It is now 16 days to the "most important of our lifetime" General Elections and I have a simple question for every big-platformed Bernie-supporting content-churning Leftie, Populist, Twitter-er and "Progressive" Commentator: "WHAT THE HELL IN THE WORLD ARE Y'ALL DOING?"
What I'm trying to say is that NOW is the time to pressure and fight Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and the entire Democratic Party machine to embrace and push progressive policies - You know, policies like the Green New Deal, Medicare 4 All, Ending all Wars, etc, Remember?
Let me juggle your memories for a second here: You all already have the platforms, the followers, the voices, the retweeters and the systems to make it happen NOW. These factors, combined, make up some solid leverage that Bernie (God bless his extremely-kind heart) wasn’t willing to use during the primaries. Pa Bernie has done his part and I think it’s time for you all to take use that leverage and make a crazy ruckus - if you all think that these policies are important. Use your voices to extract some concessions from the Biden team. Jeeez!
I happen to subscribe to, listen to, and watch a lot of your podcasts and YouTube channels - because I believe that the work you put out help to sensitize the people to the need for real progress in America. However, the strategy that the majority of you (with the exception of some folks like Tim Black, Ryan Knight, Briahna Joy Gray, Jimmy Dore, Kyle Kulinski, David Sirota etc.) are adopting is, to say the least, pathetic. It's like most of you (I feel like naming names) have pretty much bent the knee and pledged fealty to the goddamn Democratic Party and their shit-fest.
It is quite depressing to see how you guys, ladies and gender-non-conforming people have become hyper-paranoid, super-defensive; and in the process, allowed Trump, his degenerate Administration, and his death cult of followers become the single focus of your commentaries. Listen, we all know that Trump is full of horse shit, we know he's trying hard to "up" his fascist game and therefore needs to go - nobody's denying that! We know that we need to show up at the polls to VOTE AGAINST this pyscho, and end his career; however, we need something to... VOTE FOR! Trump being the Devil-incarnate (something that the Democratic Party and their affiliated media outlets are peddling) is not enough to show up to the polls for.
Perhaps, what is more annoying is the fact that despite the fact that most of you know that the people need more, you have chosen to simply fall in line, keep your mouths shut and not demand more from the Democrats!
It is my humble opinion that the highest level of naivety and willful ignorance that can be displayed in 2020 is to assume, or even entertain the thought that the Progressive movement is going to be able to effectively push Biden to the Left by fighting him and "holding his Administration accountable" AFTER he wins (that is if he does). That, my friends, is a very, very stupid strategy. Listen, just so you know, almost all of the progressive allies in Congress were primaried. You pretty much had to beg the DNC leadership to embrace its progressive arm. You couldn’t get its leadership adopt a universal healthcare policy in the middle of a frickin' plague but somehow, you’re going to be able to hold their feet to the fire when they get in power?
How the hell do you think that's going to happen? These mofos don’t give a damn about us! C’mon now! The entire Dem leadership has historically blown us off for ages, and continues to do so; and y’all think they’re gonna be less abrasive in dealing with you once they clinch the White House? If the primaries revealed anything, it is the fact that the Establishment was willing to go scorched-earth to ensure Bernie did not win. Have y’all forgotten already?
May I ask what hallucinogen(s) you all have been taking that's giving you the illusion that they’re gonna even pay Progressives an iota of attention when they get in power? Hell, Biden proudly bragged just a few weeks ago about how he defeated the Socialist? Have you checked out the profiles of his top advisors - the economic failures, the environment destroyers, and the war hawks? The same class of neoliberals and neocons that you all have railed against forever?
Listen, People: Fight and take to the streets all you want, these folks are gonna dismiss you all and see you all as whining little bitches who don’t understand how "all of this works". And if y’all get too unruly, they’ll sic their dogs, their armored vehicles, their tear-gas canisters; hell, even the now rusty-ass fire hoses they used against black protesters in the 60’s - on your asses real quick! Remember how Barack “Yes We Can” Obama got his goons to shut down Occupy Wall Street not even a decade ago? Did any meaningful reform happen afterwards? Did Wall Street stop being so greedy or did they double down on their bullshit?
Look, let’s not fool ourselves, though. At the very core of our essence, we know that the Democratic Party does not want us Progressives in power nor does it need us to be vocal. Why do I say so? It’s only when people need something that they are willing to give something else in return. They want 100% of the Progressives votes but what have they have zero plans to give anything in return? In fact, go on Twitter and see how they enjoy “owning those evil Bernie Bros”. They have shown us that they’d rather embrace Never-Trump Republicans than pay attention to us. Who do you think are going to be appointed to his cabinet and government? Progressives? Hell No! The only time we can exert any form of pressure is right now. And if you're not willing to use your gigantic platforms to capitalize on that and maximize that opportunity, then let us know. By the way, who do you think the Democratic Party is going to blame if things don't go their way or if they fall short of the expected results? You got it - YOU ALL!
Quit thinking that you'll be able to wield any influence if Joe Biden wins. You're not going to be able to shit in 2021 if you can't get shit done before November 3, 2020.
Trump needs to go and I'm not disputing that. But What Next is the question a lot of us are asking you all. As much as we love y’all, you’re gonna have to someday quit deceiving us, and yourselves. Do Better!!!
