Discussion: The Progressive Movement

[Lily Adler]

Is a American Labor Party possible without needing right wing Populists?

 

[Axl Van Sixx]

Any labor party based on the trade unions will find that right-wing populism diametrically opposes the interests of its members.

Are there individual workers who hold right-wing beliefs? Yes, and workers need to patiently explain why those ideas are wrong and harmful to working class people. But right-wing populism by its very nature tends to attack unions, labor and workers' rights and support the interests of the bosses.

Historically, the fascist parties of interwar Europe to some extent tried to pose as "workers' parties", most obviously in Germany, but their support among organized labor was always extremely low. In Germany, most workers supported the Social Democrats or the Communists. The social base for fascism was the ruined petty-bourgeoisie (small business owners, middle-class professionals, civil servants, etc.), students, the lumpenproletariat (declassed elements like criminals) and peasants.

If you look at the social base for right-wing populism today, it's similar. Of course the peasantry doesn't exist anymore in most developed countries, and students and professionals have become increasingly proletarianized. But if you look at Trump's base, it's not the "white working class" as corporate media mythology would have it. Studies have shown Trump supporters tend to have higher-than-average incomes, and include large amounts of small business owners, elements of the state apparatus like police officers, and the most backward and reactionary elements in society.

Organized labor in the U.S. overwhelmingly supports the Democrats for one reason: they are seen as the more "left-wing" of the two capitalist parties with more worker-friendly policies. Of course, this is all artifice: the Democrats are a big business party just like the Republicans, except they pretend to be on the side of labor during elections. Nevertheless, I think this shows the huge potential for a workers' party with radical socialist policies that would truly benefit ordinary working people.

The other thing you have to keep in mind is something like half of the U.S. electorate doesn't vote, because they see no one in either party who represents their interests. Most of these non-voters are working class. If you could have a mass party backed by organized labor with policies that actually appealed to this vast untapped reservoir of support, I don't think you would even need any right-wing populists.

 

[The Overlord]

Right-wing populism is just fascism, it's why someone like Tucker Carlson will claim to be against corporations, the ruling class, the elites, etc. But he is a trust fund baby, he is an heir to the Swanson fortune and he redirects any anger his audience may have towards corporations towards poor immigrants.

This is common in fascism, take left-wing economic arguments and add bizarre racist ideology, it's why Hitler claimed to be against bankers and plutocrats. Antisemitism is an idiot's version of socialism.

We do not need that. I think an actual left-wing third party would be a good thing, but overcoming the systemic roadblocks that prevent a third party from coming to power would be very tricky.

But in the 2016 election Trump said the middle class was hollowed out by immigrants and trade deals and promised to do something about it, while Clinton said nothing on those issues, so people voted for the guy who used racism to explain their problems over the party that did not address these issues. Leaving economic issues off the table gives these far-right movements more to grow.

 

[Lily Adler]

Marquita Bradshaw on Her Tennessee Primary Victory: ‘I Could See the Momentum’

 

[Lily Adler]

Meet Cori Bush, the Black Lives Matter activist who just defeated a veteran Missouri congressman

 

[Lily Adler]

 

[Lily Adler]

What the **** people?

Reading the story this attack comes off really homophobic.

 

[Lily Adler]

College Democrat Chats Reveal Plan to Engineer and Leak Alex Morse Accusation

Wow this is coming off more and more homophobic.

 

[Lily Adler]

So Massachusetts Democrats is filled with homophobes. Got it.

 

[Lily Adler]

A Pete supporter launched a homophobic attack. How funny.

 

[Lily Adler]

 

[Lily Adler]

Pelosi is a secret Progressive playing 4D Chess.

 

[InCali]

Pelosi is a secret Progressive playing 4D Chess.

Pelosi is a priviledged, right leaning pragmatist who will basically only support a progressive after they are elected.

Backing Kennedy tells you everything you need to know.

I like David. He's not a smug, self serving s***head.

 

[Snow Queen]

The Unending Influence of ‘Boys Will Be Boys’

Kansas Candidate Who Admitted to Revenge Porn Plans to Withdraw

Aaron Coleman reverses, says he'll stay in Kansas House race despite 'mistakes'

TL;DR: Guy ran on a progressive platform, turned out to have blackmailed a girl five years ago when he was fourteen with a naked photo of her he found, and admitted to revenge porn. He also told the victim's sister that the past is the past, get over it because he has. He blamed "the progressive firing squad" and feminism run amok. He's un-withdrawing.

 

[Lily Adler]

The Unending Influence of ‘Boys Will Be Boys’

Kansas Candidate Who Admitted to Revenge Porn Plans to Withdraw

Aaron Coleman reverses, says he'll stay in Kansas House race despite 'mistakes'

TL;DR: Guy ran on a progressive platform, turned out to have blackmailed a girl five years ago when he was fourteen with a naked photo of her he found, and admitted to revenge porn. He also told the victim's sister that the past is the past, get over it because he has. He blamed "the progressive firing squad" and feminism run amok. He's un-withdrawing.

Good grief.

 

[Sithborg]

Yeah, thats bad.

 

[Lily Adler]

So now Markey Bros. are a thing. I'm sorry I just don't like the rich kid who thinks he's entitled to be a Senator.

 

[Sithborg]

le shock

****ing nice guy creep

 

[InCali]

le shock

****ing nice guy creep

F

him

Creep doesn't quite describe it. I'd vote repub (I think, but don't know who that might be) before I'd vote for him and would be far more likely to punch him than his name on a ballot.

 

[Lily Adler]

 

[Schlosser85]

I think the two party system is so entrenched in American politics that it’d be difficult for us to have a viable independent third party.

 

[InCali]

I think the two party system is so entrenched in American politics that it’d be difficult for us to have a viable independent third party.

If a 3rd party on the right were established, I think the Dem party "might" be able to transform itself into a progressive, labor party, but I'm probably fooling myself. For people who think that a huge chunk of the country doesn't vote because they are pro-labor, I think you're deluding yourself. I think if the Dems want to remain relevant, they need to push towards M4A, massive infrastructure investments, etc. Let the right take up their "fiscal responsibility" chant now that they don't control the executive branch. When people have good jobs, education and child care, that hypocrisy will fall on deaf ears. At that point, people will vote "progressive".

 

[Schlosser85]

If a 3rd party on the right were established, I think the Dem party "might" be able to transform itself into a progressive, labor party, but I'm probably fooling myself. For people who think that a huge chunk of the country doesn't vote because they are pro-labor, I think you're deluding yourself. I think if the Dems want to remain relevant, they need to push towards M4A, massive infrastructure investments, etc. Let the right take up their "fiscal responsibility" chant now that they don't control the executive branch. When people have good jobs, education and child care, that hypocrisy will fall on deaf ears. At that point, people will vote "progressive".

I agree that Democrats should embrace universal healthcare and let the Republicans try to stand by wanting to deny it during a pandemic. If we can’t sell that argument now, then when?

 

[Holy Slapper]

If a 3rd party on the right were established, I think the Dem party "might" be able to transform itself into a progressive, labor party, but I'm probably fooling myself. For people who think that a huge chunk of the country doesn't vote because they are pro-labor, I think you're deluding yourself. I think if the Dems want to remain relevant, they need to push towards M4A, massive infrastructure investments, etc. Let the right take up their "fiscal responsibility" chant now that they don't control the executive branch. When people have good jobs, education and child care, that hypocrisy will fall on deaf ears. At that point, people will vote "progressive".

Politico did an article on what a multiparty system in US could look like if all obstacles were not in place. Proposed that Rebuplicans would split into 3 and Dems into two parties. The funny or in some sense prophetic idea was that one of the new Rep parties would be the "crazy populist party". I don't think the writer expected that it could happen quicker and led by Trump. The Trump cult abandoning the Rebuplicans and forming their own could be the worst possible thing for the Reps and potentially very serious for America in general, were they to become really popular.

 

[thangaran]

Where do progressives stand on infrastructure investment and building? The US’s infrastructure is going to hell and is in need of a serious update which will take billions but if done traditionally will cause damage to the environment for sure. How does one update poor infrastructure while keeping as green as possible. It will be an interesting challenge faced by Biden and progressives

also Is it just me or is it time for Pelosi and Schumer to go?