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Bernie Sanders
In reply to the discussion: So I guess we got the meme [View all]2banon
(7,321 posts)128. Thank you! THIS ^ should be it's own OP in GD!
you described exactly my meaning, articulating the fundamental principles at play. Much appreciated.
you said: (emphasis mine)
The battle is between the ruling class (those that own and control the means of production, the commons, the resources, and all the power and those who profit mightily off of that power structure) and the rest of us who own nothing but our own labor and have no power whatsoever.
Exactly. However John Peterson points out in one of the excerpts you posted: (all emphasis mine)
In fact, Americas more than 155 million workers are among the most exploited on the planet. Based on an extremely high level of labor productivity, American workers create vast amounts of wealth for the capitalists, but receive only a small ratio of that back in the form of wages. The effects of a strike of even a small portion of the American workers would be devastating to the profits of the capitalists. For example, just 36,000 unionized dock workers load and unload every ship on the West coast of the United States. This means that every single container imported to the US Pacific coast from Asia and beyond must first pass through the hands of a relative handful of union workers. Even a one-day strike of these dockers would result in billions of dollars in losses to the capitalists. This is a clear indication of the colossal power of the US working class.
That's the point which always gives me hope. Unfortunately that hope becomes somewhat diminished when confronted with the major obstacle in the lack of realization of this fact by the majority of the working class (all races).
Or at least seemingly so. Maybe I'm wrong about that, but Peterson seems to agree.
The United States is in fact a society riven with deep class contradictions
and this:
The working class is the overwhelming majority of the USA; the wonders of its cities, railroads, highways, mines, industry, and vast tracts of farmland are the result of the workers sweat, tears, blood, and brains. And yet, Americans themselves are rarely taught the truth about their own history. There is a very simple reason for this. If American workers were to understand their true power and their classs repeated attempts to change society, they might be tempted to engage in open class struggle again and againand this represents a mortal threat to the continuation of the capitalist system."
I'll go on to read the rest of the piece but I wanted to let you know how much I appreciated your input as it helped me regain clarity on my own instincts. What I'm seeing now I've seen before on a much lower scale regarding an isolated struggle over ownership and control of KPFA and the Pacifica Radio network. Founded by anti-war Conscientious Objectors and leftist academics in the late 40's (KPFA Berkeley, KPFK L.A. KPFT Houston, WBAI New York, and WPFW Washington DC) . Also known as the "Save KPFA- Save Pacifica" movement which aimed to wrest the ownership and control out of the hands of Corporate functionaries based in Washington DC who took it over in the 90's. The incalcitrant forces of Identity Politics which emerged almost immediately was just beyond belief.
It took on a nearly psychotic level of insanity. We "engaged" with each other nationally vis a vis discussion boards as well as held in-person conferences at each of the station locations. Over a period of 5 years, it just got worse and worse. And although i had become initially involved for the long haul, I couldn't take it anymore and I finally left "the struggle" because it was simply too toxic, and too insane for me.
I mention it because it is sort of a micro example of what I'm seeing again wrt BLM and the targeting of Leftists and Sanders and exemplifies exactly what I witnessed with the Save Pacifica movement. But this is on a larger scale.
Again, thank you and Welcome to DU!
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That is very true but I pity the candidates - we have a system in which we exhaust our candidates
jwirr
Jul 2015
#73
I think we're back to getting money out of politics being a solution there.
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
Jul 2015
#75
That has been needed a long time because there is nothing that shouts white control so much
jwirr
Jul 2015
#80
I still think it devolves ack to something a lot of folks around here often don't want to hear
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
Jul 2015
#157
You are one of my favorite posters on this board. But I stopped reading right here:
merrily
Jul 2015
#158
OK, 'always' was a poor choice of words. But did you also notice what the problem was?
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
Jul 2015
#159
Maybe, but I like you a lot more than plenty of people who are theoretically in the same
merrily
Jul 2015
#165
Well, first off, it's the default messaging used by white politicians.
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
Jul 2015
#30
It's both a Class and Race Analysis which always needs to be understood as the underpinning
2banon
Jul 2015
#82
LOL, I knew you were a nurse because you had posted that, but I never put it together
merrily
Jul 2015
#168
I've got some metal allergy issues myself, so I don't buy the jewelry either
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
Jul 2015
#174
False equivalency. The OP is not about far right of the Republican Party attacking
merrily
Jul 2015
#7
A lot of people here want to discuss a movement for real change, just not all people here.
merrily
Jul 2015
#15
Sometimes, you just gotta step back. They won't change your mind and you ain't gonna change theirs
Autumn
Jul 2015
#47
I agree. When we give so much attention to a rediculous idea like that one - especially online -
jwirr
Jul 2015
#94
It's interesting that in all the anger, I haven't seen any one ask why isn't our President
Autumn
Jul 2015
#105
Yes, just think about how many will be killed between now and 2017. We need to do something
jwirr
Jul 2015
#110
I'm pretty sure they are only going after the progressive wing of the party
dreamnightwind
Jul 2015
#142
The Houston rally for Bernie must have been a terrific experience. Please keep posting
appalachiablue
Jul 2015
#72
It's a way to avoid issues, Black voters are being used to blurr the fact she won't take on the 1%,
orpupilofnature57
Jul 2015
#10
And if you push back on their meme you are called racist, or told some variation of
peacebird
Jul 2015
#26
Or Sexist, and your right he's being scruntinized for everything he does or doesn't say, I
orpupilofnature57
Jul 2015
#39
It's away to polarize those of us who won't get fooled again, nothing is better for Black America
orpupilofnature57
Jul 2015
#46
I often agree with bravenak and I was thinking something similar before I read your post about what
merrily
Jul 2015
#57
Yeah, you wouldn't hear it so often if it didn't have at least a kernel of truth.
Jester Messiah
Jul 2015
#150
I was looking for concrete suggestions on how we can solve this, BraveNak gave me some really
peacebird
Jul 2015
#58
Sure, and I am sure he has friends in Congress who are African American and of Hispanic heritage.
merrily
Jul 2015
#85
I think it was more that it simply could not be done and, even if it could, he did not want to.
merrily
Jul 2015
#116
ah, but not everyone thinks white progs are the main obstacle to Black America these days
MisterP
Jul 2015
#119
Hillary's primary campaign of 2008 is not comparable to anything Bernie has done or omitted in this
merrily
Jul 2015
#83
I don't think O'Malley acquitted himself all that badly--white people are just not
geek tragedy
Jul 2015
#100
Even while black people here on DU keep saying they support Sanders. But, what else is new?
marym625
Jul 2015
#66
We all know it's bernies fault that the first nomination contests are in IA and NH.
Gore1FL
Jul 2015
#67
To be fair, I should mention, that white people supported it at 53%, and there are a LOT MORE white
AtheistCrusader
Jul 2015
#115
It's what is happening because Bernie is the "inevitable" candidate and Hillary
rwsanders
Jul 2015
#111