democrats.
And then they wonder why they’re losing rural America. It’s because they’ve given up on them entirely. I think Democrats would make huge dents in rural America if we had sound economic policy. Instead, we’re just so darn corporatist.
It reminds me of all the fascism going on right now. Why are Democrats not stopping it? Someone has to be in charge, and they’re just dropping the ball. So no wonder they get the image of a spineless party.
I agree, Democrats are not doing enough to end our corporate mindset and push the needle back toward the common good. But that’s not the same as doing nothing. Biden’s policies have been far more progressive than Obama’s, and Obama’s were more progressive than Clinton’s. AOC’s “the Squad” have increased their numbers (they’re still a tiny minority, but they’re growing) and the more we elect people like them the more traction we’ll see for progressive policy.
I’m sorry we can’t just turn the ship around on a dime. Our government wasn’t broken all at once, and it won’t be fixed any quicker. It’s going to take time, patience, and persistence before we see the changes we demand, and undermining the only faction willing to be reformed isn’t going to help those efforts. Criticize, yes, but make those criticisms based on factual, verifiable criticisms. “Biden is old” doesn’t help us, not as long as Biden is still willing to listen to us (and he has!) and adjust his policy for the better.
We’re never going to have the perfect candidate, one we align with 100%. I didn’t think Biden was going to be anything more than a corporate shill when he took office. But he’s pleasantly surprised me, and I think he’s more than earned the benefit of the doubt.
I am watching as fascism is taking over America, and Democrats are in fact doing nothing to stop it. No, we are not doing anything close to what we need to be doing.
When the other side of snakes, I expect to have some snake wranglers in charge
You what? Do you only have access to Fox News, or something?
You are intentionally misreading what I’m saying. I specifically said what has he done to stop the creep of fascism that the GOP is engaging in right now, because it’s quite possible we lose the next election, and fascism takes over America, and Democrats did not do what they needed to do to smother it in the crib.
So every time they opposed Republican attempts to install fascism but failed because they didn’t have the power, because we didn’t vote for them to enable them to control policy, that’s their fault? Seriously? People keep saying Democrats have a messaging problem and I agree, but no one ever seems to acknowledge that the reason Republicans have the advantage in messaging is because they’ve got dedicated media organizations tipping the scales in their favor and bombarding the public with pro-Republican disinformation. No private, independent organization has done the same for Democrats, and it would be illegal for them to spend campaign money to create one.
So please, tell me what they could have done differently with the information they had at the time.
I don’t exactly see where Republicans are failing at instituting their fascism right now. They’re successful in every single state in which Republicans hold power, where one election away from completely losing our democracy. So, yes, what other choice do we have than to rely on Democrats in power to stop them? We have no other choice.
Would they be successful if we were consistently getting out the vote to deny them majority control? Would they be successful if we were actively participating in primaries to put forward more progressive candidates? How do you justify blaming Democrats for not doing enough to block Republicans when voters keep enabling Republican majorities? How are we not reaping the consequences of our voting patterns?
I’m going to give you a real example as someone who lives in West Virginia. Let’s take the 2020 primary season.
I tried to vote for Bernie Sanders. I did vote for him in the end, but my vote did not matter because by the time the primary had already rolled around to my state, Bernie Sanders has dropped out of the race. That can only happen because we don’t have same day primaries all throughout the country. We allow for this fundraising attrition to let the capitalists pick who our candidate is.
So, whatever, we still have a chance at a Democrat, so I go to vote on Election Day in the general election. Here’s the problem. I live in Ruby Red West Virginia, so my vote actually does not matter. I can’t swing things in Biden’s favor. I sure did vote for him, but it’s not like my vote was goning to matter. It doesn’t matter how many Republicans vote because there are always going to be enough of them to a voted for Trump. So where did I get any say in the Democratic process in this entire exchange?
But much like one of the other posters in this thread, not you, you’ve been quite pleasant, by the way, he just doesn’t see states like West Virginia as a mattering whatsoever. Democrats don’t see West Virginia as a mattering whatsoever.
And then we wonder why so many people feel disenfranchised and apathetic. It feels like there’s absolutely nothing I can do to affect the country based on my geography.
What exactly do you recommend to strengthen the economy in rural West Virginia? There’s no return on investment in an area with negative population growth, just as there aren’t enough rate payers to justify millions of dollars in broadband infrastructure to service half a dozen 20-acre homesites. Businesses are moving to areas with a positive ROI where labor is widely available (and educated), houses are available for that labor, and economic synergy is magnified due to proximity with supporting industries. The reason the economy boomed in WV in the first place was extractive industries who knew they could make bank by paying no-education rural residents next to no money to shovel coal out of open pits. If that’s not a viable industry anymore, then what’s left? Tourism? Hospitality? Retail? The government can’t force businesses to set up shop where they’ll lose money.
Funny you say this, I’m not even a capitalist, and that’s part of the capitalist problem. If it’s not profitable, nobody gets help.
And therein lies the problem. You, much like all the other Democrats, are so capitalistic in nature that you’re willing to let anybody who’s not wealthy enough just suffer.