American Marxists and neo-Marxists for years tried to use class to divide the U.S., much as Karl Marx himself proscribed. Because we are not that class conscious in America, this never took hold, so the Marxists moved on to the divisions of race and found their moment with George Floyd. This was a bit of a breakthrough for the collectivists in their attempts to break down all of Western society due to "systemic racism", but it ultimately proved to be a false victory now that DEI and many other race-conscious policies are being removed. With his "Fight Oligarchy" movement, are Bernie and his Bros back to doing the class thing? Will it succeed this time?
You and Bernie have forgotten more about politics than I know, but instead of flying to EL Salvador, wouldn’t it serve the Democrats better to go to Israel and publicly demand the release of American citizens still held hostage by Hamas terrorists.
My assumption was that the Congress, Supreme Court and the Executive (President) were co-equal branches of government.
With the Trump administration effectively ignoring an order from the Supreme Court and then having staffers gloat about it on the official White House Social media account - are Americans effectively living in a dictatorship as of right now?
I mean, if the President can care less about about a Supreme Court order to repatriate Kilmar Ábrego García:, when ordered to, (someone that was unlawfully extradited and had their 5th amendment rights violated ) what else can the President ignore or get away with when it comes to breaking the law?
Where could American citizens end up next if they are in the crosshairs of ICE/FBI/US Marshalls?
The latest David Hogg silliness seems to underscore just how divided Democrats are these days. So far it seems there are at least three camps forming:
1. The Hogg/ AOC / Bernie camp of just continuing to double down on Progressive shibboleths and screaming about Trump being A Threat to Democracy. Obviously that hasn't worked too well so far.
2. The Chris Murphy / Liberal Patriot model of trying to co-opt the MAGA populist talking points of the Evils of Gloooobalization and Neo-Liberalism, and the joys of Fair Trade, protectionism and industrial policy. (Never expected much else from the good Senator from Connecticut, but I must admit I am disappointed by the increasingly populist turn that the Liberal Patriot newsletter has taken recently, even though last I checked, Ruy Texeira himself is still a member of AEI). Maybe there's a way to actually arrive at a Liberal Populism, but I just can't see it. I don't see too many Rust Belt working class types going for a kinder gentler MAGA platform, when they can feast on the red meat of the real thing.
3. A camp so small I can't even name any noteworthy members, of actual liberal democracy proponents who reject both the illiberalism of the Progressive Left and the illiberalism of the MAGA Populist Right.
Unfortunately, although I personally find the last camp most appealing, I get the depressing impression I am in the minority here.
I'm in the third camp, and I think at least a sizable minority of Democrats are as well. Someone from this camp could also win over a sizable portion - perhaps a large majority - of Independents and even a slice of moderate conservatives. The Trumpian party has left open an array of demographics. comprising a majority of the electorate.
The so-called liberal media and the right-wing media pay much more attention to those in the first two camps.
Again, I wholeheartedly endorse Gov. Wes Moore of MD to lead the party in '28. From all reports he's a popular and accomplished governor, he's moderate, he's smart and articulate, he has legislative experience, military (and I think combat) experience and is affable. The right-wing outrage machine would have an exceedingly hard time demonizing him, unless he has a side or skeletons I'm unaware of. He could well send the national R party back to the wilderness, if the D's don't act stupid in '26.
I hope he runs and that the D's have enough sense to nominate him. There are, of course, other Dems who have the chops and the sense to beat the R's.
Clever use of "so-called" in front of liberal media to apparently put in doubt/downplay the view that the MSM are much more liberal than not liberal. Did you also mean "so- called" for the characterization of right wing media?
Give us what you mean by right-wing media, rather a large generalization.
Possibly ya got me. That was possibly more my bias than reality.
But here's my thinking. What's seen as liberal bias is sometimes more out of profit motive than political - e.g. sensationalism. Sometimes it's more laziness. Sometimes I think the Right screams liberal bias out of a "work the ref" mentality. There IS, however, liberal bias in much of the media, as Bernie has documented.
The so-called liberal media was hyperventilating for more than a year over President Clinton's scandal and subsequent impeachment. That's all they talked about. During the 2000 presidential election campaign the so-called liberal media ganged-up on Al Gorde. They exaggerated, dwelled on and even invented his gaffes and his wearing "earth tones," portraying himself as an Alpha male and hiring Naomi Wolffe (sp?) as his image consultant. I once asked Bernie about this. He demurred.
Was all this seen as conservative bias? Conservatives seemed to think this was just normal reporting.
In the 2016 presidential election, much of the so-called liberal media gave then candidate Trump tremendous coverage. He called in to many shows and was given airtime. One estimate was that the media gave him the equivalent of $1 billion in campaign ads. Incidentally, I suspect the media favored Joe Biden in 2020 out of guilt.
The so-called liberal media gave heavy coverage to the visual of Sec. Clinton collapsing after attending a Labor Day event and to her "half of the Trump supporters can be placed in a basket of deplorables" and other remarks that made her look bad.
I know that you could recall a long series of examples of liberal bias.
Yes, I do think there is a liberal bias in much of the media. But much of what is seen as bias is sensationalism and just "easy copy" - no shoe leather. Things are nuanced.
As for the Right-Wing media, I think it's more blatantly biased. Of course, that could be my bias, but I could back this up with tons of examples..
The world is in for a very long 3 years of 'finding out' what a second Trump administration means.
America will have grown tired of this haphazard approach to government by 2026.
Just ask any business owner or farmer who's about to pull the pin as they realise their business is about to go under.
American Marxists and neo-Marxists for years tried to use class to divide the U.S., much as Karl Marx himself proscribed. Because we are not that class conscious in America, this never took hold, so the Marxists moved on to the divisions of race and found their moment with George Floyd. This was a bit of a breakthrough for the collectivists in their attempts to break down all of Western society due to "systemic racism", but it ultimately proved to be a false victory now that DEI and many other race-conscious policies are being removed. With his "Fight Oligarchy" movement, are Bernie and his Bros back to doing the class thing? Will it succeed this time?
John,
You and Bernie have forgotten more about politics than I know, but instead of flying to EL Salvador, wouldn’t it serve the Democrats better to go to Israel and publicly demand the release of American citizens still held hostage by Hamas terrorists.
Hi, John (and Bernie if he reads this),
My assumption was that the Congress, Supreme Court and the Executive (President) were co-equal branches of government.
With the Trump administration effectively ignoring an order from the Supreme Court and then having staffers gloat about it on the official White House Social media account - are Americans effectively living in a dictatorship as of right now?
I mean, if the President can care less about about a Supreme Court order to repatriate Kilmar Ábrego García:, when ordered to, (someone that was unlawfully extradited and had their 5th amendment rights violated ) what else can the President ignore or get away with when it comes to breaking the law?
Where could American citizens end up next if they are in the crosshairs of ICE/FBI/US Marshalls?
Gitmo? Iraq? Bangkok?
https://www.npr.org/2025/04/16/nx-s1-5366178/trump-deport-jail-u-s-citizens-homegrowns-el-salvador
The latest David Hogg silliness seems to underscore just how divided Democrats are these days. So far it seems there are at least three camps forming:
1. The Hogg/ AOC / Bernie camp of just continuing to double down on Progressive shibboleths and screaming about Trump being A Threat to Democracy. Obviously that hasn't worked too well so far.
2. The Chris Murphy / Liberal Patriot model of trying to co-opt the MAGA populist talking points of the Evils of Gloooobalization and Neo-Liberalism, and the joys of Fair Trade, protectionism and industrial policy. (Never expected much else from the good Senator from Connecticut, but I must admit I am disappointed by the increasingly populist turn that the Liberal Patriot newsletter has taken recently, even though last I checked, Ruy Texeira himself is still a member of AEI). Maybe there's a way to actually arrive at a Liberal Populism, but I just can't see it. I don't see too many Rust Belt working class types going for a kinder gentler MAGA platform, when they can feast on the red meat of the real thing.
3. A camp so small I can't even name any noteworthy members, of actual liberal democracy proponents who reject both the illiberalism of the Progressive Left and the illiberalism of the MAGA Populist Right.
Unfortunately, although I personally find the last camp most appealing, I get the depressing impression I am in the minority here.
Any thoughts?
I'm in the third camp, and I think at least a sizable minority of Democrats are as well. Someone from this camp could also win over a sizable portion - perhaps a large majority - of Independents and even a slice of moderate conservatives. The Trumpian party has left open an array of demographics. comprising a majority of the electorate.
The so-called liberal media and the right-wing media pay much more attention to those in the first two camps.
Again, I wholeheartedly endorse Gov. Wes Moore of MD to lead the party in '28. From all reports he's a popular and accomplished governor, he's moderate, he's smart and articulate, he has legislative experience, military (and I think combat) experience and is affable. The right-wing outrage machine would have an exceedingly hard time demonizing him, unless he has a side or skeletons I'm unaware of. He could well send the national R party back to the wilderness, if the D's don't act stupid in '26.
I hope he runs and that the D's have enough sense to nominate him. There are, of course, other Dems who have the chops and the sense to beat the R's.
Clever use of "so-called" in front of liberal media to apparently put in doubt/downplay the view that the MSM are much more liberal than not liberal. Did you also mean "so- called" for the characterization of right wing media?
Give us what you mean by right-wing media, rather a large generalization.
Possibly ya got me. That was possibly more my bias than reality.
But here's my thinking. What's seen as liberal bias is sometimes more out of profit motive than political - e.g. sensationalism. Sometimes it's more laziness. Sometimes I think the Right screams liberal bias out of a "work the ref" mentality. There IS, however, liberal bias in much of the media, as Bernie has documented.
The so-called liberal media was hyperventilating for more than a year over President Clinton's scandal and subsequent impeachment. That's all they talked about. During the 2000 presidential election campaign the so-called liberal media ganged-up on Al Gorde. They exaggerated, dwelled on and even invented his gaffes and his wearing "earth tones," portraying himself as an Alpha male and hiring Naomi Wolffe (sp?) as his image consultant. I once asked Bernie about this. He demurred.
Was all this seen as conservative bias? Conservatives seemed to think this was just normal reporting.
In the 2016 presidential election, much of the so-called liberal media gave then candidate Trump tremendous coverage. He called in to many shows and was given airtime. One estimate was that the media gave him the equivalent of $1 billion in campaign ads. Incidentally, I suspect the media favored Joe Biden in 2020 out of guilt.
The so-called liberal media gave heavy coverage to the visual of Sec. Clinton collapsing after attending a Labor Day event and to her "half of the Trump supporters can be placed in a basket of deplorables" and other remarks that made her look bad.
I know that you could recall a long series of examples of liberal bias.
Yes, I do think there is a liberal bias in much of the media. But much of what is seen as bias is sensationalism and just "easy copy" - no shoe leather. Things are nuanced.
As for the Right-Wing media, I think it's more blatantly biased. Of course, that could be my bias, but I could back this up with tons of examples..