Nothing’s changed: Both political parties aim to protect and reinforce the capitalist system [View all]

[mother earth]

Most Democrats will paint Republicans as slavish servants of short-sighted corporations and the few whom they make rich. These, say Democrats, threaten capitalism’s survival by failing to utilize government solutions to problems that consequently become worse and increasingly dangerous, putting the whole global economy – and capitalism’s reproduction – at systemic risk.
Republicans will disregard Democratic economic policy as steps toward what they call “socialism“: socialism defined as government ownership and operation of what should be private enterprises.

Neither party, though, has figured out how to prevent capitalism’s business cycles. Both consistently fail to make sure that cycles they failed to prevent would be shallow and short. So, today, Republicans blame the crisis since 2007 on government over-regulation and interventions in the housing and finance markets (and they blame Democrats for championing those policies). Democrats blame the crisis on too little regulation of those markets and insufficient redistribution (and – you guessed it – they blame Republicans for opposing those government policies). In short, crises, like everything else, are just opportunities to be explained and exploited politically to advance each party’s characteristic policies and their electoral strategies.

Recent political gridlock, shutdowns, etc suggest a “new normal” has arrived

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Most Republicans and Democrats facilitated the process by endlessly promoting “free trade” and arguing that any constraints on free enterprises’ relocations were unthinkable, inefficient and other synonyms for “really bad”. As more and more jobs left the US, and formerly prosperous cities and states entered long-term declines, the two parties blamed their favorite targets: one another.
The idea that capitalism and capitalists were the problem was something neither Democrats or Republicans allow into their debates and talking-points. Yet, it was precisely capitalists’ profit-driven, self-interested decisions to move that have caused our economic problems. And so they remain.

A few snips from the Guardian article, give it a read if you get the chance:
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/10/22/nothings-changed-both-political-parties-aim-to-protect-and-reinforce-the-capitalist-system/

Is there anyone else who feels there is little to celebrate? Sure our principles as Dems are in the right place, we fight the good fight for progressive values to one day be mainstreamed, but really...we need to wake up and realize, this two party BS has had its day, and the tea party blame should really be about SCOTUS granting personhood to corporations, favoring & legalizing this oligarchy. Our highest court has been hijacked. The gov't represents big business, plain and simple, not us, therein lies our problem. Shall we continue to celebrate getting shafted at every juncture? Seriously, where is the victory?

The can has been kicked until the next crisis and no issues will be acted upon, and if you are one of the elite making profits like never before, you truly do have something to celebrate.

Oh yes, immigration will be the next issue, since the ONLY growth here has been in service jobs, not only are there no qualified Americans for the middle class jobs , the menial jobs that have been "created" must be filled.
Am I missing something? What's the status on TPP?

Yes, we know this disaster was brought to us by BushCo, and BTW, what's the status on immunity for those loveable, profiteering, lying fuck ups (by design), Bush & Cheney?

And how proud are you that JPMorgan is being "fined" for their criminal behavior, whilst actually thriving & enjoying the highest salary corporate boom - not bad for the Second Great Depression? Great job, Dimon!

If you are going to screw people over in this country, go big my friend, lady justice is busy filling quotas and handing out bracelets for the criminal too little to care abouts, the 47% faction. If you serve in high office, if you are too big to fail, there is nothing to fear. Pay the fine, and carry on, business as usual has started up again in the new normal, crisis management gov't with entitlements galore for the corporate elite.

Now, how do you like your seafood? Dinner is on Japan.