The Retail Politics of Reality Island Elections

Tuesday, August 11

So Joe Biden picks Kamala Harris. This is like a rerun of Al Gore picking Joe Lieberman. Or Walter Mondale and Geraldine Ferraro.

Everyone who has ever suffered from 24 percent and up interest rates on credit card debt can count on Harris to make Biden feel terrible about having facilitated that exploitation. And any college graduate floundering under student debt can count on Harris to make Biden feel equally bad about having retained that imposition when bankruptcy laws were revised.

Say what? — Just seeing if you’re paying attention.

Take note that it was easy enough in the primary debates for Harris to attack Biden about busing. You’ll notice she said nothing about his corporate allegiances. And that’s because she is even more firmly an advocate of economic exploitation.

Biden is proud of how he has kicked working people to the curb. Just like Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

What choice do working people have at this point? Not much.

Trump is a monster. An illiterate monster. I found him utterly repulsive when he was a “reality TV star,” and he has only transmogrified in the years since.

On the other hand, both Biden and Harris are the opposite of Shirley Chisholm, who was “unbought and unbiased.” (When I typed that phrase, the computer changed it to “unsought and unbiased.”) The Big Banks are perfectly happy with the Democratic ticket in 2020. Unlike 2008, when Obama’s campaign might have given them a few sleepless nights, Biden and Harris will reassure the Big Banks from the start that they have nothing to fear.

The disappointment is not surprising.

What’s surprising is that I allow myself to feel disappointed.

* *. *

Post-Script:
According to the L.A. Times, I am not alone in my disappointment.
Both Tony Jolly, whose enterprise is the Hot and Cool Cafe in Leimert Park, and Melina Abdullah, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Los Angeles, wanted Biden to pick Karen Bass. I would say that all of us who wanted Biden to pick Bass are consoled by the fact that at least he made a choice that will improve his chances of defeating Trump.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-08-12/kamala-harris-vp-california-reaction

Comments are closed.