Said no Australian ever…
Ha ha, your not wrong. Australians can be very apathetic.
I actually have had some success, signing petitions. I was personally contacted by the local politician, and we had a long discussion. Since then I’ve got an invite to several meetings. She’s onboard with the community issue, and she’s gone in to bat for us publically. The issue is still ongoing, but she’s making the effort, unlike the previous member, who ignored and dismissed us. She got voted out because she didn’t listen to the public sentiment.
If things were put on a ballot initiative. This country would be quite different. And I’m not giving you “the everything is too hard attitude”. However, they make it as difficult as can be. Petitions? Are you serious? So much more serious initiatives have been tried and done. The mainstream media-directed by their corporate ads-see to it to make sure the message is misleading and never gets the treatment it deserves. Keeping people numb to the change that IS possible.
They convinced the public, the election was primarily about electability and that Biden was the only candidate who could win, which he barely did. While I’m personally very disappointed in Sanders in his backing of Biden he would have done better against Trump in the general election. Sad what the Democratic party has sunk to.
Petitions, Yes I am serious. Its not the only way but it’s one small part of the program, along with direct communication with political candidates and representatives… How do you think any body does anything? A petition with one name on it won’t do anything, but hundreds of thousands or millions will get their attention, whether they like it or not.
I’d like to know what you have actually tried? I get wanting to vent about an issue on the internet, but eventually you have to try what options you have, or you become resigned to the status quo. There’s no point complaining if your at that position, it won’t achieve anything.
You’re right about the MSM.Its essentially propaganda, for big corporations.
Couldn’t agree more with you. Biden was a middling candidate at best(that’s being very charitable), Harris had no credentials except being a racial minority.
I agree Bernie would get more reform done, but the Dem’s felt he was too socialist for mainstream voting appeal, and played the less controversial risk.
Why do you think they felt that way? Are you referring to the public or politicians or both?
I’ve signed plenty of petitions from people who know the issues deeper than I.
The public is finally getting fed up with the lies. Direct communication with politicians has meant very little. Independent media has helped to bring awareness about issues the mainstream either doesn’t touch or pushes propaganda to benefit the oligarchy when they are mentioned. They help shed the light on corruption.
Its part how he presents his policies, and part fear sowed by his political opponents. He advocates for things like universal health care, and housing as human rights.Both are laudable, and to be found in other first world, western, democratic countries.
He has labelled himself a democratic socialist. Whether that’s his own personal definition of being a Democrat, with some socialist policies, or if he is also an member or sympathetic to the Democratic Socialists, it taints the mind of many voters. Democratic Socialist’s actually believe in the dissolution of the entire capitalist system. That scares much of the public, either because of perceived increase in taxes to pay for the policies, or that socialism is seen as the precursor for real full blown communism as stated by Karl Marx.
Agreed, I’m a big fan of independent media for those very reasons. Are you a vlogger, or been in contact with one who is part of independent media? I think that would be a great avenue.
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Where did Marx say this?
Where do they advocate for this? In books is it part of their mission statement?
I’m not a vlogger, just listen to a lot of Independent media, mostly on YouTube where Independent media is largely located.
How did he present his policies that you believed may have been detrimental?
Either the Communist Manifesto, or maybe Das kapital, Its been I long time since I studied them.
I saw it in a TV interview(NBC maybe?) about Bernie. They alleged that actual Democratic Socialist members were for the dissolution of capitalism. I haven’t read enough of the actual Democratic Socialist’s material to tell you how accurate it is, or how widespread it is with members or leaders. Even if it isn’t true, that is the association it has in the mind of much of the general public.
I think its that he presents himself as a socialist. If he left out all the socialist references, yet advocated, and explained the same policies, he would have more success with the general public. I think its the marketing of the ideas, not the ideas themselves that are the problem. He needs to show Americans that other western countries have implemented positive policies like universal healthcare, without becoming socialist/communist dystopian cultures. He has to explain how it will be paid for, without voters thinking they will be unfairly burdened with unreasonable tax increases.
Not an easy thing to do, but it has been done in other countries.
So… Is anyone going to get any money now? This charade going on now will still happen for weeks until nobody thinks anything is coming and by the end it will be 10,000 people eligible for the $1400 (who will be relatives of a handful od senators) and then it will be a sliding scale down divvied up in a way to maximize pitting us against each other.
There is the problem. Corporate media which is biased to those who give them money.
If it isn’t true then how did people come to believe this?
Possibly true.
Very true.
Too narrow of a critique
Better to refer to the entire beast that is ‘corporate media’ which also includes conservative media (and its agendas/propaganda)
You know you guys could just go to the source…
Their bad ideas are right there for all to see.
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We’re also grappling with how to build independent political power to hold elected officials accountable to their constituents rather than the donor class.
Green New Deal because it’s the only plan that meets the scale of the crisis, one that puts people and planet over profit to build a more just and sustainable economy. Green New Deal because it’s the only plan that meets the scale of the crisis, one that puts people and planet over profit to build a more just and sustainable economy.
In a democratic socialist system, we would collectively provide care as a society.
Man, these ideas sound awful.
Its probably put out there by political opposition, either because of misunderstanding, or to intentionally emphasize the historical connection between socialism and communism.
Socialism as a word scares many people. Even Hitler referred to his beliefs as National Socialism, yet it has very little to do with what most people would associate as socialism(maybe just State controlled assets). Most of the time socialism has negative associations in the general populace.
Yes it still does but less so, thank God.
I think we are seeing two definitions of the word. On the left, socialism is being used as a word to describe democratic socialism (which is different, Bernie is this, not a socialist). Democratic socialism adds democracy to socialism, which provides a mechanism to prevent an out of control government. On the right, we are seeing it used as a combo of communism and socialism (and as a scare tactic).
I would like both sides to acknowledge that the word is being incorrectly used. I would like to see both sides accurately portray the other sides position. Not gonna happen though (at least I would bet against it).
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From two groups that don’t know what they are talking about.
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That is certainly part of the problem. Laziness is also a part. No effort to see if what others are saying is an accurate description of the other side.
I don’t know what we do about this issue though. Better education? Perhaps we just need to teach more critical thinking (probably won’t stick to a large degree)?
I see most people as a bit intellectually lazy. I think that is part of it. The issue is they don’t agree with that assessment. They are too cock sure.
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I remember when jfk jr was publishing a magazine. People were wondering if he would one day run for president. Some wanted him to. Why? You have people who want Trump’s kids to run for office. Again, why?
Maybe we are programmed to want monarchies and feudalism.
What’s my point? Education is meaningless when people are born to be stupid.
I think tribalism is a naturally occurring thing in humans. It likely helped in survival and perhaps still does to a degree. I think part of tribalism is wanting familiar leaders to what you already have (and the former leaders children are familiar).
Perhaps I am off base in my hypothesis?