the system itself is corrupt, man. ive personally seen actually good politicians in my country be bullied and persecuted out of congress in my country. or worse. usually worse.
at best she ends up like bernie sanders, who says things we might agree with sometimes but its otherwise harmless, and fundamentally changes nothing beyond tiny wins.
im not pessimistic or optimistic. i observe what happens and am saying it out loud.
its no use to keep trying to do what we have been doing for decades now expecting things to unfold any differently.
The system itself was massively corrupt in the 1920s, too. It’s literally called the Gilded Age. The New Deal didn’t fix everything - not even close! - there are core issues that have never been addressed.
But it did fix a lot.
The SEC, FDIC, National Labor Relations Act, and Fair Labor Standards Act took a massive fucking crowbar to the kneecaps of oligarchs whose boots were absolutely grinding into the throats of the working class, and the Works Progress Administration undercut all exploitative businesses by becoming the nation’s largest employer.
The goal was to pay the local prevailing wage, but limit the hours of work to 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week; the stated minimum being 30 hours a week, or 120 hours a month
We live in unprecedented times. We are capable of unprecedented things. But there are many precedents for change and progress being possible both inside the system and out.
I think there are absolutely structural issues in the system that need to be ripped out and rebuilt, and I think it’s highly likely it will take big things to ever make that happen. Things that might indeed prove to be impossible within the current confines of the system.
But whatever actions you take, however you use your voice, whatever support or opposition you choose to give - pick your goddamn battles.
Claiming we have no use for someone who is trying to help? Saying that - in your words - the best case scenario is another Bernie Sanders, as if that wouldn’t be fucking glorious? That we would be so fortunate to see another living legend of socialism stand for their beliefs for an entire lifetime?
A brilliant and uncorruptible independent in a sea of oligarchy and partisanship, who has constantly been ahead of the game, who constantly spoke for the rights of the worker, and who is one of the only reasons socialism is even close to mainstream in this country?
I’m sorry to say that you are a pessimist. You just think it’s realism, and I don’t blame you for that.
Whatever you think about the means that can be used to achieve your goals, you still need to change minds. Even if you burned the system down - which I’m quite certain you won’t - you still need people with clear heads, good hearts, and strong wills to rebuild something from the ashes. Maybe recognize that people like Bernie Sanders would be the ideal for that niche.
the system itself is corrupt, man. ive personally seen actually good politicians in my country be bullied and persecuted out of congress in my country. or worse. usually worse.
at best she ends up like bernie sanders, who says things we might agree with sometimes but its otherwise harmless, and fundamentally changes nothing beyond tiny wins.
im not pessimistic or optimistic. i observe what happens and am saying it out loud.
its no use to keep trying to do what we have been doing for decades now expecting things to unfold any differently.
politics is more than just voting.
The system itself was massively corrupt in the 1920s, too. It’s literally called the Gilded Age. The New Deal didn’t fix everything - not even close! - there are core issues that have never been addressed.
But it did fix a lot.
The SEC, FDIC, National Labor Relations Act, and Fair Labor Standards Act took a massive fucking crowbar to the kneecaps of oligarchs whose boots were absolutely grinding into the throats of the working class, and the Works Progress Administration undercut all exploitative businesses by becoming the nation’s largest employer.
We live in unprecedented times. We are capable of unprecedented things. But there are many precedents for change and progress being possible both inside the system and out.
I think there are absolutely structural issues in the system that need to be ripped out and rebuilt, and I think it’s highly likely it will take big things to ever make that happen. Things that might indeed prove to be impossible within the current confines of the system.
But whatever actions you take, however you use your voice, whatever support or opposition you choose to give - pick your goddamn battles.
Claiming we have no use for someone who is trying to help? Saying that - in your words - the best case scenario is another Bernie Sanders, as if that wouldn’t be fucking glorious? That we would be so fortunate to see another living legend of socialism stand for their beliefs for an entire lifetime?
A brilliant and uncorruptible independent in a sea of oligarchy and partisanship, who has constantly been ahead of the game, who constantly spoke for the rights of the worker, and who is one of the only reasons socialism is even close to mainstream in this country?
I’m sorry to say that you are a pessimist. You just think it’s realism, and I don’t blame you for that.
Whatever you think about the means that can be used to achieve your goals, you still need to change minds. Even if you burned the system down - which I’m quite certain you won’t - you still need people with clear heads, good hearts, and strong wills to rebuild something from the ashes. Maybe recognize that people like Bernie Sanders would be the ideal for that niche.