I mean, it's also fine with NYT editors that Biden's simple declaration was enough for the National Democratic Committee (NDC) to decree no need for presidential debates on the Democratic side.
And this despite those two other declared candidates for Democratic leadership.
Currently, Williamson is polling in double figures. And if a primary between her and Biden were held today with voters under 50, she would win by a landslide. RFK's numbers are similarly on the rise. He's polling at 14%-- well above several of Trump's rivals considered to be legitimate candidates and worthy of debating him.
Nonetheless, no voice for Williamson and Kennedy. No debate. That's democracy American style.
And by the way, all of this takes no account of the fact that even a clear majority of staunch Democrats though somehow approving of Biden's first-term performance, wish that the old man would forgo running for a second term.
He's just too old.
Biden vs. Williamson
All of this raises questions about "American" democracy. Is it really a democracy? I mean apparently, we'll vote for some old white guy who may well be losing his mind. However, in the end, we're just choosing neocons like Jake Sullivan, Victoria Nuland, and Antony Blinken and anonymous "White House aides, Cabinet secretaries and military leaders"?
What a shame - literally!
In terms of today's readings, we already know the neocon agenda. It has nothing to do with care for people. They ignore us completely. Their agenda is spelled out clearly by NATO and in the declaration of The Project for the New American Century composed by Victoria Nuland's husband, the arms merchant, Robert Kagan. Domestically their program comprises tax breaks for the rich, privatization of public services, and market deregulation. That's Neoconism. It's unjust. But old Joe's promise is that his version will be less painful than the Republicans' outright fascism.
Internationally, Biden's neocon program is:
- Amerika Uber Alles - i.e., the superiority of 4.1% of the world's population over the other 95.9.
- No tolerance of economic or military rivals.
- Forever wars.
- Bombing, sanctions, and regime change for the West's former colonies who dare chart their own paths.
- In general, keeping the Russians out, Americans in, and the Germans down.
- Unconditional support for Ukraine
That's It.
Now compare that with Williamson's domestic policy. Most prominently, it calls for:
- Medicare for all.
- Transformation of our nation's primary and secondary schools into "palaces of learning."
- Universally free college education.
- Government sponsorship of a serious national conversation about race and reparations.
- Empowerment of labor unions.
- Infrastructure spending consonant with a Green New Deal.
- Redirection of military spending into social programs such as housing and mental health services.
- Demilitarization of the nation's police forces.
- Establishment of a cabinet level Secretariat of Peace.
And then there's RFK Jr.'s foreign policy that is stronger than Williamson's which I've criticized elsewhere. RFK's approach calls for:
- Facing the fact that Ukraine is losing its war with Russia (suffering casualties seven or eight times as great as their opponent).
- Prioritizing diplomatic solutions to the war.
- Establishing strict controls over the Military-Industrial Complex (MIC).
- Defanging the CIA as responsible for most of the world's international problems.
Today's Readings
Keeping such differences in mind for purposes of comparison, consider today's readings as they centralize the primacy of Jesus' "Way" over the policies advocated by the Democratic neocons and the Republican fascists.
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