Thomas Franks, the Clintons and "phony" Democratic populists in the New Gilded Age

[Dragonfli]

151. Oh, I realize that, always have (both points)

It was indeed a way to sell it, and such social justice issues were obviously carefully chosen to allow people to see a "difference" that was worth voting for on each of the "sides" while making sure no issues important to the Oligarchs would be challenged by either party.

Of course they don't care about choice or marriage equality, neither of those issues interfere with installing the gilded age they long for and have effectively recreated for themselves. It also allowed the uniparty's two branches to keep some of their long time voting blocks intact.

There is a treason you no longer see socially moderate Republicans, they call themselves Democrats now and have very effectively taken over the party for the right while relegating actual Democrats to the sidelines and deriding them as "fringe" or extremists.

Their strategy however evil is a complete success, the neogilded age is here (as evidenced by the wealth disparity numbers) they merely have to finish off the destruction of the safety nets and the already greatly weakened unions to complete their mission, both parties will perform the required Kabuki to accomplish that very soon unless actual Democrats gain enough power to delay it a bit longer.

I have recently realized the experiment to tame Capitalism by compromising with it via progressive taxation and strict regulation has failed. FDR made the compromise to save Capitalism with New Deal policies and the tactic did work for a few decades creating a vibrant and healthy middle class, but without Indigenous Communists snapping at their heels, the compromise is over and very unlikely to be re-instituted leaving Capitalism to degrade to it's most destructive form. I unfortunately do not have any solutions however.