Our "two" party system offers the same endless cycle of promise now, disappoint later every campaign season. Make grandiose promises during campaign season and use the other party as a convenient scapegoat when your corporate backers call in their chips later. The severity of the disappointment is a function of which party is in charge at a particular point in time. I'm going to discuss the Democratic Party because, I'm a union person and because we have a "two" party system that consists of the Pro-Corporate rich man's Party and the Almost Pro-Corporate middle class Party. Unions, at the top levels tend to give the Democrats unconditional and many times undeserved love.
The Democratic Party presents itself as a middle class/poor person's alternative to the clearly pro corporate, pro wealthy Republican Party. The Republicans try to get middle class support by wrapping themselves in a protective shield of patriotism and use their secret weapons distortion, implication and innuendo quite successfully. The Democrats play the role of the middle class and poor person's protector and benefactor with some success. In other words, good cop/bad cop.
History repeats itself and subjects us to enough good cop/bad cop cycles to make us think that we are part of a prime time police series. The current "no drama" administration seems to have brought brought the good cop game to a grand crescendo. During campaign season, the President promised his supporters, people who were pummeled by eight years of Bush baloney "change".
Over time, almost all of his campaign promises were compromised into oblivion. The initial excuse being that he's "everyone's President" and wants to extend the hand of bipartisan friendship to the other side. As the first year progressed, the blue dogs sided with the Republicans and created another reason why he couldn't deliver a full measure of change.
Now that his luke-warm advocacy of many issues that were important to a dedicated, core part of his base alienated them to the point of not voting, a loss of Congressional seats gives him the excuse to go beyond compromise, all the way to capitulation.
Ask yourself these questions:
1-Since the same corporate lobbyists influence BOTH parties. Do I want to have this endless game of pretend finger pointing and faux political stalemates continue and affect future generations?
2- Do I feel that my party is Democratic in name only?
3- Since the Republicans always seem to defend corporate interests, and the Democrats seem to be indifferent. Wouldn't a bonafide, unified, Labor Party better represent my interests as a working person?
If your answer to the above questions is "YES", start a dialog at your union local.
We have to grow our OWN candidates and political party NOW, so we can break the cycle of disappointment and secure our children's future! SOLIDARITY!
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