2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Isn't it odd that Clinton and Trump are the likely winners of the Democratic and [View all]Cal33
(7,018 posts)first sentence. This gives a false impression. Here' the whole paragraph:
"As far as the news media is concerned, the Democrats have nothing to fight back
with. Nor do we seem to be interested in starting one of our own to counteract
the Republican lies with genuine news and the truth that the American people deserve
to know. It can be done. But Democrats are too passive, and I think this passivity
and apathy do play some role in the mess we're in, too. "
The statement that Democrats have nothing with which to fight back the Republican
News Media propaganda and lies is a fact. Do you deny it? I am also pointing out
that Democrats are partly to blame for this one-sided advantage of the Republicans
because Democrats are too passive and apathetic to try to do something constructive
and beneficial about it. The Republicans are still winning so often in spite of their
robbing of the American people blind, their lies about their bringing about the economic
crash of 2007 and 2008, and there's no way for Democrats to help make our people
any wiser.
I have also written more than once in the past that Democrats could at least try to
start having a news media that would publish genuine news and inform Americans of
the truth that they deserve. People are just not interested. Do you think it was
sheer coincidence that the Republicans own 90% of the news media today? I think
it was the result of long-term planning on the part of the Republicans.
Another example: How about militarization of the police departments throughout the
country from coast to coast? Remember how swiftly and roughly they cracked down
on the members of Occupy Wall Street and had them jailed, when they began their
peaceful protests in NYC and elsewhere in 2011?
Does our nation need militarized police departments, and if so, what for? And who
started militarizing them to begin with? What are they planning or anticipating to
do with them in the future? At the present time, your guess is as good as mine.
But I feel not much good will result from such militarization of our police. Again, who
do you think planned this militarization, and what is it for?
I agree with your "The 2 parties have largely become 2 peas in a pod." I'll add that
members of both Parties have become sick and tired of their respective Parties and
have been leaving them by the droves in recent years. The Democratic Party is also
split, just as the Republican Party is. In the case of the Democrats, the Establishment
(which has more or less capitulated to the Corporate Power people) still has more
adherents than the Progressives (headed by Sanders and Warren), who are fighting
against the corruption of the greedy corporations. With the Republicans, Trump's
rebellion is having the upper hand -- for the moment, at any rate. Being financially
independent is probably of a big help to him.
I wonder how things will turn out. We are living in highly interesting, but also
exceedingly dangerous times.