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US Political Conventions: Scripted Theater Without Substance

Written by Subject: United States

US Political Conventions: Scripted Theater Without Substance

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

This year's virtual format aside, Dem and GOP conventions are well-rehearsed, scripted Hollywood sound stage-like productions.

They feature mass deception, bombast over substance, slogans and one-liners over solutions, along with promises made to be broken, bashing the other wing of the one-party state and its presidential candidate.

Both parties are two sides of the same dirty business as usual coin, not a dime's worth of difference between them on issues mattering most — notably forever wars over peace, corporate empowerment over governance serving everyone equitably, and police state toughness over the rule of law.

Democracy exists in name only, wrapped in the American flag.

Monied interests in cahoots with party bosses run things for their own self-interest. Voters have no say over how the US is run or by whom.

Duopoly power excludes independents, key outcomes are predetermined. 

Horse race reporting substitutes for journalism the way it's supposed to be — only from reliable alternative sources, never from establishment media, operating exclusively as press agents for powerful interests.

Most often, around half of eligible voters opt out because what matters most to them isn't addressed no matter who controls the White House or Congress.

US history and its ruling class reflect broken promises, broken laws, broken treaties, broken hope, and betrayal of the public trust.

Obama promised hope and change, peace in our time, observance of democratic values, ending torture and illegal spying, a "new era of openness," closing Guantanamo in one year, "two states (Israel and Palestine) living side by side in peace and security," affordable healthcare for all Americans — among other pledges he systematically breached.

Trump replicated his betrayal of the public trust, braking virtually every positive campaign and inaugural address promise made to ordinary Americans.

His tenure is marked by serving privileged interests exclusively at the expense of exploited Americans.

He escalated wars by hot and other means on nations threatening no one.

Domestically, he accelerated an unprecedented transfer of wealth from ordinary people to powerful monied interests.

He's waging war on unwanted immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers from the wrong countries, along with ordinary Americans he doesn't give a hoot about.

America's deplorable state worsened on his watch, including by further erosion of the rule of law, as well as abandoning one international treaty and agreement after another.

Surrounding himself with right-wing extremists risks greater wars than already if given a second term.

The ACLU called policies of his regime "an assault on the Constitution," adding:

His agenda "blatantly violate(s) the inalienable rights guaranteed (all Americans) by the" supreme law of the land.

His regime systematically breached the First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, and 14th Amendments to the Constitution.

Both right wings of the US one-party state long ago proved that the nation's political process is too deeply debauched to fix.

No one is allowed to hold high executive, congressional, judicial, or bureaucratic posts who doesn't support continuity.

No matter how often voters are fooled, they're easy marks to be deceived again. 

Jimmy Carter once called America's process "one of the (world's) worst…because of the excessive influx of money."

The US is the only nation where campaigning never ends. Fundraising is constant. The money chase is a daily affair.

Incumbents, aspirants, and their staff spend inordinate amounts of time and effort soliciting big bucks, their souls for sale at the right price to large donors.

The US political system is testimony to how absolute power corrupts absolutely.

It's way too late for scattered reforms. Transformational change is needed, nonviolent popular revolution the only solution.

Elections achieve nothing, why voting in the US is a waste of time. Each cycle produces the same result.

On major issues, Dems and Republicans differ by party label alone.

Three nights of scripted Dem addresses featured customary boilerplate remarks, one more to go, Republicans in the wings, their turn coming next week.

According to Real Clear Politics, an average of polls through August 18 shows Biden leading Trump by a 7.6 point margin — some polls giving the Dem aspirant a double-digit lead.  

Establishment media overwhelmingly favor Biden over Trump — the same true in 2016 for Hillary but she lost.

The NYT virtually functioned as her press agent, repeating its one-sided reporting for Biden/Harris now.

On August 19, its editors featured what they know is fake news, headlining: 

"The Trump Campaign Accepted Russian Help to Win in 2016 (sic). Case Closed (sic). It was a plot against American democracy (sic)."

The above and volumes more like it is typical rubbish from the self-styled newspaper of record.

Instead of criticizing Trump for the right reasons, ignoring his worst wrongdoing, Times reporting about him seeks revenge for defeating media darling Hillary in 2016.

The Russian US election meddling hoax was long ago debunked. 

Yet it keeps resurfacing like a bad aftertaste or heartburn from acid reflux. 

Most people are manipulated to believe almost anything by the power of endless repetition — notably by establishment media.

The Times is going all-out to avoid a repeat of 2016, quoting Hillary saying:

"This can't be another woulda, coulda, shoulda election" in endorsing Biden.

For three nights, Dem party bosses hauled out the usual cast of characters to endorse Biden/Harris and bash Trump.

Obama broke with tradition of not criticizing a successor by name, saying the following:

"Donald Trump hasn't grown into the job, because he can't."

A string of pejoratives followed, ignoring his own eight years of betraying the public trust — Biden partnering in a record only militarists and monied interests could love.

The former vice president is no "agent of change," like Obama and their predecessors assuring continuity if elected.

For nearly half a century as US senator and VP, Biden's domestic and geopolitical agendas were and continue to be polar opposite world peace and governance serving all Americans equitably — notions he opposed throughout his public life.

That's why he's considered presidential material.

Whether he or Trump triumphs on election day, US governance will continue supporting privileged interests exclusively over the public welfare like always before.

For voters on November 3, the choice between Trump and Biden is either death by firing squad or hanging.

VISIT MY WEBSITE: stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman). Contact at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

My two Wall Street books are timely reading:

"How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized Banking, Government Collusion, and Class War"

https://www.claritypress.com/product/how-wall-street-fleeces-america/

"Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity"

https://www.claritypress.com/product/banker-occupation-waging-financial-war-on-humanity/

www.BlackMarketFridays.com