With the clinching of the delegates needed for the Democratic nomination the question always was how badly Trump would trounce Biden in the general election. As in politics, a week, a day can make a difference. It was Lenin who said, ‘There are decades where nothing happens and weeks where decades happen.’ No truer words for today.
Trump’s handling of the Corona virus pandemic certainly solidified the opposition to him but did little to hurt his standing among his base. Maybe more and more people will vote against him for that but again, his support is still solid, on this.
Today is a different story. Showing his racism during this most recent insurrection (there will be more and like this one, will be crushed as well) has only solidifies the sides. However, what is happening now is many who have been on the right but supportive of Trump in the past are coming out concerned that our basic rights are being abused, especially with regards to using the military against a civilian population. (It’s ok when the civilian population they’re abusing is in another country, though.) Clearing the way with sound grenades and tear gas for Trump to have a photo op at a church, with the military high command, including civilian, in tow, seemed to have crossed the line for many.
So what do we make of Biden’s ascendency? The choices for the American people cannot be any more dismal. Sure there are 3rd parties to vote for but the system is designed so that only one of the two primary parties is selected in January, not November. We said repeatedly that only the Democrats could have picked the one person in America to lose to Trump-Hillary Clinton. The feelings are still the same now but Trump is doing a very good job of self-implosion which could alter the upcoming election to a Democratic win.
What Biden offers is back to normal. Normal being waging unending and unlimited war with countries that can’t effectively fight back, notably Venezuela. Threatening Russia and China with war. Belligerence towards Iran, even though he was in the administration that signed the Iran Nuclear Deal. Allowing Wall Street to rule Congress, not that it ever stopped, even under Trump. Lip service and ineffective legislation for Black Lives Matters’ issues. Continued oil drilling and fracking. Unending support for Israel and its subjugation of the Palestinians. The list is endless.
Clinching the delegates for the Democratic nomination also kills the hopes of millions who hopelessly thought that Sanders still had a chance, without fully appreciating that in our electoral system, the hope for real progressive change at the national level is a pipedream.
Myles Hoenig is a veteran educator who has worked for social and political change since the early 1970s. He is a former candidate and campaign manager for the Green Party for local, state and federal offices. He recorded this article for Press TV website.
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