Neither party cares about you

By Robert Dean

For the Carter County Times

Earlier, I watched Snoop Dogg rap at a cryptocurrency party thrown to celebrate Donald Trump. Rick Ross, the former jail guard who stole his personality from a notable drug kingpin, also performed with Nelly. I guess, every day, they really are hustling for a buck in whatever way it comes. It was sad to see what Snoop has become. It’s no secret he’ll slap his name on anything if it pays, but this was just one of those moments where the sideshow surreality of the moment crashes with everything spinning around us. I wonder how Martha Stewart feels about it? At least we can still count on Ice-T holding it down.

With Trump reclaiming his throne, the vibe of the country feels off, like we’re about to experience the downfall of America in real-time via a lousy reality show. The election of Trump wasn’t because he’s a great guy—he’s a grifter who’s clawed into the psyche of the people. He’s the ultimate heel, and the country is his wrestling ring. Why not be entertained as capitalism continues to bury us one by one? He got the gig based on rage—not just working-class white people feeling left behind, but everyone without a three-car garage feeling out of step.

Misplaced Rage Makes Out with Bipartisan Hypocrisy

The problem with voting for Trump and against Harris is misplaced rage. Neither party cares about working-class people. The Democrats do so by handwringing and offering PC platitudes. The right-wing just gives everything the middle finger that, like Snoop, doesn’t stuff a dollar in their pocket. The right is just more honest about it. Both parties are kept close to the chest of corporate America.

The TikTok ban isn’t about “keeping us safe.” Facebook, Instagram, Google, Apple—they all have our information. TikTok isn’t publicly traded, so there’s no money to be made. But Meta? Congress has stocks in Meta. If TikTok gets banned, those people go to Instagram.

Wait, You’re a Socialist?

When I tell people I’m a Socialist, the pearls used to get clutched a lot more often. These days, while I’m still not the most beloved guy in the room regarding political attitudes, people are willing to listen more than ever. But let’s get a few things out of the way: I don’t expect 60% of your paycheck. What I would like is, instead of our tax money going to endless wars that get a constant blank check, I’d rather see that money go to fixing America. Rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure—fixing our bridges, roads, and tunnels—shouldn’t go to private equity in backroom deals. It should create jobs with good benefits and a future. Jobs, not bombs. You’re already getting taxed; you should decide where that money goes.

My vote will always align with the benefit of the working class. I also believe in unions. Collective bargaining is your friend. A company will never care about you. You are there to do a job. The minute you leave, the role is backfilled. Why would you not want to protect yourself against predatory practices when they’d crucify you to keep the boardroom vampires happy?

Capitalism and the AI Machine Go Boom

Everyone should have a right to a place to live, food, and a sense of dignity. With the ever-encroaching role of AI, more and more people will be out of a gig. What happens when we can’t find roles for people earning the paychecks they used to? And as people think, “not my line of work,” trust me, after working in tech for over a decade, there is a startup right now trying to find a way to streamline your job, even the blue-collar ones. There are self-controlled gas mowers and garage doors that your iPhone can control. I interviewed a Japanese company working on rethinking how we use warehouses entirely. Just because you fix pipes as a plumber doesn’t mean someone isn’t working on something you never dreamed of; just ask anyone who thought the mean lady down the street would  always man the grocery checkout.

I don’t have a problem with you making money. I have a problem with hoarding wealth and not paying your fair share against everyone else. See where I’m going with this? The reason they never want you to learn about Socialism is because it goes against the fallacy of capitalism: you’re closer to being homeless than you are to being a millionaire. Don’t believe me? Think about that debt you’re not telling everyone about. The amount of stuff you’re scrambling to pay off every check should say something about where our money goes: insurance is too high, groceries are too high, and every little inch to make your life better, someone in the background wants it to be taken away from you. Just Google Walmart, Kroger, or Amazon’s profits and then look up how Amazon workers couldn’t even take a leak on the clock. Shoot, Google, Google. 

The System’s Grip and the American Psyche: A Bad Time

The unified system is against us. They made you hate Trump like a cartoon character for months during the election season. Now, the courts, the billionaires, and the politicians are all in line. There is no fighting back; they are just assuming the position. Remember that thing I said about Meta and Congress? The heads of Google, Facebook, and Apple were all at the inauguration to appease the new overlord. Think about things like minimum wage, the fallacies of immigration, interest rates, and insurance, which are the biggest scams. We’re all trapped in a system like a cat in a bag, trying to scratch our way out, but the top isn’t close to opening.

Trump’s Revenge Tour 

The next four years will be a masterclass in grift. Trump isn’t here to govern—he’s here for revenge, and the people who’ve openly hated him are first on his list. Me? I’ll be fine. I’m a straight white guy. But everyone else who doesn’t fit that demographic? They’ve got targets on their backs, whether they see them or not. Just because the target moves doesn’t mean it’s harder to hit—and some of these folks aim with elephant guns.

Have you seen his presidential photo? He looks furious, just trying to sit still long enough to look “presidential.” The immigrant raids will start soon enough, but like his obsession with hating windmills, it’ll all come down to money. Once the price tag for deportation becomes too steep, it’ll quietly fade. Oil and gas, though? That cash flow won’t stop, and the change we desperately need will keep taking a back seat to their bank accounts.

I know what I believe in won’t matter to the guy who just likes to fish and secretly hates his wife while cheering for whatever college football team defines his identity. Just the same for the person who believes Hillary was a good choice. The system will never care about you. It’s not designed to. They keep getting rich, and the owners of this country keep your kids stupid via the school system they continually want defunded. The grifters will have their day; the Snoop moment is the beginning of the kiss-the-ring future. But, really, as long as people get paid, they’ll let it happen and pretend to be outraged. Exploitation is their kink. As George Carlin mused years ago: “It’s a big club, and you ain’t in it.” 

They’re monetizing the struggle. 

The views of contributors are not necessarily those of the Carter County Times, its editorial board, or staff. 

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