No matter the outcome, Democratic Party is a con

Will Pflaum
Not Me, Us
Published in
4 min readSep 26, 2016

In 1929 before the crash, the Republicans controlled the White House, the senate by 17 votes and the House of Representatives by 104 seats. In 1933, after FDR’s election, the Democrats had the presidency, the senate by 23 seats, and the house by more than two to one, with a massive 126 vote advantage.

FDR made mistakes, got criticized from the left and right, and maybe his New Deal didn’t really end the depression; the war did that. But no one doubted that he and his party under him were for the people, even if the New Dealers didn’t always know exactly what to do. The people liked work relief, social security, electrification, etc. They knew who to thank and the Democrats held the presidency for 20 straight years, and 28 out of the next 36 years. Democrats maintained control of the senate for until 1981, except for four years, so 44 out of the next 48 years. Democrats controlled the house until 1995 except for four years, so 58 out of the next 62 years.

Obama also had a crisis on his hands when he took office in 2009. Not the same, I know. But the way he handled it, we can’t be sure if he was for the people or the bankers. I think he was more for the bankers, bailed out the bankers, not the homeowners. He also put in a big new public policy, Obamacare. But he did it without pissing off the insurance companies. Not sure he is for the people again. And unlike social security, Obamacare sucks.

This is the problem with the Democratic Party. Today, the purpose of the national and state parties seems to be nothing more to have high ranking staff people and elected officials get rich and feel powerful. They do policy only so much as they need to say something to get elected some of the time. If they don’t win, that’s not too bad, since they can scare people about the Republicans in fundraising letters.

If the party were actually a party, as in 1933, and if the party and the leaders acted in the interests of the people instinctively, if sometimes incorrectly, and the people knew that the party was for the people, the party could have another 62 year run of good luck. Instead, careerists are feathering their own damn nest and watching inequality blast through the roof like it ain’t no big deal. That’s what Republicans are supposed to do.

Losing to Trump won’t make the careerist see the light. Nothing will ever make them see the light. They have all the light they need, win or lose. They can revolving door themselves in and out of the corporate media while they’re at it. As long as they don’t step on the toes of the bankers, insurance companies, military contractors, oil companies, etc.

Obama and his crew knew since February 2016 that Bernie Sanders was the stronger candidate against Trump than Hillary Clinton. They sat back and watched the DNC rig the process for the weaker candidate. Obviously, losing to Trump is not as important to them as controlling the Democratic Party.

Bill Clinton has played golf with Donald Trump 12 times. The Clintons went to Trump’s wedding. Ivanka Trump and Chelsea Clinton love each other. Obama didn’t sweat the fact that Hillary was much more likely to lose to Trump than Bernie. All Obama would have had to say in March 2016 was “I endorse Bernie” and all danger of a Trump presidency would have evaporated. How bad could Trump really be? The Clintons and Obama aren’t really worried about him.

So, let him have it. When the Democrats stop being a Ponzi scheme and become a party again, they can have sixty years of majorities. Until then, let them stew.

It’ll suck. Trump sucks. He’s racist (or willing to act racist which is the same) and racism is the worst crime in human history. But war is pretty close to racism in terms of dead bodies and war is Hillary’s forte. Hillary is more bellicose than Trump is racist. Obama and the DNC picked Hillary knowing that Trump would be the Republican nominee and knowing she was far weaker against him. I’m in no position to second guess their call. They chose to give the White House to Trump. That’ll be Obama’s legacy. He brought it on himself with his lack of leadership, innovation with his instinctive tendency to favor the elites, like Hillary, over the needs of the people. Congratulations, Barack, on your outstanding legacy. Three little words in March 2016 and you could have been great. But you chickened out. Your default is to do for the man. That’s your fault. QB got intercepted. Trump can have it.

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Will Pflaum
Not Me, Us

Projects: The Fade Out, Juba, Under Two Maples, Dog Stories, MOGE, Bugs, Pound Flesh, Funky Record, Mutherplucker, Phlogiston, sunshineonthehudson