Opinion Editorials, August, 2016

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“Be true to causes you believe in, but only cautiously loyal to their champions.”

It’s over, and to use Joe Biden’s favorite and oft-repeated descriptive noun, rebirthed from nine decades ago, the duopoly gatherings in Cleveland and Philadelphia gave America a double dosage of political malarkey.  Republican malarkey coated with both fear and hate; and Democratic malarkey wrapped in chameleonic deception.

As the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia dusts itself off, Americans are left facing 14 more weeks of lies from two camps of politicians who, for the most part, are bidding for soft political-career jobs in Capitol Hill that only require a reasonable skill in oratory, a lack of scruples, and a selfish heart.  And, of course, at the very top of elective offices, one most important of all: that which bids for the American monarchical throne, known in traditional, democratic parlance as the presidency…  

America continues living the long perpetuated hoax that our citizenry has a government of the people, by the people, and for the people… and so, come November 8, at the 58th quadrennial election, we’ll all be taking the ultimate Lesser-Evil or Repugnance Test as we are asked to make a choice between two throne seekers who are long, very long, on selfishness and false pride; and short, very short, on truth and judiciousness.  This 2016 edition, just formalized, brings us the extremely discomforting duo of an insanely lying braggadocio, Donald Trump, and a first-class deceitful elitist, Hillary Clinton.  

Unfortunately for 80+ percent of Americans, no matter how they vote, no matter who turns out to be the victor, their shrinking social (dignity) and economic lots have already been cast, predetermined, before going to the polls.  This Repugnance Test in November will solely determine how the economic spoils are to be distributed between the ruling 1 percent Knights – the millionaires and billionaires who draw Bernie’s ire; and the 19- percent Squires – crumb-gatherers who enforce the edicts of the Knights… in our Haves and Have-nots society.  To see it any other way, again, as Joe Biden would say, is just a bunch of self-deceiving malarkey.

The two ruling political parties that alternate governing America have not addressed the problems that beset the country, not with inspirational authenticity and most definitely not with any required judiciousness.  Problems arising from bigotry and an existing clear racial divide are disturbingly swept under the rug or, even worse, promised to be solved with the law and order magic wand.  Problems of safety and tranquility that have roots overseas, the Daesh boogeyman (Isis to most Americans), are treated as inimical to our democratically pure way of life, instead of the monster we have created and nurtured in our quest for economic, military and political world dominance.  Problems of an abusive economic disparity in our society, created by predatory capitalism deceivingly disguised as free enterprise, are hypocritically acknowledged but insultingly set aside, in-your-face disregarded… the power-elite in both ruling parties well aware that the 80 percent have-nots have no more power than that vassals had during feudal times.

As for the revolutionaries that Bernie Sanders enlisted under the Democratic umbrella, they could become the sprouting force to bring about a rebirth of a more inclusive, just and democratic America.  No, not under the auspices of a corrupt Latter Day Democratic Party but as a new principled force… either, going it alone or, better yet, joining Jill Stein in building a Progressive-Green Party that could become a major political force with its own representation [and the need for another aisle] in Congress and a possible foothold to the White House by the 60th quadrennial… with a little faith, perhaps even the 59th quadrennial (2020).

Bernie has done all he can as herald-prophet of change, continuing his fight from his senate seat; a well-earned reward for a lifetime dedication to progressive causes.  The baton needs to be passed to new leadership emerging from both the campaign, and silenced progressive members in, or about to be elected to, Congress; young, or not so young, idealistic minds that are espousing the just causes of a true revolution.  In truth, progressive issues adopted in the Democratic platform thanks to Bernie’s troops will only prevail, whether Hillary Clinton wins or loses, if they complement the corrupt party establishment and not the progressive spirit in which they were drafted.

For all the moronic celebrity surrounding Donald Trump, stoked by a self-serving media, “the Donald” could find a grateful place in America’s history books.  No, absolutely not as a president, but as the dragon-slayer of America’s corrupt duopoly; helping in the advent to power of two new major political players, Libertarians and Progressive-greens, each possibly garnering as much as 15-20 percent of the popular vote this election year; throwing the election into a much-needed political chaos that will totally discredit any Electoral College results, and force us to review/revamp a defective political system.

We could be living a dream in America as opportunity stares at us to break the political chains enslaving our Republic, finally making Abraham Lincoln’s dictum of “a government of the people, by the people, for the people” not fiction but a reality.

Opinions expressed in various sections are the sole responsibility of their authors and they may not represent Al-Jazeerah & ccun.org.

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