5 votes

An antitrust advocate reflects on the Democratic Party's cult of powerlessness

4 comments

  1. stu2b50
    Link
    This just seems to be observing that doing things in politics is hard. It’s always been hard, and historically political parties have had stronger mandates in the past - it’s said that American...

    This just seems to be observing that doing things in politics is hard. It’s always been hard, and historically political parties have had stronger mandates in the past - it’s said that American politics was one of the a sun party and moon party. Not true anymore.

    The Trump administration also did jack all of what little policy plans they had in 2016. They basically passed the tax cuts, tried to cut the ACA, failed, then gave up and twiddled their thumbs until the house was lost in the midterms.

    7 votes
  2. boxer_dogs_dance
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    I thought this article was interesting and worth discussing. I don't necessarily agree.

    I thought this article was interesting and worth discussing.

    I don't necessarily agree.

    2 votes
  3. [2]
    AnthonyB
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    Huh. Interesting piece, but I feel like I need to know more about economics/anti-trust to have a full appreciation for it. I can't really dive into any of the specifics on that because it's not my...

    Huh. Interesting piece, but I feel like I need to know more about economics/anti-trust to have a full appreciation for it. I can't really dive into any of the specifics on that because it's not my area of expertise and I'm a dumb dumb.

    That said, "Learned helplessness" is an interesting way to describe the problem that Democrats have. I can't remember where I saw it, but after the election I saw someone talking about the Democrats' inability/unwillingness to persuade Americans on an alternative vision for the country, the way that FDR, Reagan, and Trump have done. That missing element of persuasion, and the examples cited in this article, feel like two symptoms of the same problem. Why that problem exists - whether it's inability or unwillingness - is a different conversation.

    Coincidentally, the last thing I was reading before this was US Representative-elect Sarah McBride's statement about using the men's room on the hill. Jesus Christ, what a perfect example. How far will the Democrats go when capitulating to Republicans? Obviously, it's probably a very difficult position for McBride to be in, and in all likelihood she'll end up using a private restroom, but this is that "learned helplessness" on full display. A non-helpless party would be behind her and refusing to let this go. Not only are they letting some of the most vulnerable people in the country down, but they're also giving up a great opportunity to get a great counter message out through a media that is obsessed with these types of culture war issues. There's just no fight in them.

    2 votes
    1. supergauntlet
      Link Parent
      My genuine opinion on the Democrats is that they see America in collapse and see an opportunity for looting. Basically the entirety of leadership must go, those people are more interested in...

      My genuine opinion on the Democrats is that they see America in collapse and see an opportunity for looting. Basically the entirety of leadership must go, those people are more interested in courting donations from rich special interest groups (the last minute crypto push for example) than in leadership. they raised a BILLION dollars and still ended up 100 million in the hole? after all the stories about old people being scammed out of hundreds of thousands of dollars?

      The pollsters were pretty useless this cycle, but one thing was definitely true. The average gen z voter thinks America is a failing empire run by bad people, and I think that read is spot on.

      1 vote