Duplicitous Democratic Party Feeds ‘Libtards’ to Orange Menace
November 7, 2024
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Trump is bad. Horrible, in fact. But you know what is worse? The climate crisis, and the Harris-Walz ticket barely acknowledged it.
It’s been a few days since the same vulgar, crass, racist, serial liar, grifter, criminal, sexual predator, architect of the Capitol riot, microphone fellator, and wannabe-dictator was again elected president.
I’m no political scientist, but what elected Democrats remain have nobody but themselves to blame. They have for far too long taken the left flank of their party and people of color for granted. The Democratic National Committee doesn’t know how to read a room (see Sanders, Bernie, 2016).
Since I’m concerned about global heating and the loss of biodiversity, love trees and the natural world (what is left of it, anyway), think it’s vital that we protect the marginalized and voiceless, and don’t worship at the alter of capitalism, I will be labeled a “libtard.”
(The Democratic Party, in tandem with corporate media, works to carry out the interests of capitalism that punish everyday people and the natural world. Conservatives and MAGAs also capitulate to the wealthy and powerful, just not in secret. The work of Democrats behind closed doors is a bigly turnoff.)
And since I am a journalist, I’m also, apparently, an enemy of the people.
In reality, I’m a registered Independent who years ago became tired of the Democratic Party’s failed promises to address the climate crisis, protect the environment, and take care of its constituents by, say, providing affordable housing or creating a health care system that works for more than themselves, the insurance industry, and the wealthy.
For the record, I voted for Harris-Walz (I’m not an arsonist), but increasingly became frustrated by the ticket’s focus on protecting a long-rigged democracy — we’ve never had a true representative government, just ask Indigenous people or the Black community — and repeatedly noting how much Trump sucks — no kidding.
The Democratic Machine and its media partners spent more time courting/celebrating A-list celebrities, neocons, war hawks, and former Trump administration officials — people who share little in common with the libs expected to carry Harris-Walz to the White House — than listening to those of us concerned about climate change, mass extinctions, genocide in Gaza, and the continued concentration of wealth and power.
To the latter point, the median wage of the bottom 90% has risen just 15%, adjusted for inflation, during the past three decades while the stock market has soared 5,000%. The estimated valuation of the U.S. stock market is $46.2 trillion. The richest 10% of U.S. households own about $42.7 trillion, with the richest 1% owning $25 trillion. The bottom half of U.S. households own less than half a trillion dollars in stock market wealth.
I also voted for Keith Hamilton, a Republican, for Portsmouth Town Council. I don’t expect anyone to share all my beliefs. For example, I don’t often agree with Hamilton’s conservative (not MAGA) positions, but I respect the fact his words and actions typically match — unlike many Democrats I have voted for at the local, state, and federal levels over these many years.
During this election season, for instance, Harris switched her position on banning fracking, to appease voters in the swing state of Pennsylvania. In a different scenario, where she could have exhibited some real leadership, the vice president would have addressed the importance of cutting fossil fuel use to mitigate the growing climate crisis. At the same time, she would have unveiled a plan to support those workers worried about losing their jobs.
Instead, she brushed aside a palpable emergency and those concerned about it. Democrats, especially at the national level, are quick to abandon support for environmental and public health issues to court other voters. It’s the main reason I’m no longer a registered Democrat. I got sick of their pretend caring.
Support from Dick and Liz Cheney — two people who helped pave the road to Trumpville — was celebrated by Democrats while many of the concerns of left-leaning voters and the working class were cast aside.
I realize there are many reasons, some I don’t understand and others I don’t want to rant about, as to why the Bankrupt Baron is back in the Oval Office. I also realize Democrats are often forced to spend time and political capital to clean up messes inherited from Republican incompetence (see 1993, 2009, and 2021), and I have no doubt the Tariff King will leave behind another disaster.
At the moment, however, the current mess was made by two-faced Democrats who are quick to discount the voters, communities, and issues they purport to champion.
Frank Carini can be reached at [email protected]. His opinions don’t reflect those of ecoRI News.
Human avarice and hedonism drives what we are seeing. $Billions spent on political campaigns while many and much suffers. $Trillions spent on a war machine, worldwide, just to protect our treasures. But for most of us, the plight of those that suffer and the destruction of the planet sadly comes second to our pocketbooks and our lust on all sides. Everybody wants others to sacrifice. No! I, We, have to sacrifice to love (ALL) our neighbors. Jesus said “we shall know them by their fruits.” Unless and until we see ALL creation (man and beast alike) as sacred and deserving of our love and care, nothing will change.
I was also very frustrated that the climate was barely mentioned, but it might not have made a difference — the two issues where serious and irreparable damage is likely from a Trump administration — the climate and foreign affairs, barely registered as voter concerns.
The right might have just answered climate change as an election issue with more mocking of it as a job-killing hoax. We are also battling a decades long propaganda campaign and misinformation by the right that will be very difficult to turn around and correct. Whenever a Democrat moves left or in a progressive manner to address social/economic equity or the climate through regulation they get just slammed and have to move back to the safe middle to even make progress. The great irony of course is that Trump and his minions and captured Republicans will not do thing about income inequality — they will just use the rage they have stirred up to get elected to further their billionaire tax cuts and handling out govt contracts to their buddies (and themselves) and just wait to see who they stack the EPA with this time around. Oh and maybe eliminate NOAA?
I agree wholeheartedly with Franks excellent article, which I read twice to properly absorb. Politics is a dirty business. The two parties are simply different sides of the same grimy old penny. We can easily become overwhelmed and sucked in by all of the “he said. she said, they said” rhetoric in the media. Bottom line, is human avarice and, I will also add, lack of objectivity , gets in the way of good governance every time, as the first comment points out. Nothing will ever change as long as humans rule the earth. Chaos, neglect, destruction and decay will continue. We need and pray for a Benevolent Dictator.
It’s been a long time coming. When as a party you lose old working class catholics like my mother (god rest her soul), all kinds of christians, teamsters (and other unions) blue collar workers in general, gun owners including hunters, fishers, farmers, AND environmentalists, what do you have left? A defeat.
Not only are we living in the time of a mass extinction but we are causing it. To our detriment. Where is that in the politics? Biodiversity has given so much to us yet we all in our part want that perfect yard and no spiders on our homes and no leaves – so we all contribute to the local destruction of nature and hope that it will be saved beyond our influence. We spray and kill the insects and weeds. But those insects and weeds were part of a larger ecosystem. Food for migrating birds and bats. A healthy ecosystem provides a balance on invasive species if given the chance to compete. Nothing escapes the HAND OF MAN. But one good thing, the president elect will save the whales again.
But don’t worry, in Trump Episode IV, we had executive orders to stop observing the Earth. So we will not have the ability as a nation to gage the damage. If you are not looking, it won’t happen. What are we to expect in Episode V?
One thing that would be interesting to research or expose in these times of political upheaval is WHY DOESN’T THE US HAVE A SERIOUS THIRD PARTY or more? It is well documented that the Republicans will never do anything to fix taxes and apparently they will manipulate immigration and other issues they are against – just to remain in power. Also the above article on the Democrats failings. Look at the political fund on your taxes that you can opt to contribute to – it says that is for underdogs to participate in the process – but look at who controls that money and who gets it – it does not go to underdogs or others not in a major party but to “candidates who may have a chance to win”. Fraud at all levels. Look at other democratic governments… UK, Canada, France(?) all have more than two ruling parties fighting for power and control and money. Where is our third party?
All of this article screams for us to fight for the third party, most of us are independents… where is our party?
I would vote for a candidate that raised campaign money and then used that money to DO something rather than spend it on advertising. Would the media run with that story? Could be small things that align with their platform or even large ones like contributing to something like the repair of the Washington Bridge (example only). But as the republican strategists told us, Americans have a very short memory so those projects would have to be timed to be weeks before the election. That person to me would be a modern day political Robin Hood, take from your rich donors and give to the voting public. We all like the Robin Hood myth. These people’s job is to work for the betterment of the people not for their personal gain.
Does a 5% jump in market indices support the above?
But don’t worry, we will only be able to buy Tesla Electric cars in the near future so we have that on the side of the environment.
The Republicans flat out lie about the economy on every level, but the Democrats refuse to acknowledge that the only way to keep the economy working is to focus on healing the climate and communities. They refuse to acknowledge because they only listen to the paymasters and are afraid of losing monetary support. Many Dems know the truth, but the party as a whole is unwilling to stand up to the rich and speak truth to power. So the Republican lies sound more convincing than the Democratic mealy mouth. And in this day and age speaking truth to power is the only possible way forward.
This time I really disagree with Frank. Rather than getting the blame, “Democrats” are victims! Victims of:
1. Relentless endlessly repeated disinformation from pervasive right-wing media that permeates much of the US (more than we know in RI where we have real alternatives)
2. Their easily fractured coalition whose elements often walk away if they don’t get their way – too far right as Frank says vs too far left as many conservative Democrats say in this area (NP), too pro-Israel vs not pro-Israel enough, too “woke” vs not supporting marginalized communities enough etc etc
3. Deeply rooted sexism in the electorate, including in minority communities, that also affects many women socialized to accept this – so Obama and Biden can win, but not Clinton and Harris – duh
Instead of blaming Harris, the victim, better to promote the environment community having a frank discussion why the movement is failing to have any impact, and the American electorate has collectively in effect turned its back on nature and the climate issue. It was not always this way, we once had near unanimous support for all the key laws passed in the 1970s. Now I’m getting appeals from national environmental groups seeing the election as a fundraising opportunity, saying don’t give up, send us money, but with no acknowledgement of their ineffectiveness. I’m not impressed.
I agree with much of Barry’s thoughts, and add that Democrats failed completely at tooting their horn about the successes they actually did have. The GOP was yelling lies loud and long, but where were the splashy, national ads during NFL games about the amazing Infrastructure Act, which not only provided good-paying jobs but is actually fixing the broken infrastructure we all need to use. And the Chips and Science Act which alone is returning more jobs to America than Trump ever did in his 4 years. Trump wants clothing manufacturers and Apple to start making their stuff in America? Who is willing to work for a dollar an hour like the Chinese.? Not even the much maligned immigrants who are just barely holding our food chain together.
The purported leaders of the Democratic Party (and that includes – in particular – our own Senators) failed, again and again, to stand up and make hard decisions, when hard decisions were needed. That started two years ago – when their fealty to Biden was no less ugly and obsequious as the R’s fealty to Trump – led them to cowering instead of questioning Biden’s decision to run again. It continued when they again wilted in the face of Harris’ embrace of fracking in order to win the vote of Pennsylvanians. Both moments called for risking being unpopular, for having a backbone – and in both our representatives (and the rest of Democratic Party leadership) were no-where to be found. There are lots of reasons Trump won and Harris lost (and this thread highlights many which played a part) – but let’s not let the Democratic Party leadership’s failure to have a backbone when one was required – go un-noticed.
W. Bart Lloyd…AMEN!
I’m with Barry Shiller.
Panic and “a pox on both parties” is no strategy. There is no alternative to doing all we can to focus the Democratic Party on the causes of its failure and fix them. And yes, that will take compromise. Third parties and retreat from the voting booth will only lead to disaster in fact, not merely in our imaginations. Let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work.