Can Biden Govern?

[Bob Armstrong]

For any interested, there is more information on Democratic Marxism on the Fb page of The Democratic Marxist Party of Ontario (https://www.facebook.com/Democratic-...10768894126939).

Bob A

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Dilip: The foundational document of DM, besides the Communist Manifesto, is a document I wrote called: The Father's Day Manifesto. It is pinned to the top of the Democratic Marxist Global Institute's Fb page: (https://www.facebook.com/Democratic-...dmin_todo_tour).

It sets out both the long-term goals of Democratic Marxism and the strategy for implementation through the ballot box.

Bob A

[Dilip Panjwani]

Hi Dilip: As far as I know, I am not involved in any secret cult!!

The Fb page of the Democratic Marxist Global Institute (https://www.facebook.com/Democratic-...dmin_todo_tour) & its Fb discussion group, Democratic Marxist Global Forum (https://www.facebook.com/groups/2045...ref=nf&__xts__[0]=68.ARB5MaP7fzlN9ItgmSkMWzv60Rd9mIxsQIkIgIa6_Guh2MGR6mV82GdH-IxgmiiVaJcZ-NLi7Cz46VX0nn78clmPjd-pttzlYPR9dmEubTBnBdnGohd0bl3Fy4k02cb3BVHNVOcfjANvEEUCRw6k1IZDDsZV6l9V1Id5_NomySGWmEpA3Inygttyrt3-jYH1m1M50W3d94tVElUVaZ-SrM-WZ4BkYEj0ZYF5Y5X2d7KRG_MQJtND8fXyDSkU0F1I4FVHkI_eoiyOazUgCRS0lmfetiENOGsaJPb6MfuHzQ92-u7gMI_E8888fus), are "public" - any Fb member can see everything. And group members post and comment and react.

Nothing is hidden, and we are open to answering all questions as well as we can.

Bob A

Bob, I have no doubt about the fact that you are too good a person to be involved with any secret cult; but it would help if on their FB page, the DMG forum/institute/movement would at a minimum tell us clearly what they are moving towards, and why...

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Sam: The Democratic Marxist Global Institute (DMGI) does not yet have a website.......current lack of funds and volunteer website designers.......but eventually!

Two books that are helpful, and on the 2021 DM Reading List (I can post it if requested by a ChessTalk member), are:

1. The New Democratic Theory – Kenneth Megill
2. Chile's Democratic Road to Socialism – Michael H. Fleet
   
   Bob A

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Dilip: As far as I know, I am not involved in any secret cult!!

The Fb page of the Democratic Marxist Global Institute (https://www.facebook.com/Democratic-...dmin_todo_tour) & its Fb discussion group, Democratic Marxist Global Forum (https://www.facebook.com/groups/2045...ref=nf&__xts__[0]=68.ARB5MaP7fzlN9ItgmSkMWzv60Rd9mIxsQIkIgIa6_Guh2MGR6mV82GdH-IxgmiiVaJcZ-NLi7Cz46VX0nn78clmPjd-pttzlYPR9dmEubTBnBdnGohd0bl3Fy4k02cb3BVHNVOcfjANvEEUCRw6k1IZDDsZV6l9V1Id5_NomySGWmEpA3Inygttyrt3-jYH1m1M50W3d94tVElUVaZ-SrM-WZ4BkYEj0ZYF5Y5X2d7KRG_MQJtND8fXyDSkU0F1I4FVHkI_eoiyOazUgCRS0lmfetiENOGsaJPb6MfuHzQ92-u7gMI_E8888fus), are "public" - any Fb member can see everything. And group members post and comment and react.

Nothing is hidden, and we are open to answering all questions as well as we can.

Bob A

[Dilip Panjwani]

[QUOTE=

"Loyalty to the movement, not loyalty to any particular doctrine"

[/QUOTE]

That would make it a 'cult'...

[Sam Sharpe]

Morning, Bob.

Can you provide any additional sources of information as to what Democratic Marxism is (beyond the FB page)? All I can find is a wiki entry that basically says that is it simply Marxism.

Democratic Marxism is authentic Marxism—the Marxism which emphasizes the necessity for revolutionary action. Loyalty to the movement, not loyalty to any particular doctrine, is characteristic of the orthodox democratic Marxist.

[Peter McKillop]

Hi Peter: Wages fixed by vote of the citizens would likely change that?

Bob A

Hi Bob. Yes, you're right, but gov't wages are 'somewhat' fixed now by way of job categories, pay grades, and pre-approved salary bands for each category/grade. Also, there is an argument in favour of salary flexibility for special hires; e.g. someone with an expertise that requires a salary outside of the pre-approved bands. Also, the voters aren't in the best position to make micro-managing decisions. What the voters know, or should or shouldn't know - a complicated business!!

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Peter: Wages fixed by vote of the citizens would likely change that?

Bob A

[Peter McKillop]

.... Getting rid of highly-paid bureaucrats is a problem everywhere.

....

Meanwhile America's biggest mass killers, the Purdue family , escape jail (over 30,000 died from fentanyl). In China someone would have been executed

According to info available through google the FDA employs approx. 15,000 people at an avg. annual salary of $102k. Have to wonder how efficiently those resources are being used.

[Erik Malmsten]

The good old days was probably up to the 1970s. Ontario had 1.000 factories, good paying union jobs, and workers could afford to buy a home.Reaganomics increased the divide between the wealthy and the poor.

Libertarianism was funded by the Kochs who wanted to increase oil profits with disregard to the long term deaths caused by pollution. Only big government can stand up to big corporations.

Trump ends his reign with executions of mentally ill on death row.

Meanwhile America's biggest mass killers, the Purdue family , escape jail (over 30,000 died from fentanyl). In China someone would have been executed

[Neil Frarey]

Bill Gates, Charlie Munger and Warren Buffett give their opinion on the debate between capitalism and socialism...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9ov...ature=emb_logo

...and just as an aside, Bill Gates is now America's largest private farmland owner ... 240,000+ acres :)

[Erik Malmsten]

The nurturing, compassionate, helpful-in-need 'human face' has always existed in the extended family, the neighborhood, the local providers, the local 'church' (or other local congregations)... and has worked very efficiently over centuries in all parts of our world...
But it is being usurped by the faceless mega-government wasteful and often harmful 'socialist' projects, giving a high pedestal to authoritarian bureaucrats (who keep on mesmerizing till such time as they get kicked out with multi-million dollar severances), to corrupt politicians and to 'super-human' capitalists who are able to amass wealth out of all proportion to any human being's capabilities....

Interesting post.

The traditional churches weren''t helpful to those family members who were homosexuals., or slaves. Capitalism drew people away from their extended families to find jobs. Needed people for temporary work then laid them off with no income.

We live in a mixed economy where government contracts are a major source of Capitalist income. How wealthy would Canadian banks be without government debt?

What would be a non-socialist government project? Roads? Hydro? Hospitals? Schools?Immigration? Construction and industrial safety regulations? Aren't all government projects wasteful? Especially the military. And we have the expensive two language policy.

Corrupt politicans need to be voted out asap. Doesnt't happen in a one-party communist state. I think centralized services can be faceless. Getting rid of highly-paid bureaucrats is a problem everywhere.

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Bob G: One day, hopefully not too far away, The Democratic Marxist Global Institute (DMGI) will have the funds to also produce such an excellent video - explaining its divide from both Democratic Marxism and USSR-style Communism, not to mention Wild-west Capitalism, Democratic Capitalism, and capitalist Social Democracy.

Bob A

[Bob Gillanders]

I really like the video Sam posted explaining Democratic Socialism. Easy to understand.
Bob A. you need a nice video like that to explain Democratic Marxism.

But back to the main topic of the thread, Can Biden govern?

I was delighted with Biden's speech yesterday. He focused on raising the minimum wage, fighting climate change, taxing the wealthy, and criminal justice.
Just the issues important to the progressive wing, and Bernie will be chairman of the budget committee! Excellent.