• pjwestin@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    Based on the reports of torture and abuse out of, “Alligator Alcatraz,” (God I fucking hate having to use that stupid fucking name), we are certainly heading there. They described torture techniques similar to CECOT, including denial of medical treatment. We don’t know what’s happening inside ICE detention facilities, but an alarming number of detainees are dying. We just kidnapped a sovereign head of state, and Trump is actively talking about doing the same to other nations.

    Things don’t start at the end. There were six years between Hitler’s appointment as Chancellor and the invasion of Poland. It was five years between the opening of the first concentration camps and the mass interment of Jews, and another three years before they opened the gas chambers in Auschitz. If anything, 2025 has shown that this administration is moving faster than the Nazis, and the midterms will probably be our last chance to purge these people (including the Democrats who refuse to fight them) from our government before they kill what’s left of our democracy.

    • DeepSpace9mm@lemmy.ml
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      2 days ago

      If the Democrats refuse to fight, then the midterms don’t mean shit. We also can’t ignore previous administrations that built the camps and deported in record numbers. The us has always been a democracy for the capitalists only. It’s a white supremacist settler colony, and we can’t scapegoat Trump just because he is like the living avatar of us cultural ideals in the worst way. Even if Democrats somehow have all three branches in '28 and somehow unfuck the supreme court, we cannot consider reform as an end in itself. They are still capitalists who will concede very little, if anything, to the people.

      • pjwestin@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        There’s a reckoning coming for Democrats as well. Their poll number are still rock bottom in their own base. Primaries are coming for Torres and Jefferies, and it’s basically assumed Schumer won’t have a Minority (or, dare to dream, Majority) position in the next Congress. Despite the entire Democratic establishment lining up against him, Mamdani won. I think, with a little luck, Democratic Socialism will be the norm by '28 (though they’ll probably call it, “Getting back to our New Deal roots,” or some shit).

        • DeepSpace9mm@lemmy.ml
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          19 hours ago

          Democratic Socialism will not be the norm because the Democratic party will not allow that to happen. What about recent party history gives you hope that this could occur? I find this hope to be naive.

          • pjwestin@lemmy.world
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            16 hours ago

            Polling shows capitalism is on a downswing while socialism is on an upswing, especially within the Democratic party. Socialism is losing its status as a boogeyman. Beyond that, Mamdani’s Democratic Socialist platform is broadly popular across the country, and even as voters are voting heavily against Republicans in special elections, the democrats are still at historically low favorability levels.

            Again, when I say Democratic Socialism will be the norm, I’m not saying that the majority of Democrats will identify as Democratic Socialists. I’m saying thst the majority of Democrats will adopt the policies of the Democratic Socialists or be primaried by candidates that do (and, again, they’ll probably frame it in the context of the New Deal rather than socialism). But the NYC mayoral election has made it clear that the corporate Democrats can no longer control the narrative, and I think it’s just the beginning.

            • DeepSpace9mm@lemmy.ml
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              15 hours ago

              Those polls select from us adults who are registered democrats. What makes you think the party elites give a shit what they think? I know it’s not past precedent. Democrats typically use polling to justify not changing things. The way they fought Mamdani clearly demonstrates this. One anomalous Mamdani cannot reasonably justify hope in electoral reform. Capital will do all it can to extinguish Socialism as it always does. This system was made by and for capitalists and cannot be used as the sole means of establishing a socialist system.

              • pjwestin@lemmy.world
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                9 hours ago

                What makes you think the party elites give a shit what they think?

                As I said, I think they’ll be out on their ass. Schumer will not get another term in leadership. Jefferies might, since he kept the House together on shutdowns, but his polling is still underwater and his days are numbered. The rank and file will go where the wind blows. We’ve already seen this when normie-centrists started dumping AIPAC money because of their base. I’m sure leadership will fight it until they’re ousted, and donor class will pivot to Republicans, but the average Dem politician would rather adopt a Democratic Socialist platform than lose their seat.

                One anomalous Mamdani cannot reasonably justify hope in electoral reform.

                Platner is also polling ahead or Mills despite the whole, “having a Nazi tattoo,” thing. Kat Abughazaleh is in a dead heat with Biss despite Biss having the establishment backing. Richie Torres is getting a DSA primary challenge after he had to drop his bid for governor against Hochul, and Hochul herself had to pivot to supporting Mamdani (she saw how the wind was blowing). There’s also Donavan McKinney primarying Shri Thanedar in Michigan, but I’m not following that one closely enough to say much about it. The point is, it’s not just Mamdani, there are several strong DSA or DSA-aligned challengers that are doing well.

                Capital will do all it can to extinguish Socialism as it always does. This system was made by and for capitalists and cannot be used as the sole means of establishing a socialist system.

                OK, well, the entire philosophy of Democratic Socialism is blending public ownership with heavily regulated private businesses using the current system of democratic institutions. If you think that Democratic Socialism is impossible, fair enough, you’re entitled your opinion and I’m not really interested in debating political theory. But even if you’re right, and Democratic Socialism will be a failure, I don’t think that means that the Democrats won’t adopt it.

                • DeepSpace9mm@lemmy.ml
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                  9 hours ago

                  Yeah, that shit’s a perversion of socialism. Good luck beating the capitalists at their own game!

                  • pjwestin@lemmy.world
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                    8 hours ago

                    OK. Weird it took five comments on the potential of Democrats adopting Democratic Socialism for you to realize you don’t like Democratic Socialism, but I’m glad we got there in the end, I guess.