The Summer of McResistance
Good News!
The Democrats announced "McResistance Summer" today, and nothing says grassroots, democratic, political action like vast pools of dark money.
Unveiled on Twitter, Clinton's new group will whip the current opposition to Trump into a well-oiled political machine by raising grassroots armies, organizing demonstrations, and recruiting candidates. And notably, this new resistance will run almost exclusively off of dark money.
Onward Together is registered with the Internal Revenue Services as a 501(c)4. That filing status allows the group to accept donations without the need to disclose the identity of their donors. Contributions, as the group's website notes, "are not deductible" but they are unlimited, one of the main advantages of so-called "dark money."
Now some of you might think that I'm being unfair by calling this prepackaged, heavily processed, over-marketed, unhealthy political movement The McResistance.
The reality is the name is extremely appropriate.
Yes, really. This is an actual McDonald's web site.
Even the Tea Party wasn't this phony.
The apparel carries several slogans such as “vive la résistance” imposed over fast food or the image of Ronald McDonald’s fist raised in solidarity—notable that it is the mascot’s fist raised in solidarity and not that of, say, a fictionalized employee. The imagery is the explicit merger of the language of resistance with that of global capitalism. Political action is reduced to another commodity on the market.
...Here resistance becomes another product paradoxically upholding the status quo rather than challenging it. Wall Street’s problem isn’t that the financial industry explicitly profits off others poverty, they just need more women as board members. McDonald’s hasn’t fought paying employees a living wage—it’s part of the resistance. That liberalism is largely uninterested in challenging the status quo makes this emphasis on the symbolic necessary.
The transparent fakeness of this is so bad that Jimmy Dore calls it cartoonish.
At least they would be cartoonishly funny, if they weren't warmongers as well.
When you think about it, this phony McResistance is exactly what you should expect from a group that is completely out of touch with what is happening at the grassroots.
“CAP couldn’t have made [the Ideas Conference] feel any less like that if they tried,” joked one progressive activist who attended Tuesday but wished to remain anonymous for professional reasons.
It’s hard to envision a functional political party where there’s such a fissure between the elites and the grassroots.
... “If you want to understand why establishment Democrats lose, look at CAP. They hold their…grassroots conference at the Four Seasons and don’t invite grassroots progressives,” one progressive strategist affiliated with Sanders but not authorized to speak for him told The Nation. “They charge $1,000 per ticket to attend their ‘Progressive Party’…and eat canapes while wondering why they are out of touch with the rest of the country.”
This deep-seated contempt for the progressive base by the elites of the Democratic Party didn't just happen. It's been there for a long time.
Check this out from 2010.
On Monday, Vice President Joseph Biden told a crowd of Democratic voters in New Hampshire that the “base constituency” had to “stop whining and get out there and look at the alternatives.” The point, he argued, is that the legislative accomplishments of this administration were more motivational than a cause for discontent. On Tuesday, the president echoed the point in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, in which he was quoting as saying it was “inexcusable for any Democrat or progressive right now to stand on the sidelines in this midterm election.”
“People need to shake off this lethargy,” he said. “People need to buck up,”
That, of course, is nothing compared to Rahm Emanuel.
We learn from former auto-industry car czar Steve Rattner that Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel said “Fuck the UAW” during tough takeover talks – just like he called progressives “fucking retarded” for contemplating primary challenges against conservative Democrats.
Comments
Resist the Resistance.
Here is the heart of the Democratic dilemma. They resist. What do they resist? Not just Trump. They resist a living wage: paying convention staff just $10 per hour.
What else do they resist? Open and honest primary elections. See the ongoing cancer about to devour the entire DemonRATic establishment known as the DNC fraud suit.
What else do they resist? This one is elementary: they resist peace.
There is much more to their empty resistance, spear-headed by the empty-policy hawking murdering whore Killary Klinton who has graciously deigned to "lead" the resistance.
They resist grassroots participation in the formulations of their New Resistance Ideology (which is simply to reinforce the neoliberal neocon status quo) by charging $1000 for the privilege to attend--a price that is probably one week's earnings of the 99%.
One story has it that the blue "Idea Book" dispensed to participants consisted only of blank pages.
I resist McDonald's because I like my burgers grilled, not fried. Perhaps Trumpistas will boycott the Golden Arches in retribution for their alliance in this NWO capitalist stupid attempt at a pointless resistance which offers nothing of substance to the people--just like their greasy fried potatoes.
Non-existence
Actually, a lot of the 99% would be quite happy to be bringing home $1K/week. For far too many, they are lucky if they are able to drag up $1K per month. Yeah, it's that bad. For the Democratic Party, these people don't even exist.
Yes they do -
The DNC calls them "deplorables".
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
1000 dollars
That's "one month's earnings for the 99%". One month. Four weeks.
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
There will be a "March for Truth" June 3
when the paranoid masses will march in the streets in 80 cities. It's going to be interesting to see exactly how many Americans have drunk Hillary's koolaide and fucked their brains up.
Number: count the pussyhats and multiply by 4
After seeing this list, I am glad that I unsubscribed from MoveOn months ago.
Couldn’t be bothered to march for, say, 9/11 or Iraq WMD truth
Say what you will about 9/11 “truthers,“ at least the truth they seek to uncover involves something authentically significant — the seminal event of 21st century American history.
Interesting demand
"Congress must compel Donald Trump to release his tax returns to clarify any foreign obligations"
Congress has not compelled ANY other candidate in history to release their tax returns which are private financial data. Most politicians release them because not releasing them hurts at the polls. That is not a requirement to be on the ballot nor should it be.
And calling for Congress to pass a law affecting only one specific individual. That would be a Bill of Attainder, forbidden by the Constitution. Congress could make a law requiring Presidential candidates to release their tax returns, I suppose. But that would apply only to future elections, otherwise it would be an ex post facto law, also forbidden by the Constitution.
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
@CB Not again. Jesus fucking
Not again. Jesus fucking Christ. More pussyhat marches?
"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
@CB I knew Indivisible was
I knew Indivisible was controlled opposition.
"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
If this is occuring anyway
why not attempt to use it to our advantage? Go to it and carry signs that demand Single Payer Healthcare Now!
The time is right for that one in particular, since there's already support and the Republican abomination bill is out there, plus it's embarrassing to Democrats who don't have the gumption to give us what we want and what is best for the country.
If healthcare doesn't excite you, pick whatever agenda-specific issue floats your boat. Dark Money Out of Politics! Is another good one, IMO. For every Onward Together placard it would be great if there was a policy sign to counter it.
" “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 would not want to associate single payer with that crowd.
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
Really? I want to associate Single Payer
with any and every crowd.
" “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 "
Lie down with dogs and get up with fleas.
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
Hijack a protest!
I think that's a brilliant idea.
Here's an idea for a protest sign:
Trump is as corrupt as the DNC!
Medicare-for-all NOW!
Stop the wars of terror!
what do you think?
Here's another idea:
You can fight for President Pence,
or you can fight to stop the wars
@gjohnsit If you came out
If you came out with Trump is corrupt as the DNC and stop President Pence signs, then that would be a non-co-optable, indigestible message.
The MSM still wouldn't cover it, so the hijacking would be limited, but if you want to go piss off a bunch of partisans, that is a valid way to do it.
"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'm all for pissing off the lemmings
Especially when they realize that I'm not a Trump fan either.
@gjohnsit I've changed my
I've changed my mind; this tactic might produce something of value--but only if care is taken with the messaging.
"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
True
I wasn't talking about just showing up and waving my arms.
The idea was to subvert the establishment message.
@gjohnsit My point is
My point is not that you intended to flail uselessly. But people said that they should carry Medicare for All signs and other policy-based signs. IMO, doing that will have no useful effect. Only signs which in some way call out or attack the premises of the original march will help. Like the Trump is as corrupt as the DNC sign.
They'll never admit that they are FOR endless war, FOR the police state, or AGAINST Medicare for all, so it will do no good to wave signs like that at them. They'll just say: Oh of course we'd all like that, but we have to deal with the world as we find it. Now go back and play with your toys, dear, and let the adults make the decisions.
"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
♪ ♫ Sing a song of preznit Pence, a pocket full of rye
Polls a-plenty backed Her, based on a lie
With the prim’ry stolen, the Bernie fans took wing . . .
@lotlizard You're good at
You're good at this. Kudos!
"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
(blushes) Tee hee. Thank you! n/t
@Phoebe Loosinhouse Including one that
Including one that purports to support it but accepts the declaration that it's impossible with a knowing smile?
Uh-uh.
"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
"any and every crowd"
Whether they want that association or not!
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
They would be glad for your participation. However,
they will richplain why we can't have nice things like single payer, $15 minimum wage, renewable energy, etc. They will co-opt any message to their own ends, IMO.
"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"
Only if you let them
I like the idea of hijacking the protest.
They won't see it coming.
Exactly.
Pull the rug out from under them by advocating for something they should be advocating for themselves and which exposes their hollowness and hypocrisy.
" “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 "
@Phoebe Loosinhouse It won't expose
It won't expose their hypocrisy. They will cheer your sign and tell you that when Hillary gets rid of Trump and we take over Congress we will get single payer.
"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
@Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal Or they'll tell
Or they'll tell you we'd all like to have those nice things, but we can't, because the world is a big bad mean place and you have to be pragmatic.
"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
They won't see it coming? I beg to differ. They have
been glomming onto anti-Trump resistance since Hillary
blewlost the election. I wish that were not so, but that is what I have been seeing. They will count your body and ignore your message because they are just that kind of a$$holes."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"
Who's "they"?
Our target is the people. Many of them simply haven't really thought about things very deeply.
A well-worded protest sign can start a conversation. It's not something the organizers have planned for. They expect lemmings.
No one really cares if the protest numbers 8,000 or 8,003.
@gjohnsit The idea of
The idea of holding up a sign either relies on the corporate mass media to focus on your single-payer sign--highly unlikely--or else relies on the idea of trying to reach the people standing around you. At best, what will happen is they will agree with your single-payer sign and assure you that the Democrats will be bringing that to us as soon as they demolish Trump and take over Congress in 2018. That's the same thing we all thought when we were attempting to demolish Bush and take over Congress in 2006.
Partisans like that are probably the last people we should work with, and I say that with sorrow, since it includes a lot of people I care about.
"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
We need to work with regular people
I don't agree.
Regular people will be at those protests. If you make just a couple people think about the issues then it is worth it.
Plus
there is the fact that we can't win an election without them.
I suggest that people who want policy oriented messages band together and show up as groups large enough to be difficult to ignore.
@gjohnsit Most of those
Most of those people will tell you that they already agree with single payer, it's just not politically possible. Like they'd like NOT to have endless war, but it's just not pragmatic. They'll start by clapping you on the back and telling you how much they agree with you--one big tent--and end by telling you that in the adult real world we can't have unicorns and magic ponies.
I'm not sure what you're trying to accomplish--and I don't mean that as a shitty attack; I'd like to understand. Who do you think is going to be at these marches who doesn't believe (in principle) in single payer?
Now if you held up signs with truly indigestible concepts like "Trump--as Corrupt as the DNC!" on them, like I think you suggest elsewhere, that might accomplish something. But simply holding up signs like Stop Global Warming or Stop Fracking or End the Wars or Medicare for All isn't going to do much--the establishment is inoculated against these concepts. "We'd all like to have that dear, but we live in the real world. You can't have a dolly or a Super-Blammo Train Set." That's the tack they've been taking since 2010, and it hasn't failed them yet.
"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
8,000 or 8,003
And three well-placed monkey wrenches can be a big impediment to 8,000 mindless cogs!
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
@Lily O Lady They will say of course
They will say of course we will have all those things after we defeat Donald Trump and the Republicans.
"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 know, and it bugs the hell out of me!
"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"
@Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal O@Lily O Lady Or
O Or else they'll say we'll never have those things because they're impossible, but of course we'd all like to have them, dear.
"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
@Phoebe Loosinhouse Respectfully, I disagree.
Respectfully, I disagree.
Don't add numbers to their shitshow, and by all means don't associate causes you love with it. There are plenty of people who distrust this whole movement, and rightfully so, given that affiliates also make jokes about white people committing suicide.
"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
there's a place for it
I don't know about all that. I think Phoebe's talking about monkeywrenching Killary's phony movement.
Please allow me to review where the term "monkeywrenching" comes from. It comes from the expression "monkey wrench in the gears", where a factory worker's dropped tool causes the entire factory to grind to a dead halt. Of course, in the era around the Haymarket Affair in the 1880s, actual resisters were dropping wrenches quite deliberately in places where they'd get stuck in gears, stopping the factories cold and forcing bosses to pay attention to their workers' demands. In later decades, this concept was expanded to include actual use of wrenches on the equipment to the same sabotage end.
I think there's place for Phoebe's idea. Show up looking like nice, loyal little monkeys, and then suddenly start demanding things that Killary and Company really don't want! I think that the demonstrated reaction to these things by Killary's ilk -- immediate actions to silence and distance from genuine leftists -- will insure that your objections will be met, as nobody will associate our causes with hers any more. (The experiences of the Berniacs at the Democratic National Convention in 2016 is instructive here, IMHO.) And this will leave Big MSM with a paradoxical Sophie's Choice: cover the marches and thereby publicize the Left, or not?
But then, I've always been friendly to monkeywrenching, so your mileage may well vary!
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
1975 — Edward Abbey, “The Monkey Wrench Gang”
http://www.abbeyweb.net/books/ea/monkey_wrench.html
WRENCH those monkeys!
And "No Justice, No Peace -- US OUT of the Middle East!"
WRENCH those monkeys! It's the fastest way to get them off our backs!
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
The infestation is deep
until we use roundout on clinton/o this is what we have to live with
her heinous is either already running for 2020 or trying to buy the
next D candidate so her grifting can continue.
As Jimmy D said this is all fucking BS, I couldn't agree more
I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish
"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"
Heard from Margaret Kimberley
My wife had been planning on joining the first march here
She was all hepped up on "Stop Trump". Then I explained to her the political realities of "the resistance". She's asleep right now but I can't wait to show this article to her because it is the exact reality I predicted.
A lot of wanderers in the U.S. political desert recognize that all the duopoly has to offer is a choice of mirages. Come, let us trudge towards empty expanse of sand #1, littered with the bleached bones of Deaniacs and Hope and Changers.
-- lotlizard
If you ain't attacking paramilitary forces, you ain't resisting.
You're protesting.
In favor of one side of the establishment, against the other side, who both serve the same side.
Effectively, you're protesting nothing. "Keep Things The Same" is not a cry to action, it's a cry for help.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0efvZbbmPk]
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
McResistance is McFutile
Just right for the DKos demographic.
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.
I'd be more inclined to resist
the blandishments of the shadowy corporate sponsors who are actually paying for all this propaganda. I know it must be hard to resist big money if it comes your way, but you'd think the Dems might at least try. As it is, I don't think they give a shit where their money comes from, or how many strings are attached to it.
native
Good time to start a Down with the Duopoly counter
protest, "Resist the Duopoly".
A plague on both their houses!
"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"
I just went to the website
And every product shows sold out. I don't know whether to laugh cry or be appalled at the fact one of the biggest franchises out there refusing to offer a living wage found this many sheep.
Truly shows the danger of politics and capitalism intertwined.
See, their morals, their code... it's a bad joke. Dropped at the first sign of trouble. They're only as good as the world allows them to be.
-The Joker-
That's as perfect as it is inevitable in our
corrupt system. They suck even more time and money from the 99% toward their own ends.
"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"
@Dragonkat Remember that these
Remember that these things can be engineered.
It's possible that they've learned their lesson after the horrific failure of Hillary's books.
Of course, it's also possible they've found that many fools. But don't assume anything.
"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 in the age of "Cafepress"
Sold Out means :
A. We're creating artificial scarcity. (See Nintendo's playbook.)
B. We've been told to knock it off by upper management, but the PR is good. Sold out is MUCH better than deleted with no reason.
C. We got sued.
D. Our lawyer told us we MIGHT get sued.
E. There was a nice phone call from a gentleman who in no way threatened me. However, we'd like you to take a look at our new "Hillaresistance" shirts and merchandise now.
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
No one has ever gone broke......
“No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.”
-- attributed to P.T. Barnum paraphrasing H.L. Mencken
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
On the rec'd list of TOP now
link
Please allow me to GUESS at the comments.
Lots of talk about "How does this win us elections" "This Helps" and arguments about the definitions of words and labels that take up time and completely ignore the point.
Oh, and the poster is racist and probably sexist.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgSPaXgAdzE]
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
your guess is spot-on
Dead-on as always, DMW.
At least, that's a good summary of what I saw until I was unwilling to put up with any more crashing scripts and advertising infestation.
The day will soon be here that actual content falls below 10%, with all the rest corporate ads and support for the same.
Just like the Party they claim to represent.
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
And anyway, the page design
makes the damn comment threads practically unreadable. Kossacks must be wearing out their index fingers scrolling through oceans of empty space, and trying to read long columns that are four characters wide. You'd think a hot-shot site that prides itself with being so tech savvy could at least do a little better than that.
native
Form equals content. A whole lotta effort for a whole
lotta nuthin'.
"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"
I saw it, who is roonie?
thanks, your writing seems to be resonating over there, maybe emboldened more people to pipe up with their own truth, which is good I think. The comments made me lol per usual, got through about a dozen or so and started scrolling.
Thanks goodness this place is not like that where same ones just go on and on and on trying to drown out agreement about anything. At least agree to disagree and stop fighting, conflict resolution is not that hard, neither is consensus. smh? Reminds me of bobble-head dolls now.
Kos is earning his page views per usual too I guess. Nothing to see there, move along, 700+ comments later... ad servers go ka-ching. All that fancy new code was worth it eh?
Thanks
Does this remind you of anything?
@lotlizard Sharing the same
Sharing the same political consultant firm, are we?
"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