#wearetheworst

[relationshipsandpolitics]

Why I Can’t Be Hopeful

I’ve never been confused for an optimist.  I’m cynical by nature, which probably is more of a necessary evil compared to a genuinely good attribute. So I often find it difficult to be a supporter of the Revolution people like Bernie Sanders are calling for, even though I wholeheartedly support the aims. Despite how they are portrayed, revolutions are generally positive and optimistic  To believe in a revolution means believing positive change can happen.  It is an innately uplifting message.  Yes we can! If we come together, we can change the world!

But I’m immersed in the world of politics enough to know that the revolution probably won’t happen.  The revolution means Medicare for All, a policy so obvious that it seems insane we need to do heavy lifting to convince others of its merits.  And yet here we are, where the majority of Democratic candidates for president won’t support it because it’s too expensive (insert your reminder that we spend nearly a trillion a year in defense spending and your other reminder that Medicare for All would actually reduce spending on health care).

But Bernie has built a movement, you say.  True, a largely successful movement by many metrics.  And yet, at the end of the day, the top contenders for the Democratic nominee for the Presidency voice opposition for the basic tenets of that movement.  Instead, they advocate for incremental change.  

Ah, incremental change.  The establishment, the money, the “people who know politics” have been advocating a strategy of implement change for Democrats for decades.  They believe that small improvements would lead to more meaningful change than massive improvements because reasons.   That’s how we get Obamacare, a marginal improvement of a system that is inherently garbage.  It’s the quintessential example of putting lipstick on a pig.  

It’s this idea of small improvements that makes me lose all hope for genuine change.  Because while Democrats have been tinkering around the edges of progressive policy, Republicans have gone full-steam ahead with monumentally  draconian policy.  They’ve put hundreds of poorly-qualified conservative judges on the courts, ensuring no progressive policy will be enacted for decades to come.  Hell, they confirmed an outright racist with literally no judicial experience for an appeals court!

Republicans in power have passed trillion-dollar tax cuts for the rich, got us bogged down in never-ending wars in the Middle East and central Asia, enacted  legislation which attacked reproductive rights and installed enough judges to protect those bills in the courts, and restricted voting rights to a level not seen since Reconstruction.  The Republican agenda has been revolutionary in its extremism and scope.  While Democrats have been hemming and hawing about slow changes, Republicans have been successfully reshaping this country in their image.   Despite overwhelming advantages in registered voters, Republicans still control most state legislatures and have packed the courts to protect their partisan gerrymandered districts. 

When Democrats have gained control, have they repealed these sweeping changes?  Of course not.  They have maintained Bush’s wars, have only made modest tax increases, and adopted Republican plans on health care.  Oh, and they also supported the $80 billion hike in defense spending pushed by Trump.  Remember too that Obama also detained refugees and separated families.  

I have no hope for genuine change because Democrats don’t seem to want it.  Consider that even among Democratic primary voters, Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg are front runners.   Even if Bernie or Elizabeth Warren pull off the win, the Senate will at best be narrowly controlled by the Democrats.  They won’t be able to muster 60 votes on any meaningful legislation.  Then the midterms will happen and the Democrats will lose a large number of seats, maybe even losing the Senate to boot.  So the progressive revolution has maybe two years before control switches.  There is nothing that can be done during this time, save some executive orders that Trump’s judges will undoubtedly overturn.  So the Democrats will push some modest improvements.  Policies people like Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema can support.  Workers will continue getting screwed.  Health care costs will continue to bankrupt people, and housing will become increasingly unaffordable.

Then, another Republican will get elected and that tiny step forward we had taken will jump 5 steps back again.  Republicans are evil, but Democrats are the WORST. They have no convictions.  They aren’t willing to sacrifice or take a risk on something they believe in.  

Nothing will change because we don’t actually want it to change.  We are ok with letting people die because they lack health insurance.  We are ok with people working 80 hours a week to barely afford rent.  We are ok with our kids having to take out $200,000 in loans just to make $50,000 a year.  Because it requires nothing of us. We haven’t been asked to sacrifice for some time now, and we’ve gotten complacent. We’ve lost the will to seek change. 

So this holiday season, maybe I’ll splurge on a a nice bottle of Scotch. I haven’t really earned it, but the government insists on taxing me so little I might as well spend my money. I’d rather spend it on giving my fellow citizen health care and improving my own, but oh well.  Scotch numbs the pain almost as well. 

[tinasixx]

SQUEEEEE @gda knows something I don’t know and they are typing back! P.S. heehee they didn’t spill the beans and I still know nothing ❤️ #GreenDay #greendayfans #wearetheworst #wearethebest @greenday @billiejoearmstrong @mikedirnt @trecool @longshot @deadmermaids I AM SO EXCITED WHAT IS GOING ON?? Excited. Ok. Fun Is fun. I don’t wanna have the surprise spoiled. I will be quiet and good. I don’t know anything anyway. Hi. (at Toronto C•A•N•A•D•A) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8C2p4rA0WH/?igshid=u00z0rzvq1dg

[wearetheworst1-blog]

#WeAreTheWorst

[terchablue]

Feeling like an #urban #trekker - #WeAreTheWorst @marcandrewsmith • • • #bernhardwillhelm #camperxbernhardwillhelm #kicks #sneakers #trainers #sneakergram #sneakerfreaker #sneakeraddict #designspain #kickstagram #sneakerfreak #techniccolor (at Toronto, Ontario)

[somegalsandagame]

Just kidding, we’re starting even later! #wearetheworst

Happy Dragon-mas!

It is the opinion of Bekah that all holidays should include dragons. Therefore, she and Kristal will be playing Dragon Age this Saturday, December 23rd!

That’s right, on Christmas Eve Eve we’ll be playing with some dragons! (We’ll be sure to take some safety precautions, don’t worry.) And there might be some special holiday-themed mods involved! 

As always, find us at 8pm CST on Twitch! JOIN US OR DIE(t)* 

Some Gals would also like to take this (holiday) opportunity to say Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy (belated) Hanukkah, and Merry Yule to everyone! We love you all! 

*DIET: a fate worse than death. 

[alanjosoncreative]

Seriously need to work on our selfie-happy-full-belly-face. #wearetheworst #twofie #joson375mtl — view on Instagram http://ift.tt/2BXGgou

[bofu]

His and hers #fredperry #backtoschool #shoes #toocute #wearetheworst

[elyssaphillips]

This is what it looks like when funny females apply to #dcm18 ... #wearetheworst #ucb

[kendrathenerdgirl]

Chillin' at the commune tabes in a seafood biker bar. #youretheworst #wearetheworst #butoysterstho #beerandclamato (at Neptune's Net Seafood)

[jaxelouise]

Even though we spent most of it at J's work (and I spent a while later in the night napping in a uhaul in the cold) it was still one of my favorite NYE celebrations...I feel so lucky that we have each other, and that there are such cool things on our horizon--2016 is going to rock!! #happynewyear #newyearinportland #adventures #lovethisguy #wearetheworst #lastnight #cutehumans

[wearetheworst1-blog]

WeAreTheWorst, bring you that high offense heat.

[hustlaofculture]

Philadelphia sports we make records for all the wrong reasons.But yet we're still proud of our city and teams because thats all we have. Keep digging my friends.Keep digging Sixers push for the first pick.#KeepDiggingMyFriends#phillysports#WeAreTheWorst#LetsGoSixers.

[suchaklutz]

A pretty quality #cardsagainsthumanity round - some great new Lush product ideas! #lushpennantthrills #lush #wearetheworst

[empty----spaces]

Rachel and i are the best kind of buddy pals. We're family. Also drinking for more then a couple hours helped

[gracefulgarbage]

Happy birthday @marissacuevas ; you, [& night swims in the Pacific obvs], are one of my biggest reasons to miss the city of angels. #ilysm and our #fashionadventures. Cheers dollface, you're flawless. #wearetheworst (at corner of sentiment and nostalgia)

[shmapril]

Mel being the cutest lil piece of hipster trash I ever did see 😆 #freindventure #detroit #wearetheworst