Evan Barker on Abdul El-Sayed. The Cambridge University fabulist. Arthur Brooks asks: Is socialism a fad? And more.
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I had an interesting thought hit me today after seeing so many social media posters on facebook trying to draw some meaningful distinction between what they believe as "Social Democrats" and what the declare they are not -- "Democratic Socialists".
The problem is, their distinction does nothing to assuage the person who will still vote against them even if it means we have to vote for President Trump in order to do so.
No, if they want to defeat Trump .... if they want to defeat MAGA ... they have to embrace capitalism and market forces. Absolutely embrace them. They have to make it clear that their social programs are not even possible without the incentives of a capitalist/free market system.
They SAY they believe in capitalism and market forces as they are trying to distinguish themselves from the "Democratic Socialists", but ALWAYS and ONLY apologetically. Timidly. Never without adding that their main goal is to rid us of the greed and abuses of capitalism. Never without criticizing and apologizing for capitalism and demonizing capitalists.
Can't do it. Can't go there. You have to convince America FIRST that you are not, in fact, the Marxist with whom you willingly coalesce WITHOUT the qualifiers you always have to attach to the brand of capitalism you still find almost tolerable.
Nope, if you want to defeat MAGA and Trump you have to convince America that you are a capitalist and that you understand the indisputable power of the market. Otherwise, Americans will continue to vote against you as the Socialists you appear to be.
If you can't praise capitalism for the productivity and economic freedom it has created, and you find yourself comfortably politically coalescing with the Democratic Socialists because you believe you share a common compassionate goal...
...then you are a Democratic Socialist -- a Marxist -- because you do not understand what it takes to achieve that goal of workable social programs. You agree with the Democratic Socialists that it is possible to have social programs by simply redistributing wealth.
Having been in strategy for 40 years... I can sum this up pretty quickly.
Sponsored by tyrannies and lie.......
You too can be a Democrat "winner"
China will help the Democrat communists win with everything they've got. I already know American men who think the CCP is great and America is an evil empire. Social media can brainwash anybody into any belief.
It feels as if we are in a "history doesn't repeat but it rhymes" moment.
The 1960s was rather similar to today:
An ascendant liberal elite imposed their bold agenda on the country – civil rights legislation (more ways to sue your employer), immigration reform (let them all in).
Technology seemed destined to lead to armageddon.
A young generation behaved in ways that appalled its elders.
A senseless and unproductive war sapped the country's strength.
A colossus in the East oppressed its populace and threatened American security.
Foreign steelmakers and manufacturers undercut U.S. companies.
Crime skyrocketed, social stability collapsed, and it appeared America was in decline.
I'd like to say fears of decline are overblown, but the signs are everywhere. A reporter in The Spectator wrote yesterday of visiting San Francisco and observing a string of brazen shoplifters helping themselves to the goods in Whole Foods and other shops, then selling product on the sidewalks. No one lifted a finger to stop them.
The difference, I suppose, is that after property and violent crimes shot up, and liberals began to be victimized, they developed a new respect for law and order. "A neo-conservative is a liberal who just got mugged" was the expression of the day in the 1980s-90s. The liberals of today fervently believe in spreading the wealth, and even victims of sexual assault and other heinous crimes go public with "I forgive them" kinds of whiny declarations. It's the only way to keep their leftist credentials and avoid being canceled, after all.
The war in Iran is not senseless. It is in fact the most important military action since world war 2.
One has to be a strategist to get that....
Let's face it. We have an incredibly deep well of ignorant voters in 2026.
Most of us are guilty of talking above the youth of today- they don't know Civics, political history nor American history.
Somebody needs to produce some Netflix episodes with basic history and educate the young without using terms like "isms. Not even "capitalism."
Using phrases like "Free Enterprise" in lieu of an "ism" FOLLOWED by definitions of the terms used is real education of the young.
STOP using terms like Socialism, Capitalism, Communism, Authoritarianism, Fascism (THERE is a term that's been bastsrdized) and Antisemitism- yes, no "Isms."
"Jew Hatred" is cleaner to grasp than Antisemitism, for example. I hate to type this, but KEEP IT SIMPLE, STUPID.
This is how you communicate with others less versed than you- don't send condescending.
A very well written comment.
Thanks!
Jason Arday = Claudine Gay
The New World Order of Transhumanism ( WEF, WHO etc )
"Governor Bob Ferguson called it likely 'the worst natural disaster in Spokane history.' "
Well Governor, I would note that if the cause was arson, it wasn't a "natural" disaster.
The governor couldn’t give two rips about the people in his state. It only matters that he has an opportunity to use a tragedy as a platform to screech about climate change.
He's a democrat. Can't tell the difference between "natural" and "man-made" on *ANYTHING*
Blanch
: I wish Senators would just ask simple questions: I pay taxes Mr Blanch, do you? The guy who delivers my mail and fixes my car pay taxes. Can you give me a clear explanation of why it is fair for billionaire Trump to be immune from IRS scrutiny and immune from penalty if he does not pay his taxes?
WTF are you talking about? Trump gets extensively audited every single year, and regularly pays taxes.
Did you just wake up from a TDS DREAM? One dishonest post and then silence- please give this board more! 😀
After years of intense scrutiny, particularly during the highly politicized Biden Admin., the IRS and LWM (left wing media, formerly known as the news media) have been completely unable to find any problems with Trump's taxes. The one or two leaked returns indicate that in fact the Trump Organization was paying tens of millions of dollars a year in taxes. The Southern District of New York and NY state AG investigations and cases against Trump fell apart because there's no actual evidence of irregularity, as determined on appeals. In fact it made the prosecutors look like idiots.
Terry it is very unfair of you to confuse Don with facts.
"...immune from penalty if he does not pay his taxes?
WTF are you ranting about?
OK to dislike Trump but....
Don't be a jerk
The settlement was about IRS employees releasing Trump's private tax returns to public view. Those returns, by the way, showed Trump paid taxes.
Many commenters dont need no stinkin facts.
Don might do well to read a little before posting.
Yes RIF
I don't think any of the Senators are in any position to question someone about paying taxes. Average net worth of the US Senate is somewhere north of $4 million. You really think they pay taxes like the guy who delivers the mail or fixes your car?
Taxes or no taxes, the real problem with national elected representatives is pay-to-play.
> between the Democratic donor class and the socialist influencer group chats, between the Blue Dogs and the Mamdani acolytes.
Thereyago. The Mamdanistas at least believe in something (irrespective of whether you or I agree with it), whereas the 'mainstream' understand that the party exists to sell product. If the donors dry up the party withers. One can respect an honest whore.
If we go to war with China, I'm pretty sure it won't be with long range precision missiles and Tomahawks.
U.S. defense manufacturers are ramping up production right now. In a couple of years, the shortage of munitions should be resolved.
Meanwhile, I doubt China will decide to move on Taiwan while Trump's in office. At the very least, they'll wait for the Democrats to take back the House and Senate or at least the House, so they (China) can have Trump impeached, and (in their little Communist minds) distracted.
If we have President Kamala in 2029, and a Socialist Democrat run Congress, then China will probably invade Taiwan and face no real consequences. She'll just make a speech: "What has been, is no more" or some such.
A war over Taiwan likely would be a naval and air war in the Pacific, with both sides refraining from mutually-destructive nuclear attacks against the homelands. Missiles and anti-missiles would be essential.
On the Danube interesting sightings at low level " though the mammoth is new." Actually, something like 4,000 years old . . . but "the mammoth sighting" might be new. Good editing is hard.
I was psyched, though. A new mammoth!!
You used the words I was going to use (we used to say "you took the words out of my mouth" but that sounds kinda strange) regarding the mammoth. Editing? What editing?
Their used to was editors, but they costed monies. And, anyhoo, we has speling and grammer check now, so don't needs them at this point in time. Its true. I made misteaks in the past but "not no more," which is what Edward A Poet first wrote before his editor got ahold of them.
My new favorite: "A cache settlement of $xx,xxx was reached."
Steal yourself for the upcoming illiterate generation of milenials to take over the rains of industry and politics.
"Academia, which prides itself on the rigor of our selection process . . ." The selection progress may be rigorous, but in verifying political or identity correctness, not in detecting academic excellence.
Also, it's unfair to pick on Arday. He's in sociology, a discipline whose academic output is 99.44% BS. Why shouldn't his resume also be BS?
Arday "is autistic" and "could not speak until the age of 11." Shouldn't it be Arday "claimed to be"? Even "hilariously claimed to be."
To me, this would have been an easy claim to check.
Under the heading of, "too good to check." Or maybe a variant of the Liberty Valance rule of journalism: "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
In Washington state, "climate" is an arsonist who spent time in prison for killing his father when he was 23 because Dad wanted him to do his chores. True.
And "the worst natural disaster in Spokane history.” Good Gawd.
The devastation is unreal. Entire neighborhoods decimated. Spokane is a big little town, half a million plus people but if you grew up here everyone is within two or three degrees of everyone else. Everyone knows at least of handful of people who lost their homes, their businesses, their pets. And some asshole with a lighter burned it all down.
Be informed.
https://cc4e0711-9401-400e-ae14-65ae0400675b.filesusr.com/ugd/aab121_da0127c3724c4f96acc74ce76311669b.pdf?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
You better quiet down. Otherwise you will be designated as an Enemy of the Totalitarian State if you push back on the insanity, the mass hysteria, the assassinations, the pro-Hamas and the Trans culture that has consumed the Left.
"(At 5.30 a.m. ET, with 95 per cent of the votes counted, El-Sayed had 48.6 per cent and Stevens had 47.4 per cent.)"
Every poll showed El-Sayed with a 15%+ vote lead, and pulling away.
My guess is the old-line Dems, who control the party, re-invigorated their Cheat Machine, especially in Detroit, to try to pull Stevens over the finish line.
I don't have a dog in this fight, because I usually vote GOP, but it would be delicious if the far-left progressive wing was undone by the same Cheat Machine that normally takes out Republicans.
Just sayin...
The Muslim won by about 0.9%.
Well they didn’t achieve that because another anti American and antisemite won the primary. Hassan Piker is thrilled because he and the CCP can now campaign state wide for a candidate