By Jingo

As far as I'm concerned, Mitt Romney knocked his RNC speech out of the park - a masterpiece of nationalist demagoguery. Of course, my eyes started rolling once he got into specifics. But it's funny how this billionaire capitalist has somehow become the underdog in this presidential election, as far as the two corporate parties are concerned. Nobody really likes this guy, even his supporters. But tonight, he managed to check all the boxes and appeal to what Americans most admire about their country. I remember watching the 2008 RNC and being repelled by the consistent negativity represented by the likes of Sarah Palin. It's funny how this year, the Republicans have actually been better overall at creating a more positive vision for the country's future - even if it's all lies. Obama and the Democrats have nothing to run on, no popular policies from the last four years - so this time, they're the ones primarily running on fear and division. Take it from someone who checks the Fox Nation website every day: the GOP have been so successful in turning Obama into the supposed Kenyan Muslim socialist fascist Antichrist that the work is already done, and there's no need for further divisiveness at the RNC. But still - stellar performance from the less charismatic corporate empty suit.

In conclusion: vote Jill Stein.

Insiders and Outsiders

Most Americans are suffering the negative effects of capitalism right now, and they're angry about it. But they don't know where to turn or what to do because the ruling class has hegemony over popular culture.

A handful of giant corporations control almost everything we hear, watch and read - and it's in their interests to say that American politics boils down to Democrats and Republicans. Nothing exists outside of that two-party duopoly for them, and since we are conditioned to consider that "the mainstream", Americans will go to the polls in November and most will vote for a Democrat or a Republican.

But what choice do they have, really? There are a myriad of institutional obstacles that the duopoly throws up for any third party candidate. The difference in resources is simply too vast for anyone to compete with the two corporately-funded parties, with one exception: the trade unions. American labor unions must break with the Democrats and put their resources into backing independent labor candidates.

Occupy Wall Street is a grassroots movement that exists because people realize the two parties walk in lockstep on behalf of corporate interests. The Tea Party is largely astroturf, and is obviously a confused bastion of reactionary beliefs, but the populist elements within it understand on some level that the government does not work in their interests. The common element in rank-and-file supporters of OWS and the Tea Party is a perception that both parties work for self-interested elites and not ordinary Americans.

This will be thrown into even sharper relief if the 2012 presidential election comes down to a race between the two corporate empty suits, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. Rank-and-file conservatives don't like or trust Romney, and principled progressives realize Obama offers nothing but empty words.

Despite all the usual nationalist bromides, the rulers of the United States effectively speak a different language than the country's working class. While the ruling elite talks incessantly of deficits, "fiscal responsibility", "shared sacrifice". and endless war to defend oil interests, American workers want to hear about good jobs, education, health care, preserving Social Security, clean energy and ending the wars.