The Democratic National Convention wrapped up in Chicago on Thursday with Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepting the presidential nomination, capping a week of political showmanship and celebration for many party members. “One of the things that struck me most was the level of choreographed mass spectacle of this convention that would be really worthy of Leni Riefenstahl,” says Democracy Now! co-host Juan González. He says Democrats and Republicans presented “the two faces of American capitalism” at their respective conventions this summer, with the GOP home to “white supremacist capitalism” while Democrats promote a “multiracial neoliberal capitalism.” He adds that despite the constant chants of “U.S.A.” throughout the week, “the reality is that the United States has never been lower in its prestige and never more discredited around the world than it is today.”
That’s not at all what he said. He literally ended his comment with this:
If you know Juan Gonzalez and his long and storied journalism career, he is very clear about the dangers of right-wing extremism.
There’s a difference between being excited about Democrats’ newfound energy (I am super excited), and being realistic about what they can accomplish as one of two parties in a hyper-capitalist system.
I agree with you, mostly.
My problem is that a lot of people want us to be so much more progressive and socialist that anything less than a full running leap to the left is being equated to disaster. And here’s the thing, I used to be that way. I wanted Sanders so bad that I didn’t vote for Hillary.
I’ll regret that decision for the rest of my life. Friends of mine died during the pandemic because of that decision. So now, no matter how bleak, I will always vote for even the smallest step towards the side of decency.
I am realistic about it and i agree with Juan Gonzalez on the whole. I don’t agree with his focus and his tone. His focus is on how it’s not enough and his tone is doom and gloom. That’s just exhausting.
I see this sentiment a whole lot. Unless you were like, one of the few thousand people in a swing district in a swing state, that vote, for/against/thirdparty/nonvote likely had zero impact. Tens of millions of voters have their votes dumpstered because of thr electoral college. California Trump voters and Tennessee Democrats, alike.
Unless you know your vote would’ve swung your district and also your state, do not sweat having put faith in a camp. Besides it is about policy, not people or party.
If someone is focused on people or party at the expense of any policy? You’re probably not dealing with strong leftist sentiment to begin with.
I was living abroad at the time. I was young and cocky. I made jokes about card games having to change the term trump to clinton cause she’s going to beat him easily. I was wrong.
Then it got scary.
Now I live in NC and I can’t wait to vote blue.
That’s a totally fair critique, his tone can be a lot. And for what it’s worth, you didn’t kill your friends. You made a political calculation that didn’t pan out, and you understand now that it wasn’t a great decision. Don’t blame yourself for their deaths, it’s entirely possible, if not likely that the same thing would have happened if you had voted for Hillary. I understand the sentiment though, and the need to put the blame somewhere.