Us vs the Uniparty
Former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard make a big news splash in declaring her departure from the Democratic Party, calling it an "elitist cabal of warmongers being driven by cowardly wokeness."
Hard to argue with that assessment.
She also appeared on Joe Rogan's podcast, where they discussed the utterly reprehensible insider-trading behavior of many of our elected representatives in Congress. And Nancy Pelosi's otherwise-inexplicable wealth. And Nancy Pelosi's obstruction of reforms. And the media's refusal to report on any of it.
Pelosi obviously doesn't want to reform the system that allowed her husband to (allegedly) trade on insider information with great success. She obviously doesn't want any of this to hit the headlines ahead of the mid-terms. She obviously doesn't want to squeeze out such behavior on the cusp of losing her Speaker's seat. There's no benefit whatsoever, other than the notion of doing the right thing.
Gabbard then introduces two terms to the audience: "The Uniparty" and "Permanent Washington."
The former is self-explanatory, assertions by both sides as to stark differences notwithstanding. The latter, however, is even more sinister than a first contemplation suggests.
Within the Washington DC Beltway (both literally and figuratively), we find politicians, journalists, lobbyists, and political activists. The narrative, the public image being carefully presented, is one of two parties in tense opposition, a press corps there to keep them honest and expose their misdeeds, politicians standing firm against special interests, and a battle between selfish lobbyists and high-minded public servants.
I can almost hear the sound of your eyes rolling. But, are you cynical enough? Do you really understand how they are all part of the same machine? That they are a bag of Chex Mix, different in flavor but acting in harmony?
Outsiders are not welcome, nor are those who'd expose these realities.
A friend once pointed out to me that local newspapers never criticize firefighters, because the moment one does, access to money-shot fire scenes will be forever withheld. "Oh, you're from the Daily Muckraker? You called us out for soaking up too much overtime, you have to stand ten blocks from that four-alarm fire your competitors are snapping photos of right now."
So it goes with the mainstream press. Criticize Pelosi's gravy train, and your paper loses access. Loss of access equals loss of eyeballs and advertising dollars, and ultimately, these are all businesses.
In a similar vein, the politicians rely on the lobbyists and their largesse. Politicians' primary purpose in life is getting re-elected, and most of their time is spent fundraising. Sure, there are competing interests, but ultimately they're all slopping from the same trough: the vast sums of taxpayer money collected and the as-vast sums of money borrowed or printed every year.
Facing this "elitist cabal," what can we peons hope to do? Isn't the notion of fighting it a hopeless one?
Many do indeed believe that it's over, that the Demopublican duopoly cannot be vanquished.
Many, myself and Tulsi Gabbard, don't. My blogging and her public punditry demonstrate so, and we have evidence to that as well. Careerists do lose their jobs. Legacy media continues to hemorrhage viewers and readers. Podcasters and YouTubers grow ever more popular. Just the fact that Trump won in 2016, to the utter horror of the Beltway Chex Mix, is proof enough that all is not lost. And, had Trump not been such a wild man and his own worst enemy, he'd still be President and Permanent Washington might actually have a few more cracks in it.
Yes, "more" cracks. The fact that we are informed enough to be critical of Pelosi's behavior is proof of a crack. That a bill was introduced to limit Congressional insider trading (no matter that Pelosi won't let it be voted on) is another. That, come January, a Republican might be Speaker, and might bring that bill for a vote, is a third.
What is needed from us is a combination of deep cynicism for all of it, "your" party included, and a glimmer that all hope is not lost. It'd be a Herculean effort to overcome the Uniparty and its symbiotic intertwining with Big Press, Big Business, Big Tech, Big Military and the like, but Hercules did succeed in his seven labors.
Above all, don't excuse your team's misdeeds, or grant it too much loyalty, blind or otherwise. Be your own person, and demand that your team elevate its game, clean its own house, and walk the talk. If your support and vote are in play, you are more apt to be heeded. If you are a rubber stamp for your team, your desires and views will be paid lip service but ultimately ignored.
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Peter.
Thanks for pointing out that there is hope against the deeply embedded insidious permanent Washington.
Independent is no ordinary state of being.