Why A Biden Presidency Will Disappoint Progressive Democrats
A Biden presidency will be another disappointment for the progressives who support the Democrats campaign.
The Washington Post is lauding Joe Biden's 'flexibility' on policy issues:
When Joe Biden released economic recommendations two months ago, they included a few ideas that worried some powerful bankers: allowing banking at the post office, for example, and having the Federal Reserve guarantee all Americans a bank account.But in private calls with Wall Street leaders, the Biden campaign made it clear those proposals would not be central to Biden’s agenda.
“They basically said, ‘Listen, this is just an exercise to keep the Warren people happy, and don’t read too much into it,’ ” said one investment banker, referring to liberal supporters of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). The banker, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private talks, said that message was conveyed on multiple calls.
By making promises to the more progressive parts of the Democrats while secretly pledging different policies to the rich Joe Biden is following the 'flexibility' of Barack Obama. During his first presidential campaign Obama promised several times that he would renegotiate NAFTA, the free trade agreement with Canada and Mexico. But behind the back of his supporters he secretly send envoys to Canada to let the government there know that he did not intend to implement that promise:
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has ordered an investigation into how reporters obtained a memo detailing a discussion between Canadian diplomats and a member of Obama’s team. The memo said the Obama adviser indicated that the candidate’s criticism of NAFTA was primarily political.Obama’s team denied he was being insincere, but rival Hillary Clinton said the memo showed her opponent could not be trusted. Both candidates blame the free trade agreement for U.S. job losses and vow to change or even abandon the deal, an act that could hurt Canada’s economy and damage ties between the world’s two largest trading partners.
Biden is showing such 'flexibility' on multiple issues:
This reluctance to be pinned down on policy details is central to Biden’s campaign, which has focused on a pledge to “restore the soul of the nation” rather than any particular legislative holy grail. While Biden has issued a raft of proposals, he’s often taken an all-things-to-all-people approach, sometimes making strong public declarations while relying on aides to soothe critics behind the scenes.
The ones who would be most disappointed with a center-right Biden regime will be those 'progressives' who currently support his campaign. Whatever they get promised now does not mean anything:
The Biden campaign said the economic recommendations were produced jointly by supporters of Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and were never intended as official policy.
...
[T]he Biden team views the task forces’ ideas as merely recommendations, while many Sanders supporters consider them binding.
At the same time Biden's foreign policy team is filling up with liberal interventionists from the Obama era and with neoconservatives:
Never-Trumper Republicans have been worming their way into the Biden campaign, offering to flesh out his “coalition” ahead of the election and pushing their way into the foreign policy discussions, particularly on China. Given their shared history with the liberal interventionists already in the campaign, don’t for a second think that there aren’t hungry neoconservatives among them trying to get a seat at the table.
...
These guys are charter members of the Washington foreign policy consensus, mixed in with neoconservative never-Trumpers like Eliot Cohen and Robert Kagan (his wife Victoria Nuland was a top neocon official in the Clinton State Department) who have despised Trump from the beginning and think his America First foreign policy is “deeply misguided” and leading the country to “crisis.” Kagan, who openly supported Hillary Clinton in 2016, has already authored at least one anti-Trump foreign policy op-ed with top Biden advisor Anthony Blinken. Wolves in sheep’s clothing.
A Biden win will mean a revival of the war on Syria, no renewal of the nuclear deal with Iran and other hawkish foreign policies:
Anyone therefore hoping for a softening of U.S. policy towards Iran, should Biden win, may be pinning too much hope on Bernie Saunders or ‘The Squad’ being able to ‘round off the sharp edges from U.S. foreign policy stances’ – they may be being overly-optimistic. It is just too obvious: As China veers towards Iran and the Middle East in search of energy-supply security, the temptation of any success with forcing a hawkish stance on China will be to link the two (Iran and China), and to try to push for a ‘kill-two-birds-with-one-stone’ policy stance.
Sure, the policies of a Biden presidency would look more polished and presentable than the boorish ways in which Trump acts. That is the main reason why the Washington establishment rejects Trump and supports Biden.
But we can certainly expect that a Biden presidency, won in the election or through the Democrats well planned color revolution scheme, will be to the right of the center-right policies Barack Obama implemented. This will hold for domestic policies issues as well as with regards to foreign policy.
Posted by b on September 8, 2020 at 17:35 UTC | Permalink
next page »Lies and more lies. As if theres been a reason to vote for decades. Just waiting for critical mass now as the financial system destroys whats left of the country and the dreams of those(pensions) lucky enough to be vested in it. Not long now before the wars of secession start in earnest. And I'm not talking about the Antifa/BLM BS. Local and Federal Tax collection and evictions will be the next battlefield. Can't wait(sarc.)
Posted by: so | Sep 8 2020 18:02 utc | 2
But like every other election this one is ... THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION IN OUR LIFETIME ! ! !
In NJ all I have to do is fill it in a ballot they will mail to me and mail it back to them in a pre-paid envelope and I can barely muster the enthusiasm to do that without slipping into a coma. The only reason I am going to vote is so that I can vote for Jill Stein the Green Party Candidate and vote for some Democrat Congressman.
I am not throwing away my vote because that implies that someone is automatically entitled to it.
Posted by: Christian J. Chuba | Sep 8 2020 18:16 utc | 3
In other words - better keep the fascist? NO.
Before the last elections one could still hope that Tronald would be more reserved in foreign policy and concentrate on the usa. We know better now. A world war against China is no better than one against Russia. The Middle East can also explode at any time because of Tronald's policy. Where is the advantage?
The disadvantages, such as a catastrophic ecological policy, the strengthening of authoritarian tendencies, the extreme right in the usa and, via propagation worldwide, are obvious.
So keep your nose closed and vote for Biden - that is my advice to every u.s. citizen.
Posted by: pnyx | Sep 8 2020 18:18 utc | 4
No renewal of the nuclear deal with Iran
The question is possibility / impossiblility of renewal of JCPOA. We can imagine Iran will claim damages for Trump withdrawal and USA will not afford to accept. Then empty negotiation will drag up to end of JCPOA. So, no need to bet on Biden's empty promises.
It is better to have a look at other deeper craks in the regional USA policy: Is Biden going to compromise and keep Bin SAW? Who will be the replacement?
That is the reason Ben Zayed is in hurry to bridge to Zionisim, to block the raod ahead of time.
Posted by: arata | Sep 8 2020 18:18 utc | 5
1. Only fake progressives support any Deep State-approved Democratic Party Presidential candidate.
2. Democrats shoot themselves in the foot AGAIN? LOL.
Why would the Biden campaign be so careless as to let this message slip?
Ans. They don't want to win. Repeating for those in the back row: THE DEMOCRATS DON'T WANT TO WIN.
The Deep State wants Trump to win. Just as they did in 2016. Trump likely negotiated an eight-year contract, which is appropriate because 4 years is not enough to do what the Deep States needs him to do - push back on Russia & China and move USA/Empire to accept, nay welcome, a major war.
A just war. Inevitable, really. Against an evil and implacable foe. Our righteous, peace-loving President hates war so so so so so much. But he tell us how it is so so so so necessary./sarc
!!
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Sep 8 2020 18:24 utc | 6
@3 Christian J. Chuba
this year, the nominee of the Green and also the Socialist party is Howie Hawkins
Posted by: ptb | Sep 8 2020 18:25 utc | 7
It became obvious to me long ago that even "progressives" aren't so stupid that they're actually fooled by any Democrat Party candidate, that they ever actually believe any Democrat is a "real" reformer, let alone some kind of radical.
No, they want the same psychopathic, purely destructive programs liberals in general, as well as conservative Republican voters, want. Their fake vestigial "conscience" is just somewhat more whiny than that of regular corporate liberals, so they need some special stroking. Ergo the many-times repeated sheepdog routine of Sanders and other alleged "insurgents".
But any of them who vote for Biden know deep down exactly what they're voting for, the continued escalation of the status quo trajectory. They deserve zero consideration or sympathy, no more than any other Dembot.
Of course Biden will disappoint progressives. The man has a 40 year record that shows that he has nary a progressive bone in his body...he's a sclerotic, corrupt empty suit whose biggest achievement in life was to manage to stick around long enough to float to the top with lots of help from Big Money.
He has already admitted that nothing will change:
https://www.salon.com/2019/06/19/joe-biden-to-rich-donors-nothing-would-fundamentally-change-if-hes-elected/
IOW he's unlikely to reverse much of anything that Trump did, except on foreign policy.
If Biden manages to win, miraculously bucking Democrats' uncanny ability to seize defeat from the jaws of victory, then voters in 2024, fed up with his failed, caretaker regime, will choose to elect Trump 2.0...a slicker, smiling huckster who will covertly make his supporters pay while convincing them that he's really on their side.
Is America messed up, or what?
I'm going to write Mr. Potato Head in for President.
Posted by: JohnH | Sep 8 2020 18:38 utc | 10
Sorry I going to be a pure right wing prick here. Progressives will never be happy with anyone or anything. They live for misery. Its why they change their goals all the time. Can't be satisfied, and they have to make everyone else pay for their hissy fit of the moment. Biden is just your average garden variety corrupt, uniparty politician. Oddly for someone like me he is better than any dictatorial progressive out there. I do suspect progressives and buddies won't be allowed to destroy Democrat strongholds in a Biden (soon Harris) presidency. It will be about optics, not "justice". Progressives will be good little Democrats just for the crumbs of power. After that will the average person finally see what a joke progressive-ism is? One can hope.
Posted by: Old and Grumpy | Sep 8 2020 18:40 utc | 11
How long before Circe shows up hysterically shrieking "You are all bad people who love Trump because you are giving away our secrets like this!"
Of course, we all know that Biden was a servile tool of the elites, but it is nice for our host to document it clearly and unambiguously for us.
Posted by: William Gruff | Sep 8 2020 18:46 utc | 12
Post Office banking is not new. At one time, when I was a boy, the US Post Office sold savings stamps. You pasted them in a book, and when it was full, you cashed it in at the post office. I believe they also sold savings bonds. And until recently, you could buy and sell money orders at the post office. All of those are banking functions.
Posted by: bob sykes | Sep 8 2020 18:51 utc | 13
The Biden campaign said the economic recommendations were produced jointly by supporters of Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and were never intended as official policy.
...
[T]he Biden team views the task forces’ ideas as merely recommendations, while many Sanders supporters consider them binding.
This is a normal process. When a republic becomes an empire, policy increasingly loses relevance in relation to the individual will of the emperor (POTUS). Empires have a high inertial component in its social metabolism, which is manifested in the dialectical relation between the deification of the emperor (all-powerful head-of-State) and the imbecilization of the people (i.e. transmutation of the people into the "mob" or "the masses"). The machine simply becomes too big and to complex for the indentured lumpen-proletariat, who falls on his knees in awe.
As a result, the old republican democratic processes ossify, becoming mere archaic rituals from a long-forgotten but irrationally glorified time.
The main issue the power elite in DC hate Trump is because he is not being "hard enough" on Russia. They want cold war 2.0 with Russia as they hope to balkanize her and turn her into a satellite.
Posted by: alaric | Sep 8 2020 19:00 utc | 15
The sky outside my window is an ominous orange hue from the smoke of several fires covering the sun and requiring the lights turned on so I can see the keyboard to type. Crooke's article from yesterday cites several of the same sources as b but is a broader overall assessment. Crooke devotes space to the "Contested Election" scenario being speculated upon by many sources. IMO, he's 100% correct in doing so and it shows in his conclusion:
"And so to the bottom line: Whereas the November election formerly had been perceived as a referendum on Trump, events have moved on. Voters have seized upon an important truth: It is that the civil unrest in U.S. cities is no ‘side issue’. It has become the very focus of every American, on whichever side of the electoral fence they stand. For Trump, this is a risky issue to harness, since it is happening ‘on his watch’. But Law and Order is already the issue. For Biden, torn between his personal instincts and a political base that literally wants to defund the police, the challenge is arguably much greater."
I can't get over being nagged by Darkness at Noon given all the events currently transpiring and now with today's sky; it's extremely eerie. Other images of the sky sent by friends located further inland and closer to the fires depict a Blood Red sky. My #1 question: Is the portrayed struggle within the Duopoly authentic or theatre to advance a developing narrative not yet released for public consumption?
Posted by: karlof1 | Sep 8 2020 19:09 utc | 16
Biden is an ultimate empty suit and political opportunist. Kamala Harris is the same, if not worse. Both are status quo actors. Since at this point aleviating America’s rapidly worsening condition requires radical surgery, this duo can’t help but disappoint. Biden-Harris ticket is nothing more than Obama regime restoration crew, and yet trying to rewind the tape to four years prior will inevitably lead to a total social/economic implosion of the USA. The disease is simply too advanced. Only a complete overhaul - i.e. decisive repudiation of imperial policies - can save America now, and even then in much diminished form. It’s a national tragedy that when the moment calls for the most comprehensive change, the personalities on offer are so hopelessly mediocre.
Posted by: Venom | Sep 8 2020 19:11 utc | 17
@ Posted by: Old and Grumpy | Sep 8 2020 18:40 utc | 11
The problem with your argument is that your neocon friends were telling the exact opposite thing to the Soviet people during the Cold War: that they indeed shouldn't be satisfied with anything the Soviet government provided them, and that they should destroy it.
You can't preach one thing to Joe and another one to Joseph.
Biden's entire career as a senator was devoted to whoring for the major banks that call Delaware home. The banks funded his campaigns and provided a sinecure to his crack head son, Hunter. He through Anita Hill under the bus to ensure a supreme court seat for a reactionary mediocrity, Clarence Thomas. He sponsored a federal crime bill that mandated draconian mandatory sentences. He was a strident opponent of busing and has spoken proudly of his close relationships with segregationist senators. Despite his repeated lies to the contrary, he was an ardent proponent of the catastrophic invasion of Iraq. He makes no secret of the fact that he is entirely in the pocket of AIPAC. How could any progressive be "disappointed" by a man with his history?
Posted by: David | Sep 8 2020 19:13 utc | 19
re: Alaric #15,
I see more evidence that the US is in the process of breaking up now, probably over the next 20yrs. What has really allowed the Americans to behave so insanely aggressively over the past 60yrs is that they have no regional rivals that other countries could support in order to push back against US meddling in their own regions. Now that the US is beginning the process of breaking up into separate regions, that option will become available to other governments (not just Russia & China, but France, the UK, Germany, etc..) forcing whatever rump US is left to act as a more normal state. The US deep state is well aware of this fact, but it is so corrupt that it can't make the internal reforms necessary to ensure a unified US, so it is blaming all of the widening divisions on foreign influence, while pushing ahead with policies that will make a 2nd US civil war and a breakup unavoidable.
Posted by: Kadath | Sep 8 2020 19:14 utc | 20
Those expecting disappointment from Biden will not be disappointed.
In representative democracy you have these intermediaries which do the work for you. If they are 'representative' for your interests then it can work. If you merely get to choose between a few options offered by an elite then is it entirely hollowed out and you can no longer delegate the work and the responsibility to these representatives but have to get more involved. That means activism. Sanders believes in this activism. Chomsky believes in it. Or maybe they merely put their last hopes on it. No, they belive in it. Obama was good at defusing it and giving the impression he was going to handlee it. Biden is not good at giving that impression.
It's the same with the press where delegation of responsibility to a caste of journalists also went wrong where people need to get involved. This involvement is called (actually lumped into) fake news and disinformation and journalists strongly dislike it.
Posted by: Tuyzentfloot | Sep 8 2020 19:19 utc | 21
It's not too late for the Dems to pull the fat out of the fire.
All they have to do is get their Deep State friends to award Sleepy Joe the Nobel Prize for Truthiness ... or as Xymphora would describe it, the Nobel Prize for Irony, before Election Day.
This race is beginning to remind me of a quip made by 'Honest' John W Howard, aka Johnny Rotten, after the Libs lied their way to Election victory in the 1990s. When asked by a disappointed reporter what happened to all the touchie feelie pre-election promises, Johnny Rotten airily repudiated the question by declaring: "Nya ha! Those were just Non Core promises."
Welcome to my world.
Totalitarian Capitalist Oz & Career Politicians...
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Sep 8 2020 19:23 utc | 22
The DNC biggest priority is maintaining control of the Party as a whole, rather than winning individual elections (don't get me wrong they like to win elections too, but if the choice is between losing an election or allowing "real" working class reformers a leading position in the party, well too bad they can raise funds from billionaires whether they are in office or out). The way I see it, the DNC "plan" for winning this elections is to find the least electable candidate with the least electable policy positions that can still *just* squeak through to win the election, rather than pick a winning candidate with a popular policy platform that could blow Trump out of the water in a landslide. Picking such a candidate would mean slightly diminishing the wealth and power of the US oligarchs and the DNC cant have that.
Posted by: Kadath | Sep 8 2020 19:25 utc | 23
If the South had won its independence in the Civil War, the U.S. would just have been a normal state for the past 150+ years.
Posted by: lysias | Sep 8 2020 19:26 utc | 24
My #1 question: Is the portrayed struggle within the Duopoly authentic or theatre to advance a developing narrative not yet released for public consumption?
Posted by: karlof1 @ 16 Its the domestic part of the Pandemic.. global warming, digitally controlled weather, driverless cars, the warfare that allows 5g warfare to identify a target, and aim the Rf at it., the replacement of knee breaking by mini nukes, communism under the name socialism, and 6 persons privately owned media which control politics in every nation in the world. the goal is to control everyone and everything.. a singularity of commerce and political dynamics both controlled from the top just like the Traffic light control so the few become fewer/ the wealth of the fewer grows in logarithmic rates as it extracts at linear rates the wealth of the nations. Human life has become a commodity<=its value about $1.50 on a good day. No one cares.. walk down the street to be snuffed out, and it does not make the papers unless it is white on black.
Posted by: snake | Sep 8 2020 19:28 utc | 25
This a article would be relevant and useful if indeed the popular vote mattered. But that is not the case. US Election is just a Showa day a farce. More bread and circus.
b, I humbly suggest you spend your energy elsewhere. This article is just a filler with no redeemable value.
Posted by: Alpi | Sep 8 2020 19:39 utc | 26
This is not a twitter account which is under the illusion that Biden is going to take their aspirations in account: https://twitter.com/SettleForBiden .
Posted by: Tuyzentfloot | Sep 8 2020 19:51 utc | 27
From 2016
Progressivism, in a nutshell:
"If we broke up the big banks tomorrow,” Mrs. Clinton asked the audience of black, white and Hispanic union members, “would that end racism? Would that end sexism? Would that end discrimination against the L.G.B.T. community?,” she said, using an abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. “Would that make people feel more welcoming to immigrants overnight?”
Posted by: Triden | Sep 8 2020 20:06 utc | 28
This headline and lede would have been more on target (with name of appropriate Dem nominee filled in) before all the presidential elections of recent decades *until* the last two in 2016 and 2020.
Having Trump as their opponent has liberated the Dems from any but a minimal effort in checking some boxes on actual policy questions. Instead they just bank on Trump’s obvious unelectability to save them the inconvenience of making (and breaking) any specific promises unfavorable to the plutocracy and the military/surveillance state.
Of course since it didn’t quite work out for them in 2016 … they’re doing exactly the same thing again, with the added knife-twist of a nominee who isn’t even unambiguously compos mentis (though not as widely reviled as Hillary).
I’d have thought all this was well understood here; I’m a bit surprised MoA ran this piece as it stands.
Posted by: David G | Sep 8 2020 20:08 utc | 29
karlof1 @16
"Voters have seized upon an important truth: It is that the civil unrest in U.S. cities is no ‘side issue’. It has become the very focus of every American, on whichever side of the electoral fence they stand.
For Trump, this is a risky issue to harness, since it is happening ‘on his watch’. But Law and Order is already the issue"
All Trump needs to do is repeatedly hammer home the idea that the cities with the worst problems are ALL run by Democrats, and have been for years. Decades in some cases.
Posted by: Triden | Sep 8 2020 20:13 utc | 30
thanks b and thanks to many relevant comments by others here too.... @ 26 alpi... what topic would you like to see explored more??
i tend to see it like @ kadath... the usa is an empire in decline and the pace is picking up.. how much of the angst has to do with covid the past 6 months, i can't tell... how much of it is based off the small fires happening in regional areas - portland, seattle, wisconsin and etc. etc.? although i have a hard time seeing civil war at this point, what has happened in the past 6 months in the usa has been fairly disturbing to any observer.... on the world stage the usa continues in the same fashion for all intensive purposes.. the msm for the most part is happy to carry water for stigmatizing china, iran, venezuala and russia on a regular basis, while supporting any colour revolution they can get their hands on - belarus being the latest... getting the usa to look within at itself is a scary proposition... politically most of their focus has been being the lead bully on the world stage.. being forced to naval gaze is very unlike the usa... and of course as obama said - no accountability, as that would force self examination as well, something that is a real weak suit in the usa on all levels...
@ karlof1.. thanks for the article from crooke.. i thought it was pretty good.. b and crookes article dovetail in both highlighting the neo cons presence in the inner circle of the dem party... as others have said - forget about anything progressive... biden as @ tuyzenfloot notes is nowhere as convincing as obama at assuaging the progressives in the dem party... biden is a cheap suit and not leadership material as i see it... trump on the other hand is as someone else put it - poor political hygiene, but an autocratic type self centered leader regardless.. funny how the repub convention reflected this too.... neither of these leaders are worthy material, but it is what the usa voters have to process at present.... as i keep saying - the wheels are coming off the usa empire.. i hope it is a graceful landing over the next 20 years.... voting at this point seems like a real fools game to me... the whole political culture in the usa is extremely disgusting and in the gutter, no matter all the appearances to the contrary...
Posted by: james | Sep 8 2020 20:19 utc | 31
Posted by: Alpi | Sep 8 2020 19:39 utc | 26
b, I humbly suggest you spend your energy elsewhere.
Germany for once, since our host lives there, what’s going on with Navalny, Kolesnikova, North Stream II and Europe in general. Is Kolesnikova Germany’s choice to replace Lukashenko like Klichko was in Ukraine, which way the Navalny affair is going to be solved?
The US election is no election at all, with an additional problem, pointing to the shortcomings of one candidate is automatically assumed as support for the other one, when it is obvious and for the whole world to see that both of them are the Brezhnev and Chernenko of a falling empire.
Posted by: Paco | Sep 8 2020 20:25 utc | 32
Exactly how to handle Iran and the JCPOA may, I believe, pose a minor conundrum for a Biden administration because the whole thing has become so personalized, with Trump portrayed in the media as being against it specifically because it was Obama’s baby.
So while there is no sign that the Dems are interested in challenging the Beltway’s consensus on the Iranian boogeyman (and with the pragmatism Obama showed in negotiating the “Iran deal” seemingly in retreat), because of the personalization of the issue, a Biden administration will have to find some way to repudiate Trump and vindicate Obama here.
Just what mix of substance and symbolism they will decide on (if Biden wins) I don’t know, but if I were the Iranians I wouldn’t be counting on a lot of material relief.
Posted by: David G | Sep 8 2020 20:31 utc | 33
lysias @24--
The South was doomed from the outset. The failure was because of the lack of patience by the Fire Eaters who commenced the war in Charleston. Time was required to build the alliance with the UK and secure the geography required for its economy--primarily the rivers since rail lines were so sparse and disconnected. The almost immediate loss of New Orleans is a case in point. Then there's the great disparity in industrial plant that greatly favored the North in what was the first truly "Modern War."
Posted by: karlof1 | Sep 8 2020 20:36 utc | 34
If biden wins w3 will barely see him. Kamala will do all the offical vistis and interviews. U might catch a gli.pse of joe getting of air force one and giving a wave before being lead away by his team lol
Posted by: Bob | Sep 8 2020 20:39 utc | 35
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Sep 8 2020 18:24 utc | 6
Jakrabbit, you have a very rich imagination!
Posted by: Ray Warkentin | Sep 8 2020 20:44 utc | 36
Posted by: karlof1 | Sep 8 2020 19:09 utc | 16
My #1 question: Is the portrayed struggle within the Duopoly authentic or theatre to advance a developing narrative not yet released for public consumption?
The struggle is authentic for those who will get access to power and their die hard fans better known as useful idiots, as their team will "win". They have no values beyond blind partisan loyalty. Only liking truth when it serves you is the same as hating truth. (taken from Caitlin Johnstone smear #19)
I believe it has become the theater of the absurd for the majority who don't vote. That's what it became years ago for me (a Canadian). The theater of fear is being used to push a common narrative for D's and R's which is too fearsome to be shown for public consumption. All billionaires are bad for your own personal health and the health of the planet. They aren't suddenly good or bad depending on which candidate they are buying.
The end game is feudalism as the alternative is too much for those in power to contemplate. The end of history as they say. But we know how that turned out. Hopefully the project will be scaled back to the Empire itself. That shining city on a hill may be shining for a different reason come November 3rd. It would be interesting to see the legions returning home from the 800-1000 bases scattered around the world.
That's assuming there actually is a plan Sam. Going by how the Skripal and Navalny stories have played out they appear more like a Chinese fire drill where the narrative has got confused and lost.
(From Wikipedia for what is is worth, The term goes back to the early 1900s, and is alleged to have originated when a ship run by British officers and a Chinese crew practiced a fire drill for a fire in the engine room. The bucket brigade were to draw water from the starboard side, pass it to the engine room, and pour it onto the 'fire'. To prevent flooding, a separate crew was to ferry the accumulated water from the engine room up to the main deck and heave the water over the port side. The drill had previously gone according to plan until the orders became confused in translation. The bucket brigade began to draw the water from the starboard side, run directly over to the port side and then throw the water overboard, bypassing the engine room completely)
Posted by: Tom | Sep 8 2020 20:52 utc | 37
karlof1 @16: "My #1 question: Is the portrayed struggle within the Duopoly authentic or theatre to advance a developing narrative not yet released for public consumption?"
The bunny would say it is all theater; that this is all happening according to the elites' master plan.
I would say that the elites are desperate and panicking and making mistakes that harm their own interests. They don't fully understand the problem that is making the economy they run increasingly fragile and unproductive. Because they don't understand, there are different factions with opposing ideas of how to fix things. Of course, all of the factions are wrong, but that is beside the point.
The struggle among the elites is very real. The elites would never have deliberately exposed the hidden machinery of the deep state and the "intelligence community", and certainly would never have cast doubt on the credibility of the corporate mass media. Trump's latest bluntly calling out the Military/Industrial Complex as warmongers is particularly taboo for the public face of the oligarchy.
The bunny would argue that the evidence of this internal conflict in the oligarchy is just a show that somehow makes it easier for the US to move to a more aggressive military posture, but that is not supported by facts. The US has a less aggressive military posture than it had under Obama or Bush Jr. Those presidents started wars without need of pretending there was a schism between the Executive and the corporate mass media, so faking the schism isn't necessary for more aggression. The schism serves no other purposes, so clearly it is real and not fake. This represents real division in the oligarchy, where in their panic and ineptitude they are letting their internal squabble spill out into the public.
Posted by: William Gruff | Sep 8 2020 20:52 utc | 38
34 Cont'd--
Furthermore, Southerners were the more Imperialist of the two sides, having stolen Texas and 1/2 of Mexico, looked at Cuba as "low hanging fruit" ripe for "picking" at most any moment. Central America was also a place where Southern sponsored "Filibusterers" wrecked havoc. Fortunately for Mexico and its inhabitants, Southern racism kept it from becoming a complete US Colony. A better comment would be: If England had maintained control over the Pacific Northwest and Polk hadn't invaded Mexico and it was able to retain its lands, and Russia held onto Alaska, the USA might have remained a more subdued Empire lacking Pacific Ocean frontage, California gold, Nevada Silver, Arizona Copper, and foodstuffs from Washington, Oregon and California. Polk's Invasion of and victory over Mexico made the US Civil War inevitable and the Outlaw US Empire possible; thus historian Bernard DeVoto's insistence on that "decision's" importance.
Posted by: karlof1 | Sep 8 2020 20:57 utc | 39
Jackrabbit @6
The only thing left for the US to do before its economy is pulled is to attack Iran.
Seven countries in 5 years:
Libya: check
Sudan: check
Somalia: check
Lebanon: check
Syria: check (sort of)
Iraq: check (sort of)
Iran: to do
The only trouble is the '5 year plan' has taken a lot longer than 5 years, and the remaining victims are gaining the upper hand.
As for the Democrans wanting the Republocrats to win, are Biden's 'medical/mental' problems a replay of Clintons 'barking like a dog/collapsing eveywhere' that magically disappeared after the election?
Posted by: Ken Garoo | Sep 8 2020 20:58 utc | 40
And yet Iran was starting to have some prosperity again, and the Palestinians still officially owned the West Bank and regime change headed by Abrams wasn't in the works in Venezuela and China wasn't facing Cold War and people had jobs and healthcare.
That doesn't mean I like Biden, so don't you all go there. I too was against the attack on Libya and meddling in Syria, but that was mostly Hillary's handiwork.
But really, what's the solution geniuses? More Trump, cause it's good for ONLY Russia and Israel! Whatever is necessary that ensures Trump is out and goes back to his Florida Xanadu--sign me up!
Biden will be a one term President anyway; so stop squealing and squirming -- it'll be over the moment it starts; in the blink of an eye and the no more Biden and Trump will be nightmare OVER. Biden will not start a war at 80! All that matters is getting rid of Trump and his dynasty and all the crazy shet that comes with it. Period.
This is set, game, match. Get over your idiotic, glaring desperation, move on to what really matters, as in undoing the Trump disaster.
Posted by: Circe | Sep 8 2020 21:16 utc | 41
[T]he Biden team views the task forces’ ideas as merely recommendations, while many Sanders supporters consider them binding.
That's a very bold claim. First, are there more than a dozen people in the entire world stupid or ignorant enough to think the task forces put out anything at all that's "binding"? What the hell?
Second, this repeats the strange view of the media/liberal Dems that progressive supporters of Sanders supported Sanders because he's Sanders. Actual progressives supported him because he was progressive. Now he's a trump-derangement shill for the racist, warmonging, corportatist pig Joe Biden. So no progressives support him doing that, or his lies about Biden being the next FDR. He means utterly nothing when it comes to Biden.
If there are actually "many Sanders supporters" that consider them binding, they're a) morons, and/or b) not progressives.
As for the Iran deal, Biden would insist on a throttling of long-range missiles, on Israel's behalf and which they wanted in the original agreement. Iran would be suicidal to agree to that. Biden won't simply re-up the original deal. So, it's dead as far as the US being a party to it. Europe, Iran, etc. should be completely ignoring the US [as they recently did in the UN] no matter if it's Biden or Trump. The US shouldn't be invited to any discussions or be seen as any kind of potential partner. They should be treated no different than Burkina Faso, or Uruguay, or Laos when it comes to Iran and nukes. Irrelevant bystanders.
Posted by: Soft Parade | Sep 8 2020 21:22 utc | 42
An independent South would certainly have been aggressive and imperialist, just as the North would have continued to be. But neither would have been the superpower that the U.S. became. That's not so much because each would have had less resources than those of the united Union as because each of them would have had a powerful hostile power bordering it.
For example, in a First World War each country would almost inevitably have taken the opposite side from its former partner in Union.
Posted by: lysias | Sep 8 2020 21:23 utc | 43
Posted by: Circe | Sep 8 2020 21:16 utc | 41
More Trump, cause it's good for ONLY Russia and Israel!
That statement does not reflect reality. For the entity yes, but for Russia Trump has been absolutely negative, sanctions galore, Ukraine armed and colonized, five B-52 flying over Ukraine at a short distance of Russia’s borders a few days ago, Belarus, steeling oil in Syria and sanctioning a destroyed country, North Stream II blocked. I do not see what good Trump has been for Russia.
Posted by: Paco | Sep 8 2020 21:29 utc | 45
The original post has this: "Sure, the policies of a Biden presidency would look polished and presentable than the boorish ways in which Trump acts. That is the main reason why the Washington establishment rejects Trump and supports Biden."
The implication the Mitch McConnell and the Republican Party in the Congress as a whole don't support Trump is ludicrous. The judiciary most certainly supports Trump to the maximum extent feasible with a pretense of honesty. The military doesn't oppose Trump, even though the man has actually played publicly with abolishing traditional democracy. If these people aren't the Washington establishment, no one is. The notion some secret midlevel civil service is really running the show is psychotic, if the proponents really believe it. Even if you try to take this drivel seriously, even in its own terms, it's preposterous. The "Washington establishment" didn't support Obama, either! Which means this is a puny imitation of reason. It's nonsense meant to gin up some vague impression of populist struggle carried out by Trump. There isn't any. All efforts are either dishonest or crazy.
Consider William Gruff's nonsense about Trump "calling out" the military/industrial complex when Trump has raised the military budget to extraordinary levels. That in itself is aggressive. Economic warfare is still warfare and Trump has intensified every single one too, and used imperial powers over tariffs to fight skirmishes with numerous others. For the record, shepherding expensive new weapons systems gets retired generals cushy jobs in defense industries...but losing battles doesn't. The narrow venal interests of the officer corps are in big budgets with out fighting. What Trump said is witless BS, as per usual. Pretending to tkae it as meaningful is just more Trumpery.
By the way, karlof1 talks of the South building up its alliance with the UK and securing its "rivers." First, the South rejected central banking and other kinds of financial arrangements that it would have had to use in making an "alliance" with the UK. Insofar as any of this means anything coherent in reference to states that are still in the Union? Even more to the point, the inferior infrastructure of the South, not just its railroads but its river and ocean harbors were underdeveloped as a matter of policy. The planter class strongly resisted internal improvements as a whole. Even the handful of southern Whigs chose slavery over a sound economy when it came to head. The Fire Eaters, in other words, struck when their grip on the national government was broken, but before more years would make the superior North even more populous, even more industrial, even more sure of ultimate success given the will. Selling public lands cheap to all parties, rather than dear to foster planations while raising maximum revenue with lower tariffs, would likely have increased northern food production even more. The vague feeling the South had a moral cause for independence was largely limited to liberals, the fossils beloved of crank reactionary libertarians. (John Stuart Mill was the scarce exception, supporting the North. This stance seems to be a gut reaction against slavery, more admirable than reasoned from his professed principles.)
Posted by: steven t johnson | Sep 8 2020 21:38 utc | 46
#41: "Biden will be a one term President anyway; so stop squealing and squirming -- it'll be over the moment it starts; in the blink of an eye and the no more Biden and Trump will be nightmare OVER. Biden will not start a war at 80! All that matters is getting rid of Trump and his dynasty and all the crazy shet that comes with it. Period."
I'm not sure ol' Joe's gonna make it through one term, so fast he's deteriorating. So it's going to be the lightweight from my dear CA (seriously: the level of discussion from Harris is like watching a lawyer discuss rocket science) in charge quite soon.
Nobody thinks Biden (or Harris) will themselves start wars; no, it will be the Tony Blinkens and Susan Rices and Michelle Fluornoys of the world who will light the matches.
The great thing with Trump, which we will believe it or not miss, is that you know he will be distrusted by the system and not allowed to do his worst. Biden/Harris are system enablers: empire will be unleashed.
Posted by: Caliman | Sep 8 2020 21:40 utc | 47
My sense is that US voters have few illusions about Biden's worth, compared to Obama or even to H.Clinton. Certainly not any who are within a mile of being a 'swing voter' or a 'low probability' voter. The CNN watchers will believe whatever Wolf Blitzer says, but that's a given.
You could say the same about Trump too. Trump. voters outside the Fox News bubble know he's full of s##t, but the symbolism of the act is worth something anyway, and to some, seeing their liberal acquaintances squirm is a bonus.
The question is, will the equivalent motivations on the Dem side turn out weakly committed voters where it matters? If not, will they turn out for Biden simply in the hope of ending the feeling of dystopia and TDS?
Posted by: ptb | Sep 8 2020 21:42 utc | 48
That bland spiel wrought of your growing desperation (yes, it's obvious) ain't gonna convince anyone because EVERYONE is sick to death of Trump, and I emphasize sick to death.
You have no idea do you, how fed up people are with Trump, or you wouldn't bother trying to stop the freight train of disgust that's going to obliterate Trump and all remnants of Trump.
Quit while you're way behind. Give it up, Russia and Israel bots. It's not going to work again, cause you ain't got Hillary to count on this time!
Posted by: Circe | Sep 8 2020 21:47 utc | 49
Circe@41 claims that Clinton, who was merely US Secretary of State, was the author of the Libyan war. Quite aside from ignoring the role of David Cameron and Nicolas Sarkozy, it also ignores the role of NATO, which is under the President, a fellow named Obama, the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs/NATO theater commander etc. No Clinton there. Given that the Libyan resistance to Qaddafi started off with lynching black Africans who had moved into Libya from below the Sahara, the idea that Obama wouldn't want somebody else to do the PR is, well, unexpected, to be polite. But even in US domestic politics Susan Rice and Samantha Power had as much role as Clinton. The notorious "We came, we saw, he died" was a sleazy attempt to seize credit, even if you are the kind who was proud to wreck Libya.
Posted by: steven t johnson | Sep 8 2020 21:53 utc | 50
Now even B and some barflies are de-facto campaigning for Trump. One might wonder why ? Well, China wants another mandate for Chump, Russia wants another mandate for Trump, German nationalist Prussians and I suspect now even the Iranians want 4 more years for Trump. Simple, they figure he will accelerate the destruction of what remains of american empire. As a linear transactional cretin, he's easy to read, each of his successive moves only calibrate for immediate effect - short term fix and gains. It will be easier to subdue the USA with a reality TV president and adept of missile tweeting. As a bonus, they might even get right-wing deaths squads roaming the american streets and killing their fellow citizens to maintain racial purity and backwards free market austerity. A win-win for American adversaries: they rightfully project that Chump and his neo-confederates will destroy few columns remaining inside exceptional temple. Can't blame them.
Posted by: Horatio | Sep 8 2020 21:55 utc | 51
Biden is going to 'disappoint' progressives?
Hahahaha! ROTFL!
Ignoring all those 'progressive' politicians that are somewhere to the right of Ayn Rand, no Biden will not 'disappoint' real progressives. He will stab them in the back, spit on them, shoot their dog, set them on fire, and load them into a gigantic cannon and blast them into the ionosphere.
Backstabbing Joe Biden's career encompasses over half a century of utter betrayal of his nation and the working class. An open borders immigration system designed to drive wages down and rents and prices up. 'Free' trade that stripped the country of its industrial might so that the rich could get richer (and what do we do when we can no longer run up a trade deficit to import things we no longer make?). Bankruptcy 'reform' that the founders of this republic would find extreme, that sentences people to a lifetime of debt servitude with no chance of getting out. "Surprise" medical billing that can bankrupt even people with 'good' (i.e., expensive) health insurance. Trillions spent on endless pointless winless wars that only benefit a politically connected defense contractors. "Deregulating" the financial system, which necessitated tens of trillions of dollars in bailouts and subsidies ("TARP" was a sideshow. No these bailouts have not been paid back and they are colossal).
I could go on. I think the worst thing is that a contemptible corporate whore like Joe Biden could possibly be referred to as 'progressive' or 'liberal' by anyone. Oh wait, right, he's for transgender bathrooms! So I guess it's all right after all!
Posted by: TG | Sep 8 2020 21:58 utc | 52
If Trump's re-election accelerates the demise of the American Empire, what's wrong with that?
Posted by: lysias | Sep 8 2020 21:59 utc | 53
What’s in a name, in classical literature the potion turned sailors into pigs, now whoever does not agree with the sorceress fantasies is turned into a bot. And everybody wins.
Posted by: Paco | Sep 8 2020 22:00 utc | 54
Paco @Sep8 22:00 #54
He picked that name (Circe is a man) because he's here to waylay those seeking a better understanding.
So .. very .. clever.
!!
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Sep 8 2020 22:07 utc | 55
That this useless rainless 2nd rate bureaucrat won't stick to any of his
progressive promises is as certain as the sun is gonna rise on the East tomorrow morning.
As a non Americans we find it hard to put into our heads how the heck such a nation, with so many good brains and 1st class citizens - and a number of which working full time in politics - could search, validate and clapclap like clown cheerers to this shining ultra mediocre vacuum specimen...
Frankly, if the system, the media, the sacred venerable traditions or the empty rituals of your democracy can leat to this, it is time turn the system inside out. What s gonn ensue must be bettter than mouse from the mountain birth.
snake @25, William Gruff @38 & Tom @37--
Thanks for your replies as you all cited the same sentence with your POVs markedly different.
Yes, Trump's far less warlke, which has the Neocons now almost completely within the D-Party. Yet he continues to enable the Financial Parasites and the Anti-Regulators that are doing the heavy lifting of dismantling what Trump says he wants to build--MAGA. IOW, Trump himself doesn't really know what he wants other than to remain in power. Oh, I should inject this note that China's school population will resume in person classes when they recommence whereas in the Outlaw US Empire new COVID cases seems to have finally plateaued, although that also seemed to be the case back at the beginning of June. The socio-economic fallout from the "lockdown" has yet to be fully felt--as soon as the eviction moratorium lapses, even those cities under R-Party mayors will feel the heat making Triden @30's scenario untenable as tens of millions face eviction. IMO, social unrest will continue to escalate which will exacerbate the political situation. Real unemployment is still beyond 30% and no further federal aid is expected prior to the election. Keeping abreast of Shadowstats reports and data is key as the government's economic lies are unmasked, with the next major update to be published by the 11th.
IMO, the pending New Narrative deals with the unraveling dollar and the already floated idea of direct payments from the Fed to citizens as the national currency becomes 100% digitized. While it may seem to benefit the average Joe and Jane, the real beneficiary will be Wall Street as the new system will make it easier to impose Debt Peonage. As Crooke noted in his essay, the non-performing economy will determine a range of issues:
"This is the most serious landmine of all: Exploding, unsustainable debt. What is it that eases an exploded debt burden, coupled with high unemployment? … War. The hawks are circling over China."
But debt is only part of the issue as it's dying Dollar Hegemony that must be salvaged. Much can be accomplished behind the veil of war--Patriot Act and offshoots being best example. The Missus and I talked about this some last night, that Trump's actually been devolving the Empire but has met (alleged) resistance with every move he's tried to make. Ending the Outlaw US Empire is a great goal, but then that leaves the citizenry as its only target for exploitation.
Contested election. Chaos. Economic and Social dislocation. A virus that won't go away. And a House Divided Against Itself. Continuing asset price inflation and currency debasement simultaneously.
Posted by: karlof1 | Sep 8 2020 22:12 utc | 57
“Lesser of two evils” thinking catches a lot of grief from leftists and progressives, but when the greater of two evils is a fascist wannabe, it makes perfectly good sense. I’ll take a disgusting neoliberal over a fascist strongman any day. And please, don’t anyone try to argue that there is no difference.
Posted by: Rob | Sep 8 2020 22:12 utc | 58
Hoping for a Biden victory over Trump is like hoping that you get attacked by a tiger instead of a crocodile. Both these maniacs will continue the US's declaration of war on the Palestinians, Iraqis, Yemenis, Afghans and Iranians. And you can be sure a puppet like Biden will ramp up the Cold war on Russia and China to evenn greater heights. I don't give a fuck which of these fascists is "elected" by the American sheep.
Posted by: Nick | Sep 8 2020 22:41 utc | 60
Karlof @
"The socio-economic fallout from the "lockdown" has yet to be fully felt--as soon as the eviction moratorium lapses, even those cities under R-Party mayors will feel the heat making Triden @30's scenario untenable as tens of millions face eviction"
Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions To Prevent the Further Spread of COVID-19
SUMMARY:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), located within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announces the issuance of an Order under Section 361 of the Public Health Service Act to temporarily halt residential evictions to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.
DATES:
This Order is effective September 4, 2020 through December 31, 2020.
Posted by: Triden | Sep 8 2020 23:01 utc | 61
The JCPOA was a Brookings plan to buy time to allow regime change in Syria and Iran. Since neither happened, its purpose now is to serve as a means of alleging violations by Iran as a pretext for war.
Posted by: Kevin | Sep 8 2020 23:05 utc | 62
karlof @ 57
"Real unemployment is still beyond 30% and no further federal aid is expected prior to the election. Keeping abreast of Shadowstats reports and data is key as the government's economic lies are unmasked, with the next major update to be published by the 11th"
Trump can also propose to do something helpful about that, all a pretense obviously, which he knows that naturally the Democratic party will have to block, not wanting him to receive credit for doing anything positive.
Which he can then use to portray the Democratic party as the enemy of ordinary folk, as least enough so as to discourage people from even bothering to vote, which would hurt his opponents far more because Trump appears to have an energised base, while Biden has no one enthusiastic about him. Literally no one "loves" joe biden, except maybe hus wife.
Posted by: Triden | Sep 8 2020 23:12 utc | 63
dp @59--
Yes and no. Trump completely ignored it at first having already gutted part of "the common defence" against such attacks; then when confronted by China's amazing response, he politicized it while continuing his Do Nothing Policy. I see this episode of Trump's tenure as another aspect in what I call the utter mismanagement of the USA that's been ongoing since its inception. Indeed, IMO the USA became "great" despite the folly and corruption of its politicians; that in most respects it was entrepreneurs and inventors that really did the job with politicians coming along for the ride--literally--and to take the cream off the top. Then there're the nameless, faceless people who filled in the Frontier and helped exterminate the Natives. But then came the age of Imperialism and Bankers, although there was still room for the rise of gung-ho business men like Juan Trippe.
The initial ideals that prompted 1776 died in 1787 never to arise again, although a very concerted effort was made between 1880 and 1900--the promise within the Preamble has yet to be fulfilled.
Too bad the virus didn't fell the elite and their political buffoons.
Posted by: karlof1 | Sep 8 2020 23:12 utc | 64
@61 - eviction moratorium
Probably there is some fine print in there,
but actually seems to be a winning move.
Posted by: ptb | Sep 8 2020 23:20 utc | 65
Trump can plausibly claim to have done something positive for ordinary people by his recent "extension" of help for the unemployed. The fact that much of the burden was shifted to the individual States will get lost in translation for most people. By shifting the burden he also shifts a lot of the blame for those unable to receive that money, onto State Govt.
Posted by: Triden | Sep 8 2020 23:29 utc | 66
Triden @61&63--
Thanks for your replies! I knew Oregon's extension of the eviction moratorium, but the federal order was unknown to me; thanks. Problem with trying to tar the Ds is the Rs have already been proven to be the party of hindrance at the national level. Within the states, many have shown their employment bureaus were very inefficient when so heavily tasked as was certainly the case here in Oregon, and I know we aren't alone. Me and the Missus also discussed what's called the Gig Economy, which has actually existed for many decades as Dos Passos chronicled in his opus USA. Back when I was 21, my job paid 12,000/yr, and that was more than enough for food, rent, car payment, medical insurance, and bills, with money remaining to save for the down on a house. Neoliberalism destroyed all that. And that's part of what's fueling the rage in the cities. I think you'll find this half-hour interview, "Angrynomics" of interest.
Posted by: karlof1 | Sep 8 2020 23:33 utc | 67
Ptb @65
@61 - eviction moratorium
Probably there is some fine print in there,
but actually seems to be a winning move.
Cutoff point is $99,000. Couples can claim up to 198,000. Middle classes and poor benefit.
By repeatedly saying: "Look what I did for you! What did the Democratic controlled congress do to help you?" He can certainly reduce the Democratic party vote and even win some fencesitters
Posted by: Triden | Sep 8 2020 23:35 utc | 68
"Problem with trying to tar the Ds is the Rs have already been proven to be the party of hindrance at the national level."
But Trump is not the R party, he's Trump. Its a brand in itself.
He can even point at the "Never Trump" Republicans and plausibly say "See! Even Republicans hate me! I must be doing something right when both Republicans and Democrats, (the swamp) hate me."
Posted by: Triden | Sep 8 2020 23:39 utc | 69
The most important election was the last one. This 2020 one might still not happen, or not end in an accepted result which seems like it could be the optimal outcome.
Posted by: Sunny Runny Burger | Sep 8 2020 23:39 utc | 70
. I think you'll find this half-hour interview, "Angrynomics" of interest.
Posted by: karlof1 | Sep 8 2020 23:33 utc | 67
Sorry but I don't do TV. Ever.
I'd happily spend an hour reading something of interest, but even 5 mins watching tv is like torture for me.
Posted by: Triden | Sep 8 2020 23:43 utc | 71
@Triden 68
Since this applies only to households who do not own their home, $99k will easily include most of them. Quick search: Median household income for renters ~ $40k (and unchanged for 20 years despite rising rent).
Posted by: ptb | Sep 8 2020 23:47 utc | 72
i do hope trump win 2020 , not because i like him or his policies but his incompetent administation is accelerating america’s decline like no other.. Biden would predictably carry on the usual , wearing mask of benevolence america while doing the same behind the scenes..
if trump got reelected , we will in high probability see a real massive civil unrest and protest and possible civil war in US soil,,
end of american empire , whats not to like ?
Posted by: milomilo | Sep 8 2020 23:59 utc | 74
ok sorry again. I read the text of the order. it does specifically exclude foreclosures.
Posted by: ptb | Sep 9 2020 0:01 utc | 75
Posted by: Kadath | Sep 8 2020 19:25 utc | 23
I'm inclined to agree with your analysis. It's not a case of "the Democrats don't want to win" - it's a case of "how little can we do to win without compromising our long-term profitability as looters." The notion that the Demos don't want to win is absurd on the face of it. But avoiding someone like Sanders becoming a problem - however weak a problem - makes sense. People forget that even in conspiracies there are conspirators conspiring against the other conspirators.
Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | Sep 9 2020 0:15 utc | 77
I highly suggest all barflies spend the 27 minutes needed to watch the current episode of Renegade Inc whose guest is Charlie Robinson, author of The Octopus of Global Control and co-author of a new book, The Controlled Demolition of the American Empire. Much of what we discuss here at MoA is discussed. I don't fully agree with the "roots" Robinson provides, but the overall thesis is sound IMO. However, I don't share his optimism that the coming rupture will be somewhat easily overcome.
Posted by: karlof1 | Sep 9 2020 0:17 utc | 78
Triden @71--
That program is exclusively online only, and you're most certainly there already!
Posted by: karlof1 | Sep 9 2020 0:19 utc | 79
Regarding the JCPOA, even "if" Biden wins and even "if" he tries to have the US rejoin the agreement, there remains the unalterable truth that when Trump abandoned the agreement, many Democrat Senators and Congressmen cheered the decision or spoke about this would give them greater leverage on future negotiations with Iran. Iranians saw this done publicly and many Iranian moderates have realized that any agreement with the Americans is fundamentally workable because there is no institutional goodwill. If the Democrats or Republicans had fought Trump to keep the US in the agreement then even if they had failed they might have convinced the Iranians that the US intentions towards Iran were positive and that Trump was the problem.
But they didn't, they gleefully watched as Trump torpedoed the agreement convinced that no matter how events unfolded, it could be spun towards their advantaged with no personal cost to them. Without institutional goodwill, any agreement that Iran would sign with the Americans would in essence be no different than the molotov-ribbentrop pact, an agreement both sides entered into with the clear expectation that the agreement was just a delaying tactic to strengthen their positions before the inevitable conflict.
Posted by: Kadath | Sep 9 2020 0:30 utc | 80
Posted by: karlof1 | Sep 8 2020 22:12 utc | 57 Trump himself doesn't really know what he wants other than to remain in power.
Spot on. Trump cares about nothing but himself and will say or do literally anything to keep him in first place in his own mind. Trying to predict that is a fruitless proposition.
"Real unemployment is still beyond 30% and no further federal aid is expected prior to the election."
We will get another stimulus check because both sides want to claim they "helped" before the election. The two sides will fight over the HEROES act for the next four to six weeks, then pass at least the stimulus check and we'll get it sometime by the election (at least those of us who get Social Security checks by direct deposit).
"IMO, the pending New Narrative deals with the unraveling dollar and the already floated idea of direct payments from the Fed to citizens as the national currency becomes 100% digitized. While it may seem to benefit the average Joe and Jane, the real beneficiary will be Wall Street as the new system will make it easier to impose Debt Peonage."
And a digitized currency will be a god-send to hackers - who are already finding ways to loot massive amounts of cryptocurrency at one blow due to poor security on the part of the owners. Making a "secure" digital national currency will be as impossible as making a secure physical currency. Why bother stealing credit card information when you can just *steal the money*. It's like Willie Sutton: "That's where the money is."
"Trump's actually been devolving the Empire"
Only by accident of his own incompetence at anything and everything - and aided by the unreasoning lust for power of the rest of the state.
"Ending the Outlaw US Empire is a great goal, but then that leaves the citizenry as its only target for exploitation."
The state always turns on its citizens eventually. It's the natural consequence of seeking unlimited political power. It's why there's always an eventual "revolution" - which then merely turns the wheel and sets up the next progression to Empire and so on. You'd think after ten thousand years of this humans would wise up. But nope. They're not constitutionally capable.
Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | Sep 9 2020 0:32 utc | 81
Krystal Ball & Saagar Enjeti on the horse race
link [thehill.com]
Topic: Trump campaign low on cash after questionable spending of $800mm... video, 12 minutes
Posted by: ptb | Sep 9 2020 0:43 utc | 82
karlof @79
"Triden @71--
That program is exclusively online only, and you're most certainly there already!
No. When I said I don't do tv I meant it. Rots the brain you see.
By my reckoning I have spent the last 58 minutes reading Craig Murray's Assange court report as well as 2 other court reports linked in his text. https://assangecourt.report/september-7-morning
When I said I'd rather read for an hour, even court reports, than watch tv, I was being quite serious.
Posted by: Triden | Sep 9 2020 0:47 utc | 83
Oh, by the way, I just learned today that the TV show "Devils" that aired in the spring and was unavailable in the US has now been picked up by the CW to fill in the holes in their schedule due to TV show production halts resulting from the pandemic. It will premiere on 7 October 2020 on The CW in the United States, and on the W Network in Canada.
If you're at all interested in depictions of the influence of banking on national economies, you should watch this very well done and well-acted show. It has everything: corruption, betrayal, a murder mystery, hackers, hot babes, and an Assange-like figure leaking financial secrets. Some of the episodes are available on Youtube now and you can watch the trailer here.
Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | Sep 9 2020 0:47 utc | 84
a digitized currency will be a god-send to hackers - who are already finding ways to loot massive amounts of cryptocurrency at one blow due to poor security on the part of the owners.Richard Steven Hack | Sep 9 2020 0:32 utc | 81:
Agreed. Let's not forget that the poor wouldn't be able to afford the required services for a digitized currency. Both the Gray and Black markets will continue the use of cash for some time.
Posted by: Ian2 | Sep 9 2020 0:57 utc | 85
Facts:
- the WaPo makes a laudating paper on Biden
- this "laudating paper" is such that half of the Biden's constituents will be reminded that Biden is absolutely not what they wish
- therefore and practically speaking, the WaPo made a hit piece on Biden
- the WaPo is Pentagon owned. . .
- therefore the best hypothesis is that the deep state (traditional definition) want to continue with puppet Trump for some time
Posted by: Parisian Guy | Sep 9 2020 0:58 utc | 86
Nobody here is likely to vote for Trump. But a large number of otherwise sensible posters seem to intend to vote for Biden.
Trump supporters have the excuse that he never puts a foot right, almost every move he makes seems designed to subvert the hegemonic position of the USA. Voting for Trump can be defended on the grounds that it hastens the demise of the Empire.
Those intending to vote for Biden have no excuses. His Foreign Policy is much worse than Trump's, as can be judged by the support he is getting from the neo-cons who have invested so many years weaseling their way into the Republican party- for them Biden represents continuity with the Clinton, Bush, Obama years in which the United States set out on the course of world domination. And their support for Biden comes at considerable personal cost, they are burning boats. And they do so because they understand that a Democratic victory will lead to an increase in their power and influence.
There is a perfectly sensible alternative for voters in the Green Party's socialist candidate. The biggest impact that 'progressives' or the 'left' can have in the election is to build the vote around Hawkins to a significant share.
The current Democratic strategy of selling their policies and legislators to capitalist oligarchs can only succeed because voters who want peace and democracy can be counted upon to fight like hell for candidates like Biden, who openly attack Trump from the right, and make no bones about their intention to re-ignite the salafi jihads designed to weaken Eurasian powers. By doing so they associate themselves with aggressive neo-con foreign policy and prevent the emergence of that anti-imperialist party which is begging to be born.
Mass unemployment, declining living standards, social regression and crises in race relations ought to add up to popular calls for reform. The fact that they do not and that the authors of burgeoning mass misery and insecurity are not only unchallenged by their victims but rewarded with political support would be difficult to understand were it not that, across the internet, persons posing as anti-imperialists and socialists are rallying to the Biden ticket.
The myth that Americans will never vote for socialist reforms or anti-imperialism has no basis whatever in US history. The DNC and their shrewd ruling class owners understand this very well which is why their primary political struggle is to keep any such candidates off the ballot and reduce them to the sorry role that Sanders is now disgracing himself by filling.
Anyone on the left who votes and does not vote for Hawkins of another of the odd socialists who make the ballot is supporting evil, whether Biden is less evil than Trump is entirely moot. My guess is that, in the next two months this will become increasingly evident as Trump, cynically no doubt, promises policies, foreign and domestic, designed to appeal to the masses. As he does so he can re-assure his backers that they can rely on Congressional Democrats to make sure that nothing comes of such promises. He could, for example, promise Medicare for All, knowing that Pelosi, Schumer and Biden will make sure that nothing comes of it.
Posted by: bevin | Sep 9 2020 1:08 utc | 87
Hunter Biden’s deals ‘served’ China and Chinese military, new film claims
The 41 min documentary “Riding the Dragon: The Bidens’ Chinese Secrets” highlights several deals that Hunter Biden was involved in as a board member of the Beijing-based BHR Partners investment firm.
The film also alleges that Hunter was only able to get meetings with Chinese officials — and secure $1 billion in funding — “because of who his father was: vice president of the United States” and then-President Barack Obama’s “point person on US policy towards China.”
https://nypost.com/2020/09/03/new-film-sheds-light-on-hunter-bidens-deals-with-china/
Posted by: Antonym | Sep 9 2020 1:08 utc | 88
For the many CCP China fanboys here see "Riding the Dragon":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRmlcEBAiIs&pp=QAA%3D
The Bidens love the CCP for a better reason: they financed their business deals.
Posted by: Antonym | Sep 9 2020 1:25 utc | 89
The "progressive democrats" are just warlike as Trump, except even more and they do it with ruthless efficiency.
So in this way, Trump might be boastful, but he's a definite preferable.
Posted by: Smith | Sep 9 2020 1:58 utc | 90
So, what you're eluding to, b .. is that holey-brained Joe .. is Obama 2.0, but without the stealth ... and in whiteface!
If that's the essence of it, then I would concur!
Posted by: polecat | Sep 9 2020 2:02 utc | 91
I could very well be wrong, but what I am wondering as election day approaches, is whether with all their antiTrump acrimony the Democrats have not shot themselves in the foot when it comes to having a favorable impression on an impressionable American citizenry. For all the shortcomings of its founding, debated at length here, I think the ordinary American voter feels pride in the makings of their government as to its foundations on law and order. I do not think the protests are diverting from this basic sense of responsibility the average voter has. If anything, they increase that sense of duty.
The Democrats refused, and still offer to refuse, the result of the last election. They spent Trump's term of office visibly proclaiming his unacceptability. That's something, indeed, that voters have a right to do, but there ought to have been an acceptance of his win, and there was not. And that refusal to buckle down to the business of governing, with all the issues that have needed to be addressed, is on their heads. They have been obstructionists; they have not governed. And that throws into doubt whether or not Trump could have been a better president than he has. Maybe he would not have been. But four years of wrangling, constantly promulgated by the Democrats has prevented a fair assessment.
I think, for those who can bear to vote at all, that this will sway the election in Trump's favor more than his lack of policy or anyone's personality,or their past histories. And I think people know that this was an unConstitutional bullying that ought not to be rewarded by putting those who perpetrated it beyond the legitimate furor of the campaigns right into how government proceeded and was seen by all the world.
I know, that's thinking highly of the electorate, but that is how I feel. I respect the voters more than I do the candidates, and I think they will vote on Constitutional grounds, not because of this or that policy. They'll try to do better than themselves, and preserving the country is what voting is all about.
Posted by: juliania | Sep 9 2020 2:32 utc | 92
Anyone who believes that Trump will hasten the demise of the AngloZionist Empire is giving Trump far too much credit for stupidity. He ain't that stupid.
If he pulls an upset, he'll seize way more power in his second term without the Russia investigation albatross around his neck. He'll send federal troops into cities. Pull funding from states that don't obey his orders. Go after journalists and media who attack him by restricting access and worse. He'll complete full control of the judiciary and Supreme Court. Destroy any semblance of public health care. Raise the retirement age and lower social security. Drill on protected land and eliminate the EPA. And then there's other control ambitions flying around in his crazy brain that he has yet to unleash on the unsuspecting mass.
Trump is obsessed with Iran-China-Venezuela. These represent Trump's axis of evil, and like Bush jr. he's going to war with one of the three, and will ramp up pressure on the other two.
Good thing he's not looking so good to win again.
Although I don't like the role Biden played in the past and don't trust his Zionist side, Biden's not going to war at his age or going to make major waves on foreign policy. He'll kickstart the JCPOA renewal. He's going to do stuff like restore an improved version of the ACA, replace Ginsburg, get legislation passed on DACA, propose climate control legislation, propose justice reform legislation to quiet some of the civil unrest, reverse a slew of Executive Orders, but his one lasting legacy will be as the old guy who got rid of Trump to become a one-term President himself.
Which of the two sounds more threatening to you?
Posted by: Circe | Sep 9 2020 2:37 utc | 93
Should have been "...by putting into office those who..." Sorry.
Posted by: juliania | Sep 9 2020 2:43 utc | 94
@bevin 87
Voting for Trump can be defended on the grounds that it hastens the demise of the Empire.
It hastens it in a way that is likely to be bloody and chaotic, worsening collateral damage both inside the US, and worldwide. No thanks.
The empire is going to get downsized one way or another. When its all over, if the good folks making the calls don't screw it up completely, Americans will live a better life. Less guns, more butter. People in all the places we bombed and regime changed will get a chance to rebuild. New assholes on another continent will go on and on about how everyone must respect their authority. But that's a long way away and some of the ways to get there... eh... You really don't want people like Bolton or Pompeo steering the boat on that journey.
Whoever Biden gets, I'm imagining one of Hillary's protege's, would be equally bad in that aspect. Some other parts of the federal govt might become a little less incompetent. Most of the stuff Trump's cronies broke, Biden administration aint gonna fix.
I live in a non swing state so 3rd party is an easy decision. But someone in PA or FL etc has a pretty sad dilemma to face.
Posted by: ptb | Sep 9 2020 3:03 utc | 95
karlof1 @Sep9 0:17 #78
I think that Robinson overreaches when he says "Demolition of American Empire". What he really means is the demolition of the American Middle Class and subversion of constitutional democracy. But most of that demolition and subversion has already happened and US Deep State is still firmly in control.
The concern that I have is that Robinson's overreaching plays into the false narrative of US Empire collapse and Trump as the instrument of that collapse.
I don't see a "collapse" of the Empire anytime soon. I haven't seen any weakening of the Deep State. Instead I see a deliberate attempt to create/allow disorder as a means of imposing a more stringent order by popular demand. And I sincerely doubt that Putin, Xi, Khamenei, Assad, or Maduro are expecting a collapse anytime soon.
In fact, IMO after the election USA will be united by war fever against China (and her allies) as pandemic deaths and financial hardship is blamed on China. Robinson and others may hope that the American sheeple will awaken but on the whole Americans are too dumb (ignorant), deluded, and distracted to understand how they have been played and are being played.
If Americans (and Europeans) understood how they are being played, they would protest Assange's treatment as vigorously as they protest against racial injustice. That awakening may happen. But it won't be any time soon.
<> <> <> <> <>
A week or so ago, b wrote a post entitled "Mostly Peaceful Riots ..." in which he lambasted Biden and the Democrats for ignoring the violence that have sprung up around the protesting. There silence handed Trump a win.
But b should also push back on the meme of a "Mostly Peaceful Trump ..." and the narrative that Trump is undermining the Empire and hastening it's demise.
This is simply not true, mainly because:
- Trump carries out he wishes of the Deep State, which is collectively much smarter and much more farseeing than Trump
I'm quite sure that US Deep State are not working to destroy the Empire.
- Meeting the challenge from the Russia - China alliance was bound to cause friction and hardship.
A more appropriate question: is USA Deep State navigating to 'smack-down China' better or worse than might be expected.
!!
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Sep 9 2020 3:15 utc | 97
Posted by: Circe | Sep 9 2020 2:37 utc | 93 If he pulls an upset, he'll seize way more power in his second term without the Russia investigation albatross around his neck.
Have to agree with that. Your list of things he might do is quite likely accurate. And of course, I'm convinced he's likely to start a war with Iran, if not China. He might be scared of China's nukes (and Russia's), but he's not scared of Iran, regardless of what everyone else seems to think. And since he's no longer worried about how a new war might affect his re-election (and I've never been convinced of that, either), the neocons around him can push him to do it without having to overcome any reluctance on his part. Of course, he *still* might not want to get *blamed* for starting a new war - but as I've said before, that's not the same as not *wanting* to start one. If he could "get away with it" - in his mind, anyway - he'll do it.
Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | Sep 9 2020 3:32 utc | 98
"Why A Biden Presidency Will Disappoint Progressive Democrats"
And in other news, water is still wet and the Pope still wears a funny hat.
Look, we progressives are used to disappointment. It is sort of like being a Cleveland Browns fan.
Posted by: Bill Carson | Sep 9 2020 3:38 utc | 99
@james 31............please find your answer @ paco 32.
@ Richard Steven Hack 98
I am going to go out on a limb and say that we might have figured Trump wrong. If he gets put back in Oval Office by the Wizard, he will not start any new wars. If you listen to most of his campaign speeches in 2016, he was an anti-war candidate just because there was no money in it. First term he had to bow down to Adelson et al and all the Generals to keep everyone happy. And still he didn’t start a new war. Just few fireworks here and there. That would not be the case in the second term.
Bankers want him out of the way so they can save the dollar with a global conflict. But the dollar is a forgone conclusion. He just criticized the Pentagon for perpetuating wars just to make money for the MIC. I mean how much more blatant can he get.
I think he would concentrate more at home. First order of business, come down hard on this BLM/Antifa abomination. Second, he has to get this Covid lie under control and get the economy back into shape if its not all lost by Nov.
He will negotiate with Iran before anything else. He has hinted at it more than once. Iran is not a pushover and he knows it. Nukes or not.
Third, Normalize relation with Russia and China, much to the chagrin of the Dems/Neocons. In order to do that, he will need a new team at State.
I just don't think the Wizard would put someone like Biden/Harris in charge of the lever. Just like he opted out on Killary.
Posted by: Alpi | Sep 9 2020 4:27 utc | 100
The comments to this entry are closed.
"A Biden win will mean a revival of the war on Syria, no renewal of the nuclear deal with Iran and other hawkish foreign policies:"
As opposed to a Trump foreign policy which commits us to the same exact thing.
Don't take this to be an endorsement for Trump. I am simply pointing out voting is pointless. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
Posted by: visak | Sep 8 2020 17:58 utc | 1