The debate over whether or not to continue to support Ukraine highlights a seismic ideological realignment on foreign policy. Democrats, who were traditionally more skeptical of militarism and foreign adventurism, are far more aggressive and warlike than their Republican counterparts.
Liberals Have Changed
Ted Rall
Ted Rall is a syndicated political cartoonist for Andrews McMeel Syndication and WhoWhatWhy.org and Counterpoint. He is a contributor to Centerclip and co-host of "The TMI Show" talk show. He is a graphic novelist and author of many books of art and prose, and an occasional war correspondent. He is, recently, the author of the graphic novel "2024: Revisited."
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Ted the Russophile lies.
The notion of the US, and its aggressively vacuous, tribe “D” automatons, “supporting” Ukraine is a rather grim hoax.
It ranks right down there with accusing as “antisemitic” those who oppose genocide.
The only “positive” thing to be said for the Dem party is that it opportunistically did not publicly refute the electoral
reputation it was given by the minorities that prodded it into economic policies as if human life had value (FDR) and
legislative affirmation that all humans enjoyed the enumerated, inalienable rights of the constitutional (MLK).
However, when it came to the biggest triumph of the effin’ commie peaceniks, the popular nomination of George
McGovern for president in 1972, the shocked and angered Democratic Party establishment withheld all standard
support, including a long list of VP refusals, financial and publicity.
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“We have liberated them, (from fascism) and they will never forgive us for that.”
Georgy Zhukov, USSR general, WWII
I think an impartial evaluation of the “liberal” movement in the United States will reveal a phenomenon similar to Christianity in this country. A lot of people profess to be “good Christians.” But when you evaluate their actions compared to the teachings of Jesus in the Bible (he comes in near the end of the story), you see that there is a chasm between what is doctrine and what is practice. A lot of “liberals” — then and now — are anything but.
Yes, Republicans, Democrats, and other politically powerful organizations are in constant need of being steered back on course — the price of liberty is eternal vigilance and all that. Telling them that they are off course but not telling them the correct course is not so useful, so let’s tell them the right course.
1. What priorities are there that would easily get 2/3 of the electorate to back them?
1a. If there are priorities that should have that kind of backing but do not because politics, how do we get a meeting of the minds so that these highly sought-after priorities can be achieved?
It is easy to complain about which way the ship is going, but you have to explain the better alternative if you want people to listen.
1. What priorities are there that would easily get 2/3 of the electorate to back them?
Health care. Specifically, how the companies and their owned politicians are screwing you.
Example: Smilin’ Joe Biden bragging about the 10 Medicare drugs whose prices would be negotiated starting in 2026. (Which Trump reversed — which at least one scold had predicted.) That got a LOT of play time. Do the research to be sure I’m not lying. Look up the 10 drugs. Check when each one goes generic (i.e., when will the price plummet due to being open to competition). Seven of the 10 drugs Joe Biden and the dems talked up as a huge victory would be generic come 2026 or before then. It was a bullshit nothing accomplishment.
The “liberals” (wherever the hell they are) should: a. have screamed bloody murder at the media for not covering this detail, and b. hounded, without mercy, every politician that represents them (state reps, senators, etc.) until those politicians publicly (and often) demanded Smilin’ Joe wipe that shit-eatin’ grin off his face and deal truthfully with the American people.
You have to call the politicians on every single lie. You have to bear down on them until they’re just greasy spots on the ground. They cheat and lie because their constituents let them get away with it.
1a. If there are priorities that should have that kind of backing but do not because politics, how do we get a meeting of the minds so that these highly sought-after priorities can be achieved?
I recommend that the party stop catering to special-interest groups. Gay, straight, black, white, trans, I don’t care — stop with your insistence that your group be first. Sit down at the round table, stop fighting each other for who gets to sit at the end and run the show. Pick policies that affect everyone: AIDS was tremendously successful as a political call to action because, surprise, although it was racing through the gay community (and by “gay” I mean young, successful, white men), pretty much every guy out there understood that if he’d ever had a one-night stand, this was now his problem too. Arguing “trans” anything is, politically, a losing proposition. Because someone staring at five-to-six figures in medical bills for a broken leg and an operation genuinely doesn’t give a fuck whether someone can wear a pencil skirt or not.
The reality of which more people need to become conscious is that those who have rigged the system in their own favor have done such a good job of rigging it that the only way out is to stay out of the way as best we can (build strong local communities/mutual aid networks, etc.) and continue to allow it to strangle in its own contradictions. Once it’s killed itself, we can recycle the ruins and grow our local networks out into a sane civilization.
That’s how it looks to this life-long activist, anyway.
You may be interested in Chris Hedges’ interview with Ralph Nader at the following address: https://tinyurl.com/4u3jjkhn
Summary: “Nader says that when you shut out the civic community, you shut down democracy. He places responsibility for that happening, first and foremost, on the mass media.”