As I pointed out in my piece about Tom Brokaw below, since the Status Quo is an Institutionally Racist system, those who support it are endorsing Institutional Racism, the more so because they also are in favor of Wealth Inequality and a Class System without advancement or escape.
These Old White Guys (and I say that as an Old White Guy because I’m totally mCis, Ben Franklin White, and 120+ years old and have lived in a 97% White community for many years, though not all of them. Think about Stars Hollow. Other than the Kims, who are Korean, you have exactly how many characters of Color? Hmm…) labor under the impression that their “Unique Snowflake” Merit has led them to their positions of privilege rather than their positions of privilege creating the illusion of Merit. Marie Antoinette and her Courtiers at Versailles were ‘dress up’ farmers. Her Peasant Gardeners did the real work.
This is why “Centrism” is an intellectually bankrupt position little distinguished from the Republicanism that stands athwart History and shouts “Stop!”
Which is not to say Old White Guys (and Ladies) can’t be Class Traitors like I am.
The Masters of the Universe Are Terrified of Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders
By Charles P. Pierce, Esquire
Jan 28, 2019
You have to hand it to Politico. Howard Schultz’s vanity exercise is still theoretical, but Politico has tracked down every single member of his fundamental constituency who cannot be found in Howard Schultz’s mirror every morning while he’s shaving.
Early support from deep-pocketed financial executives could give Democrats seeking to break out of the pack an important fundraising boost. But any association with bankers also opens presidential hopefuls to sharp attacks from an ascendant left. And it’s left senior executives on Wall Street flailing over what to do.
“I’m a socially liberal, fiscally conservative centrist who would love to vote for a rational Democrat and get Trump out of the White House,” said the CEO of one of the nation’s largest banks, who, like a dozen other executives interviewed for this story, declined to be identified by name for fear of angering a volatile president. “Personally, I’d love to see Bloomberg run and get the nomination. I’ve just never thought he could get the nomination the way the primary process works.”
Oh, dear. What’s a master of the universe to do when the universe turns against him?
After mentioning Bloomberg, Wall Street executives who want Trump out list a consistent roster of appealing nominees that includes former Vice President Joe Biden and Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Kamala Harris of California. Others meriting mention: former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, former Maryland Rep. John Delaney and former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke, though few [re]ally know his positions.
Bankers’ biggest fear: The nomination goes to an anti-Wall Street crusader like Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) or Sanders. “It can’t be Warren and it can’t be Sanders,” said the CEO of another giant bank. “It has to be someone centrist and someone who can win.”
Clearly, they’re not afraid that Senator Professor Warren or Bernie Sanders “can’t win,” but, rather, they’re struck into incoherence that one of them can. Somewhere in the gated community holding their souls, they know that there still is a considerable reckoning out there for what they did throughout the Aughts, and that scares them to death. And now, there are popular vehicles through which that reckoning can be wrought. The universe may be shopping for new masters.
Professor Senator Warren has even floated a “Wealth Tax” which is something I despaired of ever hearing from an Institutional Democrat. While my Economic side tells me 1) Deficits and Debt don’t matter, only Inflation in excess of Wage Increases does (MMT), and 2) A Millage (Tenths and Thousands of 1%) Tax on Financial Transactions might be more beneficial; it is at least a step in the right direction.
Economic Justice is Social Justice. Identity Politics is a trap designed to blind us to that fact. Too bad we’ll probably have to wait for the Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Presidency to implement it.
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