Since unsurprisingly the Redscare people are going fash, it would be good to know who's a grifter and who's not. What's your predictions?

My predictions:

Grifters:

  1. Zizek
  2. AOC
  3. 1-2 from Cumtown (it's anyone's guess)

Not Grifters

  1. The Deprogram Boys (ok I'm still in honeymoon)
  2. Jezza (obviously)
  3. Richard Wolfe & Harriet Fraad
  4. Viki1999
  • footfaults [none/use name]
    ·
    2 years ago

    I'd put :flattened-bernie: in the Not Grifters column because he spent like 40 years being a back-bencher, until 8 years ago when everyone came around to his point of view. But I could be convinced otherwise.

    • HamManBad [he/him]
      ·
      2 years ago

      He's grifting on the technicality that he claims to be a democratic socialist but is actually a social Democrat, but if he's graded on the curve of American politics he comes out looking very good

      • aaro [they/them, she/her]
        ·
        2 years ago

        I agree that this was a colossal L, but he's still done more for America's left than literally any other living human in the last fifty years so I think we can put him in the "critical support" bin in good faith

        • CommCat [none/use name]
          ·
          2 years ago

          I don't care about America's "Left" if all it means is free college and healthcare for the Imperial core. Yeah some on the lower rung of Murican society has it tough, but nothing compared to the absolute death and devastation that the US Empire brings. If the American "Left" does nothing about trying to dismantle its Empire to not put off potential lib voters, they are just as dangerous to the global south as anyone on the Right. American succdems hate Russia and China, but the Global South sees Russia and China as a counter balance to US imperialism, US succdems are on the wrong side of history.

          • aaro [they/them, she/her]
            ·
            2 years ago

            I agree. I don't think Bernie is a leftist. I'm claiming he's responsible for the introduction of more actual leftists to politics than any other American. He has been against more wars than most politicians, but his real value is as part of the pipeline.

          • CheGueBeara [he/him]
            ·
            2 years ago

            "A better world is possible" is an unfortunately necessary step before anti-imperialism for most. We got a bunch of commies from Bernie's SocDem nonsense and we'll get even more if we become effective at capitalizing on those same sentiments. We should be anti-imperialist and hardliners on it, but Bernie et al provide us with people to radicalize.