Poor choices, and worse

Columnist S. E. Cupp has written of cases where Democrats encourage Republicans to nominate Trump-supporting candidates believing they are easier to defeat. We see the consequences of this when they win enough contests and then threaten to shut down the government by refusing to vote for budgets.

One has to wonder if this strategy has been adopted by President Joe Biden. His Justice Department has only recently gotten indictments against Donald Trump and they still haven't indicted him for insurrection. Is this because Biden, who is not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, thinks Trump is the easiest Republican to beat? Considering that Trump's election could lead to dictatorship, Biden better be right.

The threat of Trump serves greedy corporations and the filthy rich very well. Many of us believe that Biden's record of supporting pipelines and fracking makes him weak on the environment and fighting climate change. We also find his forcing a contract on railroad workers that includes no sick days and no attempts to raise the minimum wage makes him weak on workers' issues. He's certainly made no attempt to call Republicans' bluff on their vow to cut the budget by cutting the massive waste in the defense budget. He's also made no effort to increase taxes on the wealthy.

So Biden is just another corporate-friendly Democrat who does not prioritize the needs of most people. No wonder polls show even Democrats have little enthusiasm for him.

But electing Trump jeopardizes what freedom we do have. So except in states where polls show Biden with a comfortable lead over Trump, voting for other candidates may not be a viable option.

Ironically, some Trump supporters might think they're rebelling by voting for him. Not hardly. A Trump victory would enable that corporate billionaire to benefit himself and other corporate billionaires while keeping workers' wages down. If this time he succeeds in making himself a dictator, you won't have the option of protesting.

Two good people are offering themselves as alternatives to the once again poor choices of the Democrats and Republicans. The Green Party's excellent 2016 candidate, Jill Stein, is running again. But another left-winger that would take votes from her, Cornel West, is also running. With the mainstream news media ignoring both and few people going elsewhere for information, the votes they split are likely to be of a small quantity. 

West has presented five pages of mostly wonderful ideas but also a couple of dubious merit. If even a small percentage of the good ones could be passed by a Demopublican Congress, that would be a major victory. Certainly a "One year limit on contract negotiations-if the contract is not completed in one year, the demands of workers would immediately be codified," would put an end to infinite stalling by employers. For years, Spectrum has refused to offer striking workers a fair contract.

But like some progressives, West has some unrealistic ideas about crime. "Redistribute police funding to unarmed community-led forces" is not going to cut it in a country with as many guns and as much violent crime.

West also wants to eliminate life without parole. I think reasonable people agree those like David Berkowitz should never be released. If Trump is ever convicted of insurrection, he should never be released either. 

Though many people, myself included, will be surprised if Trump even spends one day in prison considering how our "justice" system works.

Ending the threat of dictatorship is the number one priority. But establishing or forcing the Democrats to become a party that brings economic justice to workers, provides free health care for all, expands Social Security so that no retiree will live in poverty, forces the rich to pay their fair share in taxes, saves the environment, cuts government waste (especially the defense budget), ends our belligerent foreign policy while taking crime seriously should follow.

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