This reminds me. Sanders’ outrage toward injustice was not a substitute for a positive vision with which to move our country forward. He isn’t FDR.
Trump, despite all of his odious flaws offers something many Democratic candidates aren’t : saying good things about America.
Though Trump is a plutocrat presenting a populist con, there is a perverse authenticity to him, because the lofty ideals of Democrats often ring hollow as big money prevents them from being genuine progressives.
His perverse authenticity involves his genuine sexism, racism, his very real disdain for democracy and his openly crass focus on wealth.
The lack of democracy feeds cynicism and distrust in government. It gave rise to Trump’s appeal, in that to many people he seems more real than liberal technocrats.
That’s why some folk, such as myself, say a deeply progressive takeover of the Democratic Party is the only way to counter far right nationalism. And that’s why we say Biden was not the best choice.
Even if Biden wins, far right nationalism will have an appeal to a growing number of people disenchanted with the political system, and influenced by the rightwing propaganda machine that tells them that liberals, leftists, and globalists are “trying to destroy America.” These folk are the civilians with most of the guns, by the way.
My guess is that if the Democratic Party fails to address the issues of working class people and continues to use identity issues to hide its classism, we are playing with fire.
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