Monday, March 25, 2019

Taking the Mueller Bait (and losing the focus)

I think the turning point for me was the end of 2017. I went home for the holidays and I saw that cable news (particularly MSNBC) had been overtaken by the Russia-Russia-Russia question. My inbox started to fill with emails from Dem groups seeking donations by using the Mueller investigation as an outrage point. Any Mueller insult Trump tweeted not only reverberated with his fans, but it vibrated in the Dem echo chamber. A limited-scope investigation was now bait for not only the media but fundraising. Mueller speculations caused this endless glee in both GOP and Dem speakers and it made me feel like I was being played. Mueller was our hope and savior. Mueller was the devil incarnate. Mueller was going to save democracy. Mueller was going to hand the White House to the Dems on a silver platter. It seemed like Dems were surrendering tons of valid anti-Trump arguments and focusing in on just one thing. I still followed the news and was intrigued by Mueller, but it didn't deserve all of my time and energy. House Dem candidates showed that when they just forgot about Mueller and ran on progressive ideas they trounced the Republican party. But progressive ideas are not really what mainstream Dems want to talk about b/c many of the party leaders are bought by corporations. And corporate media doesn't want to talk about progressives ideas b/c its antithetical to its business model. So the Russian probe served as a point of mutual agreement: they had no control over it, it was a silent investigation so endless speculation could abound, and they could fundraise on any Trump tweet.

Don't get me wrong: I think the investigation was important and I followed verified indictments. The process led to over 30 Trump officials being indicted and/or found guilty. It also helped launched dozens of investigations at the federal and state level that will continue. I still want to see the full report and I think AG Barr is shady as hell. But Mueller IS NOT the answer. It was a legal investigation. it wasn't a witch hunt, nor was it the left-wing salvation. I want a Dem party and MSNBC that is not held hostage by this narrow issue. Dems can and do beat the GOP when they talk about issues in clear thematic tones. No middle American voters are being swayed by Russian interference (which they did). They are being swayed by healthcare, unions, gun violence. Yes, the Russian gov and mafia support Trump b/c they have deep financial ties. But guess what: deep financial ties are not collusion. Is it corruption? Hell yes, but it is 100% legal corruption. Our system is compromised by dark money and lobbyist, but it is legal. A prosecutor can't put someone in jail for being a scumbag when American politics rewards the behavior. As AOC said, 90% of the heinous and corrupt stuff in US politics is legal. So maybe run on changing that. But if you do run on cleaning up the system, that means that Dems have to be clean too. In 2020 they have to be a better party than the one that currently exists. They have to embrace progressive issues, talk about campaign corruption, and have leadership (Pelosi and Schumer) willing to change or get out of the way.

2020 is around the corner. I hope everyone gets prosecuted through the SDNY and DC courts...AND I hope Dems run on being the change they want to see.

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