Freedom Rider: Kamala Harris and America’s oligarchs

The proof that America is not a democracy is quite obvious. Academic studies and our own common sense tell us that this nation is ruled of, for and by wealthy individuals and corporate interests. One of their most tenaciously held prerequisites is the ability to decide who does and doesn’t run for office, and the presidency is their most prized possession of all.

According to recent press reports, California’s newly elected senator Kamala Harris has begun her turn on the rich people’s casting couch. Harris won’t have to run for Senate re-election until 2022, so the quick once over from the high and mighty means only one thing. America’s oligarchs in the Democratic Party are considering her for the job at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in 2020.

Former Hillary Clinton donors have lined up to vet Harris. Names of the usual suspects like George Soros are popping up as past Harris fund-raisers. Their goal is to make sure that voters’ will have limited choices and won’t dare to think beyond the names that are handed to them for consideration.

The Democratic Party is nothing if not consistent. The debacle that led to Donald Trump’s election has not led to any circumspection on their part. The only issue for the rich people who determine who we can choose is whether or not they are backing a winning horse.

Harris is a natural, the total package as it were. She is a new face, young, photogenic and like Barack Obama, bi-racial. White people will consider her exotic enough to be acceptable and black voters will rally around her. Already she is being referred to as Obama 2.0. Like him she courted big money funders to wage a successful senate campaign and then emerged as a future presidential candidate.

No one should be shocked that the Democrats are beginning their interview process at this early juncture. You can’t raise the $1 billion needed to run an effective national campaign overnight. Time truly is of the essence for the Democrats among the ruling classes.

The question for we the people is whether or not we will stand for being given the bum’s rush one more time. The odds are certainly not in our favor. Donald Trump is the perfect bogeyman for the Democratic Party leadership. He too is consistent and governs just as he promised. He is the white nationalist president who is working to suppress black votes and deregulate every industry that he possibly can. His crassness and buffoonery make him the total package too. He is a perfect person for the Democrats to rally against and get buy-in from their voters although they offer so little in return.

Despite all protestations to the contrary, the Democrats love Trump. They could not have a better foil. When he isn’t insulting France’s first lady he is writing nonsensical social media posts or allowing his stupid children to help run foreign policy. But Republicans control Congress and Democrats don’t have the votes to impeach him. Even if they, did they would risk losing the man they use as punching bag, fundraising poster child, and tool for keeping any errant leftists from leaving their embrace.

The Democrats and their allies in corporate media make it clear that even the tiniest reforms are forbidden from consideration. Senator Bernie Sanders is the most logical choice for Democratic Party nominee. He isn’t as leftist as advertised and his foreign policy comes straight from the war party playbook. But even his proposals for small reforms have been declared unacceptable. No one will be allowed near the nomination who doesn’t toe the corporatist line. Sanders’ talk of campaign finance reform and income inequality makes him persona non grata for the rich Democrats who jealously work to limit our choices.

Harris has already shown herself to be compliant to the right people. As attorney general of California, she refused to prosecute OneWest Bank in 2013 despite proof that it violated the law in foreclosing on more than 1,000 mortgages. Soros was a co-owner of OneWest at the time and he sold it for $3.4 billion the following year. Prosecutors are known for being able to make anyone look guilty and for pursuing cases that keep them in the limelight. The OneWest Bank case surely fit that bill but no ambitious Democrat would dare to lay a finger on George Soros.

The ruling classes choose presidential candidates and we are expected to submissively accept and look forward to a Republican being out of office. Any questions about Harris or other anointed persons will be derided as being the enemy of the good or leftists spoiling the Democrats’ designs.

We don’t know who will be the Democratic Party nominee in 2020. We can safely predict that this person won’t represent us. In fact this individual will be chosen precisely because he or she doesn’t represent us. We are in déjà vu all over again in a fake democracy.

Margaret Kimberley’s Freedom Rider column appears weekly in BAR, and is widely reprinted elsewhere. She maintains a frequently updated blog as well as at freedomrider.blogspot.com. Ms. Kimberley lives in New York City, and can be reached via e-Mail at Margaret.Kimberley(at)BlackAgendaReport.com.