People, RISE UP : Mirror

[–] Critical_Thinker@lemm.ee 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

The elephant in the room is that people are stupid and politics is about winning them over by any means. There are only winners and losers and nobody cares how you win when you get immunity and can start doling out lucrative government contracts.

The jackass in the room doesn't realize that you have to really manipulate the dummies and do some serious showmanship so that you can get the real policies you want implemented that give more money and power to your side whilst simultaneously pulling the rug out from the other side, draining their capacity to resist by barraging them with stupid bullshit that consumes their money, power and influence for things that generally have no impact to 99% of people beyond a psychological one.

[–] Formfiller@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

Every single day it seems more and more that a French style revolution is the only solution

[–] vga@sopuli.xyz 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Yeah, this picture is part of the problem and not in the way you think. You absolutely do need to compromise to climb out of the shithole you're in, but the one to compromise with is obviously not the guys on the left in this picture.

The failure to compromise is exactly the thing that grows the left side of this picture.

[–] HalfSalesman@lemm.ee 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Who do democrats need to compromise with?

The senate democrats in particular have been outright and consistently compromising with the death cult fascists. So I think this image is pretty appropriate.

[–] vga@sopuli.xyz 0 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago)

They don't need to compromise with the fringe crazies / strawmen that don't actually exist in any great capacity. They need to compromise with the majority in the center.

If you don't have a center, you're fucked though.

[–] HighFructoseLowStand@lemm.ee 16 points 2 days ago (7 children)

I swear to God, people spend more time blaming Democrats for not fighting Republicans well enough than they do Republicans for doing things that need fighting.

[–] ZombiFrancis@sh.itjust.works 21 points 2 days ago

The ire has to do with the representative government where the representatives are not representing.

Which would, in fact, prevent Republicans from doing things that need to be fought.

[–] epicstove@lemmy.ca 12 points 1 day ago

When representatives in democracy aren't representing. You kinda lose democracy.

[–] immutable@lemm.ee 7 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Well I think there’s some validity to this, but not just because “democrats bad”

We are seeing across the western world a resurgence in far right parties that are largely running on a populist sentiment that “things are bad and we were great once and let’s go back”

Why does this messaging resonate with so many? Propaganda has its role to play, but propaganda works best when there is a truth to the underlying message.

We are at the tail end of over half a century of neoliberal policy. Now I don’t use neoliberal as so many do as a pejorative, but as a descriptor. As Nancy Pelosi so eloquently stated “We're capitalists and that's just the way it is.”

Now if you enjoy your life subscription under capitalism, especially our super fun late stage capitalism, there’s lots to dislike. The right has decided that while they will wholeheartedly support the capitalist machine, they are going to go out and stump like populists, telling people that they are getting screwed over and a vote for them is a vote to end the screwing, even better, it’s a vote to screw over people you don’t like, you get to do the screwing for once!

The Democratic Party can’t seem to find a coherent message because at the end of the day, the neoliberal project they are working on is going smoothly. The fact that your rent is going up, that private companies own the prisons and all the houses, that’s the free market free marketing baby.

I think the ire is misdirected, but it comes from this gnawing feeling that while the right is awful and doing awful things the democrats aren’t articulating any real alternative. And you don’t have to believe me, I think the trump - Biden - trump pattern shows you that to a lot of Americans things didn’t get better.

Now you and I might sit here secure in the knowledge that within the neoliberal world order as established, Biden did amazingly well. Our economy the envy of the world in how we tackled inflation and had one of the softest landings. But we exist in a system that has expected catastrophic failure roughly every 7 years and we see it happening more and more often. A system that doesn’t seem capable or willing to tackle the most pressing issues that people face. And so it is cold comfort when the Democratic Party goes “yes everything sucks and is getting worse, but believe us this is the best we can do with how the system works”

It’s not super surprising that if someone comes around and says “that system is bullshit” that people are excited. It sucks major ass that the guy saying it has no idea what the system is, how to build a better system, etc. But it also sucks that the democratic party’s response is basically, “put us back in charge and we will restore this system that is hurting a lot of people and really kinda sucks ass and only benefits a few super wealthy donors”

People want someone to stand up and articulate a compelling vision for the future and then deliver on it. For everything wrong with trump, he understands that first part, and he’s unmoored by any kind of morals or ethics so he’s willing to spend hours painting in great and baffling detail just how wonderful his future is going to be. He’s so good at it that his followers don’t even mind that it never happens.

[–] HighFructoseLowStand@lemm.ee 2 points 1 day ago (3 children)

The thing I object to is saying the Democrats don't have a vision for the future.

Universal healthcare, free education, loan forgiveness, a green economy, a higher minimum wage, all manners of increased social spending, electoral reform, civil rights expansions. The Democratic Party has, as an institution, spent decades trying to accomplish this. It has failed, largely due to the Republicans and splitters within it's own ranks. But the failure to accomplish it's goals is not the same as not having them or not saying they have them.

That's why all the criticism of the Democratic Party is so eye roll inducing. People accuse Democrats of just trying to maintain the status quo when they have a whole platform that would constitute major changes to our country.

[–] WraithGear@lemmy.world -1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

This is bullshit. If they actually wanted these things we would have had them. When we almost start to achieve these, they vote against it. Seems to me they like to talk about it during election season, Then vote in past republican policies. That’s not a progressive platform.

[–] HighFructoseLowStand@lemm.ee 1 points 12 hours ago

When did any of that happen?

[–] M1ch431@slrpnk.net 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Universal healthcare

What major figure in Democratic party has seriously fought for this?

electoral reform

No Democrat is seriously looking into real electoral reform that doesn't benefit their party. First-past-the-post will never be changed under their leadership. This voting system allows them to shift blame to voters to the left of them (that they alienate) for voting Green/et. al. They engage in more voter suppression activities than they spend time arguing for serious electoral reform.

https://www.carolinajournal.com/nc-democrats-forced-to-pay-green-party-for-frivolous-intervention

https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-jill-stein-harris-trump-lawsuit-405e8bae8ff9becfa81a1360708d59a0

https://arizonaglobe.com/legal/democrats-sue-to-block-green-candidate/

https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/nevada-democrats-sue-to-block-green-party-from-2024-ballot

https://dailyinterlake.com/news/2024/aug/27/montana-dems-sue-to-keep-green-party-off-november-ballot/

It goes on and on and on and on if you look at lawsuits and complaints against other parties or look further into the past.

If Democrats had even 1% of the fight that they have against third parties and put that towards positive change and actual solutions, they would've been able to accomplish some of the things you listed.

[–] immutable@lemm.ee 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

I think a lot of the things on this list are not actually goals of the Democratic Party.

Here’s their platform https://democrats.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/FINAL-MASTER-PLATFORM.pdf

The term “universal healthcare” is not in there. Instead they want to continue a market based approach to increase access to healthcare and health insurance. (Page 19)

“Free education” is also not part of their platform, instead they want affordable education. (Page 26)

There is a pretty lengthy chapter (chapter 4) on the climate crisis and how they want to tackle that, so I’ll give you a green economy.

Page 13 does include a paragraph about raising the minimum wage.

Page 50 includes a (to me at least) very underwhelming fig leaf towards some minor electoral reform.

Chapter six talks about expanding civil rights to more people but not really materially increasing the scope of civil rights.

—

I would love for there to be a party aggressively pursuing the goals you are talking about, I think you and I would likely agree on the most important things for this country.

A couple real important ones you think the democrats are attempting to achieve don’t appear to be things the Democratic Party actually intends to do. Universal healthcare and free education being the big two that would really make a massive difference in the nation. And you don’t have to believe me, you can read their platform and see they don’t intend to deliver those things, not with any size majority.

Further, platforms are talk and talk is cheap. It’s one thing to say you want to raise the minimum wage, it’s another to do it. The minimum wage was last raised in 2009. That’s 16 years, and this isn’t even a cornerstone they run on because they know it would scare off their moneyed backers. This is why you see pictures of Bernie sanders or the squad fighting for $15 while the rank and file dem politician stays far away.

[–] RymrgandsDaughter@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago (2 children)

That's because after watching mitch McConnell do literally fucking anything he wanted for years, Democratic leaders and the DNC have the audacity to whine about not being able to do anything.

All so Cuck Schumer can suck off Netanyahu.

I hate republicans, and conservatives in general. They are worse than vermin. But democrats deserve a ton of hate for how badly everything is going. The DNC allowed this to happen, Biden failed his oath of office, allowing Trump to even get on the ticket. The Supreme Court straight up granting immunity to Presidents meant that he could have and should have done everything in his power force them to reverse that because that shit isn't in the constitution.

[–] HighFructoseLowStand@lemm.ee 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

McConnell managed that because Republicans vote in lock step on basically everything. That's not the DNC's fault.

[–] WraithGear@lemmy.world 0 points 1 day ago

That is explicitly the dnc’s fault

[–] Nalivai@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Democrats tend to follow rules. That's kind of their thing. When society prefers those who aren't following rules, and explicitly and implicity give them power, the power imbalance is undeniable.
Unfortunately, if Democrats stop following rules, it will make them not worth giving power, power corrupts and all that.
So while it's very nice to push all the blame on them, the only group of people who actually responsible is that quarter of Americans that still didn't lost their minds. Their job was to elect nit monsters and continue to push them to the right direction. Instead they elected monsters into all the power and now are surprised why monsters have all the power.

[–] Khaliso@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 day ago

I mean, what's the larger problem: the operator of the orphan crushing machine, or the guy that won't try to stop them because there's a 'no trespassing' sign on the lawn?

[–] ArchmageAzor@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Americans love to complain but hate to take action.

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[+] FuckFascism@lemmy.world 25 points 2 days ago (1 children)

[removed by mod]

[–] Juliee@lemm.ee 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

The problem with that mindset is that you will never win at violence with nazis. They are much more skilled and ruthless.

You will never be able to match them and if you try you will lose the very thing you wanted to protect.

What you need to focus on is a pragmatic action like in an RTS or game of chess. Strategic thinking.

How can you turn the tides of this Cold Civil War or at least contribute to its, desirable for us, outcome.

The current issue is that the left cannot agree what the desired outcome is and hence cannot effectively act if they cannot agree on what they want.

Right have simple agenda and thus it is simple to rally people around it. Good old times. Can there be something more straightforward?

Left have some several nebulous proposals no one quite fully understands. Of course enemy capitalised on these mistakes creating their own simple narrative what left intends to do that is clear and easily digestible therefore much more vocal and viral.

As if this wasn’t bad enough the left then proceeded to furiously engage with this false narrative trap bait.

Democrats have ~45% in spite of their actions not thanks to them. Just because conservatives are so insane that even their incompetence seems better for many

[–] Juliee@lemm.ee 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

1. Violence is a Losing Game Against Nazis/Far Right

Attempting to out-violence or out-escalate hardened extremists is futile. The far right often thrives on street fights, militarized posturing, and martyrdom. Engaging them on their terms risks legitimizing their narrative (e.g., "leftist mobs") and alienating the broader public.
Alternative: Focus on asymmetric tactics—legal, cultural, and institutional strategies that undermine their influence without playing into their strengths. Examples:
- Deplatforming: Removing their access to social media, financial systems, and public spaces (e.g., what worked against the Proud Boys post-January 6).
- Counter-mobilization: Mass nonviolent protests (e.g., labor strikes, voting drives) that dwarf their numbers.
- Intelligence and preemption: Monitoring and disrupting extremist networks (e.g., antifascist research groups like Bellingcat).

2. Strategic Thinking Like an RTS/Chess Game

The left often gets bogged down in reactive, emotional, or ideological purity battles instead of long-term strategy. The right, meanwhile, plays a patient game (e.g., Federalist Society stacking courts, decades of libertarian/religious think tanks).
Key Moves:
- Localism: Focus on school boards, county elections, and state legislatures (where the right has dominated).
- Narrative Control: Stop engaging with bad-faith right-wing framing (e.g., "defund the police" was a gift to the right). Craft simple, positive messages (e.g., "Healthcare for All" beats "Medicare Expansion").
- Coalition Building: Prioritize shared goals (e.g., abortion rights, labor rights) over divisive internal fights. The right unites evangelicals, libertarians, and oligarchs despite contradictions; the left can unite labor, minorities, and youth.

3. The Left’s Messaging Problem

The right’s narrative is simple: "Restore traditional values/glory." The left’s messaging is often fragmented (e.g., "Abolish ICE" vs. "Immigration reform") or easily distorted (e.g., "CRT" panic).
Solutions:
- Simplify: Pick 2–3 universal goals (e.g., "Democracy, Dignity, Fair Wages").
- Humor/Memes: The right dominates meme culture; the left needs its own (e.g., "Dark Brandon" worked because it was playful and resilient to backlash).
- Pre-bunking: Actively define your terms before the right can (e.g., "DEI = Fairness for Everyone").

4. The Right’s Insanity is the Left’s Only Advantage

The left often wins by default (e.g., Republicans nominating unelectable extremists). But relying on this is dangerous—it’s how Hitler rose (the center-left assumed no one would vote for Nazis).
Proactive Steps:
- Electoral Pragmatism: Support the least-worst viable option (e.g., mainstream Dems) while building progressive power locally.
- Discrediting the Right: Amplify their extremism (e.g., Project 2025’s unpopular policies) without seeming hysterical.
- Alternative Institutions: Unions, co-ops, and community networks can build left-wing power outside electoral politics.

5. Cold Civil War Dynamics

The U.S. is in a "cold" conflict where the right seeks to exploit democratic systems to end democracy (e.g., gerrymandering, voter suppression). The left must:
- Play the long game: Focus on voter registration, judicial appointments, and constitutional safeguards.
- Deprive the right of oxygen: Economic policies that reduce despair (e.g., student debt relief undercutting incel/white supremacist recruitment).

Final Thought:

The left’s biggest weakness isn’t policy—it’s discipline. The right marches in lockstep; the left overthinks. To win:

Unite around a few clear goals.
Stop feeding the right’s outrage machine.
Build durable power (not just viral moments).

[–] Juliee@lemm.ee 3 points 1 day ago

What can invidual do to contribute?

An individual can have a meaningful impact by focusing on consistent, strategic actions that plant progressive seeds in their community, shift narratives, and build long-term power:

1. Shift Mindsets (The Battle of Ideas)

Talk to people outside your bubble.
- Most political change happens through personal relationships. Have calm, empathetic conversations with coworkers, family, or neighbors—focus on shared values (e.g., "Everyone deserves healthcare" vs. "Medicare for All").
- Use the "deep canvassing" method: Ask questions, listen, and share personal stories (studies show this changes minds better than facts).
Combat disinformation passively.
- Share positive progressive content (e.g., worker victories, policy successes) rather than endlessly debunking right-wing lies (which spreads them further).
- Use humor/memes (e.g., "Dark Brandon," "Unionize Your Starbucks")—emotion beats logic in viral messaging.
Be a "bridge" for normies.
- Avoid jargon ("abolish ICE," "ACAB")—reframe issues in accessible terms (e.g., "Accountable policing" or "Fair immigration rules").

2. Build Institutional Power

Join or support an existing group.
- Local: Unions, tenant unions, mutual aid networks, DSA chapters, progressive religious groups.
- National: Swing Left, Indivisible, MoveOn (for electoral work); ACLU, SPLC (for legal/civil rights).
- Key: Consistency matters more than bursts of activism. Attend meetings, volunteer skills (writing, design, organizing).
Disrupt right-wing networks.
- Support/watchdog groups (e.g., Bellingcat, Accountable Tech) that expose extremism.
- Pressure platforms to deplatform hate (e.g., mass-reporting violent content).
Run for something—or help someone who does.
- School boards, city councils, and state legislatures are where the right gained power. Groups like Run for Something train progressives to win locally.

3. Daily Actions (Small but Scalable)

Voter work:
- Register voters (especially young people) at concerts, fairs, or campuses.
- Volunteer as a poll worker (critical to combat right-wing "election fraud" narratives).
Money as a weapon:
- Donate to progressive candidates in swing districts (even $5 helps).
- Boycott/support businesses aligned with your values (e.g., unionized stores).
Skill-sharing:
- Offer your professional skills (coding, graphic design, legal help) to grassroots groups.

4. Psychological Warfare (Against the Right)

Deny them attention.
- Stop quote-tweeting Tucker Carlson or Ben Shapiro—it feeds their algorithm. Mock or ignore instead.
- Starve their propaganda: Share alternatives (e.g., left-wing podcasts, Substacks).
Flip their tactics:
- Use their nostalgia against them (e.g., "Real patriots tax the rich like FDR").
- Co-opt their symbols (e.g., "Make America Kind Again").

5. Protect Your Mental Health

Avoid burnout. The right thrives on outrage exhaustion. Limit doomscrolling; focus on actionable wins.
Celebrate small victories. Every union formed, every voter registered weakens the far right’s grip.

Most Important Rule:

Be the "water" (persistent, adaptable, everywhere), not the "rock" (rigid, easily avoided).
The right wins by being relentless; the left must out-persist them.

[–] Wilco@lemm.ee 20 points 2 days ago

You forgot to add the corporations raining down money on both sides to keep things this way.

[–] UrPartnerInCrime@sh.itjust.works 31 points 2 days ago (11 children)

Not shown: the people who hate the left side of this photo while yelling at the right side and not doing much else.

Atleast the elephant has his side doing whatever he wants. The donkey is stuck fighting a battle with no support.

Now yall go ahead and downvote since that's the full extent of your power

[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 14 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (9 children)

I know Republicans won’t listen to me.

I assume Democrats might.

After all, I vote in all their primaries.

Or does that mean they don’t have to care because who the hell else am I going to vote for in the general?

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[–] Pyr0@lemm.ee 15 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

We all need to do what we can do to fight back including civil disobedience. One of the most powerful but unfortunately forgotten ways of fighting back is protesting. The powers at be don’t like it because they have no control of the information. Reddit perm banned me for being too outspoken. So here I am. Please people rise up and get loud!!!

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[–] sad_detective_man@lemmy.blahaj.zone 16 points 2 days ago

imagine functioning as controlled opposition while not even being controlled opposition. those desk jobs are way too fucking nice

[–] disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world 14 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (46 children)

Are people not paying attention, or just love to blame Democrats? They’re not asking for compromises. They’re making clear demands and getting voted down. Most recently, the House Judiciary Committee voted on the deportations. Democrats insisted that citizens be exempt from deportation. Republicans voted them down. This is what happens when you have full Republican control of our government. Keep bitching about the minority party fighting for you, and this is here to stay.

You want fresh blood in the seats? Me too. Vote in the congressional midterm primaries next year. We all have a say in who sits in those seats, but only the elderly retirees show up for the vote.

[–] Soup@lemmy.world 20 points 2 days ago (1 children)

And they’ve been sitting on their hands for years even when they did have power. They routinely allow this shit to happen and it’s a little late to say them asking if maybe US citizens could be exempt shows how great they really are. Like, they should be demanding that any deportation needs far better scrutiny, and that would right there take care of the citizen part while also protecting so many others. It’s basically the meme we’re commenting on!

They aren’t protecting the US from shit, and it fucking shows. Your country is bad and you should feel bad, not be making excuses and complaining about Democrats not getting respect for unsuccessfully doing the bare minimum and then saying “guess that’s that.”

[–] disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world 15 points 2 days ago (1 children)

The only time in the last 30 years that Democrats had the same control that Republicans have now, was the 111th Congress. It was considered the most productive Congress since the 89th Congress.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/111th_United_States_Congress

[–] GeeDubHayduke@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 2 days ago (7 children)

Joe Biden took office directly after J6, allowed Garland to pull pud for four years, then got the biggest fucking stick an American president has ever gotten from the SC, and handed it to Trump.

I feel the Dems can take some blame.

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[–] EldritchFeminity@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 2 days ago (6 children)

100% of Dems voted in favor of Trump's first 2 picks for his cabinet, despite spending hours upon hours grilling them and talking about how unfit for the jobs they are.

It was only after they started getting outraged calls in the thousands per day compared to the usual 30 that they started voting against Trump's cabinet.

Look at Schumer and Pelosi. Or the party appointing a man practically on his deathbed over fresh blood to one of the most important positions in the party. A man who had to resign 4 months later, IIRC.

The Dems only offer up any real resistance when they're forced to by us. Otherwise, they vote no, voice a few complaints, and then go about their day like it's any other.

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[–] jjjalljs@ttrpg.network 8 points 2 days ago

Democrats should have demanded the removal of most of the republican party from office via the 14th amendment. Refuse to cooperate with this illegitimate government.

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[–] mriswith@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

They're not doing anything because they are complicit. The DNC and the majority of Democrats are completely fine with fascism as long as it does not impact themselves.

It's not even a question anymore, every single House Democrat proved it recently by voting in favor of the "Take it Down" act.

[–] untakenusername@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 day ago

It’s not even a question anymore, every single House Democrat proved it recently by voting in favor of the “Take it Down” act.

everyone voted for that except 2 republicans lol

this includes AOC, and i think bernie sanders, some didnt vote at all

[–] TankovayaDiviziya@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago

If you assume that Republicans will ever compromise, it makes an ass out of you and me.

/r/50501 Mirror