W.J. Astore
A friend sent along a story from The Intercept about a spoiled corporate Democrat running for the Senate in Wisconsin. The article’s title reads like satire but it’s all-too-telling of our American moment: Son of Wall Street Mogul Running for Wisconsin Senate Seat Was Pleasantly Surprised Milwaukee Is a Normal City: “What most surprised me,” said Alex Lasry, “is the fact that Milwaukee has all the same things as any city,” citing bars, restaurants, and an art scene.
Who knew Milwaukee was so sophisticated. Even an “art scene”! Alex Lasry sure has his finger on the pulse of the people. We need more Senators like him, moneyed and smug and elitist — and ignorant too. He’s perfect.
Some more details about the career arc of Alex Lasry, which is short and not bending toward justice:
Though he doesn’t note it in his bio, Lasry began as an intern at Goldman Sachs during college, while Lasry’s father was a major Goldman Sachs client. Marc Lasry was a bundler for Barack Obama’s 2012 presidential campaign, gathering $500,000 for his reelection, and he led a Wall Street effort to restore relations with the White House after the president mildly criticized the financial sector. His son then scored an internship in the White House in the Office of Public Engagement, run by senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, who was one of the White House’s key links to the CEO class. The White House gig was his first job out of college, and he rose through the ranks of the office. From there, he returned to Goldman Sachs as an analyst in their government affairs department.
More recently, Alex Lasry helped lead the effort to bring the Democratic National Convention to Milwaukee in 2020 as finance chair of the city’s host committee. Lasry was also in the news this month for getting his Covid-19 vaccine, though the state’s 69-year-old governor had yet to get his.
Vitally important people like Lasry, who’s 33 years old, obviously need the Covid vaccine and pronto. I’m 57 and my wife and I joke that our scheduled date for the Covid vaccine is the 12th of never. But, heck, who are we?
It’s sure nice to see the Democratic Party so focused on “everyday” people, as Hillary Clinton called them. There are few people more down to earth, more relatable, than Goldman Sachs royalty or those like Hillary who take their money.
And the Democrats wonder why so many Americans saw and continue to see a clown like Trump as a viable alternative. One thing you can say for Trump: as much as he lies, there is an honesty to him. He’s a rich blowhard who’s out for himself and he doesn’t care who knows it. Limousine liberals are more circumspect, or more hypocritical if we’re being blunt, which makes Trump’s naked greed seem strangely refreshing.
Finally, maybe America should be more honest with itself and just elect Senator Goldman Sachs, Senator Raytheon, Senator Walmart, Senator Lockheed Martin, Senator Monsanto, and so on. Then again, why should the puppeteers come out from behind the curtain when the senatorial puppets they control are dancing so prettily and obediently?
Addendum: Of course, examples of GOP senatorial hypocrisy are legion; consider this article by David Sirota. Ready for a third party, anyone?
Bracing Views 
Well said, Mr. Astore. Every election the Democrats start asking themselves why a large chunk of the electorate hates them with a vengeance. Why don’t they start with their hypocrisy and incompetence first?
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Exactly so. But introspection and self-awareness are rare qualities. It’s so much easier for the Democrats to blame Trump, or Mitch, or Putin, or even people like me for critiquing them when I should obviously be cheering for them as “better than Trump and QAnon” etc.
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Dr. Cornel West knows the score. Both parties serve militarism, Wall Street, a massive prison system, and predatory capitalism. Highly recommend this video; watch Brother Cornel sing along with Brother Jimmy at the end 🙂
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Hallelujah! Amen brothers…
It felt like being in church with a higher power pulsing through thought processes that will liberate us if we are willing to be baptized in their deep refreshing pools….
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Somewhat off-subject, but I saw an ad for a WSJ article on “when to leave your job” as a baby boomer. And I thought, how can people leave their jobs when their health care for themselves and their families is most often tied to work?
How many Americans are stuck in undesirable jobs precisely because they fear losing their health care benefits? A national health care plan would truly help with labor mobility — and of course health, wellness, stress levels, debt levels, etc.
But both parties, Dems and Repubs, are against a single-payer health care plan. More bipartisan unity!
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Sorry, Professor, but I can’t join your enthusiasm for the former guy’s greed and twisted brand of honesty, however sarcastic you may be. Naked greed preferable to hidden greed? In my book, both are equally despicable.
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Back in 2016 I read an article concerning “Corporate Democrats and Limousine Liberals” when Bernie was seriously upsetting Hillary’s March to be President.
The article discussed the so-called Liberal Elite 1%, that was funding Hillary. The Liberal Elite 1% could in a manner of speaking afford to be “Liberal” on the Cultural-Social Warfare Front. They were engaging in Triangulation for the various groups in the Democratic Party.
This Group of Elite Corporate Democrats and Limousine Liberals saw Bernie Sanders as a serious threat to their position as Power Brokers. Sanders messaging was to the Proles and the brutal class warfare of the 1%.
The Trumpet came at it in a different way appealing to the Proles Social and Cultural grievances of Political Correctness, with The Trumpet the dog whistles and code words, were replaced by The Trumpet’s brash, bullying style of Male-Macho Authoritarianism.
Biden like Obama before him is the safe choice for Corporate Democrats and Limousine Liberals.
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You can learn something everyday – Yesterday I learned a new word: “chumocracy”.
From The Guardian by Polly Toynbee:
The Covid contracts furore is no surprise – Britain has long been a chumocracy. From questionable appointments to toothless watchdogs, favours to friends is the Conservatives’ modus operandi. The Guardian has already revealed that the medical regulator is investigating Alex Bourne, health secretary Matt Hancock’s ex-neighbour, who won £30m of work producing medical vials, despite having no experience in the field. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/feb/22/cronyism-britain-rampant-banana-republic-covid-contracts-government
As you read this article you may pick-up the same theme I did. “Chumocracy” like Corona has long infected America.
Now bear with me people. The occupant of the White House, Democrat or Republican looks to the Wall Street Bull Pen. If you need a Lefty, the Wall Street Bull Pen will provide that, vice versa is true too. The bottom line is this Bull Pen is not playing for the People, they are playing for Team Wall Street. Team Wall Street is the ultimate “Chumocracy”.
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I’m going to miss one of my inspirations. Lawrence Ferlinghetti championed many causes that meant so much to those who were trying to speak out! He wasn’t shy about his opposition to the powerful in high places and lent his voice and pen to the cause of stopping war. What a wonderful difference one life has made.
Here’s a good article about some of his accomplishments. Your light will never fade kind sir.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/feb/23/lawrence-ferlinghetti-poet-founder-city-lights-bookshop-dies-aged-101?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
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