General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Who was the last president who wasn't a "corporatist" ? [View all]MineralMan
(146,393 posts)Here's my point: In 2014, we elected Republican majorities to control both houses of Congress. I can't see any way that is beneficial, can you? The quest for perfection should never prevent people from working to make improvements, no matter how small.
In 2016, we will have a chance to reverse that Congressional imbalance. Electing a Democratic President is part of that opportunity. If we fail to do that by not voting for whomever is the nominee, we will lose any chance to regain control of Congress and allow the Republicans to set the course for another four years.
It is impossible to completely reform our political and economic system quickly. It cannot be done. Politics is about incremental change. If we lose sight of that in our quest for the ideal, we will lose in far more important ways.
Am I a pragmatist? You bet your ass I am. I live in a real world, in a real economy, and in a real society. Reality is my guide to working to accomplish goals. Blind optimism leads to failure in a system that selects its leaders by something resembling a majority vote. We're either in the majority or the other side wins. So, yes, I'm a pragmatist.