There is a civil war within capitalism. Kamala Harris is the face of corporate power. Donald Trump is the mascot of the oligarchs. Either way, we lose.
Anyone who votes for either brand of the corporate/oligarch UniParty are traitors to their country and their fellow humans both here and around the world (to say nothing of all the flora and fauna). I would have voted for Jill Stein but the anti-democratic Democrats managed to keep her off the ballot here in Nevada thanks to their dirty tricks of having the Secretary of State office giving the Greens the wrong forms to gather signatures with to qualify for the ballot. And while some can argue it was the Greens fault for not knowing any better, my bullshit detector is screaming it was done on purpose by the Democrats from the beginning. But I digress. I gave up on the Democrats after having voted for them since Carter in 1976 when I was first able to vote. I gave up on them in 2008 after Obama appointed the same Wall Street crooks to his administration that Bush had in his. I would have voted for Stein from a moral stance this time, but alas that was taken away from me. And to make matters more undemocratic Nevada does not allow write in votes. Nevada is a state that literally disenfranchises voters because of that policy. I am done once and for all with the criminal enterprise known as the USA. May it go down the drain once and for all where it has been heading ever since its beginning of Native American genocide and African slavery, to say nothing of a bunch of white oligarch assholes who set it all up for themselves. Like Sit Thirugnanasampanthan said: Simply Stay Home! Otherwise you are simply enabling the continuation of criminals who will kill us all in the end. Massive general strikes and boycotts are all we have left, and I see no evidence of that ever happening in this country of brainwashed morons who continually step up and vote for their own demise time after time. I was one of them for far too many years. And for that I carry some shame from what I term willful ignorance. But if I was able to finally wake up others can too. But I suspect that it is far too late given the unfolding exponential climate catastrophe and the now normalization of genocide.
Of course it was done on purpose. If giving the Greens the wrong forms didn't work, then some other prextxt would be employed.
When democrats and liberals try to vote shame you into voting Team D because gay rights or abortion, it's the equivalent of arguing that if sexual assault is inevitable, go with the more attractive rapist.
And, no, it does not matter if you voted "with misgivings" or if you "held your nose" as you voted. Your vote counts, just the same.
The Democrats don't support defunding public schools and shifting that money to Wall Street and religious schools. The Democrats don't support complete privatization of public parks, western public lands, libraries, social security, NOAA, etc. The Democrats do not call climate emergency a hoax. The Democrats don't support elimination of the welfare state. The Democrats are not ramming a White Christian Nationalist cultural agenda down our throats and banning books, birth control, and abortion, erasing history, while firing teachers, librarians, and professors. The Democrats do not call universities and the media the "enemy of the people". The Democrats do not consider migrants "vermin" that are "poisoning the blood" of America. The Democrats do not seek to "dismantle the administrative state", fire 100,000 expert civil servants and replace them with political loyalists. The Democrats do not attack science and expertise. I could go on.
But the Trump cult does.
These are not minor differences when it comes to impacts on people's daily lives.
Bill, I said the end results are the same. This is not saying the results are the same. Indeed, the column tries to delineate the differences. The point is that unless we retake control we will end up with warlord capitalism curtesy of corporate capitalism.
The 'Jimmy Carter' option--be a good person, show up, do good, see clearly--isn't driven by fight, flight, freeze biochemistry, Chris. He's hardly remembered and was replaced by Reagan because the social norms we've come to accept, i.e., 'popular culture', favors power-driven folks, not peace. This is systemic and tied to the break down of colonialism coupled with advent of mass propaganda (media.) We're dealing with hypnotized people, addicts. And we're not exempt. People like you, specifically, saw this a long while ago. There is an alternative (probably more than one) but all the workable options do entail kicking the 'adrenalin habit' as a cultural bedrock norm. I'd like to talk with you.
What the Dems say means nothing. Watch what they do. For example, they supposedly believe in climate change but their policies promote, not tackle it. Harris, Biden, Obama all do everything they can to promote fossil fuels, which is absolute madness. They even boast about it. And they have brought us so much closer to nuclear war. So on the two existential issues of our times, they are out to murder us all.
They are funding a genocide, and giving a thumbs up to a broader war, and even bringing in the American military which could involve us in another Middle Eastern confrontation. Not to mention the destruction of Ukrainian lives to bring down Putin, and of course don't mention the neocons now back the democrats, and seem to have a significant influence on their warring agenda. Your black and white perspective on the democrats suggests truth is of no interest to you. During Biden's presidency what exactly makes you want to give him a thumbs up, or Harris? Was it the undemocratic policy, Biden's out, brain dead, and Kamala is nominated to run, but no other contenders allowed? Their border policy which is now in the process of being overhauled, etc, etc?
It's sad that so many people view the making of distinctions as defense of Democrats. Talk about a binary world view! Worse, Fran, you are such a liar, because I've told you this on Caitlin Johnstone's site many times, and you try to bring those same lies to Hedges's place. As you know, I wrote this a year ago:
The Arc Of Biden Bends Toward Genocide And Armageddon
"As you know, I wrote this a year ago." What egotism to think I would remember what you said a year ago! You present a black and white perspective on the democrats which sounds like democrats good, republicans bad. Biden is a hawk and always has been.. He pushed the war in Iraq, and used his position as chair of the foreign relations comm to push that war down the throats of his fellow democrats, and now democrats are helping to implement a genocide and support Israel's plans for a broader middle eastern war. He certainly can pander to the military industrial complex, and pander to a neocon agenda, and when you do that many,many billions of dollars are no longer available for the public good you claim the democrats are so concerned about. However that is not to say the republicans are much better. I read aljazeera everyday and I am well aware of the horrors being implemented there, like burning children to death. Representatives from both parties were present during Netanyhu's speech. I know they gave him a standing ovation, so it's not just Biden, it's all of those AIPAC ass kissers who are helping to implement this genocide because their careers, their lives, come first, and that is the fundamental problem with our "public servants" in Washington.
I read your post, and totally agree with what you said. However, do you think someone like Biden, or Hilary Clinton working in complicity with their political party, both parties when it comes to war, and causes the death of so many really care about people in general? I remember Hilary attacking Trump for his anti-Muslim sentiments because he wanted to restrict their travel into the US, which I didn't agree with, but then be someone who was instrumental in lying us into a war with Libya that sought the death of Gaddafi, and in the process destroyed a country, and it's people? The misery continues to this day. I don't care what they say they want, but what they do.
I prefaced with "As you know" because you DO know. You stalked me at Caitlin Johnstone's substack and other places. You've made this exact same false criticism multiple times. So you do KNOW. (or else are demented or memory impaired).
Repeat: calling out Trumpers' fascism and noting a sharp contrast with Democrats on many important issues is NOT ignorance of all the bad shit Democrats/Biden do and NOT support for them. It is the OPPOSITE of a "binary world view".
I do know I will never respond to you're posts again, because now I remember how abusive and insulting you can be, and I agree I never should have responded to this one since your authoritarian mindset does not permit anyone to challenge your perception of things.
Supporting democrats leading a genocide IS the biggest issue. How many years must Americans be lied to before they can really see which thugs are which? The power brokers end up in the end SELDOM helping the citizens they are supposed to represent. Visit the increasing homelessness camps, witness the drug addicts, see the hungry sad kids,etc. Wake up! Revolt.
You make my point, by assuming that pointing out the fascist tendencies of the Trump Republicans means support of Democrats.
I've lived among the homeless (for 7 years) - and I've also seen the militia's and general gun nuts at the local shooting ranges and out on federal lands - so I'm wide awake.
I've spent 40 years of my life working on public policy and politics and fully understand the corruption at the core (a view inside the belly of the beast - read the tale of the green grocer in "Living In Truth").
Revolt (from the left) is not remotely in the cards - and the right has all the guns and the cops too.
Actually the exceptions you talk about are nonsense for the most part. Oh yes, the Democrats talk about all the things they believe in but when it comes to the rubber meeting the road their words are basically meaningless. I will always remember when the Democrats had the White House, Senate and House under Obama from 2008 to 2010 and they did NOTHING for the people when it came to passing legislation on behalf of the citizens. All they did was bitch and moan about how the big bad Republicans might filibuster any thing they might introduce so they did not bother to even try. That is who the Democrats are. Actions speak louder than words. When it comes to the climate change issue as one example, both Obama and Biden did more drilling for fossil fuels than either of their predecessors. And climate change is arguably the single most issue facing us rendering all the things you praise them for as essentially moot points. And then there is the issue of genocide which should be a red line for anyone who cares about their fellow world citizens. Those two issues alone make the Democrats just as evil as their so-called opposition. I leave you with the following which was taken from a Venn diagram some years ago:
What both parties agree on:
Total Support for Israel
Do Wall Street’s Bidding
Unlimited Military Spending
Hostility to Russia, Iran & China
Full-spectrum Dominance
Let Money Rule Politics
Neoliberalism Rocks
Spy on Everyone!
Screw the Poor and Old
Oligarchy, not Democracy
Vive US Imperialism!
Outlaw 3rd Parties
Crush the Left
Regime Change is Cool
Differences between the two parties:
Democrats:
Some stuff about Abortion, Pro Choice (but never bother to codify it)
Acknowledge Climate Change, but do nothing about it (and actually increase extraction)
Republicans:
Some stuff about Pro-Life and Guns
Deny Climate Change
At best one can argue that the Democrats are the more effective evil.
"At best one can argue that the Democrats are the more effective evil." True, you did a very comprehensive analysis of our two parties. Unfortunately, we American brain-washed morons live in delusions. For my part I will vote green to protest.
Thank you for writing Chris and thank you Bill. I agree with Bill that in fact, there are substantive and significant differences in the choice before us in this election for the US president.
For someone who refers to history as often as Chris does, and who clearly knows history as he does, I am surprised Chris does not acknowledge the obvious differences between the two candidates, and clear and present danger of a second Trump presidency.
Four years ago, Noam Chomsky Rightfully encouraged everyone he could to understand the danger of a second Trump presidency and to vote for the lesser of the two evils. Such a philosophy or perspective I think i Comes from an understanding that it is better to compromise and move ahead when one has the opportunity than to do something that might take away one’s opportunity to do anything.
I think ultimately, it is irresponsible to write articles like this one. Articles soaked like this one in hopelessness and strident pessimism can never benefit anyone striving to actually do something productive and lasting for Humanity or a nation.
I call irresponsible to hide the head under the sand and pretend that nothing is happening, and I find it extremely productive and lasting for humanity and our nation true reports of our reality and the danger in which we are. Sorry.
I don't intend to vote for either Harris or Trump, but under the Biden administration hundreds of thousands of Ukranian and Russian lives have been lost because America wants to bring NATO to Russia's front door. It started with a coup implemented by the Obama administration, but Trump got in the way with his win in 2016 and saying of all things he wanted to get along with Russia. What a horror!!! Of course when Biden won in 2020 he was back on track firmly declaring Putin has got to go, although Russia-gate did kept Russia hate alive and well during the Trump years. You forgot to mention that Chomsky said that Trump was the only statesman who could bring an end to the confrontation between Ukraine and Russia. Ironic isn't it that Chomsky in that regard saw Trump as a savior? I know Biden bellows every once and a while about having to assist Netanyahu in his genocide, but more rightly, their genocide, since Biden is nothing more then a neocon who also pushed their agenda of war with Iraq to benefit Israel down the throats of his fellow democrats. As he said, when he met with Netanyahu and his war cabinet during his visit to Israel, the U.S. president assured them: "I don't believe you have to be a Jew to be a Zionist, and I am a Zionist." Amen! Also remember the neocons have shifted their loyalty to the democrats. P.S. If you respond make no effort to impress me with Harris!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am taking the high ground and not attacking you, since I am not ignorant and incapable of addressing someone who disagrees with me and who chooses abusive one liners as any low life would. I am not supporting either, since both seem quite comfortable in supporting another Nakba which has always been Netanyahu's plan from the beginning. Already more dead in this one then in 1948 based on a study recently published by the Lancet. Those that remain, like before, will be displaced, their land stolen, which has been Netanyahu's goal from the outset. Of course our government has always been aware of his plans, but continued to support them. Go vote for who you think is the lesser of the two evils, and don't forget Iran is also on our hit list, and who in recent years has developed even stronger ties to Russia. and we're not exactly on good terms with either, especially due to our proxy war in Ukraine. Good luck with your scenario which seems little more then wishful thinking.
The democrats are massively funding a genocide in Gaza and Ukraine with the peoples money. They are just printing the money which causes substantial inflation!
The democrats are glad to be supported by Dick Cheney and his daughter , big supporters of state torture. And John Bolton who is forever promoting new wars!
Have read this and your follow up comments, sorry not your posts of a year ago or whenever (newbie here).
Can't see that ducking and weaving past considers the huge existential issues repliers have duly presented: ecocide, genocide, and the associated deep class war that is neo-feudalism in the making throughout the whole "developed" world.
American public schools are a particularly lame cause to promote, yet another complicit sideshow; as to bookbanning and free speech, both camps have their blacklists.
You are both correct. Chris's point is that it is either a slow death by continuing the gradual poisoning via Corporate Democrats or a fast death by firing squad via the Christian Fascist Warlords. I agree with your point that by choosing Harris, at least we could buy time to maybe stop poisoning ourselves. With Trump, there is no opportunity to do so and the Christian Fascists take hold completely.
The dems say the things you said, but they don't follow up on their word. Most of the time it is just lip service. Yes, they started some good things, knowing very well that it would all be dismantled soon enough. The NLRB for example, is better under democrats. There are some "good" appointees that want to do right some wrongs but they don't really get to do it. It is all waiting, hoping, then nothing.
The problem is that we are always waiting: for the right moment, the right house leadership, the right senate composition. Then they assign a villain to dismantle the good plans. But this is all by design.
I say, burn it all down. Let things get really bad and maybe Americans learn how to really fight, all of us, like so many countries we destroyed did. Also, bring back the guillotine and let some heads roll - I am speaking metaphorically, but maybe not...
I've read Wolin (more than just Democracy Inc.) and little of Hudson. I've worked these politics for decades. I didn't write and don't think the parties are "oppositional" in the macro class and ideological sense that Chris presents. But I think Chris is missing important distinctions and underestimating the toxicity of the ideology of the people behind JD Vance. "Burn it down" is certainly revolutionary, but it's from the extreme right. That's where revolutionary arguments will take us right now - they'll be no general strike or mass public uprising, and the right has all the guns - so a far more nuanced analysis and less blanket condemnation is important.
Thank you, Chris -- this is one of the best pieces of writing, addressing the reality of our situation and focusing on the truly existential issues at hand, that I have read this year. You have armed me with a perfectly articulated argument, which I will distribute to as many potentially receptive people as I can find. Keep up the excellent work!
While I truly admire your dedication to, and pursuit of the truth, there are times when I find your statements and positions exceedingly frustrating! Are you seriously telling people that there is no difference between the parties and candidates in this election?(Note: bill wolfe comments, below). Do you, in fact, actually believe this? Do you believe it is the correct choice to tell voters in the US not to vote? Harris, may in fact be an “empty suit”! She will likely continue the bizarre US foreign policy that this nation’s government has pursued throughout the entire post-WWII era, Including unconditional support for Israel, even though its government is presently under the control of a fascist cabal, led by a criminal narcissist and political opportunist. These serious flaws notwithstanding, the facts are that the Democratic Party, even under its present, questionable leadership, is the only sane choice in the 2024 election.
One of the two candidates for POTUS is going to win and take office on Jan. 20, 2025. Do you actually want Donald Trump and the MAGA Republican, Christian Nationalist, Heritage Foundation lunatics in legitimate control of the US, its resources, economic and political strength, military and nuclear arsenal…need I go on?
You would never vote for anyone who would participate in the Gaza genocide! How high minded of you! Please understand that anyone who might vote for Democratic candidates, who does not vote, is in effect, voting for Trump. Is that the message you really want to send to the voters who: read your publications; support your journalism; buy your books; to US voters, at large? Trump will make Dems support for Israel pale in comparison to what he will sanction and finance. Bibi will have carte blanche to exterminate Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen, Iran and whoever else he sees fit to attack, with all the US made weaponry he needs and thensome. After all these are “shithole countries” inhabited by “animals”. They need to be reduced to rubble and, their populations exterminated. The US will be forever changed by the influence of Trump and his ilk, whatever the results of the election. Were he to actually take office, again, it is unlikely that this nation, as envisioned by its founders and our predecessors, would continue to exist. That is too much to bear. As flawed as it may be, the idea of the USA must continue as an alternative to the authoritarians, totalitarians, corporatarians, et al.
The political reality in the US today demands that every citizen awaken to the fact that the former “Republican Party” no longer exists as a viable political alternative. We must all support the Democratic Party until such time as we can organize and present viable, alternative, political choices. There hasn’t been an effective, viable, alternative candidate for president nominated by any party other than the two current, major, American parties in my 50+ years of participation in the electoral system.
As an advocate of unbridled freedom of speech and of the press, I fully support your right to make such political statements as you have in the Substack article that generated this commentary. I have also exercised my right to profoundly disagree with the conclusion of your article. I am only one reader, one opinion. However, were your article to get the broad readership I believe your ability and accomplishments merit, I also believe the preponderance of comments you would receive would support my position. Words, have consequences, you know this, it is why you chose this career path.
Thank you for this more nuanced and broad response. Even if everyone who wants to change the system did not vote in this election, one person will win. It won’t be Stein.
If you really think about it, you really do prefer one choice over the other and I seriously doubt, but could be completely wrong, that the angst about voting is felt by those who can’t decide whether they will pull the lever for trump.
People are upset that they have to choose a candidate for the party that has been funding the genocide and rightly so. So to punish those who are almost gleefully supporting it, it’s natural to feel like “why vote at all.”
If the genocide wasn’t going on and Gaza, would we even be having this conversation?
It’s the genocide in Gaza that has unmasked for those paying attention the hidden machinations of the country we call the United States. And made this issue front and center in the discourse.
Personally, I have learned more in the last year about politics, the government, corporations, billionaires, Wall Street, etc., than I have in my entire entire 70 years. I have voted for Democrats every year since I was 18 years old. This year I am an independent: do I want to vote for Harris? Not really. Do I want Trump to be the president. No. I agree with one of the other comments that not voting is a vote for Trump.
So basically, Chris, you are saying just don’t vote. Just don’t vote means we likely get Donald Trump, who is not the same as getting something new. In fact, we know exactly what we will get with both candidates. Change is not what you will get if you don’t vote.
And the other argument that people rarely bring up is even though we complain about the government-which I’m very unhappy about-are you willing to give up your 401(k), your retirement savings, your money in the stock market, your house, are you willing to move to another country? Are you willing to get rid of everything to stand for your cause? It is too simple to say “I don’t like what’s going on” without realizing you actively participate. Maybe not voting is one way to stop participation. But, if you don’t vote you have no right to complain if the elected president does some things you never imagined, which of course can and will happen with both.
November 4, 5 or 6-I can’t actually remember what day it is at this moment, Americans will wake up to a new president.
Vote, don’t vote. If you think it won’t make a difference, whether you do or not because in the end, you’ll get the same end result, think again. The ultimate end result you discuss in this article Chris may be far away from the present. Maybe between now and then we can make some changes. From my view, just “not voting” is not the action that will change the system.
To Lindsay and others who promote this trope (and tripe) that a vote for Stein is a vote for Trump: How dare you try to impose your little personal picture of the election in order to push your favored conclusion. There is no guaranteed rightness to the view that there are only two candidates. That is your bias. If the entire progressive community was to vote for a third party, and a single third party, then that would elevate the third party into legitimacy in future elections. Maybe Stein is not the best healer for the left, but you had your opportunity when Nader was running to assert your preference for a ruthlessly honest, intelligent, progressive candidate and what did you do. You bleated your defeatist, self effectuating rote assertion about throwing away a vote and you insured that the election picture would continue unchanged for the rest of your life. If you are never going to make any change in your voting, then thank you for this corrupt election between two evils. Take responsibility for the continued meaninglessness of the elections that are handed all of us. BUT: Don't try to shift responsibility onto a cosmic view of two-party hegemony that you try to convince us is some kind of reality, outside of your narrow view. It isn't! I voted for Stein, despite knowing that your smarmy certainty makes it a hopeless choice for now.
"The ultimate end result you discuss in this article Chris may be far away from the present. Maybe between now and then we can make some changes." I have not seen any changes since we have been voting for the lesser evil, and I can see right now what the end result of our delusions is. I've already voted green knowing that I sent a protest by doing so and that the only winner is myself for clearing my conscience.
it is a way to make the Green Party stronger. It is a way to get some people to see that there is a growing party that cares about what most people care about. I also voted for the Green Party and refused to vote for any democrat or republican down ballot.
We need to do every ting we can to start the change NOW. If it means hardship and suffering under Trump, so be it. Otherwise we are just kicking the ball down to the next generations, or giving up completely. Vote third party, make clear that it is a rejection of the duopoly.
I agree. I got your point Chris and yes Kamala is the lesser of two evils, gun owner, lethal military… However, I do believe she could be tricked into the economic case for investing in her people should she become president.
If I were American I’d vote for Kamala in a heartbeat. Then offer to help with my tools ;)
What do we want our interconnected world to look like? I propose investing in attachment informed social determinants of a health, (also the one and the same determinants of a healthy economy ) is my best thinking thus far.
And by attachment informed I mean everyone, adults and children, as our preeminent human need lifelong is connection, a particularly attuned and emotionally intelligent connectedness that supports maturity.
I will share more on developing a mature electorate and mature leadership through small group processes eventually here on Substack. Even a few hopeful stories.
Bottom line: let’s keep our eye on the prize, let’s define what we really want.
"There hasn’t been an effective, viable, alternative candidate for president nominated by any party other than the two current, major, American parties in my 50+ years of participation in the electoral system" True, and the reason has been that for 50+ years the electorate has been deceived by the mantra of voting for the lesser evil and now, we are suffering the consequences of our delusions.
Dog's a Foot. Bless your heart and mind for writing that beautiful, eloquent response. I totally agree anyone who doesn't see the difference between the 2 choices is stuck in some political mindset that makes no sense for me. Thank you again. I have made numerous donations to Democracy Docket and Dem candidates running for the Senate and will vote for Harris on the Family Party ticket. I'm a Ukrainian refuge, with a relative on the frontline and JIll's cozy relationship with Putin is repulsive.
Both Team R and Team D are oligarch parties. They do represent differing oligarch factions.
Just, as you correctly note, Team D is the political will of the multinationals made manifest, while Team R plays a similar role with regard to the Local Gentry.
We talk about the difference in American politics in the context of the United States but the ripple effects are global. We're all fuckin fed up and we're all on the path to annihilation - or at the very least towards a life that is difficult to live and be optimistic about. American domestic policy is in many ways like their foreign policy in the sense that it doesn't give a fuck about anyone but the ruling class.
There's a story I read once about a bunch of pirates who founded a settlement on an island and convinced a bunch of people to live there and invest there with talk of a grander life and grander dreams until the founding pirates fanned the flames of a civil war and stole all the money in the coffers and fucked off leaving the island inhabitants with nothing but death. Welcome to fuckin America. Welcome to the new world.
I hope Iran and Russia and the East carve out some semblance of victory when this is over because maybe a shift in power and some balance in global power will give way for adjustments to be made that are favourable to us peasants but I'm not hopeful.
I was a loyal Democratic party voter from the time I was old enough to vote in 1980. It took two terms of the Obama administration for me to see that the Democratic party was not in my corner. My hope was temporarily renewed when Bernie ran in 2016. He said all of the right things. However, after seeing how he was treated by the DNC and then seeing how he betrayed all of us, who supported him, has soured me on the Democratic party forever. I realized that change will never come from the top down. Change only comes from the bottom up. We cannot vote our way out of this nightmare. My fear is that it is too late and that there are not enough of us to make a difference.
You are right, kena. I've been trying--with little success--to get people like Chris, who had for a time some genuine power to turn this vector toward peace and sanity--to step free of their own 'taken for granted' bedrock (that PhD's from Yale, Harvard, Princeton are the starting places for who has thoughtful input. I just paid the $6. to have a window here--now that the circle of Chris' audience has sadly shrunk and he may find the humility to look at what we've been holding out. Here is a post that takes you to a platform where these 'large frame' issues are contexted in updated 12-Step methodology: https://open.substack.com/pub/kathleens/p/lets-get-real-about-revenge?r=jmmv7&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
Tell me how the Dems are the lesser of evils. I'm certain ways they're the greater of evils, in which one could make the argument that voting for Trump is better. I'm fact, as the late, great Glen Ford said, the Democrats are the more effective evil, partially because once they're in office progressives hibernate until the next election. They don't care what's going on because it has to be, in their view, better than the Republican would have done,. I'm this way the Dems have been able to move father and father to the right and Democratic voters don't notice and don't care. It's a disaster. I agree many others refuse anymore to vote for murderers, regardless of whether there's a D or and R after their name. I'm voting for Jill Stein.
Jill Stein Putin's poodle. Only surfaces every 4 yrs to create chaos -she helped usher in Trump. So can anyone here say that Hillary Clinton who lost because of her would have done all the horrible things that Trump did? Rowe still would be the law of the land, affirmative action would have been kept. Think about the 3 candidates for the Supreme Court that Hillary would have picked had she prevailed. Amber's 6 yr old son would still have a mother so thank you Jill Stein?
The citizens who voted for Jill Stein were NEVER going to vote for the Democrat candidate. Just stop with your nonsense about how she was a spoiler, etc. The Democrats are the true spoilers all on their own running odious candidates like Hillary who was/is nothing but a war mongering Wall Street power hungry parasite. The Democrats are the ones creating the chaos you accuse Stein of. And finally it is folks like you who apparently do not believe in democracy as you clearly don’t think folks should have more choices than the two brands of corporate/oligarchy UniParty to choose from. Keep on voting for your own demise. It’s the American way!
Nellie: So far as I know, the only reason for connecting Stein with Putin was that she once accepted a dinner invitation from him or his staff and there are photos of her sitting and eating dinner with thirty other diners. Big effing deal!. Is that all you've got to excuse your cowardice facing two evil candidates and you have to turn to a third for your facile calumny?
There aer rules that parties have to follow if they want to continue to survive so the "only every four years" part of your comment is ignorant.
Genocide is the worst thing that can happen in humanity. Supporting genocidal candidates is, at minimum, closing your eyes to the humanity of the victims of said genocide
Electing a mixed race woman would greatly contribute to the maturing of this country, joining other civilized countries that support human rights. Sorry guys, men have more physical strength and women have more innate ability, are more effective communicators, choose dialogue over violence to resolve conflict. A larger corpus calossum will enable peaceful resolution rather than war which men have chosen over and over. Learn from the bees one of the greatest gifts of evolution. All are female except drones who only serve to fertilize the queen and are then drug from the hive as they have no honey making and hive protection ability. Make your vote count for a better future, never perfect, but nothing is.
BS. Margaret Thatcher, Victoria Nuland, Hilary Clinton, Madeleine Albright, Gina Haspel and many others disprove your theory. Power corrupts women as much as men, and, just like with men, corrupt women are more likely to seek power.
Bob: I agree! Identity politics is a losing sinkhole. Just look at the lousy administration of the first black man - Obama. Get in a good honest person, who has rejected the psychopathy that politics forces on every candidate before he/she is allowed to rise. Forget skin color and gender. They are of no consequence.
Women fighting to be heard as they have been kept in the back room for centuries, only recent being granted right to vote, own property, protected by law from domestic violence. Tesla predicted human kind destiny is the bees. Men are not without ability, only short changed by a deficient compliment of DNA and smaller corpus colosseum, the pathway for communication between the two sides of the brain. The teachings of religions,without any basis in fact, place men in the position of authority and even God, “the father”. A stacked deck.
You took a Harris clip out of context to ridicule her. We can't build a movement under a dictator without casualties. Harris must win. Then we work on the movement that gives power back to the people.
Harris is a disaster. She is not only vacuous and incoherent, but far worse, she will fully support the continued mass murdering and illegal invasions by Israel, will do nothing about climate change, and will continue the militarism bringing us close to nuclear war (the latter two are THE END for human civilization and possibly humanity period.) She will push for ever and ever greater military budgets when people around the world are starving and when huge numbers are homeless and suffering and lack medical care in the US and a fraction of that bloated military budget could solve those problems easily. Vote for Harris and you are aiding and abetting all the above. Don't do it!
Gloria: What wackiness! You actually believe that you are going to convince Harris to abandon her declared policies (like support for Israel uber alles) just because she's now got your vote, and you are going to overcome all of those counter influences coming from all those billionaires with their millions of dollars to give her. Idiocy!
Stay home, stop paying your taxes. You need the platform to convince enough people to do this so the consequences suffered are felt by the elites as much as the peasants. Destabilize the economy long enough and steadily enough for someone to pay attention. But these ideas need to propagate society to be effective. I guess we call that revolution. They'll try to beat you back to work with their batons. And now apparently the US wants to kill protesters. Looks like the American dream has turned into a nightmare.
I keep going back to Palestine representing all that is good and if Palestine loses its fight against Israel then fascism has won and people will suffer for a long time or in perpetuity and be enslaved to an elite ruling class that is psychotic and insatiable. Palestine is symbolic of all of our liberty. It's a war against all of us.
Thank you for this clear articulation of the rot at the heart of society. I have always been an optimist but my outlook has shifted. Time is running short and I would appreciate your ideas on what we can do.
Unfettered capitalism has won over humanity. What will happen in the future is what we see in South Korea, where people decided to stop having children and kill the beast (capitalism ) by not producing new slaves every year. That's why Elon and other oligarchs are obsessed with this subject, because they want white people to produce more slaves for their dynasties.
Ultimately, we lose. But for anyone who may need an abortion there is a clear advantage to the Democrats. To pretend there are no differences that will impact the lives of ordinary people in the short and medium is absurd. Perhaps Hedges and many of his readers will be able to travel to get an abortion, or afford an illegal one performed by a competent practitioner, but many cannot. There was an excellent Mafia clinic in Chicago in the early 70s--before Roe vs. Wade--which charged $600 for an abortion. That would be over $4800 in todays money. Another Trump presidency will likely result in more ultra conservative on the Supreme Court and a national abortion ban. Aurora Levins Morales, a 2nd generation left activist reminds us that when we vote in a national election, we choose our enemy. I agree, and I would rather be fighting the Democrats than the Republicans. To suggest that, as a working class low-income woman, I am a "traitor to my country" if I choose to vote for the corporate Democrats because at least in the short term they are more likely to protect my rights to healthcare and an abortion, (among other clear differences between the Dems and the GOP) is an appalling level of arrogance. You cannot simply ignore the threats to the life and health that a Trump presidency would bring to half the population. Or maybe you can. Not me. I'm holding my nose and voting for Harris.
With Harris we know for a fact that there will be continued and endless support for Israel's slaughtering of innocents. With Harris we know that there will be ever more money poured into the proxy war with Ukraine that is killing people every day to zero purpose and we will continue getting closer to nuclear war. With Harris we know that nothing will be done about climate change, moving us ever more quickly to the cliff's edge and the possible end of civilization. People are dying around the world every day due to the climate catastrophe, and it's getting quickly worse. Harris, and here's the rub, will talk nice about all the above, putting Democrats completely to sleep, but will continue to act in a murderous way. That's why Democrats are the more effective evil, because they say what Democratic voters want to hear and do the exact opposite. Democrats had decades to pass federal abortion rights legislation, btw, but never did. That's how much they actually care about abortion. Don't believe their words, they are pure evil. Stop voting for evil, because if you do you are responsible for the evil that results. If you vote for Harris then you are responsible for every life lost because of her heinous actions. If you vote for Stein then you are voting directly against evil.
But if I vote for Stein Trump is more likely to win. His administration would be worse than Harris on every issue you mention — especially the Gaza genocide and climate change.
Actually, if Trump wins at least there will be many people who will fight his policies that threaten an end to humanity. If Harris wins there will be no one. Therefore, Trump in office is actually preferable. But of course both mainstream choices are despicable and incredibly dangerous, so don't vote for either!
I don’t agree there will be no one to resist a Harris administration. As I said in my original comment, we vote to choose our enemy—every activist I know understands this.
Tell me, who is resisting the crimes of the Biden administration? No one! And that's exactly how it'll be if Harris gets elected. Democratic Party presidents can get away with much more than Republican presidents because there's essentially zero resistance to their perfidy. They are the more effective evil.
Maybe we deserve a taste of what we allow our government to do in other countries. I was born under a dictatorship financed, supported by the US. The only way Americans are going to care enough is if EVERYONE has something to lose. Then the masses can go for the heads of the corporates and oligarchs. If the democrats cares about anything they would just tell demented Joe to stop sending arms to Israel, Congress would just make sure no more money is sent. They can act. If they don't want to act, they don't get the votes. Trump might be worse for us but maybe we learn some empathy for the oppressed elsewhere.
Possibly. Or we could just see the collapse of whatever democratic institutions we’ve got left ( at even local city/county levels) and a fascist dictatorship that would likely be even worse for the Palestinians. If Trump wins, I hope you are right.
There is nothing worse than genocide and the Palestinians are already experiencing that. If trump wins a lot of bad stuff will happen and then we will see who we really are. In the first four years, despite all that he did and and the hate he encouraged, the bourgeoisie wasn’t affected. If they start feeling what it means to be persecuted, maybe this country grows up and starts acting like we say we are. I have a lot at stake but cannot be part of kicking the can down the road anymore. Maybe the sky needs to fall to wake us up
Besides, his handler are already infiltrated in the GOP, even if he doesn’t win all the bad things will happen via Congress and a weak democratic president that pretends she cares but adopts all the bad policies in the end. That’s the democratic party in a nutshell
Anyone who votes for either brand of the corporate/oligarch UniParty are traitors to their country and their fellow humans both here and around the world (to say nothing of all the flora and fauna). I would have voted for Jill Stein but the anti-democratic Democrats managed to keep her off the ballot here in Nevada thanks to their dirty tricks of having the Secretary of State office giving the Greens the wrong forms to gather signatures with to qualify for the ballot. And while some can argue it was the Greens fault for not knowing any better, my bullshit detector is screaming it was done on purpose by the Democrats from the beginning. But I digress. I gave up on the Democrats after having voted for them since Carter in 1976 when I was first able to vote. I gave up on them in 2008 after Obama appointed the same Wall Street crooks to his administration that Bush had in his. I would have voted for Stein from a moral stance this time, but alas that was taken away from me. And to make matters more undemocratic Nevada does not allow write in votes. Nevada is a state that literally disenfranchises voters because of that policy. I am done once and for all with the criminal enterprise known as the USA. May it go down the drain once and for all where it has been heading ever since its beginning of Native American genocide and African slavery, to say nothing of a bunch of white oligarch assholes who set it all up for themselves. Like Sit Thirugnanasampanthan said: Simply Stay Home! Otherwise you are simply enabling the continuation of criminals who will kill us all in the end. Massive general strikes and boycotts are all we have left, and I see no evidence of that ever happening in this country of brainwashed morons who continually step up and vote for their own demise time after time. I was one of them for far too many years. And for that I carry some shame from what I term willful ignorance. But if I was able to finally wake up others can too. But I suspect that it is far too late given the unfolding exponential climate catastrophe and the now normalization of genocide.
Of course it was done on purpose. If giving the Greens the wrong forms didn't work, then some other prextxt would be employed.
When democrats and liberals try to vote shame you into voting Team D because gay rights or abortion, it's the equivalent of arguing that if sexual assault is inevitable, go with the more attractive rapist.
And, no, it does not matter if you voted "with misgivings" or if you "held your nose" as you voted. Your vote counts, just the same.
Sorry Chris, but the results are NOT the same.
The Democrats don't support defunding public schools and shifting that money to Wall Street and religious schools. The Democrats don't support complete privatization of public parks, western public lands, libraries, social security, NOAA, etc. The Democrats do not call climate emergency a hoax. The Democrats don't support elimination of the welfare state. The Democrats are not ramming a White Christian Nationalist cultural agenda down our throats and banning books, birth control, and abortion, erasing history, while firing teachers, librarians, and professors. The Democrats do not call universities and the media the "enemy of the people". The Democrats do not consider migrants "vermin" that are "poisoning the blood" of America. The Democrats do not seek to "dismantle the administrative state", fire 100,000 expert civil servants and replace them with political loyalists. The Democrats do not attack science and expertise. I could go on.
But the Trump cult does.
These are not minor differences when it comes to impacts on people's daily lives.
Bill, I said the end results are the same. This is not saying the results are the same. Indeed, the column tries to delineate the differences. The point is that unless we retake control we will end up with warlord capitalism curtesy of corporate capitalism.
"End results"? Who was the economist that said "In the long run, we're all dead"?
The 'Jimmy Carter' option--be a good person, show up, do good, see clearly--isn't driven by fight, flight, freeze biochemistry, Chris. He's hardly remembered and was replaced by Reagan because the social norms we've come to accept, i.e., 'popular culture', favors power-driven folks, not peace. This is systemic and tied to the break down of colonialism coupled with advent of mass propaganda (media.) We're dealing with hypnotized people, addicts. And we're not exempt. People like you, specifically, saw this a long while ago. There is an alternative (probably more than one) but all the workable options do entail kicking the 'adrenalin habit' as a cultural bedrock norm. I'd like to talk with you.
What the Dems say means nothing. Watch what they do. For example, they supposedly believe in climate change but their policies promote, not tackle it. Harris, Biden, Obama all do everything they can to promote fossil fuels, which is absolute madness. They even boast about it. And they have brought us so much closer to nuclear war. So on the two existential issues of our times, they are out to murder us all.
I wrote this over 3 years ago: (and posted a criticism of Obama record oild/gas production and pipelines over 10 years ago):
Biden Is A Climate Fraud
http://www.wolfenotes.com/2021/07/biden-is-a-climate-fraud/
See this; 12 YEARS ago
Obama All In For Oil & Gas – Disrupt Dirty Power
http://www.wolfenotes.com/2012/03/obama-all-in-for-oil-gas-disrupt-dirty-power/
They are funding a genocide, and giving a thumbs up to a broader war, and even bringing in the American military which could involve us in another Middle Eastern confrontation. Not to mention the destruction of Ukrainian lives to bring down Putin, and of course don't mention the neocons now back the democrats, and seem to have a significant influence on their warring agenda. Your black and white perspective on the democrats suggests truth is of no interest to you. During Biden's presidency what exactly makes you want to give him a thumbs up, or Harris? Was it the undemocratic policy, Biden's out, brain dead, and Kamala is nominated to run, but no other contenders allowed? Their border policy which is now in the process of being overhauled, etc, etc?
It's sad that so many people view the making of distinctions as defense of Democrats. Talk about a binary world view! Worse, Fran, you are such a liar, because I've told you this on Caitlin Johnstone's site many times, and you try to bring those same lies to Hedges's place. As you know, I wrote this a year ago:
The Arc Of Biden Bends Toward Genocide And Armageddon
https://bwolfe.substack.com/p/the-arc-of-biden-bends-toward-genocide
"As you know, I wrote this a year ago." What egotism to think I would remember what you said a year ago! You present a black and white perspective on the democrats which sounds like democrats good, republicans bad. Biden is a hawk and always has been.. He pushed the war in Iraq, and used his position as chair of the foreign relations comm to push that war down the throats of his fellow democrats, and now democrats are helping to implement a genocide and support Israel's plans for a broader middle eastern war. He certainly can pander to the military industrial complex, and pander to a neocon agenda, and when you do that many,many billions of dollars are no longer available for the public good you claim the democrats are so concerned about. However that is not to say the republicans are much better. I read aljazeera everyday and I am well aware of the horrors being implemented there, like burning children to death. Representatives from both parties were present during Netanyhu's speech. I know they gave him a standing ovation, so it's not just Biden, it's all of those AIPAC ass kissers who are helping to implement this genocide because their careers, their lives, come first, and that is the fundamental problem with our "public servants" in Washington.
I read your post, and totally agree with what you said. However, do you think someone like Biden, or Hilary Clinton working in complicity with their political party, both parties when it comes to war, and causes the death of so many really care about people in general? I remember Hilary attacking Trump for his anti-Muslim sentiments because he wanted to restrict their travel into the US, which I didn't agree with, but then be someone who was instrumental in lying us into a war with Libya that sought the death of Gaddafi, and in the process destroyed a country, and it's people? The misery continues to this day. I don't care what they say they want, but what they do.
Agreed. Biden also helped Thomas to the Supreme "Activist" Court. He wrote the crime bill, etc. He's a slug!
I prefaced with "As you know" because you DO know. You stalked me at Caitlin Johnstone's substack and other places. You've made this exact same false criticism multiple times. So you do KNOW. (or else are demented or memory impaired).
Repeat: calling out Trumpers' fascism and noting a sharp contrast with Democrats on many important issues is NOT ignorance of all the bad shit Democrats/Biden do and NOT support for them. It is the OPPOSITE of a "binary world view".
I do know I will never respond to you're posts again, because now I remember how abusive and insulting you can be, and I agree I never should have responded to this one since your authoritarian mindset does not permit anyone to challenge your perception of things.
Supporting democrats leading a genocide IS the biggest issue. How many years must Americans be lied to before they can really see which thugs are which? The power brokers end up in the end SELDOM helping the citizens they are supposed to represent. Visit the increasing homelessness camps, witness the drug addicts, see the hungry sad kids,etc. Wake up! Revolt.
You make my point, by assuming that pointing out the fascist tendencies of the Trump Republicans means support of Democrats.
I've lived among the homeless (for 7 years) - and I've also seen the militia's and general gun nuts at the local shooting ranges and out on federal lands - so I'm wide awake.
I've spent 40 years of my life working on public policy and politics and fully understand the corruption at the core (a view inside the belly of the beast - read the tale of the green grocer in "Living In Truth").
Revolt (from the left) is not remotely in the cards - and the right has all the guns and the cops too.
I don't know you well enough to assume about you. However, my responses come from my experience. ☺️
Before the pile on, yes I understand that there are exceptions, particularly involving Israel - but they are exceptions, not the rule. Big difference.
Actually the exceptions you talk about are nonsense for the most part. Oh yes, the Democrats talk about all the things they believe in but when it comes to the rubber meeting the road their words are basically meaningless. I will always remember when the Democrats had the White House, Senate and House under Obama from 2008 to 2010 and they did NOTHING for the people when it came to passing legislation on behalf of the citizens. All they did was bitch and moan about how the big bad Republicans might filibuster any thing they might introduce so they did not bother to even try. That is who the Democrats are. Actions speak louder than words. When it comes to the climate change issue as one example, both Obama and Biden did more drilling for fossil fuels than either of their predecessors. And climate change is arguably the single most issue facing us rendering all the things you praise them for as essentially moot points. And then there is the issue of genocide which should be a red line for anyone who cares about their fellow world citizens. Those two issues alone make the Democrats just as evil as their so-called opposition. I leave you with the following which was taken from a Venn diagram some years ago:
What both parties agree on:
Total Support for Israel
Do Wall Street’s Bidding
Unlimited Military Spending
Hostility to Russia, Iran & China
Full-spectrum Dominance
Let Money Rule Politics
Neoliberalism Rocks
Spy on Everyone!
Screw the Poor and Old
Oligarchy, not Democracy
Vive US Imperialism!
Outlaw 3rd Parties
Crush the Left
Regime Change is Cool
Differences between the two parties:
Democrats:
Some stuff about Abortion, Pro Choice (but never bother to codify it)
Acknowledge Climate Change, but do nothing about it (and actually increase extraction)
Republicans:
Some stuff about Pro-Life and Guns
Deny Climate Change
At best one can argue that the Democrats are the more effective evil.
"At best one can argue that the Democrats are the more effective evil." True, you did a very comprehensive analysis of our two parties. Unfortunately, we American brain-washed morons live in delusions. For my part I will vote green to protest.
Beautifully said, thank you.
Thank you for writing Chris and thank you Bill. I agree with Bill that in fact, there are substantive and significant differences in the choice before us in this election for the US president.
For someone who refers to history as often as Chris does, and who clearly knows history as he does, I am surprised Chris does not acknowledge the obvious differences between the two candidates, and clear and present danger of a second Trump presidency.
Four years ago, Noam Chomsky Rightfully encouraged everyone he could to understand the danger of a second Trump presidency and to vote for the lesser of the two evils. Such a philosophy or perspective I think i Comes from an understanding that it is better to compromise and move ahead when one has the opportunity than to do something that might take away one’s opportunity to do anything.
I think ultimately, it is irresponsible to write articles like this one. Articles soaked like this one in hopelessness and strident pessimism can never benefit anyone striving to actually do something productive and lasting for Humanity or a nation.
I call irresponsible to hide the head under the sand and pretend that nothing is happening, and I find it extremely productive and lasting for humanity and our nation true reports of our reality and the danger in which we are. Sorry.
I don't intend to vote for either Harris or Trump, but under the Biden administration hundreds of thousands of Ukranian and Russian lives have been lost because America wants to bring NATO to Russia's front door. It started with a coup implemented by the Obama administration, but Trump got in the way with his win in 2016 and saying of all things he wanted to get along with Russia. What a horror!!! Of course when Biden won in 2020 he was back on track firmly declaring Putin has got to go, although Russia-gate did kept Russia hate alive and well during the Trump years. You forgot to mention that Chomsky said that Trump was the only statesman who could bring an end to the confrontation between Ukraine and Russia. Ironic isn't it that Chomsky in that regard saw Trump as a savior? I know Biden bellows every once and a while about having to assist Netanyahu in his genocide, but more rightly, their genocide, since Biden is nothing more then a neocon who also pushed their agenda of war with Iraq to benefit Israel down the throats of his fellow democrats. As he said, when he met with Netanyahu and his war cabinet during his visit to Israel, the U.S. president assured them: "I don't believe you have to be a Jew to be a Zionist, and I am a Zionist." Amen! Also remember the neocons have shifted their loyalty to the democrats. P.S. If you respond make no effort to impress me with Harris!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You are completely insane.
Oh, Al, deal with your issues instead of projecting them on to others.
Please seek help.
I am taking the high ground and not attacking you, since I am not ignorant and incapable of addressing someone who disagrees with me and who chooses abusive one liners as any low life would. I am not supporting either, since both seem quite comfortable in supporting another Nakba which has always been Netanyahu's plan from the beginning. Already more dead in this one then in 1948 based on a study recently published by the Lancet. Those that remain, like before, will be displaced, their land stolen, which has been Netanyahu's goal from the outset. Of course our government has always been aware of his plans, but continued to support them. Go vote for who you think is the lesser of the two evils, and don't forget Iran is also on our hit list, and who in recent years has developed even stronger ties to Russia. and we're not exactly on good terms with either, especially due to our proxy war in Ukraine. Good luck with your scenario which seems little more then wishful thinking.
The democrats are massively funding a genocide in Gaza and Ukraine with the peoples money. They are just printing the money which causes substantial inflation!
The democrats are glad to be supported by Dick Cheney and his daughter , big supporters of state torture. And John Bolton who is forever promoting new wars!
Have read this and your follow up comments, sorry not your posts of a year ago or whenever (newbie here).
Can't see that ducking and weaving past considers the huge existential issues repliers have duly presented: ecocide, genocide, and the associated deep class war that is neo-feudalism in the making throughout the whole "developed" world.
American public schools are a particularly lame cause to promote, yet another complicit sideshow; as to bookbanning and free speech, both camps have their blacklists.
You are both correct. Chris's point is that it is either a slow death by continuing the gradual poisoning via Corporate Democrats or a fast death by firing squad via the Christian Fascist Warlords. I agree with your point that by choosing Harris, at least we could buy time to maybe stop poisoning ourselves. With Trump, there is no opportunity to do so and the Christian Fascists take hold completely.
The dems say the things you said, but they don't follow up on their word. Most of the time it is just lip service. Yes, they started some good things, knowing very well that it would all be dismantled soon enough. The NLRB for example, is better under democrats. There are some "good" appointees that want to do right some wrongs but they don't really get to do it. It is all waiting, hoping, then nothing.
The problem is that we are always waiting: for the right moment, the right house leadership, the right senate composition. Then they assign a villain to dismantle the good plans. But this is all by design.
I say, burn it all down. Let things get really bad and maybe Americans learn how to really fight, all of us, like so many countries we destroyed did. Also, bring back the guillotine and let some heads roll - I am speaking metaphorically, but maybe not...
It is easy to say let it all burn when the people affected are a nebulous concept rather than real people.
Bill, these parties act like oppositional entities, but they are not. They function in tandem. Read Sheldon Wolin and Michael Hudson. Chris is right.
I've read Wolin (more than just Democracy Inc.) and little of Hudson. I've worked these politics for decades. I didn't write and don't think the parties are "oppositional" in the macro class and ideological sense that Chris presents. But I think Chris is missing important distinctions and underestimating the toxicity of the ideology of the people behind JD Vance. "Burn it down" is certainly revolutionary, but it's from the extreme right. That's where revolutionary arguments will take us right now - they'll be no general strike or mass public uprising, and the right has all the guns - so a far more nuanced analysis and less blanket condemnation is important.
Thank you, Chris -- this is one of the best pieces of writing, addressing the reality of our situation and focusing on the truly existential issues at hand, that I have read this year. You have armed me with a perfectly articulated argument, which I will distribute to as many potentially receptive people as I can find. Keep up the excellent work!
It's depressing to read, but spot on.
My dear Mr. Hedges:
While I truly admire your dedication to, and pursuit of the truth, there are times when I find your statements and positions exceedingly frustrating! Are you seriously telling people that there is no difference between the parties and candidates in this election?(Note: bill wolfe comments, below). Do you, in fact, actually believe this? Do you believe it is the correct choice to tell voters in the US not to vote? Harris, may in fact be an “empty suit”! She will likely continue the bizarre US foreign policy that this nation’s government has pursued throughout the entire post-WWII era, Including unconditional support for Israel, even though its government is presently under the control of a fascist cabal, led by a criminal narcissist and political opportunist. These serious flaws notwithstanding, the facts are that the Democratic Party, even under its present, questionable leadership, is the only sane choice in the 2024 election.
One of the two candidates for POTUS is going to win and take office on Jan. 20, 2025. Do you actually want Donald Trump and the MAGA Republican, Christian Nationalist, Heritage Foundation lunatics in legitimate control of the US, its resources, economic and political strength, military and nuclear arsenal…need I go on?
You would never vote for anyone who would participate in the Gaza genocide! How high minded of you! Please understand that anyone who might vote for Democratic candidates, who does not vote, is in effect, voting for Trump. Is that the message you really want to send to the voters who: read your publications; support your journalism; buy your books; to US voters, at large? Trump will make Dems support for Israel pale in comparison to what he will sanction and finance. Bibi will have carte blanche to exterminate Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen, Iran and whoever else he sees fit to attack, with all the US made weaponry he needs and thensome. After all these are “shithole countries” inhabited by “animals”. They need to be reduced to rubble and, their populations exterminated. The US will be forever changed by the influence of Trump and his ilk, whatever the results of the election. Were he to actually take office, again, it is unlikely that this nation, as envisioned by its founders and our predecessors, would continue to exist. That is too much to bear. As flawed as it may be, the idea of the USA must continue as an alternative to the authoritarians, totalitarians, corporatarians, et al.
The political reality in the US today demands that every citizen awaken to the fact that the former “Republican Party” no longer exists as a viable political alternative. We must all support the Democratic Party until such time as we can organize and present viable, alternative, political choices. There hasn’t been an effective, viable, alternative candidate for president nominated by any party other than the two current, major, American parties in my 50+ years of participation in the electoral system.
As an advocate of unbridled freedom of speech and of the press, I fully support your right to make such political statements as you have in the Substack article that generated this commentary. I have also exercised my right to profoundly disagree with the conclusion of your article. I am only one reader, one opinion. However, were your article to get the broad readership I believe your ability and accomplishments merit, I also believe the preponderance of comments you would receive would support my position. Words, have consequences, you know this, it is why you chose this career path.
Thank you for this more nuanced and broad response. Even if everyone who wants to change the system did not vote in this election, one person will win. It won’t be Stein.
If you really think about it, you really do prefer one choice over the other and I seriously doubt, but could be completely wrong, that the angst about voting is felt by those who can’t decide whether they will pull the lever for trump.
People are upset that they have to choose a candidate for the party that has been funding the genocide and rightly so. So to punish those who are almost gleefully supporting it, it’s natural to feel like “why vote at all.”
If the genocide wasn’t going on and Gaza, would we even be having this conversation?
It’s the genocide in Gaza that has unmasked for those paying attention the hidden machinations of the country we call the United States. And made this issue front and center in the discourse.
Personally, I have learned more in the last year about politics, the government, corporations, billionaires, Wall Street, etc., than I have in my entire entire 70 years. I have voted for Democrats every year since I was 18 years old. This year I am an independent: do I want to vote for Harris? Not really. Do I want Trump to be the president. No. I agree with one of the other comments that not voting is a vote for Trump.
So basically, Chris, you are saying just don’t vote. Just don’t vote means we likely get Donald Trump, who is not the same as getting something new. In fact, we know exactly what we will get with both candidates. Change is not what you will get if you don’t vote.
And the other argument that people rarely bring up is even though we complain about the government-which I’m very unhappy about-are you willing to give up your 401(k), your retirement savings, your money in the stock market, your house, are you willing to move to another country? Are you willing to get rid of everything to stand for your cause? It is too simple to say “I don’t like what’s going on” without realizing you actively participate. Maybe not voting is one way to stop participation. But, if you don’t vote you have no right to complain if the elected president does some things you never imagined, which of course can and will happen with both.
November 4, 5 or 6-I can’t actually remember what day it is at this moment, Americans will wake up to a new president.
Vote, don’t vote. If you think it won’t make a difference, whether you do or not because in the end, you’ll get the same end result, think again. The ultimate end result you discuss in this article Chris may be far away from the present. Maybe between now and then we can make some changes. From my view, just “not voting” is not the action that will change the system.
To Lindsay and others who promote this trope (and tripe) that a vote for Stein is a vote for Trump: How dare you try to impose your little personal picture of the election in order to push your favored conclusion. There is no guaranteed rightness to the view that there are only two candidates. That is your bias. If the entire progressive community was to vote for a third party, and a single third party, then that would elevate the third party into legitimacy in future elections. Maybe Stein is not the best healer for the left, but you had your opportunity when Nader was running to assert your preference for a ruthlessly honest, intelligent, progressive candidate and what did you do. You bleated your defeatist, self effectuating rote assertion about throwing away a vote and you insured that the election picture would continue unchanged for the rest of your life. If you are never going to make any change in your voting, then thank you for this corrupt election between two evils. Take responsibility for the continued meaninglessness of the elections that are handed all of us. BUT: Don't try to shift responsibility onto a cosmic view of two-party hegemony that you try to convince us is some kind of reality, outside of your narrow view. It isn't! I voted for Stein, despite knowing that your smarmy certainty makes it a hopeless choice for now.
"The ultimate end result you discuss in this article Chris may be far away from the present. Maybe between now and then we can make some changes." I have not seen any changes since we have been voting for the lesser evil, and I can see right now what the end result of our delusions is. I've already voted green knowing that I sent a protest by doing so and that the only winner is myself for clearing my conscience.
It is not only a protest vote.
it is a way to make the Green Party stronger. It is a way to get some people to see that there is a growing party that cares about what most people care about. I also voted for the Green Party and refused to vote for any democrat or republican down ballot.
We need to do every ting we can to start the change NOW. If it means hardship and suffering under Trump, so be it. Otherwise we are just kicking the ball down to the next generations, or giving up completely. Vote third party, make clear that it is a rejection of the duopoly.
Thank you Adriana. I expressed the same idea even though it is a hard pill to swallow.
Thank you dear Dogs A Foot
I agree. I got your point Chris and yes Kamala is the lesser of two evils, gun owner, lethal military… However, I do believe she could be tricked into the economic case for investing in her people should she become president.
If I were American I’d vote for Kamala in a heartbeat. Then offer to help with my tools ;)
What do we want our interconnected world to look like? I propose investing in attachment informed social determinants of a health, (also the one and the same determinants of a healthy economy ) is my best thinking thus far.
And by attachment informed I mean everyone, adults and children, as our preeminent human need lifelong is connection, a particularly attuned and emotionally intelligent connectedness that supports maturity.
Here is a rather dated version of my thinking:
https://youtu.be/cnZOeJ9As2I?si=dWf6xM0kQnIstT1z
Families and other small groups (where there is emotional safety and intelligence), are the emotional maturation engines of culture, of democracy.
Dr. Fraser Mustard spoke to this in this video: https://youtu.be/Lqz9F2Sd90o?si=JDSkPequ8_7ohLmt
I will share more on developing a mature electorate and mature leadership through small group processes eventually here on Substack. Even a few hopeful stories.
Bottom line: let’s keep our eye on the prize, let’s define what we really want.
I love all the passion here!
The "lesser" evil supports genocide, which is the ultimate evil. There is no greater evil than genocide so she is also a huge evil
Adriana, I hear you. It’s all very disturbing.
"There hasn’t been an effective, viable, alternative candidate for president nominated by any party other than the two current, major, American parties in my 50+ years of participation in the electoral system" True, and the reason has been that for 50+ years the electorate has been deceived by the mantra of voting for the lesser evil and now, we are suffering the consequences of our delusions.
Dog's a Foot. Bless your heart and mind for writing that beautiful, eloquent response. I totally agree anyone who doesn't see the difference between the 2 choices is stuck in some political mindset that makes no sense for me. Thank you again. I have made numerous donations to Democracy Docket and Dem candidates running for the Senate and will vote for Harris on the Family Party ticket. I'm a Ukrainian refuge, with a relative on the frontline and JIll's cozy relationship with Putin is repulsive.
TL;DR if rape is inevitable, choose the more attractive rapist.
Both Team R and Team D are oligarch parties. They do represent differing oligarch factions.
Just, as you correctly note, Team D is the political will of the multinationals made manifest, while Team R plays a similar role with regard to the Local Gentry.
We talk about the difference in American politics in the context of the United States but the ripple effects are global. We're all fuckin fed up and we're all on the path to annihilation - or at the very least towards a life that is difficult to live and be optimistic about. American domestic policy is in many ways like their foreign policy in the sense that it doesn't give a fuck about anyone but the ruling class.
There's a story I read once about a bunch of pirates who founded a settlement on an island and convinced a bunch of people to live there and invest there with talk of a grander life and grander dreams until the founding pirates fanned the flames of a civil war and stole all the money in the coffers and fucked off leaving the island inhabitants with nothing but death. Welcome to fuckin America. Welcome to the new world.
I hope Iran and Russia and the East carve out some semblance of victory when this is over because maybe a shift in power and some balance in global power will give way for adjustments to be made that are favourable to us peasants but I'm not hopeful.
I was a loyal Democratic party voter from the time I was old enough to vote in 1980. It took two terms of the Obama administration for me to see that the Democratic party was not in my corner. My hope was temporarily renewed when Bernie ran in 2016. He said all of the right things. However, after seeing how he was treated by the DNC and then seeing how he betrayed all of us, who supported him, has soured me on the Democratic party forever. I realized that change will never come from the top down. Change only comes from the bottom up. We cannot vote our way out of this nightmare. My fear is that it is too late and that there are not enough of us to make a difference.
You are right, kena. I've been trying--with little success--to get people like Chris, who had for a time some genuine power to turn this vector toward peace and sanity--to step free of their own 'taken for granted' bedrock (that PhD's from Yale, Harvard, Princeton are the starting places for who has thoughtful input. I just paid the $6. to have a window here--now that the circle of Chris' audience has sadly shrunk and he may find the humility to look at what we've been holding out. Here is a post that takes you to a platform where these 'large frame' issues are contexted in updated 12-Step methodology: https://open.substack.com/pub/kathleens/p/lets-get-real-about-revenge?r=jmmv7&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
Chris,
Narrow view regarding not voting. Irresponsible to not pick the lesser of evils. Such an attitude dooms us all, throwing caution to the wind.
Tell me how the Dems are the lesser of evils. I'm certain ways they're the greater of evils, in which one could make the argument that voting for Trump is better. I'm fact, as the late, great Glen Ford said, the Democrats are the more effective evil, partially because once they're in office progressives hibernate until the next election. They don't care what's going on because it has to be, in their view, better than the Republican would have done,. I'm this way the Dems have been able to move father and father to the right and Democratic voters don't notice and don't care. It's a disaster. I agree many others refuse anymore to vote for murderers, regardless of whether there's a D or and R after their name. I'm voting for Jill Stein.
Jill Stein Putin's poodle. Only surfaces every 4 yrs to create chaos -she helped usher in Trump. So can anyone here say that Hillary Clinton who lost because of her would have done all the horrible things that Trump did? Rowe still would be the law of the land, affirmative action would have been kept. Think about the 3 candidates for the Supreme Court that Hillary would have picked had she prevailed. Amber's 6 yr old son would still have a mother so thank you Jill Stein?
The citizens who voted for Jill Stein were NEVER going to vote for the Democrat candidate. Just stop with your nonsense about how she was a spoiler, etc. The Democrats are the true spoilers all on their own running odious candidates like Hillary who was/is nothing but a war mongering Wall Street power hungry parasite. The Democrats are the ones creating the chaos you accuse Stein of. And finally it is folks like you who apparently do not believe in democracy as you clearly don’t think folks should have more choices than the two brands of corporate/oligarchy UniParty to choose from. Keep on voting for your own demise. It’s the American way!
Nellie: So far as I know, the only reason for connecting Stein with Putin was that she once accepted a dinner invitation from him or his staff and there are photos of her sitting and eating dinner with thirty other diners. Big effing deal!. Is that all you've got to excuse your cowardice facing two evil candidates and you have to turn to a third for your facile calumny?
There aer rules that parties have to follow if they want to continue to survive so the "only every four years" part of your comment is ignorant.
Genocide is the worst thing that can happen in humanity. Supporting genocidal candidates is, at minimum, closing your eyes to the humanity of the victims of said genocide
Sorry, In not I'm.
Electing a mixed race woman would greatly contribute to the maturing of this country, joining other civilized countries that support human rights. Sorry guys, men have more physical strength and women have more innate ability, are more effective communicators, choose dialogue over violence to resolve conflict. A larger corpus calossum will enable peaceful resolution rather than war which men have chosen over and over. Learn from the bees one of the greatest gifts of evolution. All are female except drones who only serve to fertilize the queen and are then drug from the hive as they have no honey making and hive protection ability. Make your vote count for a better future, never perfect, but nothing is.
BS. Margaret Thatcher, Victoria Nuland, Hilary Clinton, Madeleine Albright, Gina Haspel and many others disprove your theory. Power corrupts women as much as men, and, just like with men, corrupt women are more likely to seek power.
Bob: I agree! Identity politics is a losing sinkhole. Just look at the lousy administration of the first black man - Obama. Get in a good honest person, who has rejected the psychopathy that politics forces on every candidate before he/she is allowed to rise. Forget skin color and gender. They are of no consequence.
Women fighting to be heard as they have been kept in the back room for centuries, only recent being granted right to vote, own property, protected by law from domestic violence. Tesla predicted human kind destiny is the bees. Men are not without ability, only short changed by a deficient compliment of DNA and smaller corpus colosseum, the pathway for communication between the two sides of the brain. The teachings of religions,without any basis in fact, place men in the position of authority and even God, “the father”. A stacked deck.
You took a Harris clip out of context to ridicule her. We can't build a movement under a dictator without casualties. Harris must win. Then we work on the movement that gives power back to the people.
Harris is a disaster. She is not only vacuous and incoherent, but far worse, she will fully support the continued mass murdering and illegal invasions by Israel, will do nothing about climate change, and will continue the militarism bringing us close to nuclear war (the latter two are THE END for human civilization and possibly humanity period.) She will push for ever and ever greater military budgets when people around the world are starving and when huge numbers are homeless and suffering and lack medical care in the US and a fraction of that bloated military budget could solve those problems easily. Vote for Harris and you are aiding and abetting all the above. Don't do it!
What would Trump do?
The same. That's why no one with a conscience should vote for Trump either.
Gloria: What wackiness! You actually believe that you are going to convince Harris to abandon her declared policies (like support for Israel uber alles) just because she's now got your vote, and you are going to overcome all of those counter influences coming from all those billionaires with their millions of dollars to give her. Idiocy!
We've been hearing that one going back to Clinton's first term.
Not voting for either one of them. West has my vote.
Simply Stay Home !
Stay home, stop paying your taxes. You need the platform to convince enough people to do this so the consequences suffered are felt by the elites as much as the peasants. Destabilize the economy long enough and steadily enough for someone to pay attention. But these ideas need to propagate society to be effective. I guess we call that revolution. They'll try to beat you back to work with their batons. And now apparently the US wants to kill protesters. Looks like the American dream has turned into a nightmare.
I keep going back to Palestine representing all that is good and if Palestine loses its fight against Israel then fascism has won and people will suffer for a long time or in perpetuity and be enslaved to an elite ruling class that is psychotic and insatiable. Palestine is symbolic of all of our liberty. It's a war against all of us.
I agree, It is what is going on in Washington, Bipartisan as well, All Foreign Wars are Bipartisan !
But, when it comes to Americans….there is always a Gridlock in Washington !
Thank you for this clear articulation of the rot at the heart of society. I have always been an optimist but my outlook has shifted. Time is running short and I would appreciate your ideas on what we can do.
Unfettered capitalism has won over humanity. What will happen in the future is what we see in South Korea, where people decided to stop having children and kill the beast (capitalism ) by not producing new slaves every year. That's why Elon and other oligarchs are obsessed with this subject, because they want white people to produce more slaves for their dynasties.
This is an excellent exposition of the diagnosis, Dr. Hedges. It seems to be a terminal case.
Ultimately, we lose. But for anyone who may need an abortion there is a clear advantage to the Democrats. To pretend there are no differences that will impact the lives of ordinary people in the short and medium is absurd. Perhaps Hedges and many of his readers will be able to travel to get an abortion, or afford an illegal one performed by a competent practitioner, but many cannot. There was an excellent Mafia clinic in Chicago in the early 70s--before Roe vs. Wade--which charged $600 for an abortion. That would be over $4800 in todays money. Another Trump presidency will likely result in more ultra conservative on the Supreme Court and a national abortion ban. Aurora Levins Morales, a 2nd generation left activist reminds us that when we vote in a national election, we choose our enemy. I agree, and I would rather be fighting the Democrats than the Republicans. To suggest that, as a working class low-income woman, I am a "traitor to my country" if I choose to vote for the corporate Democrats because at least in the short term they are more likely to protect my rights to healthcare and an abortion, (among other clear differences between the Dems and the GOP) is an appalling level of arrogance. You cannot simply ignore the threats to the life and health that a Trump presidency would bring to half the population. Or maybe you can. Not me. I'm holding my nose and voting for Harris.
With Harris we know for a fact that there will be continued and endless support for Israel's slaughtering of innocents. With Harris we know that there will be ever more money poured into the proxy war with Ukraine that is killing people every day to zero purpose and we will continue getting closer to nuclear war. With Harris we know that nothing will be done about climate change, moving us ever more quickly to the cliff's edge and the possible end of civilization. People are dying around the world every day due to the climate catastrophe, and it's getting quickly worse. Harris, and here's the rub, will talk nice about all the above, putting Democrats completely to sleep, but will continue to act in a murderous way. That's why Democrats are the more effective evil, because they say what Democratic voters want to hear and do the exact opposite. Democrats had decades to pass federal abortion rights legislation, btw, but never did. That's how much they actually care about abortion. Don't believe their words, they are pure evil. Stop voting for evil, because if you do you are responsible for the evil that results. If you vote for Harris then you are responsible for every life lost because of her heinous actions. If you vote for Stein then you are voting directly against evil.
But if I vote for Stein Trump is more likely to win. His administration would be worse than Harris on every issue you mention — especially the Gaza genocide and climate change.
Actually, if Trump wins at least there will be many people who will fight his policies that threaten an end to humanity. If Harris wins there will be no one. Therefore, Trump in office is actually preferable. But of course both mainstream choices are despicable and incredibly dangerous, so don't vote for either!
I don’t agree there will be no one to resist a Harris administration. As I said in my original comment, we vote to choose our enemy—every activist I know understands this.
Tell me, who is resisting the crimes of the Biden administration? No one! And that's exactly how it'll be if Harris gets elected. Democratic Party presidents can get away with much more than Republican presidents because there's essentially zero resistance to their perfidy. They are the more effective evil.
Maybe we deserve a taste of what we allow our government to do in other countries. I was born under a dictatorship financed, supported by the US. The only way Americans are going to care enough is if EVERYONE has something to lose. Then the masses can go for the heads of the corporates and oligarchs. If the democrats cares about anything they would just tell demented Joe to stop sending arms to Israel, Congress would just make sure no more money is sent. They can act. If they don't want to act, they don't get the votes. Trump might be worse for us but maybe we learn some empathy for the oppressed elsewhere.
Possibly. Or we could just see the collapse of whatever democratic institutions we’ve got left ( at even local city/county levels) and a fascist dictatorship that would likely be even worse for the Palestinians. If Trump wins, I hope you are right.
There is nothing worse than genocide and the Palestinians are already experiencing that. If trump wins a lot of bad stuff will happen and then we will see who we really are. In the first four years, despite all that he did and and the hate he encouraged, the bourgeoisie wasn’t affected. If they start feeling what it means to be persecuted, maybe this country grows up and starts acting like we say we are. I have a lot at stake but cannot be part of kicking the can down the road anymore. Maybe the sky needs to fall to wake us up
Besides, his handler are already infiltrated in the GOP, even if he doesn’t win all the bad things will happen via Congress and a weak democratic president that pretends she cares but adopts all the bad policies in the end. That’s the democratic party in a nutshell
Bingo, Adriana.