Among the most popular articles I’ve written is this one. It captured the suppression of anti-war views by the DNC in 2016. This isn’t surprising; Hillary Clinton was more hawkish than Donald Trump, and the Democrats are just as eager to appease the military-industrial complex as are Republicans (indeed, often more so).
America has two war parties, and this remains so to this day. And the mainstream media, which is basically owned by corporations dominated by military concerns, never challenges America’s culture of permanent war.
I can’t wait to witness all of the DNC’s super-delegates lining up behind a pro-war candidate (Biden? Harris? Booker?) in the summer of 2020. Once again, the lights will be shut off on those fighting for peace.
Honest passion at the DNC
W.J. Astore
Yes, there was a revealing moment at last night’s Democratic National Convention. No, it wasn’t President Obama’s soaring speech, or Joe Biden’s heartfelt appeal, or Tim Kaine’s “believe me” lampoon of Donald Trump. All these were scripted.
It was the anti-war protesters who spoke out against drone assassinations and war while former CIA Director and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta spoke.
Good for them. This democratic convention has been at pains to please the military. Last night, Panetta called the U.S. military our greatest national treasure. Obama repeated his claim that the U.S. military is the finest fighting force since Cain slew Abel. Tim Kaine opened his remarks by mentioning the Marines and shouting Semper Fi.
The Democrats are the new Republicans: they’re going “all in” on military boosterism and ra-ra patriotism.
Which is why the anti-war protest was so refreshing. End the…
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Bracing Views 
I could be wrong, of course, but as best as I can recall at a distance of many years and, now, many miles from the events of which I speak, the Democratic party was only considered anti-war from the the beginning of the 1968 Presidential campaign to early evening on election night, 1972. For those who don’t remember, that was not only the height of the anti-war protests but also the dawn of giving 18-year-olds the vote which, it was thought, would go big for an “anti-war” ticket in ’72. But it didn’t work out “according to plan”: McGovern got smoked at the polls and the DNC, remembering which side of its bread was buttered, went back to business as usual. Oh, there were a few ripples here and there, Jimmy Carter came and went,the occasional troublemaker in Congress, but otherwise ….
As my old telephone cable spicing partner Dusty used to say (always with tongue firmly planted in cheek), “Get on the team, son, get on the winning team.” Everybody’s a team player in D.C., regardless of what uniform they appear to be wearing or which side of the aisle they sit on.
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How true! And the “winning” team is definitely the military-industrial-media-Congressional complex, accounting for nearly two-thirds of federal discretionary spending (when you include Homeland Security, nukes, the VA, as well as the DoD).
Instead of peace, they all want a piece — of the action, that is, mainly weapons and wars.
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I give Trump thanks for two things…both regarding the subject of war.
1) He delivered us from Hillary forever more with a political stake through the heart, though with a big assist from the Democratic Party that nominated her.
2) To date he has kept us from going to war against Iran. I couldn’t be happier that a genuine nut, John Bolton, suddenly went silent on Iran and has remained so. Trump has also put a tight leash on Netanyahu, a guy long eager to see America take on Iran, but who cannot now give even a squeak about it because of Trump’s lavish gifting to Israel of our embassy in Jerusalem and a U.S. blessing on the Golan Heights.
PS: a great bumper sticker seen yesterday: ANY CAPABLE ADULT: 2020
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I sure as hell don’t miss Hillary. Deeply compromised and corporate-bought.
My favorite bumper sticker: “I’m already against the next war.”
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