Hardkill

The Republican party also did him dirty. However, he ultimately has no one to blame, but himself.

Most people used to trust and truly believe in the government before Reagan became president.

This does resemble the hyper-partisan media environment that the US had during the late 1800s (Gilded Age), which was a big factor why the country back then was extremely polarized. We desperately need some kind of way to put a major check on all of these media echo chambers that have kept propagated extreme idealogical talking points, particularly from those on the right-wing.

I think the polls are now underestimated Harris's strength. They've been underestimating the strength of Democrats in the polls since 2022 and have been overestimating the strength of Trump and the GOP since 2022. Trump did much worst than expected in the 2024 GOP primaries. Besides, what most people don't realize is that polls months or weeks out from an election have no predictive value in the grand scheme of things because they've always been affected by too much change and too many errors.

I sincerely doubt it. Again, nobody knows for certain whom he has been taking more votes from. The sample sizes in all of those polls that include dRFK jr. were way too small to parse out for certain how many of his supporters were left-leaning and how many of his supporters were right-leaning and how many of his supporters were moderates. RFK jr. has been completely all over the place in terms of what he stood for. If anything, many of his voters and supporters are more than likely going to feel so betrayed by this along with the fact that they've always hated both parties that they'll decide to just stay home and not vote at all at the top of the ticket. Even Cenk, FWIW, really doesn't think this will really help Trump: Otherwise, yes RFK jr. has become a very despicable and mentally ill person.

Good call, Leo! I and a number of other commentators out there also lately had a feeling that RFK jr. was going to end his campaign this way. I am very relieved about this. Contrary to what many pundits and pollsters have been saying out there, with RFK jr. now having dropped out of the race, this will help Harris win the election because there are no longer any third party candidates who will pose as a serious threat to spoiling the election in any way. Democrats should perhaps now keep an eye on Jill Stein and Cornel West, but their polling numbers have dropped so much that they've only polling at about half of a percent to approx. 1 percent of the total votes at the most, respectively. So, there's no way that either Stein or West could cause the no third party key to turn against Harris and the Democrats as long as their poll numbers stay down that low if not drop even lower (which is probable).

Well, that's why I am still not 100% clear on that yet.

What consequences would there be for that, exactly?

I've noticed that the political polarization in developed countries such as Canada, UK, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, etc. hasn't been nearly as great as it has been in the US. Do you any of you have any thoughts on why this is?

So, I guess things are going to continue to get worse until they get better with this issue. However, I can't see this problem getting better for the foreseeable future. I wish I knew how long will we all will have to suffer from this.

But we need a supermajority of Dems to pass real major progressive policies like during the New Deal era and the Great Society era. Otherwise, we are going to have to get rid of the filibuster in Senate. The Republicans no longer want anything good to pass Congress. Btw, what do you think about progressive media like TYT and Secular Talk? Do you think that their messaging has helped pushed our country forward towards progressivism or has their rhetoric only made things worse by further increasing the political polarization in our country?

Well, they've definitely winning big elections since 2018. But it's so maddening how close many of these elections have been in recent years and how much political power the Republicans still have even though they are so unpopular.

Maybe when Trumpism and MAGA go away or maybe when our country becomes greatly depolarized then we can go back to having much more substantive discussion about policies. Btw, do you think that the progressives and Democrats are still losing the messaging war? Or do you think that they have made real progress with fighting back against the Republicans and the extreme right-wing?

This is actually the kind of stuff that both Cenk and James Carville have been advocating for for a long time now. I hear what you're saying @aurum but I feel like we have no choice but to do whatever it takes to stop the radical right wing as long as it's legal.

Yeah, I get it now. I fear that we may have to suffer from the ills of hyper-capitalism until the end of our lives? I am afraid that all of our freedoms in our country could all be all gone within the next 30 to 40 decades, especially if Trump becomes president again. The terror of corporate greed and the radical right-wing will enslave our country if we don't figure this problem out before it becomes too late. May God help us all.

Yeah, but it doesn't seem as bad or as frightening as it has become in our country

Thank you everyone for all of your responses. The points you guys have made here make a lot of sense. but now, why do you guys think that there was much greater unity in American politics during the 1900s and early 2000s, particularly during the golden era of politics in the mid 1900s? Was it because the country during the 20th century was much more stage Blue and less stage Orange? Was it because the country had a stronger need for unity during WW1, WWII, the Cold War, and post 9/11 during the Bush presidency? Was it because it much less people during those times dared to question the establishment and new sources before the 2000s? Was it because the parties during the 1900s were much more similar to each in terms of what each of them stood for, especially during the mid 1900s? Was it because the end of Jim Crow laws by the late 60s followed by the growing influence of corporate lobbying in our country ever since the mid 70s? Was it because of Reaganism in the 1980s and then Trumpism in the 2010s? Was it because of the repeal of the Fairness Doctrine in 1987 and Democrats for decades did a terrible job with fighting the messaging war since then? Was it because there was little to no internet usage and no social media before the 2010s?

So, the media isn’t divided in countries like the U.K., Canada, France, and Australia?

Yeah, the Republican party ruined all of it. They used to be for all of the same social values as the Democrats have been.

That's true! I think if we can eliminate the stark contrast in social values between both parties then I think our government could go back to being a much more functional and beneficial institution for the people.

I have a lot of respect for his brilliant accomplishments and incredible work ethic. However, people like are still a great liability to our economy. Keeps me up at night.

Most people didn't perceive FDR, Truman, JFK, and LBJ to be radical left commies back in their days. Only right-wing Republicans accused them of that. Hell, you might as well say that Teddy Roosevelt or Woodrow Wilson were socialists or communists because of their progressive policies. It's time to stop apologizing for being a liberal or progressive as long as you're not an extreme left-winger.

I think that if Musk values his life then he should be extremely worried about the very high likelihood of an immense violent labor strike happening at his company one day like what happened during the Gilded Age if he doesn't stop being so greedy. He is a prime example of what a robber baron or corporate tyrant is in the 21st century. I wouldn't even be surprised if he becomes partially responsible for the next economic depression we will inevitably experience if the alarming levels of extreme economic inequality in our country doesn't reverse fast enough.

(Sighs)…..I wish our country could go back to being dominated by the liberal era of politics like it was during the New Deal era and the mid-1900s.

But if most people in America like equality or fairness, then how do you reconcile that with the fact that most americans are pro-status quo and are tradition-oriented?