Proposition: the leadership of the Democratic Party is happy the way things are

[jollyreaper2112]

Writer Charlie Stross is commenting on the British system but it seems to be relevant for what we are experiencing here as well: The Beige Dictatorship talks about how political parties come to resemble each other and how their positions hover around the status quo.

As far as America goes, here's my take on why we are where we are at.

1. This is a one-party country, the Corporate Party. There are two branches, Republican and Democrat, but they basically offer the same thing.
2. Republicans offer corporatism that's conservative on social issues. Down with gays, minorities, etc. Democrats offer corporatism that's a bit more liberal, but not too liberal. Hooray for gays and minorities. Either way, you're getting corporatist policies.
3. The Democratic Party today exists to occupy the place that would otherwise be taken by a real opposition party. If you love corporatism, vote Republican. If you are against it and want change, vote Democrat, only nothing's going to happen. The Democratic Party is a blast deflector, something meant to take the white-hot desire for change and reform and channel and cool the incandescent plume until it's spent and harmless.
4. The Democrats continually sabotage their means of getting any real reform done because real reform is NOT their agenda. This is a policy set at the top of the organization and not ever talked about so it leaves all the democrats outside of the DC Bubble confused and angry about how the team never seems to get their set together, the Miami Dolphins of politics.

There is little incentive to change the system because the people who are in charge of it are well-taken care of by the monied interests. Anyone who turns against the system will be crushed and discarded. Anyone trying to change the system from within will become so compromised and tarnished by the process of gaining power that they will be left incapable of accomplishing anything if they ever get it.

At this point we are looking at something less like a government and more like a corruption engine. Public resources and money are transferred to private interests, favorable access to markets and laws are granted. The corporations and the oligarchs are getting what they paid for. In turn, the politicians are well-compensated with campaign contributions, seats on the board, and so forth. It is a spectacularly successful and lucrative system for them and there's seemingly no need to ruin a good thing.

All of the cable news bullshit we see with pundits doing battle is nothing more than kayfabe, professional wrestling shtick. It's like Sam and Ralph from the old cartoons.



Talk of what the Dems should do is wasted effort. The leadership is happy with the way things are. The better question is whether or not control can be regained over the party. If not, what needs done to create a real opposition party?

[Warren Stupidity]

1. Point no 4 is spot on.

4. The Democrats continually sabotage their means of getting any real reform done because real reform is NOT their agenda. This is a policy set at the top of the organization and not ever talked about so it leaves all the democrats outside of the DC Bubble confused and angry about how the team never seems to get their set together, the Miami Dolphins of politics.

Until we fully understand that this show is about as legitimate as professional wrestling, we are going to continue to have the same bad outcomes, 8-12 year cycles of corporate-right followed by the cleanup crew of corporate-lite.

[djean111]

2. "this show is about as legitimate as professional wrestling" - and the rewards to the few dwarf

any amount Vince McMahon has amassed, exponentially.

[awoke_in_2003]

34. If they had wanted to do anything...

they would have reformed the filibuster when they had the chance. Not nuke it, but make it a real filibuster- if you want to do it, stand there and talk until you can't anymore.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. The shepherd always tries to persuade the sheep that their interests and his own are the same.

The shepherd always tries to persuade the sheep that their interests and his own are the same. Marie Beyle (Stendahl)

[pa28]

4. Well said. This has been happening for a while.

No matter which party is in power certain agendas are always advanced. Free trade agreements, low taxes on capital and privatization of public assets like schools and roads.

All the rest is distraction.

[LondonReign2]

5. + a crapload

[hifiguy]

25. The "good cop" just boils the frogs a little more slowly

That is the ONE AND ONLY difference anymore. The corporatists/MIC/1% are in absolute and total control of both parties.

[99th_Monkey]

7. There is a TON of evidence supporting your suspicions n/t

[jollyreaper2112]

8. sadly

I despair about what to do about it. It's like when the bully asks you if you want his fist in your mouth or your gut, making that choice feels like consent, even if you'd rather have none of the above. Voting for the lesser of two evils is still voting for evil.

I don't know how to fix this.

[SpankMe]

9. Question: New Party, or *Not* New Party?

Would it be better to try and change the existing Democratic party from the inside to formulate a legitimate opposition party, or would it be better to start an entirely new party (or take over the Green party and grow it)?

If a new liberal party was created - one that's a *real* counterbalance to the Republican party - it would throw national leadership to Republicans for a few cycles and possibly for whole generation as the vote splits between that new party and the Democrats. But it would ultimately come into its own and regain a majority and liberals would regain a foothold and be a legitimate force for progress.

In other words - do we have to destroy the Democratic party to save the Democratic party?

[elzenmahn]

18. Thom Hartmann would agree...

Last edited Thu Nov 13, 2014, 10:50 AM - Edit history (1)

...that the best way to do this is for progressives to take over the Democratic Party, with all of its machinery.

My issue with Mr. Hartmann's solution, though, is: how did all of that machinery get there? Through corporate dollars and the donations of wealthy individuals (sound familiar?). The left wing in this country - formerly the labor unions, entertainment, and academia - provided the political backstop that made progressive reforms like the New Deal possible. Now, if the Dems are taken over by the progressives, we may in fact have to suffer a few election cycles in the wilderness (at least).

I would do the following:

1. Rebuild the PROGRESSIVE base in this country through the state and local levels (This doesn't necessarily mean DEMOCRATIC, BTW - but they do have the machine that the Greens and other parties don't).
2. Prepare to donate very heavily - as a percentage-of-income basis - to the progressive politicians of your choice;
3. Prepare to take some losses;
4. Think long-term.

[Sirveri]

35. Why don't we take over the Republican party?

Then we crush the Republicans and divide them while pushing or allowing the Dems to drift left.

Not sure if this would work, just a thought that popped into my head.

[ReRe]

39. Go for it.

I'll stay over here. That's what THEY (Republicans) did to the Democratic Party with their DLC (Democratic Leadership "Conference", or was it "Committee?&quot and stole 25-30 years of our lives from us. 25-30 years of a lie. It's rough learning that you've been duped all that time. Anyway, I would love to see it done to the Republican Party.

[eridani]

40. Excellent suggestions all

Building a new party from scratch takes way too much time.

[jollyreaper2112]

19. I don't know

Can it be reformed from within? I don't know. There's a lot of money to be thrown around and I don't know if you can really tackle a problem this big playing by their rules. But creating a new party could split the vote unless there's a mass defection from one to the other, effectively the same people but shaking up who is in charge.

[staggerleem]

10. As far as the party leadership goes, I can't argue.

I recall about 6 months ago, when Harry Reed was talking a whole bunch of trash about the Koch Brothers ... until someone asked him if he could differentiate between their influence and Sheldon Adelson's. "Now wait a minute - Shelly is a fine upstanding citizen, not at ALL like those guys!" What went unmentioned (of course!) was Adelson's donations to Reed's campaign. But after that, Harry handed off the Koch-bashing duties to the Gentleman from Vermont.

I will point out, however, that among the rank and file, the Progressive Caucus is the largest subset of the Democratic Caucus. We still have people like Alan Grayson, Raul Grijalva, Keith Ellison, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders in Washington - we just need to put MORE of them in there.

You want to gain some control over the party? Remember this - ALL POLITICS IS LOCAL! Get involved with your county's Democratic Party, see if you can become a precinct captain, and get yourself some input as to whose names appear on your local ballots.

Does your state have a Working Families Party? We do here in NY, but, for the most part, the same names appear in both the Democratic and Working Families rows. So, yes, I voted for Democratic candidates last week, but NOT on the Democratic ticket. There was one local position where WFP had no candidate listed, so I voted for the Democrat on the Green Party ticket in that race. Remember that whatever public funding is available to the parties is divvied up by that party's percentage of the popular vote in the last election. So that's how you can help "third" parties to grow (short of donations, that is).

[elleng]

21. DAMN!

SORRY I read this: 'Shelly is a fine upstanding citizen.'

[LawDeeDah]

11. If the Presidency goes to Hillary in 2016, I would have to agree.

As disappointing as some Democrats are today, there are many who are still fighting the good fight. Remember, if the media is not on your side, there is little you can do to advance any message.

If Clinton becomes President, the deal will be sealed, however. It was Clinton's the Bill that set the stage for much of the hardships today with Telecommunications, with Glass Steagal, with welfare reform - all of which are traditionally Republican moves, not Democratic moves.

There is still hope, as I said, there are a lot of good, hard working people on the proper side of things. It's just the right wingers are the loudest and the media carry their message the loudest.

[Maedhros]

12. What we've seen from the Democratic rank-and-file is tacit acceptance

of perpetual pro-corporate economic policy and pro-war foreign policy in exchange for liberal rhetoric on social issues. The Party is quick to take credit for (e.g.) civil liberties gains for LGBTQ Americans, when the credit rightfully belongs with the boots-on-the-ground activists that pushed and pushed and pushed for change. When that change was inevitable, Democratic office holders jumped out in front of the crowd and voiced their support.

The bottom line is that the corporate agenda is unconcerned with the social issues at the center of the Democratic-Republican scrum. Regardless of how those social-issue battles play out, the corporations get their TPPs, H1B visas, mandated insurance purchases, lower tax rates and neo-con foreign policy. The security/police state is just a bonus on top.

[polichick]

13. "The better question is...

...whether or not control can be regained over the party. If not, what needs done to create a real opposition party?"

Yes!

[Jackpine Radical]

14. Here are 7 reasons you are wrong:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Other than these, I got nothin'.

[Phlem]

15. The shit I got when I said

"Obama never wanted a majority, it makes it harder for him to get his stuff done."

Ugh..

Here we are, full on Bipartisanship!

There are some serious authoritarians here on DU who's job it is to shout down anything that remotely sounds like liberal observations and progress.

Some one said the next 2 years are going to suck on DU was probably talking for the authoritarians in this group.

[jollyreaper2112]

28. yeah

I voted for the man twice. I was full of hope and ready for some change. That quote from Obama himself saying he's to the right of Nixon, that really made me angry. That's not what we voted for. Ugh.

The presidency isn't a fan club. You want to gush and squee over someone photogenic, Johnny Depp or Matt Damon or whatever floats your boat is there in the entertainment section. This is politics and I'm not voting for someone personable, I'm voting for someone who gets shit done. Obama photographs nice? So does Tom Cruise. I voted for a doer.

Kerry ran as not-bush and sadly lost. He brought little to the table and folded like a cheap suit, never even contested.

We know a Hillary election will be more of the same. Her incompetence vs. Obama was breathtaking. It was really her primary to lose given all her corporate backing.

[kentuck]

16. Probably.

Some.

[EEO]

17. It is all a poorly disguised ruse. Americans are too ignorant to see it and the rich know it.

[ReRe]

23. +1

[MisterP]

20. basically they get paid whether they win or lose

and recall how *relieved* they were after they lost the Supermajority? now the pressure to do something instead of collect checks was off for the leadership

it's the poli sci equivalent of WalMart: just a rentier class at the top and people with nowhere to go at the bottom, kept in line with chanting

[Fred Sanders]

22. The media is the "professional wrestling" of this corrupt political system....good one.

[hifiguy]

24. Abso-fucking-lutely.

The "leadership" of what used to be the Democratic party has been sold to and completely co-opted by the corporatists? Think it hasn't? Consider this list of horrors, compiled by that invaluable DUer woo me with science, and weep:

Mass spying on Americans? Both parties support it.
Handing the internet to corporations? Both parties support it.
Austerity for the masses? Both parties support it.
Cutting social safety nets? Both parties support it.
Corporatists in the cabinet? Both parties support it.
Tolling our interstate highways? Both parties support it.
Corporate education policy? Both parties support it.
Bank bailouts? Both parties support it.
Ignoring the trillions stashed overseas? Both parties support it.
Trans-Pacific Job/Wage Killing Secret Agreement? Both parties support it.
TISA corporate overlord agreement? Both parties support it.
Drilling and fracking? Both parties support it.
Wars on medical marijuana instead of corrupt banks? Both parties support it.
Deregulation of the food industry? Both parties support it.
GMO's? Both parties support it.
Privatization of the TVA? Both parties support it.
Immunity for telecoms? Both parties support it.
"Looking forward" and letting war criminals off the hook? Both parties support it.
Deciding torturers are patriots? Both parties support it.
Militarized police and assaults on protesters? Both parties support it.
Indefinite detention? Both parties support it.
Drone wars and kill lists? Both parties support it.
Targeting of journalists and whistleblowers? Both parties support it.
Private prisons replacing public prisons? Both parties support it.
Unions? Both parties view them with contempt.
Trillion dollar increase in nuclear weapons. Both parties support it.
New war in Iraq. Both parties support it.
New war in Syria. Both parties support it.
Carpet bombing of captive population in Gaza. Both parties support it.

[INdemo]

26. Right on...

So now do you still want the corporatist Wall Street, Goldman Sachs Hillary to keep the status quo ??
With the billionaires all lined up do you think her running is to help change this Corporate States of America
Maybe for the Corporate State....

..Just a note and it is really a great example on the last point MSNBC just doesn't seem to the same as say a year ago with shows like the Ed Show and Lawrence O'Donnell. I mean they still push the liberal issues but don't rattle the Republican cage as hard or as loud as they used too. During the election they seem to praise the Republicans more than encourage Democrats to get the hell out and vote.

[blkmusclmachine]

27. Reid and Obama have both already offered the 2015-2016 GOP a total, unconditional SURRENDER.

And now the DEMS can make the DEM brand absolutely toxic for the next election.

[ReRe]

29. What needs to be done to create a real opposition party?

Simple.

Kick the Republican lite Corporatists out. Send them packing to the party they belong in, the Republican Party. Yes, that will reduce the number in the Democratic Party for a while, but in their absence, the voters will have a real choice. It will no longer be tweedle-dum or tweedle-dee as the only choice at election time. Those two phony dudes will be on the right in the Republican Party where they belong.
And the Democratic Party will be standing proud and strong on the left.

[aspirant]

36. How does medicine taste?

There's no need to kick out anybody, except exposed double agents. Let's just run 1000's of Bernie Sanders and Liz Warren types and see how long they keep voting for liberals. Then after they say, we're tired of no real choices only socialists and communists we can scream at them for not honoring the privilege of voting.

[aspirant]

37. Let's build heaven on Earth

I think we could be all right with standing on progressive values Obama did just fine with a simple mantra of "Hope and Change". Look at that response from progressive America.

As far as taking back our party, we must work from within and attack. If we went with the Greens, how long before the repubs will start infiltrating our party and we will have the same problem we have now only years later. We have to cut out this cancer now.We have to set-up a Progressive Democratic party within our party and force change from both the bottom up and top down. We must have independent finances with a trusted coop group, maybe even our own coop bank. We must ask for grassroots donations, corporate fundraisers while mirroring all the dem and repub models of financing. We must utilize the power of boycotts if progressive corps give us the cold shoulder Maybe even our own bank could start loaning out to coops so we can be our own job creators. Just some beginning thoughts.

[jollyreaper2112]

30. what amazes me in this thread

Nobody's really disagreeing with what I'm saying. This is a pretty big change in attitude on this board. Very surprised.

I thought elections didn't matter much until Bush won, then I agreed a Gore presidency would have been a big difference. I was a believer. I voted for Kerry. I voted for Obama. My faith started to crumble but I stalwartly voted for him again because fuck Romney. But I've lost all faith now. And the polls are showing that both parties are losing legitimacy with the voters. This means we could see some real wildcard instability. Really, Obama was a sign of that already. People are so sick of the usual shit that a black man named Barack Hussein Obama could be elected president? It was just our poor luck he's a moderate Republican. Pre-2000, that would have seemed like shitty political scifi.

I get the kind of feeling that in the Bush years we felt the Dem leadership had our back and we were gearing up for a fight, painting our faces blue and yelling freedom. But we get power and then it's like the scene in Braveheart where Wallace is looking over his shoulder wondering when the Scottish nobles would join the fight and they just turn around and ride off the field. The fix is in, we've been betrayed.

So, now what? More desperation, more extreme solutions gaining credibility? I don't know.

[Warren Stupidity]

33. the bog/hrcg have abstained.

[aspirant]

38. Keep the faith

We have nowhere to go but up. It's up to us to walk forward united, hand in hand. Remember others who rose up from despair.

[LiberalLovinLug]

31. Kick and rec

Its so much more difficult to be a Democrat rep. They have to be good actors. Wring their hands act surprised and astonished when the Republicans ONCE AGAIN block some progressive bill. Its so much easier to be a Republican. Why do you think the Turtle is always smiling? You don't have to pretend anything. You are in the ball court of the wealthy. You are their ball boy and have long since sold your soul to money and the rewards of office and post-office and have no qualms about it.

I do wonder just how much bullshit Obama KNEW he was so eloquently and forcefully espousing in that glorious acceptance speech. How much he KNEW his own Democratic base actually believed his memes of HOPE and CHANGE and that for them it meant actual fundamental change in the way Washington worked. I like to think he actually believed it was all possible and he was simply beaten down day after day until he finally resigned himself to the fact that he could either fall in line with the corporate rulers and be set for life after he leaves office, or be slaughtered in his bid for a second term by the media, and then be blacklisted once he left office.
And like so many of us would have done, he chose his families well being ahead of being a martyr. A martyr that he saw would only be a small chink in the armor.

But the fact that he chose right off the bat Rahm Emanuel, refused to even entertain digging into the war crimes of the previous administration, dropped his demand of a public option, Bush tax cut extension, not supporting unions, charter schools over public, environmental regs axed, on and on.....one hit after another....its also hard to believe he ever had any progressive intentions. Well other than the social positions, issues that do not affect the REAL agenda of the Washington elite, like gay marriage that he was against for political reasons before he was for it. And other no-brainers like veteran care. I think he also figured that the ACA would pass much smoother with the big insurance companies on board and their influence with Republicans.

It looks more like he is just a simple pragmatic and opportunistic politician, like the rest. No more, no less. You can see it in his exasperation during his first years when he was ever, very rarely, asked to address the growing concerns of his progressive base that were disappointed in his actions, or non actions. It was distasteful and painful to him to have to address the camera about that disappointment that he worked so hard to ignore. The very real disappointment of progressives that actually thought, on that wonderful day in November 2008, that America was entering a new age. A rebirth of the nation into a cleaner, more transparent, less corrupt, less bought out, more equitable society.

[RiverLover]

41. Yes

Your whole post is very poignant & spot on. Just want to emphasize this~

The very real disappointment of progressives that actually thought, on that wonderful day in November 2008, that America was entering a new age. A rebirth of the nation into a cleaner, more transparent, less corrupt, less bought out, more equitable society.

One of the biggest disappointments of my life.

[Scuba]

32. "The reason for the Democratic Party is so there's no alternative to the Republicans."

[jollyreaper2112]

42. ugh

I'd like to do something about that. How do you go about building a new national party?

[woo me with science]

43. kick

[Electric Monk]

45. + nt

[woo me with science]

44. kick