The blogs are full of it. Thousands of bits in cyberspace declaring the Democratic primary is over before it is over, misogynistic rhetoric abounds, talk of somehow this is a great political realignment and if you aren't paying attention you would swear the second coming of Christ is upon us.
There are those of us who actually pay attention to policy positions, who want the new political realignment to be about policy change. Are we really going to get that? Well, frankly I don't think so and this is why.
Firstly, there are 49% of Democratic voters who are having their candidate of choice ripped a new one daily in the main stream press and in the blogs. That's half of all those who voted in the Democratic primary.
Secondly, the focus of this campaign has been misinformation, smears, gotcha's and not about actual policy positions.
If you ask a typical candidate supporter, what is their candidates actual position on trade, frankly I'll place bets they don't know.
Then, some people's idea of a makeover is somehow about millions of illegal immigrants marching in the streets from 2006. I don't think so. Not only were the comprehensive immigration bills bad for US workers, those bills shut down the Senate fax and phone lines in outrage from the American people. Only 23% of all Americans wanted those bills.
So, what is the latest spin? What is the new change in political movements? It seems spin gets more attention than actual policy positions and voting records. Maybe that is the new political alignment.
I hope in days ahead those of us on The Economic populist tear apart real policy positions and the details as to why a position is weak, or strong and try to get an informed electorate. The real change that is desperately needed in this country is a more informed voter and one that demands real change that is defined. Not some nebulous good sounding sound bytes that define nothing. From TPMcafe
this point in the Obama campaign training of volunteers:
The Obama campaign's instruction to their volunteers to steer clear of policy questions. How can we truly bring about real political change if the movement the Obama people are building is devoid of ideological content, content merely to mouth gauzy generalities about "coming together" and "yes we can"? Such a movement becomes a cult or personality rather than engine for social justice and political transformation. And personality cults can be a huge turnoff to those who are not already drinking the Kool-Aid
Nuf said? Oops, I guess it's more nothing really said.
Comments
Indeed............
....and it's no accident nor coincidence that the folks in the corporatist media and the vast majority of Left Blogistan are not talking policy.
The only candidate that actually knows anything about what was at one time a significant factor in any selection of a national politician for office, policy, has been mercilessly reviled as...a woman...a racist...a rich person....and so on. What has happened is that the 'know-nothings' of the Reichwing have succeeded. We now have 'Democrats' campaigning on ' faith' just as Republicans have for many years. To top it off the populace is now so dumbed down as to be incapable of following a detailed argument about the Pareto Rule or 'marginal tax rates'. Sickening is what it is.
We do have what looks like a powerful emetic, if exploited properly coming down the pipe.....
Economic catastrophe.
I spent a couple of hours talking about the biggest story to break last week, no it was not about Hillary being a Bitch, with a casual acquaintance last night. The story,the projection of gas rising to $8.00/gal in the near term. Every industry which relies upon disposable income will tank. And that's a lot of jobs gone too.
If...
If that happens you will see an upheaval in this country not seen since the 'Bank Holiday' that was in place when FDR took office. And....
People will be looking for answers to the problems they will face. The amazing thing is we, as a society, have the answers. They've just been buried by the money and power of Big Oil.
As for Barry the Ignorant....his campaign is almost over...once the public gets a real close look at him trying to unload the snake oil and....
Realize he has no clue about how to fix the problems we face....
He's done.
Policy is the absolute last thing the...
....entrenched incompetents of what used to be called The Establishment or the self-styled natterers of the 'creative class', Bowers are ya listening, want to discuss in public.
Folks might realize the utter bankruptcy of our entire society. Socially, economically, sustainablly we are done. It's going to take a massive effort to escape the 'Oldavai Gorge' on the other side of Peak Oil.
Ah well.....
Perhaps the advent of $8.00/gal gas will get folks attention.
'When you see a rattlesnake poised to strike, you do not wait until he has struck to crush him.'
Policy people
Fortunately over here we have people digging into the details on policy, so as you see those bloggers, I hope you tell them about this site.
Not only do I do that but I am constantly talking about you...
....and others at my Drinking Liberally, Oakland meetups. You are also linked on my sidebar, and....
I link to the best of the posts here.
And...
I drive everybody nuts explaining again and again and again that ID politics ala Bowers, Kos and Marshall is a trap that the Republicans have used for over 50 years now to divert people's attention from the stuff that matters....
Policy.
Economics policy, while difficult to parse the facts at times, gets people's attention. As it is about....
Money.
You should see the reaction I get when I lay the Pareto Rule on them!
They go nuts! All in all it's big fun, educational and gets the Ol' brain working....
The money you see; folks are very, very interested in money.
Can't imagine why.
'When you see a rattlesnake poised to strike, you do not wait until he has struck to crush him.'
Thanks
I have to add a damn blog roll on here, I have to make it, why I'm not returning the favor, but I truly appreciate that. The others on here are writing exceptional stuff. Even if you disagree with them, the time they spend, the research, the analysis is fantastic.
I have to agree. What exactly are they fighting for if not dramatic policy change?
But, on the other hand, it is so much easier to just write opinion or jump on some cultural bandwagon and say "me too!" On every post, it can take hours to check your statistics and facts. ;) So much easy just to chant the mantra change, change, change. I think we both asked change to what and got a couple of bad ratings over it.