It’s establishments all the way down. And what do they all have in common? Being servile to capital.

Obviously Trump is currently the establishment since he’s the one in power right now, ...

Trump and maga are not the establishment. They are extreme radicals with a completely different agenda than the establishment. Their agenda is to do away with the Constitution and replace it with an authoritarian regime centered on christian nationalism and fascism--of that's not radical, what is? The fact that they managed to take over the government doesn't make them "the establishment" unless you accept that they will maintain power and thus become a new "establishment".

Trump has always been a part of the establishment.

MAGA was made up of three establishments. Evangelical Christians, Generational Wealth, and Corporate Oligarchy. These are the only three groups that are INHERENTLY fascist. There could have never been a single thing that a SANE person would see or hear from this group that would make anyone think that the working class would get anything but more work and more taxes.

The main problem is actually that about half the country are either illiterate morons, and/or sadistic psychopaths. They all WANTED this

my fear is that this trend will splinter only the 'left half' of the vote as a significant number vote third-party from 'lack of options' or as 'punishment'; and that the 'right' will remain mostly united (as they usually do) in their hate and stupidity and greed, allowing republicants to actually gain as a result.

Not everyone, that's why establishment Democrats are fighting progressives in their own party harder than they are fighting Republicans. We need to vote in the progressives to actually represent us.

"bOtH sIdEs" is only true for establishment Dems, and if you pay attention, progressives are gaining in power and prominence. DSA is not the only source, but it's becoming a lightning rod.

Show me ANY good Republicans. I'll wait.

The only hope for us is to support the actual progressives instead of lumping them in with the establishmen Democrats, because doing the latter is EXACTLY what the fascists want.

So it's like you're mostly right but critically wrong when you write off both parties. And yes, voting is critical, but what is even MOR critical is supporting progressive candidates before the primaries and into the primaries and THEN in the general. Always vote, and when you vote, always take the better - or less shitty - option. That's where "vote blue no longer who" comes into play - in the general election, an establishment Dem is still less shitty than a fascist Republican.

Nah they're definitely less insistent on copying us after this year. A huge chunk of the world has looked at Trump and went "that's not an ally. We need to diversify our allegiances in case the US goes nuts again"

It's part of the reason China is becoming so popular on the international stage. They want to trade, and they're stable. Trump's foot stamping and attempted "dick waving" power trips have absolutely buried our reputation and bargaining power in the global community.

Turns out, electing a corrupt man-child who ruins everyone's economy and messes with the global oil supply tends to make a lot of people not like you.

As soon as the world cuts off the US currency as a reserve, we’re done. Stop trading with us. That’s what needs to happen. Pop the balloon.

It becomes less strange when you constantly ask "who benefits financially" because that is the prime mover here. Beyond that, there is little to consider given current evidence increasingly points to lack of meaningful representation regardless of vote.

We are so far removed from that prospect that it almost depresses me, because that's what we need to do to the oligarchs.

I mean, I'll be optimistic with you, but there's still a nonzero chance that it will be executions of the people.

Or pound