Are Progressives Democratic Party Imperialists?

end u.s. imperialism_0.jpg

Are progressives democrats? And since it's a fact that the Democratic party, not just the "corporate democrats" and not just the "democratic party establishment", THE democratic party officially FULLY SUPPORTS U.S. imperialism, are progressives also imperialist warmongers?

I decided to do a search on the internet about it and no sooner than typing "are progressi" , up popped a list starting with "are progressives democrats?" You know you aren't the first to ask the question when your link pops up that fast, almost like the search engine read your mind.

Here's what was provided at the top of the search:

"Progressives are actually a separate group from Liberals and Democrats (although all Progressives are Democrats). Progressives are more radical and have much bigger goals than liberals, including redistribution of the wealth, free college for all, reparations for slavery, etc. The rioters at Berkeley were Progressives."

I don't know if that's entirely true, it's the first thing I saw on the internet. I think it was just someone's comment on Quora. But that's kind of what I've thought, that progressives were actually democrats. I don't know any people that call themselves progressives that don't also vote for democratic party politicians. The only talk about progressives invariably is connected to the democratic party. From what I've discerned from the internet, progressives and democrats have always been basically interchangeable and few outside that partisan sphere bother with the label. Perhaps some Greens.

The more radical progressives (perhaps what's being called the progressive left), relatively speaking, complain about the "corporate" or "establishment" democrats but they still support the party by donating to and voting for progressive democratic party politicians. So what are they're complaining about relative to the corporate dems? It's not about imperialism, that's a fact. Their support for imperialism supporting Bernie Sanders proved that. And there are no progressive politicians or prospective progressive politicians running for the democratic party that oppose U.S. imperialism. Not with Justice Democrats, not with Our Revolution. Check it. It's because the democratic party is an imperialist political party and any politician running for office in the party must stick with the party line or they won't get elected. Or so they're led to believe.

The more radical of the democratic progressives supported Bernie Sanders to an extreme, like he was a Savior or something. Like the next Obama only different, before he became the next Bush. They were able, and many still are, to ignore his imperialist, not to mention faux socialist, views and throw their support behind the war crime infested democratic party as their savior sheepdog duly led them.

Thus helping to perpetuate this evil system of imperialist oligarchy paraded as democracy. All for some progress on the domestic front.

Progressives aren't radical, they don't seek to overthrow the power, abolish the old and create the new. They seek to make changes through the establishment political system and the establishment democratic party political party. They want alms for the poor, a higher minimum wage, health care for all, more jobs and a fair wage. "Please kind sirs, we only want a fair shake". They're like the brave peasants of old who would march up to the castle gates and demand enough food to make it through a day's work. They don't want to rob from the rich and give to the poor, they just want the rich to voluntarily share some of "their" riches.

Many have wondered why there has been virtually no antiwar movement in this country since 2003 and the beginning of the Iraq war. It's pretty obvious this duopoly political system which herds much of the left into the never ending pursuit of better politicians is the primary inhibitor. Many progressive democrats do oppose imperialism however feel they need to go with the lesser evil, hoping that somehow their efforts can change the democratic party. Or they feel that's the only reasonable option so they're going to exercise it. Somehow they don't feel that voting for some imperialist political party politicians equates to supporting imperialism. It does. Many are willing to trade "progress" related to social and domestic programs via the democratic party, which is a dream now anyway, for the black marks of a military empire pursuing global imperialism.

If we're going to have an antiwar/anti-imperialism movement in this country, the "real" progressive left is going to have to ditch the democratic party completely, once and for all. It's going to have to oppose the duopoly political system and demand a change in this political system that keeps the people chained to the oligarchy.

Power to the People.

[video:https://youtu.be/ICecxOfmFtU]

Share
up
0 users have voted.

Comments

Bisbonian's picture

of a man named Jamarl Thomas (and his running commentary on a recent Jill Stein interview). He calls himself a Progressive, and is definitely NOT a Democrat.

up
0 users have voted.

"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

thanatokephaloides's picture

@Bisbonian

I just watched a video of a man named Jamarl Thomas (and his running commentary on a recent Jill Stein interview). He calls himself a Progressive, and is definitely NOT a Democrat.

Linkie, por favor?

Smile

up
0 users have voted.

"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

Centaurea's picture

@thanatokephaloides Here's Jamarl Thomas's youtube channel. Scroll down a bit to find the one about Jill Stein's MSNBC interview.

up
0 users have voted.

"Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep."
~Rumi

"If you want revolution, be it."
~Caitlin Johnstone

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@Centaurea Jamarl is, generally, excellent. Much respect to him.

up
0 users have voted.

"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

thanatokephaloides's picture

@Centaurea

Here's Jamarl Thomas's youtube channel. Scroll down a bit to find the one about Jill Stein's MSNBC interview.

Multo grazie! Smile

up
0 users have voted.

"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

Big Al's picture

@Bisbonian means he'll vote for democratic party politicians if they meet his standard of progressiveness.

I think I hurt some feelings with this one, seems most people here would rather talk about the Russia thing. Or whatever the corporate media and the duopoly serve up next.

I'm done with it.

up
0 users have voted.

@Big Al turnout gets so low in the future the DemGop party will pass a law that sez no more elections because people don't give a crap. BUT maybe THAT would wake a few people up? Who knows what it will take to unite the people to really MAGA. But damn I give those Florida teenagers a lot of credit. It's just sad reality had to smack'em when they were down.

up
0 users have voted.

O.k. When is the next meeting for the revolution?
-FuturePassed on Sunday, November 25, 2018 10:22 p.m.

Big Al's picture

@WIProgressive

After describing his evolution, he says this:

"In 1956, I shall not go to the polls. I have not registered. I believe that democracy has so far disappeared in the United States that no "two evils" exist. There is but one evil party with two names, and it will be elected despite all I can do or say. There is no third party. On the Presidential ballot in a few states (seventeen in 1952), a "Socialist" Party will appear. Few will hear its appeal because it will have almost no opportunity to take part in the campaign and explain its platform."

Later he states,

"Is the refusal to vote in this phony election a counsel of despair? No, it is dogged hope. It is hope that if twenty-five million voters refrain from voting in 1956 because of their own accord and not because of a sly wink from Khrushchev, this might make the American people ask how much longer this dumb farce can proceed without even a whimper of protest."

up
0 users have voted.
Strife Delivery's picture

@Big Al

And yet he's an unabashed Sanders supporter, which

@Bisbonian means he'll vote for democratic party politicians if they meet his standard of progressiveness.

I think I hurt some feelings with this one, seems most people here would rather talk about the Russia thing. Or whatever the corporate media and the duopoly serve up next.

I'm done with it.

He being Jamarl?

I've watched some of his vids. He's different from say Secular Talk who well still is within the D Party. From what I've seen, Jamarl often shows his distaste towards Dems and those who talk about charging the gates and taking over, along with calling Sanders a sheepdog. Even going on to vote for Stein.

Sanders more and more is losing his shine as he cowers behind Clinton's skirt. He trumpets the Russia garbage. Not only does the Clinton base still hate him no matter what, he continues to slowly lose those who originally supported him. Truly a fall from grace from what he used to talk about in the 80's.

up
0 users have voted.
Bisbonian's picture

@Big Al It's in the video.

up
0 users have voted.

"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

@Bisbonian

I don't like his speaking style, and I don't like his analysis.

up
0 users have voted.

"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

mimi's picture

@dkmich

up
0 users have voted.
Song of the lark's picture

in the United Sates you are an imperialist.
I was in a thrift shop scouting some books to sell on Amazon. Yes I am a petty running dog capitalist working on new Grub Street, scuttling away amongst the tattered reminents of past reading for my bread and olive oil. Hey I got to eat.
Somehow the clerk a middle aged woman and I started talking about Trump...not uncommon to hear these kinds of conversations here in CA since our president does something worriesome nearly everyday. So she says she's worried that Trump is going to start a war to stay in office. So I look at her and remind her we are at war with no less than 3 countries (really more). The look of remembrance in her eyes was like a reality shock...she sort of had forgotten we've been at war for almost 2 decades. The average American is so overwhelmed with daily crap of living...here a lady who is volunteering her time at the local church thrift...prolly a good person who has forgotten we are at war. Imperialism is so normalized in American life we don't notice it...it too overwhelming to think about Libya or sanctions on Venezuela, or Africom drone bases in the Sahel.
I like the idea of parsing whether progressives are imperialists but really what does it matter? I don't think of myself as an imperialist but part of me knows I am by virtue of my citizenship in this country. American Hegemony is inescapable.

up
0 users have voted.

@Song of the lark Twattle, not all taxes go to war and death merchants. Bezos AMZ makes profits for warmongers, your choices are your choices, that is all. Good luck with Bezos USofCare(Not), more in line with what "the millenials" want, I guess. I don't know, around here it is Public/Private for the inhumanity as far as the eye can see. "Alexa send me a sandwich, now!" LOL because why not, who needs housing?

There are millions of others who don't own an internet account plugged directly in to the corporate rentier's shithole matrix, we are trying to survive too. No Bezos, no wars, that's what I say. I'm not down with government granted monopolies, especially the software kind. I live and pay taxes in Northern California in case anyone was wondering. Not much.

Yes! Progressives are Democratic party imperialists. Joe Voter can't tell the difference 'tween a Blue D or a Lib D or a Prog D, so when Jimmy Dore goes off on Democrat pols, he is undermining the whole base, that's what I think. Ha ha! /nelson I love Jimmy, he is a great jagoff comedian, not a politician. I don't "ring the bell" for GOOG though, and won't miss his channel much if it goes off the tube. The tube is TV for millenials, they are addicted like heroin to their media phones and the tripe that spews forth... but I digress.

Stop me before I vote again! Look what the cat just puked up in California:

former Hillary Clinton aide Amanda Renteria confirmed Tuesday she is launching a "grassroots" campaign

Renteria 2018
lol omg lmao
good luck

up
0 users have voted.
WaterLily's picture

@eyo With apologies to Sublime, I don't practice Renteria

up
0 users have voted.
lotlizard's picture

@eyo  
continuing the “Terror Tuesday” drone-kill tradition established by Barack Obama and exploiting the government’s special link to Amazon and Jeff Bezos:

(going down the list, entry by entry) “Alexa, kill [name] now!”

up
0 users have voted.
Big Al's picture

@Song of the lark and simply being a citizen of a country controlled by an imperialist government. Many people in this country are and have been fighting against imperialism and anti-imperialism has a long history in this country. What does it matter? It matters to the innocent men, women and children getting killed and hurt every day because of U.S. imperialism. It also matters to the citizens of this country who will never get shiny new toys like Medicare for All or actual democracy until we end the psychopaths quest for world power. It matters because there are sides in this class war and those wanting to take the side of the imperialist oligarchy need to know what they're actually supporting. We can't stop imperialism while also supporting it via these two political parties.

up
0 users have voted.
Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@Big Al Agreed. People who aren't fabulously wealthy pay their taxes because they don't want to be put in jail. That's not a moral stance, but neither does it make them imperialists. They, or rather we, because I'm among them, are at worst cowards.

I don't want a fucking American empire, nor an American shell put on an international capitalist empire, but nobody asked me. They just made it clear what would happen if I didn't pay my taxes. And it ain't what happened to Henry David Thoreau.

up
0 users have voted.

"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

Big Al's picture

@Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal 90-100 million people on federal and state government compensation in one way or another who cannot avoid paying taxes, the system won't allow it. Nearly half of all Americans get government assistance of some kind. And the penalties for those who do try it can be too much to handle. Any kind of mass sacrifice is going to be a hard if not impossible sell. In the end, it's about getting voices together as one and solidarity towards a goal. That doesn't have to be painful.

up
0 users have voted.

@Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal get prosecuted, put in prison, the back taxes and fines would be paid by seizure of my property, such as my home.
There has to be some better way to "stick it to the man!".

up
0 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@on the cusp And then there's that. Those fuckers.

Taxation without representation, etc.

up
0 users have voted.

"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

@Song of the lark might you want to list your Amazon shop on the Caucus99 catalogue?

I have worked in thrift shops and it is incredible how much good stuff, very much including worthy books, is simply thrown away, usually by neat freak social climbers. I think bookselling is an honorable occupation, getting books into the hands of readers for reasonable prices.

up
0 users have voted.

Mary Bennett

Alligator Ed's picture

Although completely agree with your essay, especially about the common conflation of Democrats (large D) with progressives is so ubiquitous that the distinction is really lost on most of the country. With Fox Spews of course, it's easy to understand why they consider anybody to the left of Dubya as a "lefty", or even commie-pinko bastids. The Muddy Slime Media considers anybody to the left of Hillary as lefties, and this is the diet most people are fed--if they even bother to watch the news.

The more radical progressives (perhaps what's being called the progressive left), relatively speaking, complain about the "corporate" or "establishment" democrats but they still support the party by donating to and voting for progressive democratic party politicians.

This, quite sadly is true. I was shocked to learn that the disgraced Demonratic party has raised almost as much money as the Repugnants since December 2017. When will the so-called Dem base wake up--the Demonratic Party is not their friend? Just proves money can't buy everything--for instance: Sanity.

up
0 users have voted.
Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@Alligator Ed That's not what I heard. I heard they were having serious problems with their fundraising. I wonder which is true?

I just figured it out. The DNC is doing terribly. The money is getting funnelled into the DCCC and the DSCC. OTOH, I wonder where that money is coming from. How much is coming from the big money donors, and do these changes simply indicate that the big money has decided that the DNC's image is tarnished beyond repair?

up
0 users have voted.

"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

Alligator Ed's picture

@Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal The DCCC may well spend half of its funds fending off progressives and Berniecrats.

up
0 users have voted.
WaterLily's picture

there are no progressive politicians or prospective progressive politicians running for the democratic party that oppose U.S. imperialism.

While this is hyper-local, two of the three mayoral candidates in Burlington, VT are running as Independents, in order to amplify their progressive message over the incumbent corporo-Dem Weinberger. One is Bernie's step-daughter, of course. The other, Infinite Culcleasure, responded to a question about basing the F-35 in Vermont thusly:

"I don't believe in war machines."

Whether or not he gets elected is a whole other issue, but personally I've found it refreshing to see progressive candidates making a clean break from the Dems.

I also identify as a Progressive, am an unenrolled voter, and, after 2016, will never vote for a capital-D Dem again. Song of the Lark's observations are true, of course, but I don't see a way around the tax issue unless we could all agree to stop paying them. Which will never happen. Which means it's too risky for most people to consider not filing.

Anyway, the time has never been more ripe for that third party. Will it happen?

up
0 users have voted.
Big Al's picture

@WaterLily this next election or even in 2020. There isn't any evidence of movement in that direction that I can see and the corporate media as usual defines everything in this country as democrats vs republicans. And there is no movement to make changes in the political system to give third parties a fair shake. Even if there was increased third party activity, it will take decades to affect the national stage. There have been very few non duopoly national politicians elected since WWII (72 years) and although third party interest is high, that won't change any time soon. While we're experiencing end stage global imperialism and capitalism and the possibility of a major world war, i.e., if we want to stop them we don't have decades to hope third parties can have an impact in national politics.

up
0 users have voted.
WaterLily's picture

@Big Al Sadly.

I like the idea of unifying our voice toward a common goal. Maybe the high school students in Florida will successfully demonstrate how that can be done, and galvanize some sort of replication regarding all sorts of issues.

(Have I mentioned how much I love the fact that these teens are organizing, vocalizing, and speaking truth to power -- and how in awe I am of them? Forget the Millennials -- no offense, as a GenXer myself -- maybe we need to step back and let GenY lead us out of this global mess).

up
0 users have voted.
Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

Like many independents, I joined the Democratic Party to vote for Sanders in the primary, but then Sanders was an independent that only joined the Democratic party to run for President. I wouldn't vote for Sanders now that he's shown the extent of his loyalty to the Democratic party.

To me, the word "progressive" has to do with its historical associations with anti-corruption movements.

On the other hand, I believe that, as with the word "left," the Democratic party has now effectively absorbed the term, in the sense that most people would use it the way you are. Eventually, they will absorb all terms that connote resistance, with the possible exception of the word "socialist," which is synonymous in America with "the devil."

up
0 users have voted.

"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

wendy davis's picture

@Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal

marxist-socialists (not the DSA capitalist reformers)and i voted for pink ajamu baraka! (srsly)

Venezuela: Revenge of the Mad-Dog Empire’ by Ajamu Baraka, February 20th, 2018, dissident voice a few snippets:

"In every part of the world, the United States is engaged in maniacal, criminal assaults on democracy, basic human decency and common sense. From its support for armed jihadists groups in Syria and its illegal occupation of that nation, transferring heavy military equipment to its puppet regime in Ukraine, supporting unending war in Afghanistan, to the military invasion of Africa, the commitment to maintaining U.S. global dominance has moved war and militarism to the center of U.S. strategy.

But nowhere is U.S. criminality more apparent and unrelenting than right here in the Americas where the Pan-European project was born in 1492. That was the year “Europe” was born, emerging from its relative cultural backwardness using with terrifying efficiency the only advantage it had over the more civilized people of the region—armor protection and steel weapons—to slaughter the people, take the land and begin the 500-hundred-year nightmare the people of the world have suffered ever since.

Today, the barbarism of the Pan-European project continues under the tutelage of what history will record—if humanity survives—as the most violent, racist, oppressive human experience ever to have emerged in the short span of human existence on Earth: The United States of America.

After centuries experiencing the horrors of genocide, slavery, military dictatorships, environmental destruction, and neoliberal exploitation, the people of Latin America began to slowly extract themselves from the clutches of the hegemon from the North. Social movements and peoples undeterred by coups, structural adjustment and death squads started to take back their history in Ecuador, Bolivia, Brazil, and the rest of the continent. Venezuela has led the way, proclaiming the dawn of a 21st century socialism that would create the new society and the new human in the process."

"The moves by the Trump administration represent an ominous re-introduction of the worst imperialist excesses of the late 20th century, where violent coups were the preferred response to any threats to the rule of capital and U.S. imperialist control. Yet, what is even more ominous about the situation unfolding in Venezuela is that unlike a few decades ago, when there was a vocal and active radical and left opposition to U.S. imperialism, the left and many radicals in the U.S. are in open class collaboration with imperialism.

The left in the United States and Western Europe has completely abandoned any idea of solidarity with global South’s revolutionary projects. A bizarre example of the reactionary nature of the European left was the European Parliament awarding the Sakharov Freedom Prize to the Venezuelan “opposition,” a group that has openly attacked journalists and burned alive two dozen people of primarily Black or dark complexions who they assumed were probably government supporters because they were poor and black. Clearly for the representatives in the European Union’s only democratic body, the integrity of the press and “Black lives” really don’t matter!"

and yes, the labels and self-labels are not linear, impossible to parse, but do lead to #Fakeleft, 'anti-imperialist except assad, gadaffi, milocevic, etc.'

up
0 users have voted.
lotlizard's picture

@wendy davis  
hire relatives and cronies as paid fake “staff” and pad their expense accounts (already very generous — those poor MEPs have to shuttle-commute between Brussels and Strasbourg, don’tcha know — and, after several embarrassing scandals, now by law off-limits to public audit) to the max.

up
0 users have voted.
Lookout's picture

and is spewing war like a bad case of global diarrhea. It isn't the political system (although it is a symptom)...it is the economic one that swallowed human rights for profit.

up
0 users have voted.

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

gulfgal98's picture

@Lookout We cannot solve the political problem until capitalism is either severely reined in or completely banished forever. The entire system is based upon money and enhancing that money in favor of the wealthy and big corporations.

up
0 users have voted.

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

Big Al's picture

@Lookout we have democracy. If the power remains with the plutocracy/oligarchy, i.e., the rich capitalists, they aren't going to change it.

up
0 users have voted.
Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@Lookout The power of wealth has trumped the power of law.

up
0 users have voted.

"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

SnappleBC's picture

For starters, label wars never really advance a cause. Secondly, they are old hands at label wars and they have us outgunned and outmanned on that one. I learned over at GOS that any label can be debated, argued over, and if all else fails, appropriated.

I call myself a populist because I'm on the side of the people. I also call myself a liberal. I don't honestly care what Democrats call themselves... I call them Democrats, conservatives, and war criminals.

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

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck...

I believe a third party could have a chance in American politics if it has, first and foremost, a robust anti-war anti-imperialist message, AND if that message comes first, ahead of the laundry list of itsy bitsy reforms to please this or that group. Every hypothetical third party spokesperson and candidate should begin every speech, interview and article with something on the order of We oppose foreign interventions and involvement in foreign wars, to be immediately followed by If you want to restore the American republic and Constitution (for conservative listeners) and If you want to see prosperity for all (for leftist listeners) THE ONLY WAY those two goals can be accomplished is to close overseas military bases, stop funding foreign wars, bring our soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen and women back home. The second message needs to be economic. Either a few can get rich or we can have prosperity and comfort for all. Which do you want? Our (hypothetical third) party stands on the side of the ordinary person being able to live in comfort and dignity. Sure, talent, enterprise and hard work should be rewarded, but nobody needs five houses and a private army.

I submit that the above should be stated forcefully and clearly at every possible opportunity. You want your river bank protection, affordable housing, neighborhood school, 24 hour a day mass transit funded, look at how much is being wasted by DOD.

If stated vigorously and often enough, by believable candidates and spokespersons--reputable persons of good character and discernible achievement, please--backed up by a visible and effective party--no annoying ego trippers, please--I believe the above is a message that the Lame Stream Media won't be able to suppress.

up
0 users have voted.

Mary Bennett

Big Al's picture

@Nastarana democracy has to be in there somewhere along with anti-imperialism and economic equality. To me, that is the number one problem we citizens face, our political system is undemocratic. But I've long felt that if we COULD end imperialism, it would go a long way toward all other goals.

up
0 users have voted.
lotlizard's picture

@Nastarana  
clearly and fearlessly opposed militarist imperialism, while “progressive” voices have hemmed and hawed, pretended not to see it, and beat around the bush?

http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/expanding-the-military-bu...

Okay, with libertarians, you know it’s probably their belief that economic imperialism can succeed on its own non-violently, without raining death down upon the so-called emerging markets.

But what do “progressives” believe? The same old post-World War II “liberal interventionism,” relabelled as “responsibility to pulverize protect”?

up
0 users have voted.
gulfgal98's picture

First, I do not believe in labels either. I honestly do not like having to identify what I believe with a label. It serves as a way for the PTB to divide us against one another.

One thing I am learning from following those who are analyzing the Q posts, most of whom we could categorize as being on the right, is that we can find a lot of common ground beyond labels if we are willing to discuss the issues. This is something I learned from the years I spent with the weekly Peace vigil. The conversations have far more positive impact than labels.

As for how I see our political system in its current state, the label really does not matter that much, especially in DC. Generally, with the exception of the libertarians in the Republican party, they stick together with the big money on all issues. The Democrats use the rolling villain method to ensure that big money gets what it wants. But in the end, both parties work for the same big money powers, and that ain't we the people. We do not need to look too far to see how that works with the votes on the DOD budget or expanding Presidential powers on FISA.

In the end, Congress (and the political labels that inhabit it) is all a charade that is being perpetuated by their using fear and guilt trips to keep the public divided.

When people talk with and listen to one another, we find that we have far more in common than what is being used to divide us. Keeping the people uninformed (MSM), in fear (terrorism or the latest boogy man), and poor (63% of Americans cannot cover a $500 emergency) is an excellent means for the PTB to maintain division and control of the people.

up
0 users have voted.

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

@gulfgal98
Two freaking Hundred Years Old. From the Estates General in I believe it was 1789 which was followed by the French Revolution. Supporters of the monarchy and the Ancient Regime sat on the right and their opponents on the left of the hall.

The American experience right now is not the French experience of the late 18thC.

up
0 users have voted.

Mary Bennett

@Nastarana in history classes, so this was out there during Viet Nam.
Left meant swift change.
Right meant slow change.
I was not taught ideology, per se, just the methodology.
I was a guillotine lefty in my teens, remain so as I make application for Social Security.

up
0 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

mimi's picture

and sorry for not having read your whole article to the end. Because to me, after all these years, this question is almost a rhetorical question for this audience here on C99p.

Progessives are not a group with an ideology. Progressives are members of a "schwammige"(*spongy") group. You can put into that category whoever you like or self-identify with them, if you wish. Progressives are of course imperialists, by default. I remember having criticized the "Progressive" label way back on TOP and got ridiculed by Meteor Blades as being stupid for it. Whatever, I stick to my opinion about it. Be a socialist or a marxist or a capitalist with various degrees of social leaning or compassion, that would tell me something. Progressives are none of that. If I have to guess about what a Progressive is, I don't need to waste my time doing it. I don't trust that label one bit.

There is no escape from being part of the empire, as long as you live in one or the other. Unless you are part of their enslaved underclass, you are imperialist. I guess if you feel like a slave, or if you are already enslaved, which many of us are, you are not an imperialist.

That's it.
No escape.
Just my 0.02 Euros.
Sorry for sounding frustrated. I need to get out into nature more. It's frigging bad weather over here. Rain, snow, cold, grey with just depressing skies. Makes me cranky and it shows. And I don't want to apologize all the time for it either.

up
0 users have voted.