Winners and Losers of this 4T

[sbarrera]

(09-08-2020, 05:34 PM)Eric the Green Wrote:

(09-07-2020, 10:22 AM)sbarrera Wrote:

(09-06-2020, 03:11 AM)Eric the Green Wrote: What is Neo-liberalism?

This is a great video. What I am getting out of it is: neoliberalism is really the mind-set of the Third Turning- focus on market behavior, the rights and needs of the individual over the collective, and deregulating economic activity. Both major U.S. parties subscribe to it.

So my next question is- how is Biden not a representative of the neoliberal wing of the Democrats? It seems to me that the opposition - Sanders/Warren, basically - was displaced in the primary.

It's a matter of considerable difference in degree. Biden is getting lots of advice from Warren and has adopted platform planks from Sanders. It was not a total displacement. And I also posted the data on Bill Clinton's accomplishments that were against the grain of neo-liberalism.
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/...ton-years/
(posted already)

So although a lot of critics of neo-liberalism say both parties subscribe to it, I disagree that there is no difference. There is quite a bit. Especially since the Republicans have now become fascists. But I also keep in mind that, the USA being a conservative country in which today's generations have grown up with the assumption that the market is sacrosanct, it is not easy for the USA to jump to democratic socialism in one election. So, gradual change is the best we can hope for in a country that recently voted to re-elect a neo-liberal president who started a deadly war for no reason, and in which 44% or more are prepared to re-elect yet another neo-liberal president who is totally corrupt and unfit.

What kind of country do you think we live in, Steve? Can a country full of stubborn Classic Xers who think they are the real Americans be swayed to give up their dear delusions overnight?

What I notice is that Biden's record is less liberal, and more neo-liberal, than Hillary's, although Biden may be shifting left. So, if the Republicans keep winning, and doing horrible things and getting away with them, then the fear of the greater of two evils gets ever-sharper, and the need to compromise with neo-liberals ever greater. So, the one hope is for neo-liberal and fascist Republicans to start to lose. 2020 would be a great place to start, and this is by no means certain. Biden's lead in Florida has dipped under 2 points, and in PA it is now only 4 points. But then, for the first time in three turnings or more, this loss needs to continue indefinitely until the Republicans fall apart, and the Democrats split into a more progressive or green wing and a more-conservative wing that is more like the Republicans used to be under Ike or under TR.

For this to happen, though, Kamala Harris must never succeed Biden as the Democratic standard bearer. The choice of a candidate skillful at WINNING is more important than what the ideology is. Democrats don't usually remember this. Harris is a loser.

As for what kind of country we live in, I would have to say we do live in a country in deep denial. I'm not sure about turning around the Xers but there are plenty of Boomers too in that state.

I do think the COVID pandemic will force us away from neoliberalism - I mean, it already has with the "stimulus" which would be more accurately named if it were called "relief". But I'm not sure how progressive or green we will emerge from the other side; there are other scenarios and we seem to lack collective will. Eric, I know you are very hopeful for the New Age vision coming to be but I detect a more Gilded Age future coming since Americans seem to prefer corporate solutions and favoring the rich.