#Walkaway: Blue wave or blue toilet swirl?
gjohnsit published a nice essay today about the future of the Democratic Party. Briefly discussed is the #Walkaway movement--is it real? Is it Botwork? Is it overly optimistic propaganda from the Repugnants? Yes. All of the above.
The angry American public is in swing, lashing out in all directions. Nine out of ten of the adult US population can define "Neoliberal" [Source Alligator University poll]. Then there are politically insightful observers, such as Kyle Kulinsky of Secular Talk Who tries to make the distinction between Democratic Socialism versus social Democracy (13:13).. This well-done essay is of limited applicability to the general (uninformed) public. At best, it would be a thesis for a mini-masters degree dissertation. In reality, this is only more of a semantic exercise, which politically accrue to no party or candidate--it's worth watching though for us political junkies.
What is Walkaway? (P.S. I hate hashtags--I don't Twitter/Tweet etc. but one must adapt to changing times--something which the Demonrats have consistently failed to do since Hussein's reign of massive disinformation and lying.)
Here is an introductory video clearly explaining #Walkaway (10 minutes).
Judging the staying power of this movement, if such it is, resembles trying to judge a newborn's gender (when there were only two) before the widespread use of fetal ultrasound. Right now, this "baby" is less than a week old. Will it thrive? Only time will tell.
Conservatives are loving this. To them it appears to be Demexit on steroids. Will former Blue voters actually turn Red? Will the Cubs win another world series in our lifetime? Let's take bets. Is this Chuckles' prediction turning on its head--with all those PA voters in the Red suburbs voting Blue?
Demexit was very corrosive to the Dim party but still left them with a majority of party-line voters. New polls are out, which make interesting viewing. The graphics are interactive and are easy to use.
The first poll includes polling for the Trump approval as well as comprehensive listing of multiple polls as recent as yesterday.
The second poll, also by Real Clear Politics compares polling at this stage in all midterm elections from 2002 to 2014, as well as the current polling: https://realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/2018_generic_congressional_vo...!
[video:https://realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/2018_generic_congressional_vo...
Of course, Nate "the Infallible" Silver got it all wrong and the Lame Stream Media happily went long with his VERY wrong prognostication. [Just for interest, to read more about reputation bashing, check out the "impartial" Snopes website--which I will not discuss further.]
What my early analysis of this Walkaway (WA) phenomenon, is that it is one edge of a spectrum of disaffected Democrats, who wonder where there party has gone. Across most of the bandwidth of this spectrum are politically disaffected who won't vote Democratic, nor will they vote at all--let alone for the Repugnants. The other spectral edge are those Demexiters, like myself who have move further left after the Blues bashed Bernie and all his homophobic, xenophobic, racist, misogynistic supporters.
Here is the information value of the MSM:
If the above picture seems a little fuzzy, that's because the only things clearly defined in the MSM are Trump Derangement Syndrome and waning enthusiasm for RussiaRussiaRussia.
So what's the future to be--Hell if I know. I just know that gators will be in the Swamp up in DC. The following picture strikes me as overly optimistic:
But it just might happen if Mad Maxine and ossified Pelosi keep mouthing off.
As the twig is bent, so grows the tree. But the twig is dead. Outside of a few encouraging Progressive primary wins, all but two of the DCCC's endorsees won. Is that change? Where's the Platform? AWOL. Last time it was seen, it was buried under the Philadelphia Convention Hall alongside Tom Perez's brain. He doesn't need it. Just pull him around by the ring in his nose.
So, my guess (which at this point is not worth any more than Nate Silver's) is that if
1. There is no economic downturn
2. There are no increases of war fighting
3. Dem's continue to abdicate against a closed southern border
4. Mad Maxine continues to run her mouth
then, the Blue wave devolves into a blue swirl down the toilet
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34abRUUeslw&frags=pl%2Cwn]
Comments
The so-called 'Closed Southern Border'
It's not about keeping people out. They want to keep people in. The capitalists are perfectly fine with 'Open Borders' because that keeps the cheap labor coming in. Too bad the idiots whining about 'Open Borders' can't, or won't make that connection.
Modern education is little more than toeing the line for the capitalist pigs.
Guerrilla Liberalism won't liberate the US or the world from the iron fist of capital.
@The Aspie Corner Depends on whether they
Depends on whether they make their money off security (surveillance, wire fences, guards with big guns) or not. Those wealthy make money off shit like border walls.
The rest of the wealthy, yeah, they'd like some even more desperate people to exploit.
"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 just recently heard about the Walkaway meme
Like you, I believe that the Rethugs are overly optimistic about Demexiters and Walkaways will automatically vote for Rethugs. It is amazing that in this day and age when Independents out number either the Rethugs or Dems, no one considers WHY they have chosen to be Independent or No Party Affiliation. That does not mean that Independents or those outside the duopoly occupy the middle of the spectrum. But for some reason, the pundits fail to acknowledge the disaffectation with the duopoly by a significant number of voters.
We all know that the Democratic party seems incapable of self analysis, and it appears the Republicans are not much better. At least the Republicans do not seem to hate their traditional base like the Democrats do. Nevertheless, the two parties are simply two sides of the same corrupt coin.
BTW, I wish I could give an extra thumbs up for including a James Gang song.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
I've said it before, but we really should revive the IWW.
Sure, some folks are against that, but considering what's been lost since the Soviet Union was sold back to the Russian Oligarchs for Pizza Hut, there's really no alternative at this point.
Modern education is little more than toeing the line for the capitalist pigs.
Guerrilla Liberalism won't liberate the US or the world from the iron fist of capital.
James Gang one of my
faves circa 1970.
Perfect band for the times.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
About two mins. of
that "Walkaway" video was enough for me.
Is total RW bull$h!t.
There may be some snowflakes abandoning The Left and moving Right, but there are more DemExiting to places like DSA.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
I prefer to call them 'Dennis Millers'
Most of the assholes swerving right are doing so mostly out of convenience. Dennis Miller did exactly that after HBO axed him back in the early 90s.
Modern education is little more than toeing the line for the capitalist pigs.
Guerrilla Liberalism won't liberate the US or the world from the iron fist of capital.
@Wink If people are leaving,
If people are leaving, they're probably leaving to be NPA.
"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... many more Berniecrats
and DSA types will be elected in 2020. This party just getting started. Once would-be's see that Berniecrats and DSA members CAN get elected more will be, those would-be's turning into viable candidates. One of our defeated Berniecrat Primary candidates is now running in a statewide race! Much enthusiasm still there!
Happy Days soon here again!
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
Still, I worry about wolves in impeccably tailored
sheeps clothing. Obama certainly slipped by my radar.
"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"
Agree. And they will
be out there! In droves.
Whenever a "Democrat" or "Progressive" jumps into a race late be very wary of that candidate. It happened here in at least a few races, and in NY-22 at least (Syracuse), Much to my surprise, the progressive, Dana Balter, beat the stealth Establishment candidate! Like a drum! Something like 61-39. So, there's hope for the 'cuse! But, yes, those stealth Establishment (dressed in Progressive clothing) candidates will be out there in 2020! Big time! Which is why we need Local candidates that we know, ones that have somewhat of a local track record (visible activist). Not necessarily a political track record, but a local track record nonetheless.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
What do you suppose is up with these guys?
There are at least 57 candidates running for Democratic nomination in 44 congressional districts that are former intelligence agents.
Is there a message here?
____________________
The political system is what it is because the People are who they are. — Plato
And that’s the other factor which makes me suspicious
of the #Walkaway “movement.”
So now that #MeToo has apparently run it’s course and poisoned the waters along gender lines, now the traditional Democratic alliances are going to be further broken by competing Identity Politics? Is this some kind of “anti-intersectionality” where everyone’s struggles supposedly run perpendicular to everyone else’s?
Am I really to believe that the gay community is incensed that the Dems are insufficiently bigoted against Muslims, rather than the sea of firearms flooding society? That criticism of fascists and warmongers is a bridge too far? That we all just wish we could feel more patriotic instead of actually railing against the crushing boot of Neoliberalism? That we all wish the Dems were more like the GOP?!?
This feels like Psy-Ops to me...
Not sure if this applies but remember Harry Truman
who said "when given a choice between a real Republican and a candidate pretending to be a Republican, the public will elect a real Republican".
Psy Op? Maybe. Bullshit primarily. As I said, just like those PA suburban Repugnants whom Chuckles said would vote blue. I think the walkaways won't turn right after going out the door--they'll just continue walking out straight ahead. It's really a continuing Demexit with a right-hand spin.
Yes, the blatant CIA
message is, "if you're
a dirty hippie candidate, or Libtard candidate, or Progressive candidate, we, the CIA candidates, are out to Make Sure you fucks don't win and contaminate the Beltway Establishment environment we have worked so hard to create and control. We are in the race to fuck you up! Or at least steal enough votes so you don't win."
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
Flawer'Duh still has no one to vote for.
And I keep getting ads for this military asshole John Ward who's running for office in FL's District 6. "Under Obama, the military was made weak and underfunded" the ads say. My ass. The military is so bloated that the entire treasury is spent on it. Oh, and he's a "Proven Business Leader" which is Rightspeak for Corporate Cocksucker and Business Criminal.
Modern education is little more than toeing the line for the capitalist pigs.
Guerrilla Liberalism won't liberate the US or the world from the iron fist of capital.
Nice decoding, Aspie
@Wink
>One of our defeated Berniecrat Primary candidates is now running in a statewide race!
Can you tell me which one? I'm trying to keep track of Berniecrats running in various states.
Emily is running
for the NY-45 Senate
Seat. And while not a proclaimed Berniecrat, was certainly one of the three progressives in our 5-way race in NY-21, and supported most if not all Bernie issues.
Link: Facebook profile
With local Berniecrat support she can win that race!
As for the slate of Berniecrat Primary winners... Berniecrats FB Link
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
Yet I wish
They'd form their own damn party.
Berniecrats?
It's only an identifier.
Just like DSA is an identifier.
Some candidates are both.
AO-C worked on Bernie's campaign, but ran as a DSA candidate.
And Bernie's campaign seems like a million years ago, but it was only two years ago.
It will take a coalition of several of these "Identity groups" to form a third party. Berniecrats certainly can't do it by themselves. Nor can any other group by themselves.
Hell, Tom Perez said today that the party is heading in AO-C's direction. I believe he's talking out his ass, doesn't sincerely believe that, but it doesn't matter. Until way more AO-C's win the party remains the same. In a death spiral. A party that doesn't stand for anything won't stand long. Meantime it's a line on a ballot occupied by many Berniecrats.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
A lot of Rethugs...
Have been making overtures towards me recently. They also seem to have fallen into the "Lesser of Two Evils" mentality HARDCORE. (Every single time Hillary denies reality, it just adds more fuel to the fire. It's an absolute shoving match of media might at this point)
Course, I find that the more I disengage, the harder they try to convince me of facts not in evidence.
Time to just relax, and let them shove past me. I'll just look for an opportunity to sweep, while they're busy.
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
And... the Only ones
stopping a Blue Tsunami are Fancy Nancy Pelosi, Chuckles Schumer and the Beltway Dimocrats who want no such thing. Gawd forbid they get the gavel back! They LOVE being in the do-nothing Minority! Many a Berniecrat candidate was shut down by CIA and DCCC candidates out to bork their Lefty campaigns. And did. But one is coming. A Blue Wave is coming. Not this year, maybe, but 2020 looms.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
Sweep in 2020 for the Dims?
As the old lady used to say "where's the
beefplatform"?Ain't no sweeping until some bristles are inserted into the broom. See any lately?
Hell, I see plenty
this year!
Expect even more in the 2020 G.E. after Hillary or Kamala or Uncle Joe becomes the Dim nominee!
They may not win, but tons will be running. And eventually they win as a second Trump admin crushes what's left of America, and people actually get off their ass in 2022 to vote blue.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
Blue sweep in 2022?
By that time, with the nurturing guidance of Toothless Tom Perez and the DNC gang, the Dims may well have gone the way of the Whigs, considering the rate at which Demexiting continues.
Doesn't really matter what
the party does.
Or doesn't. Not many Berniecrats give a damn about the party, what's left of it.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
Repubs and the DSA
according to WashPost
Not to worry. Dims will sweep defeat from the jaws of victory
bing! n/t
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
It's impossible to suspend disbelief
...and join the video on its fantasy voyage, largely because these "testimonies" are using the word "Left" to describe the "Right-wing Democrats" they are fleeing from. Obviously, the video, which is where I got hung up, is just winging it with wishful thinking. The producers actually believe they have the talent and skill to piggyback on a national trend and redefine it to serve their bias. There is a trend there, certainly, but it wants nothing to do with them.
I deem them amateurs hoping to win the O'Keefe Bogus Documentary Award this year.
And then there's the low-IQ fear-mongering over "Socialism" accompanied by stale slogans like, "It doesn't work. It always fails!" Too deluded to ascertain that the 40 or so successful developed nations of the world [tracked by the OECD] all have governments that are essentially hands-on socialist. They offer well-developed social services and legally established human rights that assure food, shelter, health care, and education. These citizens have a general sense of economic security and personal wellbeing.
It's the undeveloped nations that are free of the tyranny of socialism, and the long lifespans that accompany it. These nations are either beset by foreign capitalist exploitation and locally corrupt collaborators, or they are going through "special-ops" regime change to set them up for privatization by the global corporations.
In the emergent countries that have made it to the other side, they are fully engaged in the rat race of capitalism. The big dream, almost universally, is to claw their way to the top until they have enough money to send all their kids away to schools in foreign lands where they hope to someday emigrate — usually to a socialist paradise like Switzerland or Norway.
I can understand, though, why the Walkaway dummies think they are smarter than most Americans and can get away with pushing this sophomoric nonsense.
____________________
The political system is what it is because the People are who they are. — Plato
Here's my problem
You put the puck in the toilet and the water goes blue.
It last like 2 or 3 days, then pale blue to nothing.
Is this a metaphor for the Demorat Party?
Hmm looks good, then not.
Did you get authorization to make toilet bowl references?
Then again, you're an Alligator so you wouldn't know, Wud you?
Prof: Nancy! I’m going to Greece!
Nancy: And swim the English Channel?
Prof: No. No. To ancient Greece where burning Sapho stood beside the wine dark sea. Wa de do da! Nancy, I’ve invented a time machine!
Firesign Theater
Stop the War!
Excellent, Alligator Ed!
I would just like to add, without belaboring the point that I've made many times here, if you walkaway don't just not vote at all, the media will call it apathy or "millennials too interested in their phones". Vote third party or write-in, just walk away from the duopoly not the ballot. The ballot is your power, don't abandon your power.
I'm voting here in Illinois this Fall. There are four balloted candidates for Governor, but I am tempted to vote for Pritzker because the incumbent Republican is such an anti-working man anti-union pro-Wall Street slug and Pritkzger is talking about a progressive income tax. It may be just talk like Obama, but shouldn't I take a chance to oust the known evil? I'm interested in the community's thoughts.
Also, both Congress critters are peas in a pod. There is no third party or accredited write-in. I wish the Greens would at least register a write-in. So. Do I leave that race blank? Vote for the me-too Republican? Writing in Donald Duck isn't an option as in Illinois writing in a non-registered name voids your ballot.
IMHO, if the Greens were a serious party they would at least register a write-in for ever major race. They actually ran balloted candidates for Metropolitan Sanitary Commission.
Or should I just register myself as a write-in? I believe no petition signatures are required, just a day trip to the Cook County Clerk's office. https://www.cookcountyclerk.com/service/about-write-candidates
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
Don't just not vote at all
I'm torn on this.
I agree with you that not voting cedes individual agency and "power." Yet when I do vote -- since the '16 primaries, always outside the duopoly -- it means nothing (aside from self-assurance of my own integrity).
To wit: I wrote Bernie Sanders in for the Presidential ballot. Here in Vermont, it didn't matter either way because our three measly electoral college votes were obviously going to be cast for Hillary (gag).
In our most recent election for Burlington mayor, I voted for one of the two non-affiliated candidates, against the establishment Dem (and incumbent). The two non-affiliated candidates split 52 percent of the vote, so the incumbent "won" with a non-majority vote. He then ran around to the media, touting a "clear mandate" for "his agenda." Um, no ... but there you have it.
So I'm not convinced that I shouldn't just not vote.
You always have the option to give up.
But explicitly voting against the duopoly is doing something to fight back. And if that movement grows it will accomplish something.
One person can never win an election but a movement can. The first steps are small and not noticeable. Keep stepping and there will be a mass march. Because there always is an eventual backlash to corruption.
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
Nine out of ten of the adult
I've missed your essays, always filled with little gems like this.
My pleasure
The parties keep talking about their big waves...
when all the while neither side realizes the tide is moving out.
The current working assumption appears to be that our Shroedinger's Cat system is still alive. But what if we all suspect it's not, and the real problem is we just can't bring ourselves to open the box?
BINGO!!!
The truth succinctly stated.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
@Not Henry Kissinger Good to see you NHK.
Good to see you NHK. Haven't seen you in a while.
"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
Thanks CSTMS
Good to see you too.
The current working assumption appears to be that our Shroedinger's Cat system is still alive. But what if we all suspect it's not, and the real problem is we just can't bring ourselves to open the box?
Nate Silver actually got it right.
He was very clear that all the numbers could be wrong if all the polls were skewed in the same direction. Now if he was the one running the polls (badly), then he could be to blame (or if he was Huffpo and said there was a 99% chance Hillary would win).
Is this a Hillary based exit?
It seems that any sort of exit happened because of Hillary starting with the election. This from a very good essay by Matt Breuing called "The Boring Story of the 2016 Election"
http://mattbruenig.com/2017/09/19/the-boring-story-of-the-2016-election/
Lot of people left TOP for the fact that the site and its supporters used censorship and bullying first on Bernie supporters and then on anybody and everybody not following the party line. I suppose the measures were evitable given how unpopular Hillary was. Glenn Greenwald likes to point to this article in the NYTimes whose title says it all (this was in a African American community).
Many in Milwaukee Neighborhood Didn’t Vote — and Don’t Regret It
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/21/us/many-in-milwaukee-neighborhood-did...
Many have checked out of the party basically because of Hillary and her supporters. And they haven't gone over to the gop either. Given how the democratic party base has voted in the primaries, and give the Hillary linked ossified leadership, it may be awhile before people come back.
I might add that maybe the exit we see now are people who temporarily joined to support Bernie.
And as for Hillary now, hard to tell if she wants to make a comeback and lose yet again.
She does. Bernie left
a bitter taste in Her
mouth she can't get rid of.
Her still blames Bernie (and those damned BernieBros) for Her loss.
Her only cure is to win.
Her won't, becuz the same ones that didn't vote for Her last time won't vote for Her this time. I see a sad ending for a sad woman. The big question is how will Her hide that back brace?
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
A lot of donors lost a lot of money
because of her incompetence. Will they back her again?
Mary Bennett
So much to pontificate about
"Clinton was so unpopular that she bled a significant enough portion of Obama’s coalition into the abyss."??? Yet she somehow got more votes than Obama got in 2012? Yeah, right.
(edit: actually she "got" about 100,000 votes less)
But the more important issue:
I've been saying since 2015 that the Demexit has been going on since 2009 or perhaps 2007, at a rate of about a million voters a year. (but the Republican vote - presidential or aggregate house candidates- did not change, except for a small upward blip in 2010) It may have accelerated since 2016, I don't know, American election results have become so unreliable that I have doubts that it could be updated. But one thing is for certain - the Demexiteders were not shifting parties, at least not shifting to the Republicans. They were simply not voting.
Yes, Trump could prove to be as toxic as NAFTA and Hillarycare was in 1996. (When 15% of the electorate was 1st time religious right voters but the total number of votes didd not change, meaning 15% of the electorate failed to vote at all) I compared the House numbers from 2010 to 2006, assuming that Obama's health care betrayal cost the 2010 elections, but looking back it could also have been Pelosi's refusal to bring W and Cheney et all to justice. Trump's blatant repulsiveness may cost the Rs votes, but I doubt it. Republican voters have a proven tendency to vote regardless of the evil of their candidates, meanwhile Democrats have at least a decade of refusing to vote once their candidates have proven themselves intolerable.
On to Biden since 1973
I Demexited in about 2009 or 10 over that
so-called Food Safety Bill.
Mary Bennett