The crises we face today are created by humans. And what is created by humans, can be changed by humans. So, we are all capable of transforming our world.

Revolutions are philosophical. Getting organized and preventing the culprits from camouflaging the real problem means it's possible to embark on a bloodless revolution against the violent organizations, and barbaric leaders, who have trashed the economy.

Whatever the propaganda: At the beginning of the 21st century, central banks' unregulated cheap money pumped up land values, which created an unsustainable asset bubble - in a world that once again operates a rigged tax system that enriches entrenched privilege.

NOTE: I am not exactly a political blogger. I typically write about music, and art. I pen the occasional memoir. For a minute there, when Sanders was still in the race and I felt some hope, I blogged about the coronavirus. After stumbling onto this documentary, I felt the need to bring it to a wider audience. If a single reader of CHILLFILTR watches this, then it is not for nothing. The message here is clear: beyond a pandemic, beyond the most vile president, and worst presidency, that we have ever had, there are even larger problems looming. Namely, a rapacious financial system; escalating organized violence; abject poverty for billions; and the exhaustion of the earth's resources. A vote for Biden-Harris, weighed against a vote for Trump-Pence, does nothing to alleviate these problems. Neoliberals - better known as the vote-blue-no-matter-who crowd - are proud supporters of the neoclassical economic model. Plus ça change...

Before I am attacked for criticizing the Biden-Harris ticket in such a difficult time, know this: if you feel compelled to support a neoliberal agenda, in the name of stopping Trump, you have my blessing. To each their own. I am now a registered member of the Green Party, and I have my eye on the People's Party for 2024. If I lived in a red state, my mental calculus might be different. Thankfully, I do not.

I want Biden to win; better him than Trump. But I have 2 doubts: 1, is that a victory for Biden will do precious little to bring about any substantive change in the lives of working people, and with Harris in such a position of power - many think she would soon become the president because Biden's mental fitness is suspect - protestors around the country would be further criminalized, and unfairly persecuted, as her record as D.A. would suggest; and 2, that his victory is simply unlikely, centrist propaganda notwithstanding. If Biden loses, the 'left' will immediately be blamed - and it is possible this very blog post will draw criticism - but the fact remains, the DNC as an institution is proud of its double-speak, and this is the second election in a row that the Democratic National Committee will have succeeded in nominating a centrist who is deeply unsavory to both the right, and the left. One does not have to look very hard at the details to see that pandering towards 'moderate republicans' is not a particularly good strategy for winning elections; and with the right-wing echo chamber nevertheless labeling Biden as a 'socialist' - despite his own vociferous objections - all that remains is an alienated Democratic base. And, as we learned from the "I'm With Her" disaster, you just can't trust the polls.

Trump will probably win because his base is over the moon with Panglossian delusion. A Trump voter represents the epitome of modern consumerism: self-obsession, cruelty, and dismissiveness. It's a world view. How do you fight that with empty platitudes?

If we really wanted to win this thing - and by we, I mean those among us that believe in justice, honesty, and above all, accountability - we would have found a way to put up Yang, or Sanders, Gravel, or Gabbard. That did not happen. A candidate more aligned with the working class and the growing progressive movement might have made all the difference. The only people excited about Biden are the same people that were excited by HRC, and that are giving the same kinds of endorsements that we saw 4 years ago - boomer-generation celebrities that might be doing more harm than good to his image. People like Jay Leno, Alyssa Milano, Tom Hanks, and Jimmy Buffet. Ok fine, He also got Cardi B on board. It is nowhere near enough. Seriously - take a look at the full list of his 'top' supporters. If you take out Cardi B, age 27, and Mandy Moore, age 35, Shia LeBeouf, age 34, and Jennifer Hudson, age 38, everyone else is 40+ years old, with a great many of them in their 50s, 60s, and beyond.

I am not an ageist; but if you are trying to win an election, and you immediately alienate the entire progressive wing of the Democratic base, which depending on who you ask, is at least one third of Democratic voters (and easily the most motivated); and then, you stand in opposition to one of the most popular social movements of our time - Medicare for All, or #M4A - which makes even more sense to support in the midst of a pandemic; and finally, you do next to nothing to reach out to young voters - what do you think is going to happen?

Joe is probably going to lose, and the DNC will only have itself to blame.

There, I said it. Don't @ me.

Cover art by Jemima Whyles.

UPDATE (Dec 2020) - obviously, I was wrong. Biden won. But as I suspected, his administration will not be friendly to progressive policies. He should be grateful to Democratic progressives for handing him the win; but of course he isn't.