Outback (#s 1 &14):

In spirit and in theory, I am in total agreement that the liberal/progressive majority of this nation needs to get organized and rally around a truly democratic third party and forsake the two Tweedledee and Tweedledum, corporatized parties, which have ruined our democracy with their self-serving hypocrisy and greed by kowtowing to their fascistic donors on Wall Street.

This sad state of affairs, of course, is due in no small part to several ultra right-wing Supreme Court rulings over the last hundred years or so, which have legalized the bribery of our politicians on every level of government by the wealthy elite, while the revolving door -- the back and forth from public office to private industry -- ensures that the status quo will continue. Those are the "rules" of the game that politicians assumed they always had to follow to win -- until Bernie proved otherwise (notwithstanding that his campaigned was torpedoed by "friendly fire")!

In fact, I was yuuugely disappointed when Bernie decided to run as a Democrat instead of as the honest independent that he is. For the first time in modern history, he might have led a viable third party with a real chance to break the mold and gain the majority of seats in Congress. Unfortunately, here we are: a Democratic Party in name only that has no power and that foolishly allowed a two-faced huckster to outmaneuver them and run as the proverbial populist, dragging his browbeaten party of liars and cheats into power.

To answer your salient question more directly, Outback, I just figure that we should focus our energy against the party with all the power -- the one trying to cut our throats with the blade already pressed into the flesh, rather than the defeated one on the ground bleeding. At this moment in history, we are literally fighting against an all-powerful enemy for the very survival of democracy, and very likely of the world. Right now, as we speak, that enemy is the Republican Party, which has garnered the most support from the hardball class of fascists who are actively waging a coup, such as the Bradley Foundation and the Koch network, to name a few of the most trenchant.

http://www.alternet.org/right-wing/bradley-foundation-far-right-agenda

It pains me deeply to say this, but I just don't see another Bernie-like chance to organize such a main-stream-media-brainwashed, divided, and apathetic electorate into a separate and effective third party in the time remaining before the looming midterms. Instead of splitting our forces like General Custer did, it might be a wiser strategy to infiltrate the Democratic Party en masse and work to primary, or otherwise neuter, its corporate turncoats in 2018 and 2020, and beyond -- for the sake of our children and grandchildren.

In the meantime, by no means should we ever let the corporate Dems off the hook. Never forget, though, that it is still the Democratic Party -- the oldest party on the planet -- that harbors the largest progressive caucus in history and that has struggled mightily to give this nation all the hard-won, progressive policy initiatives of the past that we enjoy today. Truly, it's a long list compared to the virtually nonexistent list of the Republican Party.

We should fight with this caucus, not against them, to overtake the party and force it back to it's roots as the People's party. In reality, beyond the rhetoric, a political party is never one, monolithic entity; it is always made up of opposing factions within that vie to define the whole. The "democratic wing of the Democratic Party," as Paul Wellstone liked to say, could and should rise up and become, in effect, that non-corporate "third" party of which we all dream ...but it needs our help, now more than ever. Time is of the essence!

Whining? And WTF do you know about "how America is doing"? Oh, I see, your ample portfolio contains lot of blue chip US based securities. Jesus!

Aside from that, why is there so much animosity focused solely on the Republican Party here on this blog? Can there be any doubt that, since FDR, the Democratic Party has executed a slow slide to the right and is now a virtual replica of the presumed foe? I'm talking about policy here, not rhetoric. Bill Clinton's nod to diabolical trade deals was a precursor to the gutting of our industrial base and deregulation of the gluttonous financial maggots. Carter was no angel earlier. Hillary would have sold out any vestiges of hope for a recovery in the name of "The New World Order". Why on earth would anyone cheer on a party that is literally feeding from the same trough as the Republicans?

Reading Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States, it has become clear to me that the divide between the very rich and the rest of us has been enforced consistently since the days of the hallowed founding fathers, the 0.01% of their day. The post-Reagan divide is just further proof that we have yet to dislodge the rich from their pedestal of power.

Professor Shapiro isn't wrong about the divide; he just understated the length of time it's been around.

Good points all! Yeah, I also seriously doubt an impeachment, but at least everyone will be focused on the whole mess while the legislative calendar ticks down to the midterms. If anything, it will be a great lesson in how a check-and-balance system of government is supposed to work. Whether it does or not is a different, more poignant lesson.

The big fat crybaby who plants his lard ass behind the stolen desk in the Oval Office is pouting about the "criminal investigation" (Lindsey Graham) that will expose his "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors." (Section 4 of Article Two of the United States Constitution). More aptly, he's a sniveling coward who can't accept the responsibility for his own vacuous words and evil deeds-- a back-stabber who blames everyone but himself.

Now, this petty little man-child has even stooped to conflating his own miserable lot to that of the country as a whole with this extraordinarily narcissistic declaration about the appointment of a special counsel who can't be bullied: "I believe it hurts the country terribly, because it shows we're a divided, mixed-up, not-unified country." It's not clear whether he's bragging or complaining, since he is the one largely responsible, on a daily basis, for such division.

Actually -- considering the treachery and dereliction of duty by the Republican Party itself, of which Trump is the snake's head -- the best thing that could happen for the country and the world is for this extremist congress to be mired in endless scandals, investigations, and impeachment proceedings. The midterms are only 18 months away, so the more they are preoccupied with their own magnificent failings, the less legislative time they will have to stir their witches' brew into policy.

After all, is that not what they had in store for Hillary, the Wicked Witch of the East, had she won? Beyond the tit-for-tat "what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander," however, is the positive outcome of a failed party that deserves their karma. Even if the dreaded Pence bogeyman eventually plants his bony ass in that fouled seat (ew!), the near total decadence of his party should be firmly planted in the anxious minds of the disgusted 2018 voters, who should turn out in droves. (Goddamnit!)

Besides, contrary to popular belief, Pence is not some super-politician who can magically manipulate Congress and public opinion to further a fascist agenda; he's a smarmy, rather creepy religious whack job, a failed politician hated by the people in his own state who know him best.

No, Mr. Trumpinski, it will not "hurt the country" for your many crimes to be exposed or for your hapless party of corporate stooges to be hopelessly bogged down. Quite the opposite; when Republicans fail, the country and the world win!

Sad to say I have to agree. I have done second order analyses on GDP time series and two items of concern emerged:

1. During the W adminstration outsourcing of labor, "outvesting" of funds, and financial "voodoo economics" resulted in destruction of suplus-to-investment in domestic infrastructure, and total destruction of the middle class consumer resources. The delta was made up using financial wizardry and loans which created a "Wiley Coyote" false security curve which ultimately failed dramatically. Quite dramatic to see the graphs of this!

2. During the Obama admin. the surplus was increased dramatically (mostly among the upper 1% ) and in government tax reciepts which historically used to result in increased IN-vestment activity such as in workforce enhancement; for example, training, education investment, roads and infrastructure, etc. Usually this happens; however, instead of INvesting, funds were OUTvested in supporting offshore infrastructure enhancements to enrich offshore labor skills making outsourcing of highly skilled work much more easy. In essence the 1% invested over there, so they didn't have to over here. Result: middle class is toast. Another very dramatic and scary graph using 2nd order MEMM dynamic modeling.

Applying neuroeconomic modeling by leveraging MEMM econometric models and cognitive neuropsychological models shows an increasingly fearful and rageful middle class. This is not going to be remedied for generations. The Dems are just not getting this. Of course Trump gets the rage part, and he knows that he can use this in his "hustle." I'm afraid its "game over."

The Kochs want Pence in the White House because he's a hardcore member of their Tea Party...Trump is not. In fact Pence is such a christian hypocrite, we all better pray for him. .

The Kochs hate Trump. Crooked Donny is only a fascist wannabe in their eyes.

Despite rightie press propaganda, Roger Ailes was not a patriot. He was a selfish and immoral man who undermined our democracy in the exact same manner Putin has.

It's all slipping away...trying to drum of charges saying President Trumps conspired with the Russians....the bogus obstruction of justice charges for firing Comey.....Now there is a special prosecuter. He'll find nothing, because there's nothing to be found. You are running out of options....the only thing accomplished by all of this is you've pissed off Trump and those who elected him...Payback is a bitch....I hope you know that, like you know it's all slipping away.

I am tired of hearing the corporate media and right-wing Trump apologists say that the American people elected Trump. That is an absolute boldfaced lie. The Democratic Party leadership led by Wasserman- Schultz and Donna Brazille blatantly stole the democratic Nomination from Bernie Sanders. and gave the nomination to Hillary Clinton. She was a terrible candidate and everone knew it. Due to the fact that so many people hated and didn't trust Hillary Clinton that made an election that should have been a rout into a close race. In other words it was close enough so the Republicans could steal it. That is exactly what they did using interstate cross check run by Kris kobach. Greg palast the best investigative reporter in America has the proof he even has the lists of the Millions of voters that the Republicans illegally took off of the voting rolls. The corporate media refuses to have Greg Palast on their network. The only ones that do are RT and Demacracy NOW. The Republicans stole the Presidency and the senate in 2016. The Democratic Party should be saying it constantly but they are saying nothing. Those who are reading this and are good at spreading information get this to go viral. People have to know that the Republicans are traitors and criminals. say it over and over and over.