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We're talking about a guy who was pen pals with that tyrant Abraham Lincoln. We should've known what to expect afterwards!
I'm sorry. I really am. We'll get through this earworm together!
The ghouls at the WSJ Editorial Section are complaining that Biden is hurting IP rights with the move to suspend vaccine patents.
Imagine being that obsessed with money that human lives are dispensable for some portfolio gains.
Imagine being that obsessed with money that human lives are dispensable for some portfolio gains.
I get it, when you have even an iota of empathy it can still feel baffling to see some asshole defend that kind of thing. But, our entire global structure has been organized to idolize the dollar above all else. mRNAs have already been passed over in the past because it wasn't seen as profitable at the time; who knows what other kind of advancements in medicine (and in other fields) that we're not even aware of because of profit > human welfare.
All of mainstream media is setup to protect the status-quo so these articles won't be stopping anytime soon. Luckily it's working less and less on newer generations of people, but they're more-or-less still writing these kind of articles for boomers. Once younger folk become not-so-young and in more leadership positions, the WSJ and its like will start writing about how "IP rights are woke, actually".
Absolute facts here
Black people have known this for ages and have been preaching it, but I also respect Marx, worst man who ever lived, for understanding the struggle back then and tying capitalism with racism and exploitation.
Correlations are not causations and all that, but to me this rings truer today than even back then. Look at the destruction of unions and the wastelands it's provided us to go along with this gig economy insanity in just the last 60 years.
MLK never was able to realize his workers rights dreams, and the Nixon and Raygun and the whole gang came along and set us all back decades.
Black people are the experiments for what this country intends for as many people as it can get away with. It might be the most bipartisan thing in America.
But hey, the world will end sooner than we end capitalism.
Black people have known this for ages and have been preaching it, but I also respect Marx, worst man who ever lived, for understanding the struggle back then and tying capitalism with racism and exploitation.
As for slavery, there is no need for me to speak of its bad aspects. The only thing requiring explanation is the good side of slavery. I do not mean indirect slavery, the slavery of proletariat; I mean direct slavery, the slavery of the Blacks in Surinam, in Brazil, in the southern regions of North America. Direct slavery is as much the pivot upon which our present-day industrialism turns as are machinery, credit, etc. … Slavery is therefore an economic category of paramount importance.
...
In the United States of North America, every independent movement of the workers was paralysed so long as slavery disfigured a part of the Republic. Labour cannot emancipate itself in the white skin where in the black it is branded.
Correlations are not causations and all that, but to me this rings truer today than even back then. Look at the destruction of unions and the wastelands it's provided us to go along with this gig economy insanity in just the last 60 years.
MLK never was able to realize his workers rights dreams, and the Nixon and Raygun and the whole gang came along and set us all back decades.
Black people are the experiments for what this country intends for as many people as it can get away with. It might be the most bipartisan thing in America.
But hey, the world will end sooner than we end capitalism.
She's absolutely on the money. Expropriation (of land, shelter, bodily autonomy, raw resources, and lives) and capitalism cannot be extricated from one another, but it is an expropriation always levied against the other: first against the native peoples of America and Africa when capitalism was built on their literally commodified backs and stolen land and lives, and then too against underclasses of the poor and newly freed from chattel slavery, and now again revisited on foreign lands with the modern plausible deniability of outsourcing slavery and abuse, and the obfuscation of plunder through organizations like the IMF, USAID, or the various generic names that squeeze the global south for its resource wealth and pass them along to the brands we know and love. There must always be an other in this system to steal, cheat, and undervalue for capitalism to function, and liberals (whether they call themselves conservatives, progressives, or otherwise) are kidding themselves and re-entrenching the lie to describe it otherwise.
Yep. When you expand it globally, it's just even more egregious and unforgiveable.
I think watching in real-time the constant mass global exploitation and murder, especially when it's done by your guys, is a big radicalizing moment. I'm still a baby socialist, but my entire adult life I've watched the world be plundered, looted, gutted, and paved over for a minority of special interests. I'm only in my mid 30s, so I've still just experienced a limited sneak peek behind the curtain. And all this evil just to sustain a parasitic life for the privileged few.
The future is going to be even tougher to mitigate the longer we take to toss this exploitative system into the dustbin of history. Capitalism will always devolve to (eco)fascism when things start going south and the systems can't keep up.
Even if communism doesn't solve all our problems, then at the very least , us throwing out capitalism might buy us some goodwill from later generations pissed off at the world they're inheriting from the "fucked around" generations.
One of my crack ping moments was seeing other folks in the LGBT community achieve a modicum of success and respectability and immediately abandon the shared struggle for their gated communities and rubbing elbows with party donors and other ruling class types. I have nothing but contempt for queer assimilationism, it's quintessential FYGM shit that abandons the radicalism that earned us a place in the sun to begin with and turns a blind eye to the suffering of others at home and abroad. Latest examples? Those fucking ghoul ads cut for the CIA.
And you're definitely right that it would be no silver bullet in the end, but a hell of an important step. If we don't rob these rat-nested evils of their material fuel, we're essentially waiting on a miraculous social awakening after an indeterminate period of spineless reformism to somehow trigger it.
This seems to have flown under the radar
thehill.com
Ol' Joe is certainly meeting my expectations
Biden fills immigration court with Trump hires
The Biden team has hired a slate of immigration judges initially selected during the Trump era, angering advocates who argue the White House is already failing to deliver in its pledge to push back…
thehill.com
Ol' Joe is certainly meeting my expectations
OP
OP
Facts. Sad that this has been the status quo since we began our genocide on the continent centuries ago.
Whether it be online forums or the real world, you will see people brush off mass amounts of suffering and death inflicted by this country. Straight up shrug. And we're lucky if it stops at brushing off, because it usually devolves even further into excuse making and whitewashing.
And we're not just talking about brown faces in the ME. It's the status quo for Black Americans and other disenfranchised groups too. Our fascist police will bust heads open even if it's a peaceful protest.
Personally speaking, I like him well enough. He's still way too liberal-adjacent sometimes, but he's usually pretty right on a lot of issues and is a great communicator of the more progressive values the Democratic party could achieve if it was actually interested in doing so.
I also respect his famous battles during Bill Clinton's 1st term as the neoliberal savior of the Third Way movement. And he also helped start Prospect.org, another good resource for a lot of topics in a sea of status quo complicit bullshit.
I read The System: Who Rigged It, How We Fix It the other month, and while I like hearing his experienced views based on his time in government, his book goes on and on about these issues in capitalism, but he doesn't take the extra step to say that capitalism probably isn't going to work to improve on all these problems. He's pretty good on a number of issues, and I think he has some smart ideas about how to make some things better, but I don't agree with him on everything.
Pretty much this:
Reich is about as good as a liberal gets, but at the end of the day, he's like Warren in that he believes capitalism can be regulated to be "more fair." He's a useful tool for communication at times, but that's about it.
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"Hey Alexa, what is the definition of a parasite and why is it the global capitalist trade?"
I really hope there's a reckoning coming for the few giants destroying the future. We're wrecking forests for damn palm oil, chocolate, and meat. All so a handful of dope dealers in suits can accumulate extra private capital.
Yeah, like this take today is just bad.
I just gave him props like a minute ago for fighting against Third Way liberalism, and here he is delivering one of their mantras lol. There's no such thing as a rational Republican, not in this stage of America.
They need to stop spending time trying to find a divide between asshole 1 and asshole 2, and instead just work on calling them all assholes. That "rational" Repub will shiv us all in the front.
OP
OP
He is taking the stance that the Xinjiang situation is not comparable to the Palestine situation, and that the US is primarily interested in it not for human rights but to stir up an internal separatist crisis in China. The latter part is absolutely true, at least, and we know a bunch of the East Turkestan activists in the west are promoted by western intelligentsia for that purpose.
Now the former part, as seen in number 1 in this tweet:
...I disagree with, and I think it's absurd to pretend that Xinjiang isn't colonized. This whole bizarre "China is a multicultural society, they don't colonize!" argument that I've seen before is very strange and ahistorical. Of course Xinjiang is colonized. The fact that it happened centuries ago does not mean it's not colonization.
Not a strictly socialist post, but I have to say, while I didn't vote for Joe Biden (thank fucking god, what an absolute piece of shit both-sides'ing a genocide), I'm starting to consider not voting for Democrats downticket who are on the wrong side of this, either, even though they don't directly set foreign policy. My House rep is generally decent, more or less a socdem, but he's parroting Biden here:
Progressive except Palestine, just terrible. As a black American my father was born under a system of apartheid, and our people had their property seized. I can't in good conscience support politicians who would voice their support for an apartheid ethnostate even if they are solid on other issues. It isn't right.
Progressive except Palestine, just terrible. As a black American my father was born under a system of apartheid, and our people had their property seized. I can't in good conscience support politicians who would voice their support for an apartheid ethnostate even if they are solid on other issues. It isn't right.
Wolff still on the prowl
Imagine coming out of this pandemic a devout capitalist that still pretends that we can still merely reform this system, all while using the same people who crafted said shit system to be the dumpster fire it is today. Couldn't be me.
I'm really disappointed in quite a few statements, but especially this one. And I think I might be there with you on the whole Dem downballot vote. I probably will stop that going forward, because this whole whitewashing of a genocidal ethnostate is stale and unforgiveable.
I can't in good conscious +1 people like that anymore or recommend them.
Which is why I now rarely even talk about the vote. Preaching to the choir here, but it's better to dwell on the message and conditions; people can make their own choices about their individual vote after we have conversations about that other stuff and more.
So yeah, I'm all for voting and voter registration too, but that's like side item #XYZ in a big list. And one of those more important items on the list will be talking about how politicians will disappoint you and instead ingratiate themselves in the rot. So instead of elevating some politician, we elevate ourselves and our communities and we force that smiling fox to meet us and not the other way around.
US capitalism during its worst economic crash and worst viral pandemic in nearly a century: 82 million need unemployment compensation while 650 US billionaires get almost $1 trillion richer. The system is the problem.
Jeff Bezos buys $500m superyacht so big it comes with a ‘support yacht’
Experts say that yacht industry has seen a boom during the pandemict.co
Imagine coming out of this pandemic a devout capitalist that still pretends that we can still merely reform this system, all while using the same people who crafted said shit system to be the dumpster fire it is today. Couldn't be me.
I'm really disappointed in quite a few statements, but especially this one. And I think I might be there with you on the whole Dem downballot vote. I probably will stop that going forward, because this whole whitewashing of a genocidal ethnostate is stale and unforgiveable.
I can't in good conscious +1 people like that anymore or recommend them.
Which is why I now rarely even talk about the vote. Preaching to the choir here, but it's better to dwell on the message and conditions; people can make their own choices about their individual vote after we have conversations about that other stuff and more.
So yeah, I'm all for voting and voter registration too, but that's like side item #XYZ in a big list. And one of those more important items on the list will be talking about how politicians will disappoint you and instead ingratiate themselves in the rot. So instead of elevating some politician, we elevate ourselves and our communities and we force that smiling fox to meet us and not the other way around.
Honestly really tired of people acting shocked and surprised that the Democratic Party is filled with ghouls who will happily support apartheid and colonialism overseas while pretending to be allies of justice domestically. The entire political class of America is deeply corrupt and if this is what it takes to wake people up to that, good I guess, but acting like American politicians don't want this to happen to Palestine and Israel is twisting their arm is so naive it boggles the mind.
(not directed at anybody in this thread)
(not directed at anybody in this thread)
Biden and Dems are historically dogshit on this issue but to have Republicans in power, Trump or not, would make the Israel situation far worse. That party is consumed by Evangelical death cultists that want to bring about the end times by escalating conflict in Israel, white nationalists and fascists who view that place as a model society, and warmongers who ultimately want to overthrow Iran.
STAND WITH PALESTINE! Say NO to apartheid! Join or organize a protest in your area!
Act Now to Stop War & End Racism
www.answercoalition.org
Updating list of rallies/events planned in support of Palestine.
So, this weekend in Chile we have a bunch of elections: local authorities, our first of regional governors, and most importantly the one for the members of the Constitutional Convention.
Members of this institution will be elected under the D'hont system, just like our congress, which favors pacts or lists rather than individual voting. The center-right, right and far right is going under a single unified pact, while the rest of opposition goes in several lists: independent pacts, anti-party pacts, center/center left parties pact, a left-parties pact, etc. This will probably leave us with an overrepresented right and disperse the opposition votes.
And that makes me really torn on who to vote. I could vote for the "Lista del Pueblo" (People's list), activists who have actively participated in the protests and movements since October 2019 with somewhat clear left wing policies and ideas, or I could go with the left wing pact of parties (Composed by the progressive parties, the Communist party, and some independent people). The second one will probably get more votes and have more chances of carry another candidate under the D'hont system, but that's where the idea of giving power to the people who actually tackled the system in the first place dies.
There is a lot at stake in this. The over represented right is probably gonna block a lot of stuff (they only need 1/3rd for that, since 2/3rds are needed to approve any one motion), so the process has been in peril since it's conception. This constitutional process was hijacked by parties with the clear intention of keeping the power in them during a moment where people was organizing constitutional councils locally and the Piñera's government was *this* close to collapse, and some left wing parties were too afraid of a vaccum of power and just gave in to the election system when the reform to allow this process was concieved.
Still, all in all, it's still the best chance we have to change the neoliberal system we have. How much of it, it remains to be seen, but a lot of uncertainty for everyone on this.
Members of this institution will be elected under the D'hont system, just like our congress, which favors pacts or lists rather than individual voting. The center-right, right and far right is going under a single unified pact, while the rest of opposition goes in several lists: independent pacts, anti-party pacts, center/center left parties pact, a left-parties pact, etc. This will probably leave us with an overrepresented right and disperse the opposition votes.
And that makes me really torn on who to vote. I could vote for the "Lista del Pueblo" (People's list), activists who have actively participated in the protests and movements since October 2019 with somewhat clear left wing policies and ideas, or I could go with the left wing pact of parties (Composed by the progressive parties, the Communist party, and some independent people). The second one will probably get more votes and have more chances of carry another candidate under the D'hont system, but that's where the idea of giving power to the people who actually tackled the system in the first place dies.
There is a lot at stake in this. The over represented right is probably gonna block a lot of stuff (they only need 1/3rd for that, since 2/3rds are needed to approve any one motion), so the process has been in peril since it's conception. This constitutional process was hijacked by parties with the clear intention of keeping the power in them during a moment where people was organizing constitutional councils locally and the Piñera's government was *this* close to collapse, and some left wing parties were too afraid of a vaccum of power and just gave in to the election system when the reform to allow this process was concieved.
Still, all in all, it's still the best chance we have to change the neoliberal system we have. How much of it, it remains to be seen, but a lot of uncertainty for everyone on this.
Thanks for this. I'll be attending the one in Houston, it won't make much of a difference but I can't in good conscience be silent about this.STAND WITH PALESTINE! Say NO to apartheid! Join or organize a protest in your area!
Act Now to Stop War & End Racismwww.answercoalition.org
Updating list of rallies/events planned in support of Palestine.
Can't say I know who the best tactical or transformational vote here is, but I hope whoever it is exceeds all expectations and that ya'll see immediate relief and a paradigm shift. Godspeed ✊
Pretty good thread on Biden's whole FDR nonsense or that anything has fundamentally changed (one of the few promises he's actually kept so far).
And I want my damn stimulus check lol. Trump was still more of a pandemic Santa Claus than Biden is at this point.
Yeah, I'm going to try to go out today to a few.
And I want my damn stimulus check lol. Trump was still more of a pandemic Santa Claus than Biden is at this point.
Yeah, I'm going to try to go out today to a few.
Least important part of this story, but what in the fffuuuck is that outfit
The Palestine rally in Downtown Houston was nice, some of the older folks I talked to told me this was the largest they've ever seen support for Palestine in the States. There's still some hope out there
Here's a shoddy pic of us marching to City Hall:
Here's a shoddy pic of us marching to City Hall:
The best possible outcome came out of the Chile 2021 Elections.
Since 2/3rds will be needed to approve any motion for the Constitutional Convention, the right needed just one third to be able to block stuff. They didn't even got a third of the seats.
The non-party independent, activists who participated in protests and social initiatives (the overwhelming majority of them being leftists) got most of the seats, while the center-left got 25, and the pact of progressives with communists got 28 (both of this include independent people who joined the pacts). Basically, popular power in place, with an overwhelming leftist political force, will get to write the constitution.
The traditional center and right wing, that have held power for the longests of time, have been punished for the years of neoliberal status quo.
In local elections similar upsets happened. The capital's main district will now be run by a young communist woman. Communists in general got a lot of local mayor offices, while the progressive + communist pacts won several key places.
November Presidential election can't come soon enough.
Since 2/3rds will be needed to approve any motion for the Constitutional Convention, the right needed just one third to be able to block stuff. They didn't even got a third of the seats.
The non-party independent, activists who participated in protests and social initiatives (the overwhelming majority of them being leftists) got most of the seats, while the center-left got 25, and the pact of progressives with communists got 28 (both of this include independent people who joined the pacts). Basically, popular power in place, with an overwhelming leftist political force, will get to write the constitution.
The traditional center and right wing, that have held power for the longests of time, have been punished for the years of neoliberal status quo.
In local elections similar upsets happened. The capital's main district will now be run by a young communist woman. Communists in general got a lot of local mayor offices, while the progressive + communist pacts won several key places.
November Presidential election can't come soon enough.