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A Party of Lemmings Led by a Zombie: Why We Need to Keep Bernie Sanders
Vision Alive
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/a_party_of_lemmings_led_by_a_zombie_2016
0731/
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Posted on Jul 31, 2016
By Alan Minsky
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton gives a thumbs-up as she
appears on stage Thursday during the final day of the Democratic National
Convention in Philadelphia. (Carolyn Kaster /
AP(http://www.apimages.com/Workspace/Index/ALL/18) )
Well, I guess I wont be working in the Clinton White House.
I ran into Truthdig Editor in Chief Bob
Scheer(http://www.truthdig.com/staff/robert_scheer) at the Democratic
National Convention in Philadelphia last week. I asked about his take on the
Clinton delegates. I explained that I wanted to engage them on matters of
policy, but I could hardly get an honest peep out of them. Bob looked at me,
shrugged off my question as if to suggest that theyre not interested in
that stuff, and quipped, This is a job fair to them.
Indeed, just as Thomas Frank portrays in his magisterial new
book(http://harpers.org/blog/2016/02/nor-a-lender-be/) Listen, Liberal,
the core of the Clintonite Democratic Party is the American aspirational
class, and theyve transformed the Democratic National Convention into their
natural habitat, the job market.
Somehow, I missed the memo. Look, I have no illusions. Im from the same
social strata as many of the Clinton delegatesmiddle- and upper-middle
class, well-educated, soccer over NASCAR. Almost all of my longtime friends
dutifully support the Democratic Party, and while my pals went for Bernie
Sanders in the spring, they will probably fall back in line for Her in
November.
Neither, I hope, am I naïve. I understand why the Clintonite ideology is
attractive to this post graduate-degree, upper 10 percent, caste. Theyve
all worked very hard their entire lives for the right to continue
overworking. Yet, simultaneously, I am appalled that so many people who have
shared so many of my life experiences cannot recognize that the Clintons and
their clique are the primary architects of the contemporary national and
global economic order that has made such a mess of this country and has us
hurtling toward a rendezvous with apocalypse.
There is no denying the usefulness of a Marxian class analysis here (with
capital, invisible yet omnipresent, calling the shots), but I fear that
Sigmund Freuds terrifying theory of the human death drive is equally
relevant.
Before we go there, lets review the requisite backdrop to this moment:
By the second half of the second decade of the 21st century, an increasing
majority of people in advanced technological societies have grown aware
that the macroeconomyi.e., the web of social relations they rely upon for
their very existenceis no longer working for them. This has led to a revolt
against the political status quo (Hillary Clinton, former British Prime
Minister Tony Blair, French President François Hollande), with two primary
variations: 1) the right-wing xenophobic response (Donald Trump, the UK
Independence Party, Marie Le
Pen(https://www.google.com/?client=safari#q=marie+le+pen) ), and 2) a left
social-democratic response (Sanders, British MP Jeremy Corbyn, Syriza in
Greece/Podemos in Spain).
Since option 1 posits a world that no decent person should countenance, and
for the most part is void of coherent proposals (the most fully elaborated
example, Le Pens, posits a society in which the national population
maintains a social contract that slightly benefits them through the
ever-more-egregious oppression of the minority but in no way represents a
fundamental challenge to current socio-economic relations); and since option
status quo represents only the unacceptable more-of-the-same, only option
2 represents a sincere attempt to respond to this crisis that actually
addresses peoples needs and concerns.
Sooner or later, the left is going to get a crack at thisand until that
point, well be stranded in ever-deepening crises.
Tragically, it is just as clear that the status quo will fight, with all of
its overwhelming advantage in terms of resources, against the lefts ever
having an opportunity to rectify the situation. Even as the leaders and
supporters of the status quo mouth platitudes that imply solidarity with the
leftthe convention that just ended in Philadelphia is now the most
elaborate confirmation of this transparently deceptive behaviortheyve yet
to meet the corporate lobbyist theyre willing to shun.
Lets return now to the small issue of humanitys insatiable appetite for
self-destruction.
From what I can garner from the internet,
lemmings(http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20141122-the-truth-about-lemmings)
are truly adorableand no, they do not have an innate Logans
Run/Heathers-esque suicide drive. Rather, it is our phenomenally creative
(and destructive) species that has made lemmings into such a powerful
metaphor for our current condition. (Lemmings have earned their reputation
because they are willing to suffer tremendous casualties for a higher
purpose, much like Grants Army, which, of course, is anathema to Clintons
supporters.) Apologies to all real lemmings for the insulting association,
but the metaphor is too useful to abandon.
It is slightly strange to dub Clinton a zombie. Theres been much delicious
writing on how contemporary zombie mania (The Walking Dead, et al)
reflects our
world(http://flavorwire.com/420215/theory-people-love-the-walking-dead-becau
se-their-jobs-make-them-feel-dead-inside) of soulless 70-hour workweeks.
But this is no paradox. Hillary Rodham Clinton, the presidential candidate,
refuses ever to die; as such, she is the perfect queen zombie.
After all, it was the Clintons who, at the very time that they claimed to be
progressive, designed this deathlike life for the American middle and
working classes. Sadly, Hillarys nomination is proof that historical fact
cannot gain traction without active assistance from old media. No amount
of reiteration, on digital outlets and alt-media alike, of simple historical
truthslike that the Clintons are the all-time greatest heavyweight
champions of neoliberalismhas been able derail her.
Remember, its not just NAFTA that the Clintons pushed; not just the welfare
bill or the reordering of criminal sentencing in the 90s that exploded the
prison population, or the Commodity Futures Modernization
Act(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-blumenthal/how-congress-rushed-a-bil_
b_181926.html) , or the killing of
Glass-Steagall(http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/250838-bill-clint
on-defends-repeal-of-glass-steagall) its also the 1994 Communications Act
that deregulated the media (wonder why CNN is overrun with stealth Clinton
surrogates? And why Debbie Wasserman Schultz is in league with MSNBC?) Just
about every other successful shrinking of the social safety net and
deregulation of business you can think of was advanced by the Clintons,
their allies or the state and local GOP, who were swept into power with the
collapse of the Democratic Party at those levels after the Clintons
conquest of the party.
Indeed, no amount of proof that the Clintons public policy agenda has
heaped misery upon 90 percent of the population will dilute the mainstream
medias representation of Hillary as one of historys greatest champions of
progressive causeseven if very real social advances in race, gender and
sexual-orientation equality, which have become associated with the Clinton
brand, reflects the political establishments key co-optation strategy:
minority inclusion on the team in exchange for minority markets.
So here we have the 2016 Democratic convention: The talented 10th from all
strata of society, marching lemming-like behind an undead leader in support
of ever more income inequality, the maintenance of the prison-industrial
complex and a planet on fire.
Surely, you say, the checklist of progressive domestic policy positions in
HRCs acceptance speech proves she has turned a page. My dear
liberal-apologist friends, please know your history. Your fellow Hillary
fan, Bob Woodward, showed in The Agenda, his 1994
book(http://bobwoodward.com/books/the-agenda) on the early years of Bill
Clintons presidency, that Bill campaigned as a progressive populist and
knowingly did an about-face once he took officewith his economic policy
team dissuading the president-elect of any impulse to be seduced by his
campaign rhetoric at the notorious economic retreat held in Arkansas in the
weeks after the election. Since that day, the Clintons have understood their
formula: flowery language for the masses, legislation by corporate committee
(with legions of lawyers).
Want more proof that Hillary is a zombie? She lives off others brains. I
suspect this is achieved through an elaborate network, probably channeled
through the Clinton Foundations Canadian front
organizations(http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/30/us/politics/canadian-partner
ship-shielded-identities-of-donors-to-clinton-foundation.html?_r=0) .
Clearly her supporters have abandoned the critical-thinking capacity
associated with the frontal lobe.
How else to explain their belief in such nonsense as the idea that a
subsidiary of Comcast (MSNBC) gives voice to left progressive ideals? Even
more worrying is the prospect that these folks are so stupefied that theyre
intellectually incapable of recognizing that their beloved champion is a
full-regalia oligarch, rightly despised by tens of millions of Americans
because she and her husband sold out the middle class (let alone the working
class and the poor) and who recognize that she has no intention of doing
anything different this time around. And, thus, shes on the brink of losing
this election to a terrifying proto-fascist buffoon, hellbent on empowering
the most retrograde, reactionary/racist pockets of an increasingly
Godforsaken land.
Two Philadelphia stories: The Kensington
neighborhood(http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Double-Shooting-West-
Kensington-323457331.html) of Philadelphia is one of the most distraught
and shattered in the entire United States. Its like a war zone, and has one
of the highest infant mortality rates, suicide rates and now homicide rates
in U.S. history. I went to a political rally there, and at one point I
strayed from the crowd, wanting to check out more of the neighborhood.
Someone ran over from the demonstration, pulled me back and warned me,
Dont be silly. Its not safe to wander. You are not welcome here.
Driving out of town at the end of the convention, I passed through Main Line
Philadelphia(https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/philadelphia_story/) . It also
took my breath away, but for the opposite reasons. There can be few
neighborhoods in the world that are so lavishly wealthy. Mansion after
mansion on gorgeous grounds, betraying something that must be lost on the
vast majority of the American people: This remains the richest country in
the history of humanity. On any given day, I have very little desire to
accumulate vast wealth; but driving through Main Line Philadelphia, I cant
help but imagine what life would be like living in these sprawling estates.
I came upon a narrow street; my instinct told me thered be more beautiful
properties ahead, but the sign read simply, Private Street: Only Residents
Allowed. You are not welcome here.
So while the number of very poor exceeds the very rich, the large majority
of the American population lives in between. Main Line is the unattainable
dream; Kensington represents the fear that renders those between the two
extremes subservient. The very thought of falling into the hell of
Kensington keeps them running ever faster on their gerbil treadmill of
death. It is an insufferable, meaningless existence; no wonder so many join
their army of lemmings on their death march to the cliffs, a zombie drum
majorette in the lead.
The English philosopher John Gray, like his kindred spirit Truthdigs Chris
Hedges, is a scathing critic of the myth of progress. In his breakthrough
2002
work(https://books.google.com/books/about/Straw_Dogs.html?id=CDp03cBF9y8C&pr
intsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false) Straw
Dogs, Gray pointed out that progressives use of the term evolution is a
bastardization of Darwins theory of random selection. Like
Hedges(http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/acts_of_love_20120219) , Gray
points to Freuds theory of the death
drive(http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/features/freud-the-last-great-enligh
tenment-thinker) to help clarify how humanity is not on an inevitable path
to greater social harmony, but rather how we as a species are just as prone
to inevitable bouts of horrific destruction (let alone daily, hourly acts
that undermine). Freuds theory posits that just as humanity possesses a
tendency toward survival, propagation, sex and other creative,
life-producing drives (dubbed Eros), we also have a drive toward death and
self-destruction (Thanatos).
Yet Gray points out how sciencein contrast to social and political
organizationachieves consistent advancement of knowledge through the
acceptance of the scientific process by a tightly coordinated and regulated
network of well-populated international institutions. So there is progress
on that front.
In contrast to Gray, I am not so certain that our social and political
condition is so dire. I point to the option 2 group I mentioned earlier as a
source of hope. In particular, I felt that Bernie Sanders produced one of
the most hopeful and compelling visions for how Thanatos could be contained
and Eros flourish that Ive heard in my lifetime.
Indeed, one of the things that struck me as most persuasive about Sanders
program was how, almost like a scientist, he began his campaign explaining
that in the realm of the social organization of advanced technological
societies, we know where to look to find positive examples, and he pointed
to the social democracies of Western Europe. While Sanders embrace of
Scandinavia was dropped as a talking point pretty early in the campaign, his
program remained firmly rooted in the idea that a truly democratic state is
the most powerful instrument available at the moment to contain the
destructive forces (think Thanatos) unleashed in our era of globalized
capitalism and to initiate positive programs (think Eros) that benefit
people and the planet. Sanders remained unwavering in his radical commitment
to this project throughout a year-long campaign that ended with him as, far
and away, the most popular politician in the country.
Will the realization of Sanders political program chase Thanatos from the
human soul? No, Gray and Freud have that rightall evidence confirms thats
part of who we areat least until the next transformational random mutation.
But Sanders program does promise to accent those better angels of our
nature by utilizing pre-existing institutions of the state to balance
economic and political power (no guillotines required).
As I wrote above, Sanders vision for utilizing the state to redistribute
(and balance) socio-economic and political power is gaining traction across
many of the major world economies; but as we see from Germanys (almost
sadistic(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schadenfreude) ) suffocation of
Syriza in Greece and the British establishments hysterical
response(https://theintercept.com/2016/01/21/the-seven-stages-of-establishme
nt-backlash-corbynsanders-edition/) to Jeremy Corbyns victory as leader of
the Labour Party, there is tremendous resistance on behalf of the allies of
capital to allowing this political tendency to implement its program.
At the same time, I dont think theres any other political proposal on the
table that will come close to satisfying the public. And so, while I could
be wrong, I foresee us stranded in a myriad of crises until such a left
formation gets a go at leading a major government. Not that simply winning
an election will produce magic. Indeed, you can foresee the right wings
counteroffensive from Paul Ryans words in Cleveland recently, as he railed
on how the left wants to give out free stuff in a world designed by faceless
bureaucrats. Indeed, if a government with a Sanders agenda comes to power in
the coming decade or so, it will be tasked with instantly improving
government institutions that have fallen into disrepair during the current
regime of austerity. In order to achieve such a transformation, the masses
in support of such an agenda will have to be well-informed about the task
ahead.
One thing I certainly worry about after the convention I just left is just
how well Sanders supporters understand what theyre up against and what it
will take to achieve their goals. Its clear to me that he understands these
thingsbut, hey, Im a program director of a radio station that Sanders
spoke on once a week until his presidential campaign overwhelmed his
schedule. (Note to Bernie: Please come back to the airwaves.)
In contrast, there was a tangible sense of frustration, and even
desperation, amongst many Sanders delegates at the convention. In contrast
to the Clinton lemmings, the Sanders delegates were always happy to talk
policy; but, at least last week, their favorite subject was the corruption
of the Democratic National Convention. Yes, Team Clinton stacked the deck,
and this merited exposure, but it wasnt surprising. Achieving a true
21st-century social democracy through the electoral realm would mean an
incredible struggle. We need to build toward it using every asset we the
people posses. As such, nothing could be more important than helping
everyone gain the kind of sophisticated sense of what were up against that
Bernie Sanders possesses, since we can expect fierce resistance from the
social, political and economic elites and their lemming-like allies.
Lastly, this essay is itself an experiment in the political value of
contempt. As it were, its a kind of weapons test. I must confess: I am a
product of the punk rock era. I grew up believing Sid Vicious an
intellectual paragon.
Malcolm Gladwell (for whom, you can imagine, I have tremendous contempt)
writes in his best-selling
book(http://contemporarylit.about.com/od/firstchapters/a/blinkExcerpt_3.htm)
Blink that research into romantic relationships has shown that they can
survive fighting and all sorts of other negative components; but if either
partner in the relationship has contempt for the other, then the couple is
doomed. Lovers, beware contempt.
Per Hillary Clinton, this is good news for me, as I have no desire to be
enmeshed in a romantic relationship with any member of the Clinton tribe
(strikes me as awfully messy). But I wonder if, perhaps, contempt might be a
necessary instrument to be deployed, especially if she does become the next
president. Hillary Clinton is very hard to reach. You may not have noticed,
but she is unique among recent presidential candidates in absolutely
refusing to give news conferences. In other words, we may be on the brink of
electing a president distinctly unaccountable to the public, with a
predilection for pursuing public policy in stark contrast to her public
promises (see the Clintons track record). And given the myriad severe
crises afflicting the country and the world, pray tell: How do we influence
such a chief executive?
My theory, and the inspiration for the condescending tone of this essay, is
that the contemporary American professional class, the meritocratsthe very
core of people Hillary Clinton relies upon for maintaining any semblance of
supportwill not be immune to scathingly caustic (and yet charmingly
playful) truth-telling. They think theyre both cool and (somehow)
pro-justice, and thus invulnerable to attack on this front.
Seriously, though, they have got to wake up. All evidence suggests that they
believe they can persist with the charade that somehow, simply because they
are not Republicans, they are opposing the reign of the 1 percent, when it
is clear to anyone with more brains than a rodent that Hillarys election
will ensure the continued unabated rule of the oligarchs, which leads
working people and the environment (and thus the meritocrats themselves) to
their doom.
Unless Jill Steins Green Party candidacy defies expectations, catches fire
and makes this a three- or four-person race (which I am praying for), weve
got to break through the meritocrats lemming consciousness, first in time
to defeat Donald Trump, and then, if that goal is achieved, by not dropping
the attitude when Zombie Presidents 42 and 45 move back into 1600
Pennsylvania Avenue. Otherwise, were doomed to four more years of rampant
and unaddressed economic, judicial and environmental crises.
So, bring the contempt. Its what our political class and its sycophants
deserve; and if its combined with constructive activism, it just might save
the world.
Worst-case scenario, it will help us cope, as gallows humor will be the
spirit of the times. Certainly, it helped me survive the 2016 Democratic
National Convention.
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