General Politics Discussion (V) [ARCHIVED] • Page 1529

*Darth Vader voice* I find your lack of pessimism disturbing.

 

Got lots of history on the side of it working out ok. I’ll be annoyed (because a brokered convention means we’re getting milquetoast) if I need to be later.

 

imma smack this fool

 

IRS orders 36,000 furloughed employees to return to work without pay

 

God he sucks.

 

Predictable is the word.

 

the one time a democrat has principles it backfires, everything is dumb

 

Can I ask why you'd support her?

I don't think I know much about her specifically. I know most of the other candidates alot more.

 

im voting based on hotness alone. bernie all the way

 

feel the bern ifyaknowhatimean

 

you should get that checked

 

But if there is no parliamentary majority for May's deal, there is also no public majority for any outcome. The most recent polling on Brexit shows a marked fragmentation of opinion. It really proves Bourdieu's adage that "public opinion does not exist". The state of opinion is a "system of forces and tensions" which cannot, at the best of times, be adequately represented by a magic percentage. Not every opinion is equal, in the intensity of its conviction or in its material consequences. And the practical importance of opinion depends on how it is harnessed by political leadership, and quite diverse tendencies fused into a single viable bloc.

As it stands, the left-most Brexit available seems to be a more-or-less humane, top-down transition, with economic dislocations limited as far as possible, some form of free movement preserved, and British capitalism still very much in the orbit of this rule-making behemoth, the EU. The other option, of a 'second vote', doesn't look like much of an option to me. Aditya Chakrabortty makes a thoughtful plea for Corbyn to back this option, and for Labour to campaign militantly for Remain. But how? He admits that it comes with the significant risk of major social backlash and a split Labour Party. I'd say the problems go deeper than that. Even if the parliamentary majority for such a vote could be found, and a delay in Article 50 negotiated, and a referendum organised that wasn't skewed toward May's deal, how is Labour supposed to campaign from the Left? Chakrabortty recommends a more emphatic re-run of the failed 2016 campaign, with Labour talking up the 'social' aspects of the European Union. But there's a reason why that wasn't enough to win the first time.

There is no obviously 'winning' position. This is not, for the most part, a problem caused by the shortcomings of a specific leadership or political tendency. It is not a problem caused by a failure of political will and imagination. The Brexit vote was a manifestation of the stalemate of Britain's institutions, the crisis of neoliberal capitalism, and the long-term recrudescence of racist nationalism. The latter in particular has enabled the displacement of these crises through the dreamwork of nationalist restoration. Labour's strategy thus far has been to try to reverse this displacement, change the question, shift the terrain to one of class. Bu there is no quick and expedient way to undo this work, and reverse its effects, and doing so would require a far more combative politics on race and migration, willing to risk unpopularity.

 

Seymour is so smart

 

It’s fake but funny to think about.

 

Hey I follow that dude

 

She’s been one of the most, if not the most progressive senator the past couple years. She was the first senator to call to abolish ICE, and has embraced most other big progressive policies. I like how outspoken she’s been for women’s rights and supporting the #metoo movement. Being the first senator to call on a Franken to resign showed leadership (even though many disagree her for doing that). I’ve watched her interviews and stuff and think she’s good at speaking and seems like she genuinely believes in what she’s preaching.

Here’s a good campaign video she put out highlighting some accomplishments.

 

Lmk how it is... I’ve had some rough experiences there and I fly out in two weeks.