The Neoconization of the Democratic Party

There are two incompatible movements in today's Democratic Party.

On one end is a grassroots, issues-based progressive movement that Howard Dean complains about.
On the other end is the "emerging unholy alliance" between neoconservatives and identity-politics leaning, establishment Democrats.

It is, in fact, the ultimate union of mainstream Democratic foreign policy officials and the world’s most militant, and militaristic, neocons.
...Democrats often justify this union as a mere marriage of convenience: a pragmatic, temporary alliance necessitated by the narrow goal of stopping Trump. But for many reasons, that is an obvious pretext, unpersuasive in the extreme. This Democrat/neocon reunion had been developing long before anyone believed Donald Trump could ascend to power, and this alliance extends to common perspectives, goals, and policies that have little to do with the current president.

Sadly, it isn't just belt-way politicians. Democratic voters have come around to supporting war criminals like John McCain and George W. Bush.

Caitlin Johnstone tells us the neocons have discovered a new way to appeal to mainstream Democrats - using Identity Politics.

Resistance hero Keith Olbermann says he owes George W Bush and John McCain an apology for the times he disagreed with them, and MSNBC’s Joy Reid openly admitted that she prefers people like Boot as allies instead of actual leftists and progressives:

One of the most amazing outcomes of the Trump administration is the number of neo-conservatives that are now my friends and I am aligned with. I found myself agreeing on a panel with Bill Kristol. I agree more with Jennifer Rubin, David Frum, and Max Boot than I do with some people on the far left. I am shocked at the way that Donald Trump has brought people together. [Laughs.]
~ Joy Reid

It isn't just the odious Max Boot that is "woke".
The Father of Evil himself, Bill Kristol is "woke" as well.

Kristol, after all, is famous for, among other things, working hard to get us into the Iraq War and working hard to defeat Bill and Hillary Clinton’s 1993 plan to expand health care coverage. Tomasky writes, “Well, Bill Kristol’s done a lot of things I don’t like. And I’ve probably done a lot of things he didn’t like. … But I’m ready even to forget Iraq.”

It appears that as long as you appeal to Identity Politics, many mainstream Dems are more than willing to overlook anything in your past, including war crimes.
After all, what's a bigger offense: whitesplaining or the rape and murder of hundreds of thousands of women and children?
Obviously whitesplaining is the larger crime. At least to some liberal Dems.
If only the Nazis apologized for their white male privilege at the Nuremberg Trials, they wouldn't have been hung.

To me, this is concrete proof that Identity Politics is being used by the ruling elites to further the cause of the oligarchy.

boot.png

Share
up
0 users have voted.

Comments

Meteor Man's picture

It's official now. Greenwald is exactly right. I have a catacysmic nightmare that the Democrats are going to lose big in the 2018 "wave election". I'm struggling to figure out which outcome is the worst; Democrats winning back Congress or Republicans staying in power.

Once again proving that the least of two evils is still evil. I do not see any possible favorable outcome.

up
0 users have voted.

"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

@Meteor Man
If it was up to the Dem establishment, the Dems will underperform in 2018 again. They will likely gain some seats, but fail to win either house of Congress.

If the progressive grassroots can defeat both the Dem establishment and the GOP, then the sky is the limit.

up
0 users have voted.
dervish's picture

@Meteor Man and Adelson the other. God only knows what they'll argue about, they agree on everything that counts.

up
0 users have voted.

"Obama promised transparency, but Assange is the one who brought it."

I am shocked at the way that Donald Trump has brought people together. [Laughs.]

Yeah...really peculiar...almost like it was by design or something...

up
0 users have voted.

Idolizing a politician is like believing the stripper really likes you.

SnappleBC's picture

“Well, Bill Kristol’s done a lot of things I don’t like. And I’ve probably done a lot of things he didn’t like. … But I’m ready even to forget Iraq.”

Yeah bud. Good for you. I'm glad that you are willing to forgive the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of people for profit and power. Me? I call that a sociopathic monster and I don't need to "forgive them". They need to be put away so they can no longer do their monstrous things.

up
0 users have voted.

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

Pariah Dog's picture

@SnappleBC

That Iraqis are ready to forget and forgive the whole thing too . One big happy, touchy-feely family of man... humankind!

up
0 users have voted.

Meddle not in the affairs of Dragons - For thou art crunchy and good with ketchup

SnappleBC's picture

I thought what that phrase referred to is the long standing mixture of neocon foreign policy and neolib domestic policy? So other than a bit of kabuki theater, this seems like the same old story. Hillary Clinton, after all, took Henry Kissinger on stage. What could possibly be more eloquent than that?

And then there is this bit...

It appears that as long as you appeal to Identity Politics, many mainstream Dems are more than willing to overlook anything in your past, including war crimes.

Again, this is hardly news. Both Obama and Hillary Clinton were fairly dramatic war criminals... arguably worse than Bush. No part of the Dem establishment or the remaining Dem voters seems to have a problem with that. It's pretty plain that this culture really doesn't give a shit how many people it bombs into the stone age... how many tens of millions of lives are destroyed.

up
0 users have voted.

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

identity politics will have a very short shelf life, at least this particular toxic version. It's too counterproductive. SJW comic books don't sell, people don't watch SJW movies and tv shows for long, there are only so many careers that can be destroyed before people say, "Enough! Stop it all ready!"
People have legitimate complaints, that's why this whole thing started and why it's continued as long as it has. But this is not based on legitimacy, it is based on demogogery and anger and a need to act out. The fever will break.

up
0 users have voted.

On to Biden since 1973

Unabashed Liberal's picture

@doh1304 @doh1304 @doh1304

what's unfolding as just the opposite of 'getting away from' identity politics (IP). If anything, according to many Dem talking heads on teevee, there will be a ramping up of IP prior to both the 2018 and 2020 election cycles.

At the minimum, I believe that we can expect to see 2-3 African-American Presidential candidates, in order to bring out 'the Base.' Of course, Harris's run will be a 'twofer,' since it satisfies the 'first woman President' criteria, as well. Also, heard earlier today (on CNN) that Bernie is likely to run in order to bring the other major demographic group (that Dems need) into the fold--college students.

(When I've got more time, I'll post some of the stats from the Alabama race--they were astounding. Of course, the DNC sunk a million dollars on GOTV, alone, per Tom Perez. Plus, they used Bernie's network from his Presidential run.)

Anyhoo, more than ever, I expect Dems to continue to throw working class folks--whites, anyway--under the bus. Remember, since WJC's presidency, Democrats have increasingly been beholden to their donor class, and to the ever-expanding and noveau riche Millionaire/Professional Class.

Lately, I've begun to think that the latter has a greater hold over the Party, than even their major fundraisers. And that could be even more toxic, since their numbers are in the millions, not in the hundreds, like the US billionaire class. (I'm not so much referring to folks worth a few million. My reference is to those who, like many of our lawmakers, have a net worth in the tens and hundreds of millions. That number has increased dramatically over the past two decades.)

I've seen more and more articles sounding the alarm about this phenomena, over the past year or so. It's about time. I have to believe that the 99% Meme must truly please a lot of rich lawmakers--like Mark Warner (D) and Nancy Pelosi (D), to even more wealthy lawmakers, such as Darrell Issa (R) and Michael McCaul (R). Of course, for years, there was former Dem Senator John Kerry, not only wealthy in his own right, he was married to a heir to the Heinz fortune--a billionairess.

(Warner's worth is between 75-200 million; Pelosi's worth between 42 and 202 million; Issa and McCaul are both worth approximately 350 million; Kerry's wife's worth was/is one billion.)

Also, I've read quite a bit about Dems running candidates who 'fit the bill' for each individual district. Sounds like a page right out of the Rahm Emanuel playbook!

Wink

IOW, suppose folks should get ready to see a lot more Conservadems elected, and a rightward tilt of the Dem Party--if they do succeed in taking back the House and/or Senate in 2018.

Have a good one!

[Edited: Deleted 'd'; corrected worth of Warner and Pelosi, to include the range; corrected worth of Issa and McCaul--neither worth over 350 million; corrected spelling of Darrell Issa's first name--left out second 'l'.]

Mollie


"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage."--Lao Tzu


"Purity test"??
I've come to flag that phrase, like many others, as a tool of neoliberalism in order to shut down intelligent conversation. When someone disagrees with you, their issues are not lesser than yours. The lines that they draw are not inferior to yours. They are not being "pure" when they honor those lines. Rather, they are acting with principle.
--SnappleBC

up
0 users have voted.

Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

@Unabashed Liberal
Over half of Marvel's comics ship less than 20,000 copies (they sell a lot less)The Marvel name is now radioactive, like the Democratic party name. To extrapolate, an identity politician can expect less than 10% of the vote. Of course it won't be that bad, but then again his opponent, no matter how odious, can expect more votes in his favor than against him simply because of the negative value of identity politics, just as in some places (most of the US) being a Democrat costs more votes than it brings.

up
0 users have voted.

On to Biden since 1973

@Unabashed Liberal I believe the primaries are going to be very important in the coming campaigns. We have the opportunity to reject the establishment candidates. I think those who Demexited last year should reregister so that they could have some effect on primaries in the states with closed primaries; unfortunately, too late for New York. I hear that the Dems are flushed with candidates for the coming campaigns and many are Sanders followers.

up
0 users have voted.

It's simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves that we've been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back. Carl Sagan

Unabashed Liberal's picture

@chambord

impression that in many instances, when progressive groups like OR (Our Revolution) back a candidate, they're doing so in races where there is no Dem Establishment-backed candidate. Plus, there have been quite a few articles regarding the Dem Leadership's recruitment criteria--candidates selected to 'fit' the District, etc. Quite a few of them are former military. On the one hand, that makes sense if the objective is simply 'to win.' But, it also means that many of the recruits are likely Conservadems.

Of course, I'm just 'speculating'--I don't know. You could very well be right. Pleasantry

Have a good one!

Mollie


"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage."--Lao Tzu


"Purity test"??
I've come to flag that phrase, like many others, as a tool of neoliberalism in order to shut down intelligent conversation. When someone disagrees with you, their issues are not lesser than yours. The lines that they draw are not inferior to yours. They are not being "pure" when they honor those lines. Rather, they are acting with principle.
--SnappleBC

up
0 users have voted.

Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

@Unabashed Liberal and it's bleak. The only thing that could alter it is if the bubbles the economy are running on start bursting. If there is another Obama like response I think that could shift the focus back to domestic concerns big time. The Fed has no room to move. The republicans only have tax cuts for the rich, cuts for the social programs,and the dems can't go anywhere on identity politics and agree with the r's on so much. The only remedies that haven't been tried are those of the left. Bernie showed there's a need for that.

up
0 users have voted.
snoopydawg's picture

the new rules are that as long as one opposes Trump or goes along with identity politics, people are willing to forgive the hundreds of thousands of people who were slaughtered by our military? Alrighty then.

Hillary asked the crowd if "breaking up the big banks would end racism, would raising the minimum wage end sexism, would passing universal health end....?" Each time the crowd said "NO!, we can't walk and chew gum at the same time."

Greenwald speaks for me.

up
0 users have voted.

Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

@snoopydawg
winning the lottery end racism? No, but she could enjoy the pleasure of giving a lot of racists the finger.

A livable wage works much the same way on a societal scale.

up
0 users have voted.

@snoopydawg

... Hillary asked the crowd if "breaking up the big banks would end racism, would raising the minimum wage end sexism, would passing universal health end....?" Each time the crowd said "NO!, we can't walk and chew gum at the same time." ...

Well, it would have been nice to have had someone able to point out that bailing out the big banks at public expense and letting homeowners go homeless didn't end racism,

not enforcing living wages didn't end sexism

and not passing universal health care 'saved' public money for more welfare for the wealthiest

and more attacks on other people's countries,

so that more citizens suffered and died, and will do so at higher rates

both in America for continued lack of health care in 'the richest country on Earth'

and in other people's countries as a result of moar 'war' (droning and bombing civilians is actually mass long-distance murder, not war, btw, Mrs. Clinton,) profiteering,

so, as that progressive liberal she likes to claim to be while in her 'public' persona, why not play the freaking role when she was actually in public office as a public servant?

Oh, right, she'd never have gained hundreds of millions in bribes and pay-offs doing that, apart from the billions passing through the Fundation.

Imagine the Clintons having to make do with only one house! Unthinkable!

The millions of impoverished and homeless within America as a result of policies such as those the Clintons supported and support just need to be kept out of sight and mind until attrition takes them; they are not among Those Who Matter, who are worth Real Money to her.

And if she has any chance of gaining influence to use and another political position to abuse in actively further draining the public for her billionaire/trillionaire? clientelle's increased wealth, she can hold out her hand to beg money from the latter and get stuffed with more herself.

After all, she and Bill are well over retirement age and can't possibly afford to do so until they've got that first trillion socked away themselves.

up
0 users have voted.

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.

snoopydawg's picture

@Ellen North

"Well, it would have been nice to have had someone able to point out that bailing out the big banks at public expense and letting homeowners go homeless didn't end racism,"

This could be said about Obama, too

"so, as that progressive liberal she likes to claim to be while in her 'public' persona, why not play the freaking role when she was actually in public office as a public servant?"

How people can overlook the things that they did is beyond my comprehension. Their supporters are making up a history that is far from the reality of what they really did.

up
0 users have voted.

Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.