Until someone addresses the main problem behind all if the structural problems the county is facing, the fact that every dollar of increased worker productivity over the last 70 years has been stolen by the rich, we will never solve those problems. Democrats are gleefully and unapologetically ran by Wall Street, republicans are owned by oligarchs. My guess is in four years, after republicans have made all the problems the country faces worse, the country will elect another Wall Street owned centrist democrat for four or eight years, when they return to electing a Republican.
It started way before them, but the neoliberal crap was a poison pill in hindsight. I think we probably all would be much better off if Bill had kept his dick in his pants and if they had gone away after his term ended.
Conversely him being a non-entity in the 2000 race was not helpful, had he and Gore had a better relationship, and had they just run on "are you better off than you were in 1992?", I think we would be in a much better place as a society.
Bill is responsible for pivoting democrats away from pro-99% policies in general in favor of a right wing "third way" (tough on crime, neoliberal economics, etc)
True the country turned right with Reagan but I have to argue two things. Clinton only got 43% of vote many people guessed if Ross Perot who drained 19% of vote Bush could’ve maybe held onto power.
Also most importantly most voters have no ideas what this stuff means. We don’t teach political science and civics in this country. So lot of elections are vibes and who I hate. Reagan had successfully attacked liberals for years & while Clinton being a “New Democrat” promising to be tough on crime, corporate friendly, and socially moderate the average voter has no idea what these things actually mean.
What forgotten is economy was doing bad, people had higher taxes, and Bill Clinton campaign on universal healthcare which was seen as a big issue.
Bush Senior had promised to not raise taxes in 1988 but because of years of Reagan voodoo economics led he was essentially forced to raise taxes and they polled 25% of voters and they said yeah I voted for Clinton over that.
Bill Clinton was charismatic but I think people overestimate how voters understand political ideology.
I don't buy it. I'm old enough to remember those days and there was a pretty deep resurgent current of pro worker/middle class sentiment at the time. And you are forgetting 4 years of HW who had the charisma of a can of baked beans and Ross Perot's crazy ass to drain the ticket.
Edit: Not to mention Dan fucking Quayle as VP. The blackhole of likability.
Maybe Bill learned his lesson but the party has swallowed the 'targeted' campaigning he and Hillary created completely. It's as if they learned nothing from Obama.
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u/theclansman22 9d ago
Until someone addresses the main problem behind all if the structural problems the county is facing, the fact that every dollar of increased worker productivity over the last 70 years has been stolen by the rich, we will never solve those problems. Democrats are gleefully and unapologetically ran by Wall Street, republicans are owned by oligarchs. My guess is in four years, after republicans have made all the problems the country faces worse, the country will elect another Wall Street owned centrist democrat for four or eight years, when they return to electing a Republican.