I wasn't initially a supporter of this guy. In fact, I probably would have put him at or near the bottom of my list of choices during the primaries. He just wasn't all that inspiring in my opinion. BUT!!! OMG!!! This guy is killing it. I don't know, maybe Trump set the bar so low that anyone else on the planet would come off as stellar. But I have to say that his leadership has made me a believer. This country still has hope. Thank you Joe Biden.
I counter with: -Bombs on Syria -Record number of children separated at the border -Half-hearted commitment to minimum wage increase We have to do better still.
I counter counter with: Let's not make the perfect the enemy of the good or perhaps very good. Besides, I'm a little afraid of Biden right now.
Not the "enemy" per se, I still vastly prefer him to Trump. I just also think it's our job as citizens to stay vigilant and call out mistakes made by our leaders.
The misconception here is that the "us" vs. "them" is Republicans and Democrats. It's actually the people vs. the elites. Both parties better represent the interests of the elites, but the Democrats are somewhat more likely to help the people. I read once a comparison of how to placate the masses into accepting democracy in a way that protects the interests of the elites. The fundamental "problem" is that were everyone to be represented equally, the non-owning class would vote to take away property of the owner class. The options, that seem to well represent our parties, are either reduce poverty or reduce democracy. Reduce poverty comes from Aristotle's theories, essentially arguing that if you can make living good enough for all, they will accept things as they are (allowing the owner class to persist). Reduce democracy is from James Madison, arguing the best way to protect the interest of the elites is to disenfranchise or disinterest the masses from politics. In practice, both parties participate in both methods. I too prefer the reduce poverty approach, but it's just a stepping stone. I also don't subscribe to the thought that the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Even in a 50/50 dichotomy electorate? If that isn't the definition of us vs them, what is? At some point, you have to deal with the situation as it is, not how you'd like it to be, don't ya think? Yes, there are structural inequalities that impede true equality and set up an inherent contradiction but those are long term issues that are unlikely to disappear over night under any leadership configuration.
All in saying, is that the wealthy elite win every time and spend a lot of money pushing the idea of politics being "us vs. them" in terms of Republicans and Democrats rather than the people vs. the elite. Are you insinuating because Democrats are more closely aligned with your values, you should never criticize them so Republicans have to look for the flaws themselves?
No, I'm saying criticizing your own side of the 50/50 divide for systemic issues is a self-defeating excercise that fuels the notion of us vs them by adding another level to the flames of division. Tell me when criticizing both sides has ever worked in any situation. One or the other side will eventual prevail. The quickest way to achieve a resolution would be to pick a side regardless of whether or not you agree with it fully. The way to drag out the division is to play bothsiderism. Until and unless there is a viable third alternative, which hasn't appeared so far, you only prolong the divisions by sitting on the fence and throwing stones at both sides having exactly zero effect. At least picking one side gives you access to the inside with which you can affect real change.
And never call them out for what they do wrong? If the people who voted for a candidate don't point out their flaws, what incentive do they have to fix those issues? I think most people already do this, would you say we're drowning in resolution? Neithersideserism, in my case. A third option isn't going to appear magically, it takes work from those who ostensibly already belong to the other 2 options. While supporting the lesser of 2 evils is important as a matter of pragmatism, you still have to try to fix your own sides evils.
That's an exaggeration hidden inside of an absolute. The answer is party platforms. If you want a change, make damn sure it makes into the party platform. That is how a lot of change is affected. It's slower but it is a long arc we're talking about anyway. Youth is always the last to see the arc in their impatience for change. I'd say we're arcing toward resolution for the reasons previously stated. Neithersiderism is just fence sitting. It doesn't matter which side of the fence you get off on sometimes. What matters most is getting off. You cannot make progress without making decisions.Jim Rohn And we're back to playing the same waiting game I suggested. We just got there on different paths. And that is easier from the outside or the inside?
I think you may be misunderstanding me. I'm "inside" but using that position to call out what's wrong with the inside. Which I got the impression you were opposed to here: And here
The second comment was just humor. They are going to criticize the Left no matter the circumstances. That's a given. My point was, why help them by adding fuel to their fire and allowing them to believe that they have more support than they actually do? It only furthers division by emboldening them to think they can change your mind if they were just a little more "persuasive" whatever form that takes.
I'm not sure this applies if you criticize from the left though. If we can't criticize from the left, what means do we have to move the party left? The real problem I see is establishment Democrats jealously protecting the political dichotomy. If you do criticize, even from the left, you're told you are just supporting the right and therefore must just vote D no matter who runs. This leads to voter apathy, which by the way is a cornerstone of the "reduce democracy" strategy of protecting the interests of the elites.
Sure that's the choice, in election season. But outside of election times, shouldn't I try to push them left if I believe that's the correct direction?
Political Puppetry is an art conservatives would not tolerate . . . when a team of theatrical experts runs interference between the elected and the electorate, deception becomes the order of the day . . . every day, for the coming 4 years.