The End of New Deal Liberalism

[luomo]

We have reached a pivotal moment in government and politics, and it feels like the last, groaning spasms of New Deal liberalism. When the party of activist government, faced with an epic crisis, will not use government's extensive powers to reverse the economic disorders and heal deepening social deterioration, then it must be the end of the

Comments

[erunamiryene]

I honestly think America's broken. Like, broken beyond repair. We've sat through how many decades of "us vs. [those people]" politics, and I firmly believe Citizens United was the nail in the coffin, especially since a case coming up in front of the Supreme Court is discussing AT&T's "right" to PERSONAL PRIVACY. What the everliving fuck, how does a corporation even rate PERSONAL PRIVACY?

Sorry for all the doom and gloom, but I really do think we're just gonna stagger onward, and as long as we have our internet in some form, and a car, and some semblance of the "american dream" (and whatever you DON'T have, you just don't have because YOU aren't working hard enough, naturally), very few people will care. Apathy is going to be the end of this country.

[luomo]

i agree with you. what it would take to turn around this country is an active citizenry knowledgeable and passionate about its civic duties.

but we don't have that anymore. it's rotted out since the '70s. i do think we're at a point of no return, thanks to suburbia, credit cards, american exceptionalism, television, 24/7 cable news, and a complex globalized late-capitalism that is too hard to explain in a soundbite.

[bludstone]

I'm gunna push back with some hope here. I think were due for a drastic change, but I also know the power of the human will.

We still have productive technologies to make food and clean water. Its going to be a long slow haul, but I think the 20 year result will be positive.

[doverz]

It is a cynical way of thinking, but unfortunately, it's reality. I definitely feel that way too.

[pragmatic_chimp]

Working people are poised to become the new center of a reinvigorated democracy, though it is not clear at this stage whether they will side with the left or the right.

This this THIS so MUCH.

The Left collapsed in this country when it lost the working class. The whole "liberals look down on working people" meme is of course a Conservative stable (and lets not make the mistake of thinking that Republicans want to do anything more for the working class than to make slaves out of them) but there's enough truth to it that we need to address and correct this problem.

Change is coming, and it's the working class that's going to drive it. Now is the time for the Left to make itself available to the working class, and to prove to them that we're on their side, and that we fight not only for them but with them.

[doe_witch]

THIS THIS FUCKING THIS-

If I may share an excllent Chomsky quote that I even keep in my profile

[schantrac]

This reminds me of an article I read a while back about "the American dream" is over or something of the same sort. The greatest evidence of this being the case is that the response from Americans to this, rather than trying to figure out what is wrong and fix the state, is just to dismiss this as "liberal" crap, we're just fine the way we are, and continue right on cussing anyone who thinks differently.

When you've got the majority to believe in the minority's point of view.. welcome to total Capitalism. :)

TLDR

[acmeeoy]

It's time for XTREME PROGRESSIVISM!!!

Re: TLDR

[koalafrog]

lol I wish :(

[rock_bottom]

I suggest folks check out Chris Hedges' new book, Death of the Liberal Class. You can watch his lecture on it if you want more info before you read the book.