The problems with Democrats (and Republicans)

One of my Democratic friends was ready to accept the idea that the Obama presidency had no scandals--in contrast to the scandal-ridden Trump administration. I've already disclosed that Obama's presidency was rife with scandal (here and here), but disclosing such malfeasance apparently makes no impression. The response: "You're entitled to your opinion!"

So the belief that Obama was a "good guy" persists, without much modification. Reminding that Democratic friend that Obama bombed Libya--a war crime--provokes comments like "Well, I trust he did the right thing." [unsaid "You cain't bomb or unbomb them Ay-rabs, they just won't behave!"]

So to such people, Trump voters don't have a legitimate complaint that Obama didn't do a good job. They're simply ignorant bigots! [Oh the irony!]

And if you could come up with a more effective way to divide and confuse the voting public, I don't know how you would do it. Insisting on Obama's innocence ensures the persistence of Boss Tweed's maxim "I don't care who people vote for as long as I can pick the candidates." We bounce between corporate donor-indentured Democrats and corporate donor-indentured Republicans, but short of a catastrophe, nothing much will change.

So both major parties are completely committed to servicing their donors rather than doing public service. One example: while large majorities of the American public and the Democratic party do not support Israel's genocidal attacks on Gaza (and the West Bank), both of California's Democratic Senators vote for the US to continue its support for this very unpopular war.* 

The Democrats need to repent, yet there's no sign that's happening. The central party apparatus just killed a resolution to end support for Israel's genocide.

Ralph Nader's latest email blast laments that no one is standing up to Trump's attacks on American values, laws and traditions, but given the alternatives currently available, what is available besides sorrow? (And to handle that sorrow, resignation, and/or despair, there are tools.)

Honestly, I still want to believe some Trump voters elected a wrecking ball simply to get the attention of the smug patricians backing the likes of Obama, who I believe--and I'm entitled to my opinion--is the single most influential person in electing Trump.

Meanwhile, the conditions for the kind of public anger were set up by Obama, whose Simpson-Bowles commision was designed to implement an agenda of austerity. And austerity, cutting public services, leads almost inevitably to anger. Unfortunately, anger doesn't always make for sensible thinking.

 ...which produced Trump.

On the other hand, if you believe Obama was just an innocent victim of a Republican Congress, despite the fact that Democrats controlled both houses of Congress for the first two years of his presidency, then Trump voters are just ignorant bigots, at least to Democrats. But if Trump voters have a legitimate grievance, then the population isn't divided. They may disagree, but it's not Morlocks and Eloi, Republican thugs and Democratic crooks...both major parties have betrayed us.

As Dave Dayen says: "Trump pulls back when criticized...populism without popularity is doomed. ....What I didn’t account for was the complete uselessness of the opposition party that could turn those trends into successful pushback that retains some semblance of a democratic system—but hasn’t…." 

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*My letter to Senator Schiff:

Senator Schiff,

You wrote me a long email protesting that you really, really, really want peace. Sorry, you can't say that and continue to vote to provide the weapons for Israel's genocide of the Palestinians. 

I don't care how long your letter is. I don't care about whether you believe Hamas started things in Gaza. I don't care if you're ignorant of the Netanyahu government's support for Hamas in aid of killing the two-state solution. 

I really, really, really don't care.

All your excuses, explanations, and rationalizations are the typical corporate Democrat's expressions of support for the donor class rather than the people you're meant to represent. You will not get my money or my vote by continuing this pathetic charade. 

--Your constituent