Note on the politics of money and interests, hyper-polarization, and identity bouts

Comment published on New York Times blog in response to opinion essay by Thomas B. Edsall, “Bernie Sanders scares a lot of people, and quite a few of them are Democrats,” April 24, 2019:

The biggest problem in "American electoral politics" may be that it "has become purely expressive: how much do I identify with my candidate? How much do I hate yours?" A faux civil war mentality divides many "activists" from caricatured bogeyman on the other side. (The Democratic Party was long the "good cop," and offered most people nothing but less risk). When candidates claim to be a movement, like Sanders and Obama, one more veil of obscurantism is thrown over our political landscape.

One thing that a social democratic not-quite revolution through electoral means might do is figure out how to create a less hopelessly capitalist political system. Ours is based on interest and funding. Candidates are celebrities representing persons, not ideas. Non-profit organizations with great causes lobby. They draw "activists" and with single-issue group causes pull people into public demonstrations, which demonstrate the (absolute, implacable) will of many persons. Everyone wants to win and not lose for their group, and defeat their foes.

This results in identity politics and hyper-militancy with inflated rhetoric. And life here is so tough, we too are oppressed.

Interest groups may represent capital. Labor unions once formed part of this scheme. Politicians, wanting votes, must please interests. Districts, gerrymandered, elect politicians based on a match of personalities and identity.

That's creeping fascism. So let's remake our democracy!