In my opinion, the difference between the presumed Presidential candidates for this election are: The insane narcissist clown Trump would be a quick and ugly move forward to the ongoing downfall of the United States as a world leader; the election of HRC would be a continuation of the slow, carefully orchestrated destruction of democracy in America, America’s economy, and America as a world leader. The endless wars will not just continue but accelerate, the economy will continue to funnel money to the wealthy elite, the too big to fail Wall Street institutions will get fatter, in other words the status quo will become even more entrenched. They will continue to militarize our police force and prisons to protect their interests if the People truly move forward with our demands using whatever methods necessary. “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.” John F. Kennedy.
The 1% who actually control the politics and economy of America partially succeeded this time in determining who will be our choices to select from in November, to supply actors for the Kabuki theater that has replaced true democratic choice. Trump of course is the loose cannon that is the unanticipated consequence of years of cultivating hate for government among their economically marginalized and racist, paranoid white subculture. Their schemes produced a creature that they can’t control, so don’t be surprised at anything that goes down in their convention.
I believe that the neoliberal Establishment in control of the Democratic Party has abandoned the People of America just as much as the faux-Republican Party abandoned true conservatives in America in their endless thirst for power. The Tea Party Republicans are no longer a political party, but an insurrection against democracy. In the same way, the current Democratic leadership has abandoned any semblance of true Democratic ideals and opted for the neoliberal ideology of American “exceptionalism”, endless epic failures of wars to feed the War Machine, massive military Establishment and secretive intelligence Establishment to enforce their imperial agenda, and abandonment of any progressive domestic policy to provide jobs, infrastructure maintenance, education, decent humanitarian safety nets for disadvantaged citizens...pretty much anything truly American. This path continues our journey from democracy to Oligarchy or possibly Dominionist Fascism if the Evangelical Right has their way. Remember, Mussolini in his definition of Fascism described it as another name for Corporatism ( or so I have read ).
So what are the options for disaffected Populist ( real ) Democrats feeling marginalized and ignored by a corrupt system? We can live with the current status quo and continue the struggle to win over the heart and soul of the Party, to restore it to its original basis as a Party of the People. There is also talk for forming a new Populist, Progressive party with values we can live with, putting an end to the strangle hold of the two party system. That is possible if we could manage it.
Then there is the Green Party that already exists, has a platform that resonates reasonably with Democratic ideals, has a certain amount of structure and name recognition in place. It is also a part of a world wide movement with shared values.
In interest of saving space, you may view a rundown of their 10 Key values here:
www.gp.org/…
Briefly, their key areas are:
Grass Roots Democracy
Social Justice and Equal Opportunity
Ecological Wisdom
Non-Violence
Decentralization
Community Based Economics
Feminism and Gender Equality
Respect For Diversity
Personal and Global Responsibility
Future Focus and Sustainability
...not a perfect fit for Democratic Socialism/Populism/whatever, but a reasonable platform. It’s hard to tell what a massive infusion of Populist Democrats might do to the Greens’ agenda or even if it would be welcome. I think that thanks to Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and others, the real Democratic Party has a full platform of more specific and focused goals that might or might not blend with the Green philosophy. The two party system has failed us, but a viable third party could change the whole dynamic of elections in this country. In my estimation, the idea is worth serious discussion.