The Democratic Party Schism Is Well Represented In The Blogosphere
This will not be a revelation to anyone I imagine, but the clear choice presented by Bernie Sanders as opposed to the pre-determined candidacy of Hillary Clinton has effectively finally fractured the Democratic Party in general but very specifically in the blogs that were most representative of the "little people" rank and file Dems, both of the liberal bent and those of the DLC/pragmatic bent.
IMO the two most apparently active and influential Democratic blogs with the majority of content user provided were Daily Kos and Democratic Underground. The Party stalwarts behind Hillary Clinton were the victors in winning their blog houses in the divorce, but it may have been a Pyrrhic victory with an astronomical price.
Daily Kossacks decamped to Reddit, Caucus 99% Percent, and The Progressive Wing. All are fine sites with slightly different mechanics, dynamics and personalities but they are universally reflective of people looking for solutions outside of a rigid Party lockstep. They all seem to be refreshingly free of self-appointed badge heavy hall monitors demanding loyalty oaths alternating with accusations of trollery.
I did not realize it, but the Democratic Underground refugees have been very successful in setting up Jackpine Radicals as an almost complete doppleganger of their old stomping grounds, replete with numerous and multiple forums and amazingly sophisticated software.
I always thought that various sites were set up in such a manner to enhance either "long form" or "short form" blogging. The former is more likely to attract writer/essayists types and short form is more conducive to a more conversational type of format, which was the major distinction between Daily Kos (long) and DU(short). But both formats usually provide a mixture of each and bloggers of any persuasion can be comfortably assured that they will probably find a good match for themselves in one or more of the new kids on the block that are rising in competition to DK and DU.
But putting all that aside, the point I found most astonishing in perusing these various sites is that the fracture/schism is not one that most inhabitants seemed to view as temporary. The disillusionment, disaffection, and yes even disgust voiced in many comments and posts is indicative that a lot of former Dems are gone permanently. One ironic side note is the appearance of previously reviled news sites as sources of information, primarily due to the fact that they are the ones publishing the negative information that is denied to them by their own supposedly liberal press ignoring or minimizing news relevant to their former Party and candidates. Former Democrats are linking/quoting National Review and Fox News to each other - You made us do it, DNC!
The good news is that while cynicism and despair are apparent, so is optimism and a belief that change is possible, just not within the old Party parameters.
Comments
Cheers!
"I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones."
John Cage
While I didn't say it in my essay
I have found caucus 99% to be my own personal best match. I'm a long form sort of blogger and I like the writing platform, as well as all the essayists and commenters here, but I am happy to have other sites to peruse that go beyond rah rah Party/Hillary and Aren't Republicans Dumb BS that also ferret out the good and interesting news/links.
" “Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough.” FDR "
I was thinking about this last night actually...
Not for the first time, because we have been commenting on it here (and frequently apologizing in advance for the sources, lol!) but last night I started thinking, "I wonder what the possibility of Fox News shifting closer to Center occurring and what factors that may lead to such a shift?"
Ultimately media organizations are about gathering eyeballs and profits.
The first one that realizes that there is a LARGE population of people out here that are hungry for news and information and not happy with the current providers and makes such a shift, not to full lefty mode, but to more unbiased reporting or even just less biased reporting would stand a chance at picking up quite a few new viewers.
With the current age of the Fox viewership and their need for replacements as they expire I am willing to bet dollars to donuts that someone in one of these boardrooms is pitching this very thing,
If not, it is either because they are ignorant, or viewers (I.E. Money) are not there primary concern, propaganda is...
I really am hoping it is for the former, but I doubt it...
"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me
Ailes Sexual Harassment Suit
I'm wondering if Gretchen Carlson's sexual harassment suit is signaling a different direction for Fox News.
Yesterday I read statements from more women coming forward and detailing encounters with Ailes, from as far back as the mid-60s, which seemed to doom their career hopes/job prospects if they were not compliant to his sexual demands.
Maybe as Bill Cosby has been unmasked, Ailes will follow the same path in losing the power he's wielded since his Nixon days. At least that's my hope.
The first corporate news company that is allowed to be free
from its parent corporations and is charged with informing rather than creating profit or propaganda, will become the new most trusted source for news and everybody will go there. In the old days, with the likes of Eric Sevareid, Edward Murrow and Walter Cronkite, the news divisions were unprofitable but fulfilled a responsibility of the parent broadcasting companies. I know the internet will eventually reveal a whole new, interactive paradigm of how we inform ourselves. I just wonder what that will be and hope it hurries up and gets here. These blogs, or more specifically, us bloggers, might be part of it.
Beware the bullshit factories.
We bring back the fairness doctrine, & we'll see more of it
The Fairness Doctrine
How we lost it, and why we need it back
'What we are left with is an agency mandated to ensure transparency and disclosure that is actually working to keep the public in the dark' - Ann M. Ravel, former FEC member
Absolutely so.
Revoking the Fairness Doctrine made Americans less competent voters and cast the political parties as sports teams. Media monopolies were allowed to break the antitrust laws designed to protect society. Hate radio exploded across the nation's public airwaves broadcasting fear and suspicion. American were advised to buy guns to fight government tyranny, and they did by the tens of millions.
It's interesting that the largest casualty of Reagan's media sabotage was the Republican Party, itself. The GOP simply could not hear how craven and insane they sounded during the primary debates.
Beyond the Fairness Doctrine, another evil was imposed via the media. Televising US wars would now be taboo. The evening news would no longer show soldiers slaughtering and being slaughtered. There would be no war reporting or running body counts or live interviews on the battlefield or with victims. War would be sanitized so people would not have to see the global horrors they were paying for. By 2001, the American people could not even conceive they would be attacked in revenge. Or who might be angry with the US, and why. They still have no idea who attacked them. They were completely cut out of the loop while their government turned rogue. It was a coup.
War should be televised every moment of the day to the people who are paying for it. It is their duty to watch the chaos and suffering.
IMAGINE if you woke up the day after a US Presidential Election and headlines around the the world blared, "The Majority of Americans Refused to Vote in US Presidential Election! What Does this Mean?"
I think probably a lot of us
I think probably a lot of us would happily settle for unbiased news sources accurately reporting actual investigative reporting regarding things which affect us or should, especially in areas we'd otherwise be unlikely to hear about.
At any rate, it seems to me that 'right-wing' is now basically a term for pathological corporate culture propaganda while 'left wing' is simply sane and sustainable. Although for the first time, I am, as you've pointed out, reading some FOX stuff and, bizarrely, even something from Breitbart?! without snickering and making faces at the screen. Never thought I'd see the day...
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
I'm new at
it but I'm liking RT News on the web and on the TV. Thom Hartman is a little full of himself but the news end seems OK. I like Lee Camp on Redacted Tonight - he's my new Jon Stewart.
You might be right, but
personally I think that Fox's idea is to have it both ways - to rip Trump and his racist montagnards so that the fascist coup doesn't get co-opted or/and exposed, and get president Hillary to keep them looking good to their base for 2 or 3 more years. (until the impeachment, where they will of course rake it in)
On to Biden since 1973
I completely agree with you
The public is hungry for news and commentary they can trust and believe in. Someone somewhere has to try to work beyond representing a liberal vs conservative confirmation bias as their raison d'etre.
I believe in publicly funded journalism as strongly as I believe in publicly funded politics. Private money/ profit is the biggest corrupter in both arenas.
" “Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough.” FDR "
Money and power can be subtle and insidious
As well as blunt and overt. They don't have to bludgeon you or buy you outright. All they have to do is turn your head, make you forget just a little who you are, which is surprisingly easy, and then they have you.
Now interviewing signature candidates. Apply within.
Too bad we lost NPR/PBS n/t
They were lost about the time Bush was enthroned
They were especially biased this year.
'What we are left with is an agency mandated to ensure transparency and disclosure that is actually working to keep the public in the dark' - Ann M. Ravel, former FEC member
Setting new lows
NPR does seem to be downwards bound: it was awful having to put up with the horrible Cokie Roberts, but now it appears that NPR's worldview is so earlier that they thought that this epitome of centrism needed some balance---from the right!!! Frequently she seems to be granted with the Doughy Payload, Jonah Goldberg.
I don't know about NR and Fox
I don't know about NR and Fox - they're still pretty batshit for my tastes. But I have been a regular reader of The American Conservative for quite a few years. They do have some very intelligent, rational thinkers there - especially in the field of foreign policy. (Daniel Larison, for example). And even though the commenters span the gamut from far right to far left, the discourse is usually kept well within the bounds of respectful disagreement.
The Nation, Mother Jones, the Guardian
seem pretty reliable.
I find the Nation rather untrustworthy--
they have a disturbing tendency to invest loyalty in people like Hillary Clinton and the DNC.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
And Mother Jones had some pro
And Mother Jones had some pro-Monsanto stuff which forever changed my view of them.
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
I've always admired Katrina Vandenheuvel
as a talking head, I think she does a pretty good job of presenting a more liberal viewpoint and effectively countering outright bs. Plus, I can't say I've ever heard her spout any official talking point - In my own personal respect ratings, there is a huge point loss when that happens.
I use to subscribe to The Nation and I always joke that it seemed to be printed on recycled graham crackers or something and I always felt like I should eat an issue after reading it for the fiber content. I have to say that IMO they have the most superficial political columnist in Kevin Drum that I have seen or read recently.
" “Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough.” FDR "
The Guardian is great.
But when it comes to covering UK politics it and the BBC suffer from many of the same biases as "liberal" outlets like the NY Times when covering politics in the U.S. There's a strong bias towards establishment politics, there's a class bias. The focus for the Guardian and BBC is also more London and England centric.
With many of the major media companies there's a bias towards DC and NYC. There's a bias in terms of income and education of editors and reporters who went to elite schools and have incomes in the top 5 percent. "News" anchors on cable and network are solidly in top 1 percent. I think their socio-economic reality is reflected in the way that they report about issues.
Those UK outlets gave Bernie a much more even shake, because they have more distance and objectivity. Similarly, I thinks some of the media in the U.S. doesn't have the same kind of baggage and biases that UK outlets do when reporting about controversies like Scottish independence, the Brexit, or when talking about Jeremy Corbyn.
I'll agree about the Guardian n/t
'What we are left with is an agency mandated to ensure transparency and disclosure that is actually working to keep the public in the dark' - Ann M. Ravel, former FEC member
Fox et al
To borrow Alphalop's quote of Phoebe:
It seems that we're realizing that even though we may disagree vehemently with their opinions, they might let some facts slip in there from time to time. I blame the DNC that even some of their opinions don't seem as stupid any more.
The enemy of my enemy might not be my friend, but they might not always be my enemy, either.
Now interviewing signature candidates. Apply within.
Agreed, they are absolutely not our "friends"...
At best they are allies of convenience.
It is unforuntate though that currently we have to rely on some pretty unsavory people to be our allies.
I wonder if this is how the U.S. felt when aligning itself with Russia during WW II against Germany, which was a bigger threat at the time.
Was Russia ever an Ally in the traditional sense?
Nope. And neither is Fox.
They are just opponents that are useful for this one specific engagement at the moment.
"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me
I still sneak back over and read Meteor-Blades then run down
through the rec list and make a few comments, but don't tarry.
We have been in and out of the country so much and at times in different times zones, but when I check in have gradually adjusted to things here at caucus99percent. Since my lifestyle makes the short form more desirable I miss TOP for that.
Still, the writing and points of view here are more to my liking, and am impressed at what has been accomplished!
I had read Democratic Underground some before joining dk back in 2009, but have not been to DU lately. Looked a little at the Reddit group once but didn't like the format.
Thanks for this info, makes me curious to check some of those out when we get back to the US.
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
Thanks for sharing Jackpine
I will definitely check it out. Once upon a time, I belonged to DU. I found it to be too big and compartmentalized. It didn't fit me so I snuggled in at top. I am not surprised that so many left and plan to never return to their old blog or party. Each new blog has its niche, a different format, and a lot of cross posting that goes on. My only wish would have been for K4S, c99, and TPW to be one big blog.
The flip in new sources is totally amazing.
I found this, saved it, didn't plan to post it. It mentions Breitbart, Soros and the other really crazy guy, but....
http://right.is/politics/2016/07/dear-america-fasten-your-seatbelts-clin...
This one is tame in comparison, but it also goes there.
http://yournewswire.com/fbi-leak-hillary-clinton-foundation-guilty-of-tr...
People are desperate for change.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
I found Jackpine because it is on the blogroll here
I used to post at DU a long time ago but had to evacuate because of the same hall monitor behavior that eventually drove me out of DK. This leads me to the conclusion that I won't ever attempt to roost anywhere again that ties it existence to one political party or candidate. ( Okay, maybe I will if an actual viable New Party with sincere goals that I share ever arises).
I recognize a giant roster of familiar names at all the sites so we really are part of one giant community - kind of individual Blue States in the ether. It's interesting to me how lots of people maintain the same nom de plume for years through multiple sites, including myself.
" “Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough.” FDR "
I'm a member of Jackpineradicals.com
And I like to come here to read almost daily although I am not a great writer or even a very good writer myself, so not much of a contributor.
Phoebe, I've followed your writings for a long time. I was a member of DU until the purge in 2008 and knew of you there and then at OET and now here.
I was glad after several years to see your name pop up again here as I have always enjoyed your original posts. Loved your horse's extensive dental exam yesterday and the ensuing comments. Was a very interesting discussion.
There are more than one of us JPR crossover members here. Madfloridian who, I have also known at all three prior sites and is also now a member of both. She is a self described, 'long poster, truth teller'. (I'm sure you know of her too). So I did tell her that this would be an excellent format for her.
People at JPR wanted to write a letter to Bernie today, so in the morning I linked to the OP here, with the help@berniesanders.com addy and some followed over to wanting to read the letters that were posted here to Bernie as well.
At JPR, we consider Caucus99% to be our sister site and I've often thought it would be advantageous for both sites and similar sites to join forces at times for shared progressive activism, organization, planning events.
Anyhoo, I really enjoy reading the thoughtful posts here, thank you, and since JPR was mentioned thought I'd welcome you all to come visit us at jackpineradicals.com at anytime.
Cheers!
Sirena
Thanks so much for commenting in this thread Sirena
I was on DU for years and always loved the format - something for everyone and a lot of humor as well, until the no deviation from dogma set in. OET was also a positive experience. I only browsed Jackpine Radicals today but saw many familiar names and I sort of chuckled and thought to myself "still standing!" after all this time. Of course I recall madfloridian and so happy to know she is both here and there and you as well.
Here's to all of us who are survivors of Blog Wars, who believe in a free exchange of ideas and commentary in a civil and hopefully entertaining environment wherever we light. Because so many share a lot of common values, I hope we do interact and cross-pollinate and help to promote our own alternative media. Like that PBS show says in it's acknowledgements - working to create a more "just, peaceful and verdant world".
" “Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough.” FDR "
Hi Sirena...
and welcome. It was Melissa G that suggested a few days ago that we add Jackpine Radicals to our blog roll, and thus we did. The next day Manny Goldstein contacted me and thanked us for adding them and said they would reciprocate when a blog roll is implemented there. Pleasantries were exchanged and it was mentioned how the two sites complimented each other and the willingness to work together in the future. We look forward to that.
Thank you for your comment and hope you enjoy caucus99percent.
Use of private server & CGF
I used to think the main reason for the private server was to avoid FOIA. That was minor, compared to the importance of all the players: Billy, Huma, Chelsea, Cheryl, major players at CGF, having simultaneous access to the SOS activity, schedules, future meetings, so they could CO-ORDINATE to use those activities to get money to CGF. Speaking fees, honorariums ( Billy getting $16 million from Laureate, etc) - and it sure worked.
Stunning when Comey refused to answer Gowdy as to whether the FBI was investigating CGF.
dkmich - thanks for link to right.is
Also went to American Conservative - yikes, Pat Buchanan. I'm reading stuff from a site launched by Pat Buchanan. Still remember his speech at Republican convention millions of years ago, and his sister, Bay - YIKES, I'm reading stuff from site launched by Pat Buchanan. Maybe if I say it out loud, I'll believe I'm doing it
Thank you DNC. Learning a lot now....
Alice through the looking glass....
everything is opposite, blowing my mind.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
YIKES, I'm reading stuff from
That's how I felt, too, when I first went over there. But you know, on foreign policy and trade, he knows his stuff. So it really is a good place to go to have some of your own ideas challenged. Even if you don't agree, you'll find yourself having to really THINK about why. And that is always a good thing.
While I think Caucus99 has a good platform for the
long form folks, it works just as well to simply toss out a conversation opener or a simple link with "what do you think about this" as the sole content of the "essay" if you like.
Many folks at DK use to say they were intimidated in posting a diary because they were too self-critical as to whether it was "worthy" enough or apprehensions that the mean people would descend with belittling comments. The second linitation did become part of the culture there with the cliques and swarming. I don't see much if any evidence of that behavior in the new alternatives and hopefully that never happens.
" “Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough.” FDR "
I approve this message
uh - I mean I agree with you wholeheartedly.
C99 can do both long and short.
"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott
Worthy
I posted a diary there twice in 12 years.
For the past few years I even refrained from commenting much at all. Posting to a 300 comment thread seemed rather pointless.
Here is a different story. I can comment and follow the thread.
I want a Pony!
eight years ago
around this time, Clinton II true-believers, they whirled away from Kos, DU, and the like, and set up a number of alternate sites. Some of them quite thrived. For a time. Like this one. Dozens of daily gabblers, essays sparking hundreds of comments. Didn't last. Pretty much backwaters, now. It proved difficult, to maintain any "Democratic Party" blog, wherein the denizens howled ceaselessly against the party's presidential nominee, and then president, and all his merry men (and women), while holding a torch for a party figurine allegedly "outcast," but still quite active. Ceaselessly stabbing their steely knives into Obama, while rolling in ecstasy at all things Clinton. Those folks, too, then as now, hug to their bosoms wingery sources—sources from anywhere—whenever confirmation bias so demands.
Just sayin'.
I don't think this is meant as a "Democratic Party blog." It surely once wasn't. At present, to me, it too much resembles that scene in Being John Malkovich, wherein Malkovich himself shoots through the portal, and enters his own head, and there, all persons he encounters are Malkovich, and all say nothing but "Malkovich." Substitute, here: "Clinton." I don't think that's sustainable. Or desirable.
To be clear
I personally am not looking for another Democratic Party blog and I no longer identify as a Democrat. My point was that the newer blogs have large segments of their populations made up of people who are specifically rejecting the Democratic Party as the answer which is why they are seeking alternatives on the interwebs.
" “Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough.” FDR "
Agreed, if this was a Democratic Party Blog I doubt you would
see very many of the faces that regularly populate it.
I am at the point now where I find the Democratic party even more repulsive then the Republicans!
At least the Republicans have the Ballz to be honest about what they stand for, even if what they stand for is fucking ridiculous by and large.
The Democrats though? They claim to be "Liberal" and "Progressive" while being the exact opposite.
An asshole outside my house trying to screw me over is so much less disgusting than one sitting in my living room trying to convince me of how much of a good friend they are while doing the same shit that the asshole outside wants to do...
And I can't even get a dinner out of it from either of them...
Hey DNC, here is a thought, maybe we wouldn't hate ya quite so much if you at least took us out for ice cream after fucking us since dinner seems to be too much to ask.
Oh, who am I kidding, I should consider myself lucky if they even bother to show me the courtesy of bring lube before they get to the Rogering....
It's my fault though, I probably shouldn't have been so greedy by asking for some ice cream I guess... Why oh why can't I learn to just accept what my betters decide is good for me... /s
"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me
Supposedly free bread and circuses does work sometimes
But gluten is bad for you and there's not enough circuses, these days, to let everybody see one.
Beware the bullshit factories.
Hah! That was funny! And now I need to watch the Gluten Episiode
of South Park.
Juvenile humor at it's finest.
"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me
Haven't heard of that episode
I'll have to look it up.
Beware the bullshit factories.
Be careful, there lots of "objects" flying around
that could put someone's eye out in that episode.
"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me
Demonizing
Offshoots from the Democratic Underground and Daily Kos message boards abound, some of which are on facebook and some of which are simply other boards. Also, a number of people have either abandoned message boards or skipped them entirely, in favor of facebook, twitter, instagram, etc.
I don't look at RW sources, but I am happy to have others do that and bring the news from them back to me. RW sources probably eviscerated Bernie even more than they did Hillary. Still, at some point, hopefully soon, the plebes on the right and the plebes on the left need to learn somehow to join forces. Those in power cause us to demonize each other while they work toward their common goals, but being divided from each other is not to the advantage of the plebe class.
Actually outside of the usual red baiting and whatnot
the RW actually seems to oddly respect and even like Sanders.
Sure, they shit on his policies but you usually don't see the kind of direct personal attacks on him that you get from the Clintonites at the other place.
Pretty sad when "Left Wing Blogs" are harsher on the most progressive candidate in the race than the frigging Republicans....
"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me
Word games.
"Centrist" and Leftist are two very different things.
On the one hand, both the center and the right have worked to discredit the term "liberal." On the other hand, they are also attempting to pretend that politics is divided in two, conservative or liberal, with all Democrats, from Tester to Brown and Warren being lumped under "liberal."
I will check out Jackpines.
I do not even read Meteor Blades anymore. I might take a glimpse at DK if there is some breaking news that has little or nothing to do with politics.
Leipar Destin is now establishing some rules for civil discussion that will not rise to the level of censorship.
When reading the comments, I see several posters that always say the same thing, over and over: "I will vote for Hillary and so will Bernie!" There is sort of a shaming that occurs for not falling into line. My overall impression of The Progressive Wing is that it is a fairly friendly version of More and Better Democrats, and since I do not identify as a Democrat, it is not a good fit for me.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
As long as we are talking blogosphere...
Please put Orchestrated Pulse on the blogroll here.
“One of the things I love about the American people is that we can hold many thoughts at once” - Kamala Harris
I second that
That take down of Chomsky's 'lesser of two evils' argument was amazing.
I want a Pony!
Was anybody else stunned by that?
Of all the people I thought would support the DNC, he was one of the last I'd expect!
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
that really surprised me...
i have a hard time featuring someone who identifies as something of an anarchist urging people to vote for a neoliberal warmonger.
i would have hoped that he would have gotten behind a real people's uprising and used his gravitas to push hard for it.
perhaps he has just run out of optimism about the american public.
Jackpines
Interesting...the 5th rule
5. Most Importantly, this website supports Bernie Sanders for President.
Please do not waste our time extolling the imaginary virtues of any other candidate or try to sneak them in pretending you're undecided, or pretending you're a Bernie supporter when all you can talk about is how wonderful Hillary is. We're not interested; find another site for that.
Good to know. Thanks.
Just goes to show that every site is unique in the community they are trying to build. I have no interest in official endorsements and groupthink anymore so I guess I am in the right place for me, even though I do support Bernie.
I admire their software platform, must have cost big bucks I would imagine
" “Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough.” FDR "
Never going back
I am never going back to DKos, and that means never. I too do not identify as Dem, I am an independent not part of anybody's base.
"We've done the impossible, and that makes us mighty."
I'm with you
It's rotten from the inside out at this point.
"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott
Exactly.
The majority of the people there neither share my opinions nor tolerate them. Life's too short to hang out with Republicans or other people who admire Clinton Foundation corruption and advocate for fracking, Monsanto, middle eastern wars, random drone bombings, the destruction of what little power labor still has in this country, and the killer deductibles of Obamacare. After all, we can "never ever" have single payer. The "sit down, shut up and let your betters make the decisions" crowd can have Dailykos all to themselves. My blood pressure can't handle it when they call themselves "progressives."
Twain Disciple
The divorce is final.
Liberals and Democrats were allies of convenience. Over the last 30 years, that relationship evolved into an abusive one, in which the establishment held the Left in contempt and framed it as being responsible for every single political failing committed by the party in order to marginalize and isolate those who oppose the neoliberal agenda.
I think that the tensions in the blogosphere are representative of the larger trends in the body politic. For the first time in a long time, huge numbers of people are ready to abandon the two-party system and no longer have faith that choosing the lesser evil is a sound thing to do.
For liberals, Bernie's candidacy was something of an awakening, forcing us to recognize facts about the Democratic Party that we probably already knew but tried to ignore because we thought that it was best to work within the existing framework. It's impossible to persist in that belief after seeing the rigged nature of the primary. A lot of others already recognized these truths long before now and were willing to take action, hence the existence of the Green Party, but it took this event to really wake people from their stupor and force them to stand up and fight back against the system.
I honestly do not think that establishment Democrats realize how much they have lost. They do not understand the magnitude of this disaffection or how much it will impact future elections when the choice between quicksand or a bullet to the head isn't as meaningful. The results of the 2014 midterms were already representative of that fact. The Democratic Party has literally lost an entire generation of voters (and many others) with their shenanigans.
Agree re: an awakening
What was also an "awakening" for me was how Kos dealt with what was, and was not allowed, on GOS.
I never wrote a diary, didn't comment much until Bernie's campaign. Use Ad Buster Plus, so never gave money to GOS either. Think the "model" is as manipulative as HuffPost - using the writing of individuals and not paying for it. Guess thinking the "compensation" of allowing anyone to use their platform justifies it. Who knows.
Do know that Kos sold what was left of his Soul, and wasn't shy about bragging about it. We can all see what Kos has lost, and how the quality of his site has disintegrated. His braggadocio and sense of "power" was funny to see, at first, then, just so disgusting, reminding me exactly of the candidate he's supporting in this election.
So, an awakening, and in some ways, a death of real Hope. My responsibility for the later, honestly thought Bernie could pull off getting the nomination. Haven't been a Democrat since the party was taken over by Clintons/DLC/"neoliberals." Still open to seeing what we can create now. Open, but not hopeful.
TOP is a wasteland.
His numbers are tanking. The place is so boring that even some of the people there complain about it being an echo chamber. OPOL is gone. Bobswern is gone I think. The only one still left is TomP. Kos must have been well paid to destroy his blog, or he thought everyone would come back wagging their tails behind them. Like the DP, TOP destroyed itself to me
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
asdf
[VIDEO:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kr6aQDxj7D8]
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
I think you've got this exactly right
As does Phoebe in her customarily excellent way. I haven't bothered to register as an Independent yet, but may try to do so on the designated Bail-out day once Hillary is nominated.
Many of us in this boat are in reality late to the party, since Democratic Party ID has already cratered from low-mid 40's to 29% by last summer. I'd be surprised if it hadn't dropped further since. Those of us who have still been hanging on were part of an already-shrinking minority. The best way to communicate our feelings about the Democratic Party is probably to join the exodus, and try to push their numbers below 25%. If both parties together can't represent half the electorate, that's a signal that even our establishment and corporate media boot lickers would find hard to ignore.
The political market opportunity for representation of working and poor people is so great it can't go unfilled forever. Perhaps the best way to bring about the party we want to see is to finally stop pretending that the Democrats are, or ever will be, that party. Delegitimizing them is the first step to taking away their hold on their remaining
suckersfollowers.Please help support caucus99percent!
Groups that cheat to win
Groups that cheat to win elections don't need to worry about disaffected voters or about gaining votes which they can make up for themselves. Lol, no wonder some of the most fanatic among the Hillary crowd insisted that they didn't want anyone but 'loyal Dems' in the party and to hell with the rest of you American voting citizens!
Also, if a corporate/billionaire candidate gains the Presidency, the TPP and the other corporate coups will unconstitutionally 'legally' offshore domestic law to corporate control for maximized corporate profits in all involved countries and corporate management of corporate assets is not selected by the peons, so - for how long will the pretense of elections continue in any country?
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
The Soviet Union held regular elections with over
90% participation. Voting was required, I believe but the populace was very cynical about the government.
"The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?" ~Orwell, "1984"
You made the point I was trying to make much better than I did
Thanks so much for your comment. (Edit - that was addressed to cloudy_skies. Doesn't look like a reply to me, maybe I just hit comment.)
" “Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough.” FDR "
Congress is not a branch of government
It was once.
Congress is "a tremendous, fascinating toy, a machine whose buttons and levers disgorge ever more wealth, more powerc and ever more intoxicating triumphs."
Insurrection by David Weber & Steve White
It's all part of "The Game of Thrones".
"They'll say we're disturbing the peace, but there is no peace. What really bothers them is that we are disturbing the war." Howard Zinn
I've been meaning to say
I love your writing. A distinct style that is uplifting. A sort of dance of words.
Not a writer meself. Just comments. That'll do me.
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.