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Kevin's Reviews > A Fighting Chance
A Fighting Chance
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Kevin's review
bookshelves: z-bios-and-essays, z-questionable-reformist, z-propaganda-liberalism
Sep 28, 2014
bookshelves: z-bios-and-essays, z-questionable-reformist, z-propaganda-liberalism
//2020 Update:
--I was too soft on this "Capitalist to my bones" former Republican, as Warren has proved in both the 2016 and now 2020 elections to be much more willing to fall in line with the corporate Democrat establishment in their failing bids with the "lesser-of-two-evils" strategy than to strengthen the progressive opposition (i.e. Bernie/Tulsi in the elections. There is much to be done outside electoral politics especially considering how rigged the process is with the DNC/lobbying/corporate media) when all is said and done.
--In the era of War on Terror/endless wars, post-2008 Wall Street Bailouts, climate crisis, austerity on social spending, jobs crisis, and finally a resistance that is challenging the Red Scare stigma on "socialism", Warren's capitalism-with-a-friendly-face tactics just will not cut it.
--Internet Progressives have some useful content if you need to navigate the political theater and where Warren fits in:
1) SecularTalk's Kyle Kulinski:
2) Progressive pundit/comedian Jimmy Dore:
//2014 Review:
Trying to be a Progressive in the belly of the two-headed capitalist war machine is truly an unenviable task. It's difficult to turn our backs on the few who try, but please recognize these are not "leaders". You cannot lead social progress when your hands are tied and your speech silenced by Wall Street and the Military Industrial Complex.
While Warren has been vocal against Wall Street, it is constantly contextualized as a domestic, "Middle Class" problem. "Middle Class" is a safe way for Liberals to feign acknowledgement of class conflict. I can only speculate how much is unsaid about Wall Street's global policy, her support for Hillary Clinton, her involvement in TARP, Dodd-Frank, etc...
--I was too soft on this "Capitalist to my bones" former Republican, as Warren has proved in both the 2016 and now 2020 elections to be much more willing to fall in line with the corporate Democrat establishment in their failing bids with the "lesser-of-two-evils" strategy than to strengthen the progressive opposition (i.e. Bernie/Tulsi in the elections. There is much to be done outside electoral politics especially considering how rigged the process is with the DNC/lobbying/corporate media) when all is said and done.
--In the era of War on Terror/endless wars, post-2008 Wall Street Bailouts, climate crisis, austerity on social spending, jobs crisis, and finally a resistance that is challenging the Red Scare stigma on "socialism", Warren's capitalism-with-a-friendly-face tactics just will not cut it.
--Internet Progressives have some useful content if you need to navigate the political theater and where Warren fits in:
1) SecularTalk's Kyle Kulinski:
2) Progressive pundit/comedian Jimmy Dore:
//2014 Review:
Trying to be a Progressive in the belly of the two-headed capitalist war machine is truly an unenviable task. It's difficult to turn our backs on the few who try, but please recognize these are not "leaders". You cannot lead social progress when your hands are tied and your speech silenced by Wall Street and the Military Industrial Complex.
While Warren has been vocal against Wall Street, it is constantly contextualized as a domestic, "Middle Class" problem. "Middle Class" is a safe way for Liberals to feign acknowledgement of class conflict. I can only speculate how much is unsaid about Wall Street's global policy, her support for Hillary Clinton, her involvement in TARP, Dodd-Frank, etc...
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September 28, 2014
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Bob
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Mar 15, 2020 07:25AM
Might also look at Crystal Ball
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R.J.Cicisly Jr. wrote: "Might also look at Crystal Ball"
Good video, yes I recently started following Krystal, always good to see progressives not falling into line, hopefully there will be more collaborations with more radical groups/groups outside of electoral politics.
I was shocked to see you reading this, Warren would probably fit well with most of the left Tories in the U.K., I've found her not endorsing Bernie to be the final straw (of many)!
Tyler wrote: "I was shocked to see you reading this, Warren would probably fit well with most of the left Tories in the U.K., I've found her not endorsing Bernie to be the final straw (of many)!"haha don't worry my friend, I read this in 2014, I definitely cannot stomach reading this now.
On a related note, it is interesting to consider how to assess politicians (and other public discourse pundits), compared to, say, strict academics. I don't begrudge those reaching out to the public to first find common ground and build from there (in fact, it concerns me that many academics and some radicals do not seem to have the patience for this). My assessment with public outreach is more on how productive the direction is.
If we consider Bernie's campaign:
1. Strong: "why do we have the money for bailing out Wall Street and endless wars, but never enough for social services/infrastructure/environment", and "healthcare is a human right". Aimed directly at establishing common ground and good direction with much to build on.
2. Questionable: "corporate socialism". This logic is not new ("socialism for the rich and capitalism for the poor" has a history in the US, including MLK), and I know Bernie supporters enjoy tossing the word "socialist" back at Republicans... but this perpetuates the myths that:
a) "socialism is just what the government does": "welfare" is seen as the extent of socialism! I much prefer using "corporate welfare" (or simply educating people on real-world capitalism, see next point) and not wasting the idea of socialism. This is most egregious when lists of "socialist programs" includes the US military!
b) "capitalism is the free market": by equating "socialism = government welfare", it assumes the myth that capitalism is free from government (this utopia has never come close to existing in history). Capitalism inherently requires the violent enforcement of private property rights (over the means of production) against other forms of social relations + rules to construct a profitable market and regulate its volatility + spending to pay the social costs of infrastructure, social reproduction, environmental reproduction, market crashes, etc. etc. What we clearly have are Capitalist States in a capitalist world economy. The debate is actually in the contradictions and struggles of Socialist States in a capitalist world economy.
