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David's avatar

Well said. I agree completely. So-called progressives have a lot to reflect upon, including here in Canada. Sad and troubling times.

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Diana van Eyk's avatar

I agree, David. Here in Canada, we're in the same kind of bind.

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Diane Engelhardt's avatar

I feel the same way about Trump's win as I would have about a Harris win: sick to my stomach! Instead of taking responsibility for losing the Presidency and a majority in the Senate due to their own abysmal failures, endemic corruption and moral vacuousness, Democrats will blame Putin, China, Iran, MAGA, Elon Musk, Tucker Carlson, Jill Stein, the weather, sun spots, and God-knows-what-else. The decline of the US-led Western empire is now guaranteed unless people wake up, speak up, stand up and rise up!

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Diana van Eyk's avatar

Exactly, Diane. How do we do this, I wonder.

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Diane Engelhardt's avatar

Every little fearless step at a time.

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SUE Speaks's avatar

Let's get real about that. Here's how it could be: "Let's do something already to turn the world around/How about the Beloved Community?" https://suzannetaylor.substack.com/p/lets-do-something-already-to-turn

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𝓙𝓪𝓼𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓮 𝓦𝓸𝓵𝓯𝓮's avatar

Great read!

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Diana van Eyk's avatar

Getting real. That says it all, Suzanne. We're wading through so much crap these days, and none of it seems to serves our best interests.

I think this does have to arise organically, and in many ways I think it is. It's in all of our relationships, online and offline.

I live by something that I've seen referred to as 'right relationship' -- at least I try to, or have always tried to. I saw the phrase and it felt like it articulated something that I've always instinctively tried to do. With myself, friends and family, community and our planet.

How can we not only act with integrity, but elect people who demonstrate integrity?

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𝓙𝓪𝓼𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓮 𝓦𝓸𝓵𝓯𝓮's avatar

👏👏👏

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Mark Taylor's avatar

Yeah, those damn sunspots! I'm calling my (barely) reelected Dem Senator and demand an investigation. Something has to explain the failure of the Democrats and it couldn't be anything other than sunspots!

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Diana van Eyk's avatar

Must be, Mark.

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Saige's avatar

Exactly Diana van Eyk for a thoughful reflection. I agreed with Michael Moore's analysis, and in Dearborn the head of a school stated that the two main contenders had done nothing for them, referencing Harris who told Jewis For Peace to 'be quiet' and refused to visit with the Arab/Muslim community and stand on a platform with both Jews and Muslims for peace in Gaza.

Unlike some women, I donn't see Harris as representative of women, brown people, and certainly not the oppressed and clearly , like me, they don't either. The Left has failed to show a strong good Left hand and the right is a menace.

Democracy is impossible under a system of financial capitalism where the rich grow richer and more oppressive and poverty kills the working class and swallows the middle class.

The Empire will continue to strike down on those who try to rise. This is the class system which grew out of feudalism, in full force.

Jill Stein was my hope but in such a system hopes are dashed. I am not the least surprised that a misogynist letch has returned to power.

Not surprised at all because the system is sadistic.

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Diana van Eyk's avatar

I'm not surprised either, Saige. It's incredibly disappointing that what was once the left is now just a big sellout.

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Saige's avatar

Inevitable. Under financial capitalism - which grew out of feudalism - democracy is impossible. I saw a chance lost when the Wall came down in Berlin, the chance for a different kind of unification towards a new kind of socialism. But capitalism won and it keeps winning and the winner is greed, in 'winner takes all' the planet burns.

I still hope for a different system where we can live alongside nature rather than dominating, where we can share, and where everyone has a flourishing start.

I do have hope when I see young people ready to take the baton and in the meantime I will be a boomer flower child asking where all the other flowers have gone.

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Diana van Eyk's avatar

Have you paid any attention to BRICS, Saige? It gives me hope, not because of the nations involved particularly, but the way they've agreed to work together and settle their differences.

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Saige's avatar

Yes, will wait and see. Still economically bound and Putin is a megalomaniac so...mmmm. I have to have hope but I think the real seeds are probably only just sprouting.

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Susan T's avatar

I think our political system with its pretense of "democracy" is already irrelevant. Everywhere.

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Diana van Eyk's avatar

I agree, Susan. I don't think it's been a democracy for a long time, if it ever was.

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Mark Taylor's avatar

"So before blaming Russia, or Jill Stein, or the public, I hope Democrats will take a long, hard look in the mirror." ... But they can't and won't.

Joy Reid was on MSNBC saying Kamala's loss was because of white women!

The sociopaths of both parties won't/can't change. People -- of both sides -- need to take a hard look at who they are following and explore a different path: "WHAT? ARE YOU NUTS?! A Lefty Makes Election Day Visit To Local Trump Headquarters"

https://mark192.substack.com/p/what-are-you-nuts-a-lefty-makes-election

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Diana van Eyk's avatar

Drum roll please! They blame...Rob Reiner! Yes, he's responsible for this disaster. Of course, right?

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Mark Taylor's avatar

What did Reiner do?

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Diana van Eyk's avatar

I have no idea. But he's trending on X and they say that he's responsible for the Democrats' loss.

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Mark Taylor's avatar

We're gonna see a lot of people thrown under the steam roller.

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Diana van Eyk's avatar

I think so, Mark. Introspection by the Democrat machine? I kind of doubt it. Throw them under the steam roller is the thing. Congratulations, Rob Reiner, for being the first. You've just outdone Putin!

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The Revolution Continues's avatar

Yeah, let's blame Rob Reiner. He's posted some very nasty and asinine tweets on X/Twitter, so it must be ALL his fault! (Not.)

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Uaifo Ojo's avatar

💯👑

I really pray this is a tipping point in World History away from Armageddon to Peace 🕊️✌🏼

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Diana van Eyk's avatar

Me too, Uaifo.

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𝓙𝓪𝓼𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓮 𝓦𝓸𝓵𝓯𝓮's avatar

I couldn't agree more!

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Najwan Abdul Wahab's avatar

The buffoonery is staggering in sight..

Viva la 🇵🇸

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Diana van Eyk's avatar

I think deep down this is the outcome I expected. Sadly. And we've got an election in Canada coming up in six months that could easily have similar results.

Take care in this scary new reality, Najwan.

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Najwan Abdul Wahab's avatar

I feel you sweet Diana, deep down I knew this was the inevitable outcome.. and in the day after, in some time allowed, to marinate, that news-cycle, I wondered deeply if this may be, the only way, the world wakes up, to give a fudge, that we're still dying, of genocide..

Shukran for being a constant beautiful light..

Going to try eat something now and go to sleep

Till we speak again, soon..

🇵🇸♥️🙏

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Diana van Eyk's avatar

I hope you're able to enjoy some good food, Najwan. I just had some orange cauliflower, and it was delicious! I've been fighting a headache all day. Probably the new reality, which we both suspected would come about, played a contributing role.

Viva la 🇵🇸

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Najwan Abdul Wahab's avatar

Orange cauliflower. That’s a color or recipe? Hope your headache subsides. There are many factors that could stimulate a hurting head and you’re probably right that our new presidential reality is su ch the cause..

Am giving up on sleep and listening to podcasts. One of them was about how/what this all means for his billionaire buddy musky. Bleh..

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Kollibri terre Sonnenblume's avatar

I voted for Stein/Ware and was disappointed they didn't do better.

I also noticed that Trump's margins of victory over Harris in swing states were greater than Stein's totals. So the Dems have no case at all to make (not that they ever had a good case)in blaming her.

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Diana van Eyk's avatar

That's depressing news about the margins, Kollibri.

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Gladwyn d'Souza's avatar

It’s supposed to be democracy. Appeal to the base with policies that can address their distress, sorrow, and needs. I’m speaking and go protest elsewhere says my autocracy can win with the genocidal nuts. Well 2024 says no, and let it be a lesson for how 2026, and 2028, will unfold.

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Diana van Eyk's avatar

Unfortunately, Trump addresses the real emotions people are feeling, but gets the facts and the solutions so wrong. Some democracy, eh, Gladwyn?

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Leon Brown, Jr.'s avatar

Yup.

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Myth and Mystery's avatar

I completely agree with you. The sad reality of Kamala Harris is that she reneged on her own progressive direction from 4-5 years ago and embraced Democrats' compromises on everything, from immigration to fracking and tariffs (and most of these bad policies were first developed by Trump). Most voters struggled to make out what she actually stood for. Jill Stein was the only progressive candidate in this election and got no mainstream media coverage, despite the fact that she is the only one actually looking to the future of the planet and not mired in the past. The Democrats betrayed their base and the working people and should face the consequences.

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Diana van Eyk's avatar

The Democrats should have Jill Stein's policies. They don't stand for anything anymore, and are willing to go so far as to actively support genocide.

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Karl Drinkwater's avatar

Aye, US Democrats are so stupid.

All they had to do was NOT FUND A GENOCIDE. They let everyone down - Palestinians, Americans, the world.

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Diana van Eyk's avatar

If genocide isn't a red line, what is? It amazes me that it seems to have been normalized for some. So very sad and infuriating. Thanks for commenting, Karl.

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The Revolution Continues's avatar

Well, there's the rub--the Democrats can't "look in the mirror" and see where they went wrong because they're actually vampires and have no image that can be seen in a mirror. It sounds fantastical, but if you would have told me about four years ago that the Dems would enable a genocide and run a presidential campaign denying that same genocide was even happening, I would have thought you were hallucinating. Vampires, evil, heartless vampires with no morals or conscience...That's the Dems for you. It's time to put a stake through their hearts and put the world out of its misery.

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Diana van Eyk's avatar

It's unbelievable, isn't it? If they carry on the way they have been, they will become irrelevant.

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Elsie Gilmore's avatar

Thank you for this, Diana. I hate to say "I told you so" but so many of us did, in fact, tell them! We screamed it from the top of our lungs. People are in pain. People don't want our government paying to bomb civilians. I'm thinking of joining the War Tax Resistance movement. And I'm definitely hurrying up my plans to move out of Florida. We lost our amendment to enshrine abortion rights so now we're stuck with a 6-week (basically total) abortion ban. If I'm in another state, I can help women get abortions there. Unlike others, I'm not stopping until I get to the Mason Dixon line.

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Diana van Eyk's avatar

Good for you, Elsie! Thanks for your activism and best of luck with your move.

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Keith Wiley's avatar

Bernie Sanders said months ago that the Democrats only would have themselves to blame if Trump won. A large swath of the American public is furious and afraid, well aware their lives have shrunk under neoliberalistm (although they don't understand the causes). When Democrats offer something that is essentially 'business-as-usual', it just doesn't cut it. That's what Bernie Sanders said, in my recollection. Trump for all his bombast and buffoonery matched the emotional urgency of the moment. He performed as a regular, bigoted, misogynist white guy and talked in a similar language. That's the populist posturing he sold and it worked with far too many white men, and surprisingly more white women than last time. Americans are spot on when they shout: "We're mad as hell, and we're not going to take it anymore!" When it came to voting, they mistakenly thought 'swamp-draining', anti-elite Trump was the best they could do. Sadly they will suffer even more for this tragic error.... as will the world.

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Diana van Eyk's avatar

And a lot of people couldn't bring themselves to vote for the party that funded and armed Israel as it's been committing genocide. Lots of factors. And now we all get to live the fallout, and hopefully don't get our own Canadian version in six months or so. Thanks for commenting, Keith.

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