It is sad that society's leaders do not operate similarly (to Noam Chomsky) within the framework of thoughtful consideration, reality and factual discussion.
I agree with you Tom, but sadly for our leaders to do that they would have to hold a mirror up to themselves. American can't do that because it's arrogant
The country was great before the federal reserve was created by internationalists that use it to control our country’s monetary system and before the Marxist Frankfurt groups came around WW2 that started teaching the traditional populous that they’re victims of oppression which resulted into the counter culture we have today. Zionist influence is the reason for the decaying of our society. It’s all by design using the Leninism subversion tactics that destroyed the Russian empire. Every Marxist ideology was created to bring forth world communism with Zionists ruling over the one world government they’re creating through the continental unions that are slowly merging with the United Nations central world government entity.
AJA BOOBOO you still didn’t disprove anything I said. All you did was divert away from the topic with high school level history book interpretations of the past. The only time you actual got close to saying something important was when you mentioned the financing of regimes, but you fail to elaborate on the names that funded these movements/wars we all know of specifically. It’s like you don’t wanna mention the Rothschilds and their central banker counterparts because it will reveal your argument falls apart and shifts the attention back of the Jews! For the record it doesn’t matter what race someone is, we should all wanna expose corruption where it stands. It’s too easy these days to attack someone’s character by saying they’re just racists instead of actually evaluating the claim. Since you know so much than who exactly owns the federal reserve aka debt slavery system? Who was the writer of the communist manifesto? Who were the main people in control of the Russian revolution? It’s the same people you defend for whatever reason. What’s wrong with calling out the people at the top who’re controlling things? Maybe you’re a liberal who’s been spoon fed the victors version of history and get influenced by Marxist ideology that was meant to overthrow empires with the old divide and conquer tactics. Why do you think it focuses so much on identity politics and social classism? I always find the antifa type cancerous because they claim to be against corruption, but never question the globalist billionaires like George Soros who fund all their favorite politicians campaigns. Just remember not every cares about virtue signaling and isn’t afraid to distinguish exactly who’s destroying our country first hand.
Western Man You would almost make sense if Communists were "at the top" but they aren't, capitalists are. Also you can't say race doesn't matter and then explicitly call out jews. The problem is fucking rich people in general
In this clip he's a main stream Communist a.k.a. "progressive" from mainstream movement. This is far from "independent mind". He's a mastermind (or one of them) behind brainwashing of masses through academia and media. Independent mind? Really?
Yes, they are. But please don't take either one too seriously. Their philosophies are diametrical by design to those of conventional wisdom. Sanders is for sale and Chomsky is selling ...
Cannot be too smart as his ideology is that of one that has killed about 100+ million in the last century alone. He is a brilliant linguist but he is not very good at politics and even appears to fail at fact checking.
his ideology has killed exactly nobody, stupid. the 100+ million have been killed by conservatives like Hitler, sTalin, Pol Pot, Bush and Bin Laden. The taliban, Al Qaeda and ISIS are conservative murderers.
Noam Chomsky is a world hero. He's worked diligently for human beings for decades because he believes that regular people should have basic rights. He's the epitome of a public intellectual, which for me, has the same qualifications as a good neighbor! Thank you Noam, for everything that you have done for all human beings. It has been incredibly educational and enlightening, and oh so constructive. We have so much power that we don't realize. If we can manage to work together, imagine what we could accomplish, for everyone!
Shut up buffoon, why can't idiots and their ape IQs just respect what someone has to say without fawning like a moron all over them, calling them "hero" this that and the other? This is a true sign of a feeble mind, the infantile needing of heroes. I cant tell you the number of comments I see hailing every bozo from Trump to random nine eleven survivors as heroes. What a joke. This SOB Chomsky won't even tell the truth about the crime of the century but you think he is some hero helping people? Really, grow up ape boy. Also, I love how your typical pompous deluded dumb ape western ass thinks you are the spokesperson for the "world" and the authority on who chooses the "world hero". Assh0le he is no hero to the victims of US empire who are waiting for this self interested mofo to tell the idiot US population the truth of who perpetrated the crime of the century.
After hearing your considered opinion, I totally agree with you. The word hero is completely overused. Though I don't think using the term is always equated with fawning, as you say. The word aught to be reserved to describe people whose actions have gone above and beyond the scope of normal people. I suppose we could agree to disagree on whether or not Chomsky meets that bar. For me, a solid yes. But I get that you might see things differently, which is your right of course. You are entitled to your opinion. I have to say, though, that after reading your comments it seems pretty clear that you don't even know who Noam Chomsky is, or perhaps you are not very familiar with his work. But, again, you are entitled to your opinion. Speaking of which, what are your thoughts on belittling others? Some experts believe that the act of belittling others - name calling, bullying and the like - betrays a low self esteem and sense of worth and that such behavior says much more about that speaker than the speaker's intended audience. Your thoughts?
As a westerner who is well aware of the senses of entitlement and false superiority of many Americans, I would say never the less say that the nastiness as well as the broad strokes “dandylion” paints with here are more a “true sign of a feeble mind” than are the adulatory comments of Mr. Duncan. Your points are not without validity, but please chill it with the self-righteous anger, OK? Those of us with hearts and intellect in the U.S. are traumatized enough with the xenophobic infant that’s in office and his crew of clueless bigots than to have to deal with your bullshit.
by regular people having basic rights. by that do you mean that you have a right to partial ownership of another human being for no other reason than they did better than you in life? that is called slavery
Am I imagining things or are Chomsky videos spiking in views? I don't recall seeing mllions of hits before Trump. I'd appreciate a correction but it looks like a bizarre side-effect of Trump's election is a massive expansion of Chomsky's audience.
Frump has certainly made things clearer. As I listen to Noam's words I realize why I have never heard of him before. The Truth is available to all, but one must go looking to find it.
People search the truth only in crisis period ! In watching the idiot, they are looking for violence and vulgarity. They watch chomsky for his brilliant mind
I find it incredibly ironic conservatives like SU8sYlXx3YmcTkYl are actually snowflakes who go into a flurry any time their "God Emperor of the United States" gets insulted in a random internet comment. What's the phrase? DESTROOOOOOOOYED with FACTS and LOGIC.
J Boogie well that’s some whataboutism.... corporate democrats are what allow any republican to win their goddamn states. Strong leftist policies are what get cross aisle votes, not incrementalism from the corporate dems
Progressive Dems are the mindless, zombie ARM of the corporatists. There is no separating Dems into corporatist and non corporatists. They follow their orders just like the Republicans do.
What would the Chomsky Doctrine look like? Can there even be a Chomsky Doctrine or isn't he all about facts and logical conclusions to specific issues?
I love his indifference to the applause, he doesn't let his ego fold to the praise, he's not in it for himself, he just wants to say what needs to be said. As a British person, I can't think of any greater mind on that side of the atlantic. what a gem you have here, an old and most valuable gem. I really hope there are some original young thinkers who have fed of the intelectual banquet he's offered us over the years, ready to inspire new minds
Sanders' should've/could've been more progressive and fight the Clinton gang meddling of their party. It was a great close call to have a true humanist as a US President.
Sanders and Clinton had similar views on many topics...the world is not run by one population or group and the government has to represent the people. The Sanders team should have used their influence with the candidate that was most similar to their ideals when he conceded. What he did was impressive and I, too, would have appreciated a little more fight against both party establishments by Bernie. However, the Sanders supporters must acknowledge that they support the people of the US and not for people to bow to the will of what Sanders people believe. If that is the case, you're no better than the parties in control now. Bernie may have been one of the better candidates but truly none of them was willing to represent the various groups that make the USA population.
Actually, that's not true. If you look at polls of Sander's platform point by point with preferences throughout the USA, Bernie was far more representative of the will of the people than Clinton. Even more so, when you factor in Clinton's track record of constantly flip-flopping on issues to get votes (in other words, she didn't believe what she espoused, and wouldn't have followed through.) Thanks to Hillary, we now have President Trump. Let's hope that paves the way to Bernie 2020 or President Tulsi Gabbard, or Nina Turner.
lol ya sure and what would change nothing America would still be a shit whole of left wing scumbags that are trying to destroy the first amendment and are pathetic losers instead of helping the new pres they protest and get violent and burn stuff down . time for a change was needed after that loser Obama making the US into a utter joke and being hands down worst president of the last 30 plus years it was time for something new. Satan if he was real would have ben better then more of these politician liars
Ron Murray then why so many white/black controversy in last 4 years? I don't remember so many racial problems in 90s and beginning of 2000. I think left divided people into groups to pass more control messauers. Left also more bring more 3rd world people in because those very dependent on the gov programs and vote Democrats in.
My hero. What an intellect. We have benefited from his analysis for decades. Thank you Noam Chomsky. If only we could connect with each other to work toward progress. So much potential!
Doug Duncan By far my favourite CLA theorist; Nativism looks stupid until you look into it further, then you realise everything else is horseshit. This guy is ahead of his time.
Why is socialism such a dirty word in the States.The majority of European countries have Social Democracies which function reasonable well.A health service which is partly or full funded by the Government.America is a few hundred years old Before that Native Americans.You have basic one party The Republicans and Democrats.All policies by both parties you couldn't put a sig paper between them.
foppo leeuwerke Have often wondered that myself. Americans seem to have a deep routed mistrust of government, very much a them and us mindset. Ironically they seem to place far to much trust in corporations / private enterprise and somewhat deify "the American Dream" or in other words, getting rich. So you have a society which resents government attempts to restrain capitalism ( in the national interest) and lauds free market economics at all costs (often to the detriment of the national interest) My theory is that, like their lax gun laws, it's is a throwback to the frontier mentality of old, a scenario where its everyman for himself and the rewards are there to be got if you work hard. In 2017, that's a nonsense, but the delusion/tradition is strong.
foppo leeuwerke There is a ton of Brainwashing going on with Fox News and right wing radio. Also there is an arrogance among especially right wing Americans. They have been told over and over, in movies, in every political speech, as well as being the sole Superpower left that they are the "Greatest country on Earth." As well as the huge amount of distrust and hatred of the word, "Socialism." It basically leads them into a cognitive distortion that no matter how bad it gets, they are still better. And they'll justify it by maximizing other countries problems, and extremely minimizing their own. As well a lot will vote for the Right just to keep their gun rights, as guns are extremely addictive when you get into them. I know, I shoot and own quite a few up here in Canada. And I even see how that issue alone could almost change my vote if I let it. On top of that, and this is both the left and the rights fault. There is so much pent up anger between both sides, due to Hollywood liberals, basically making out anyone who lives in the "Fly over" States out to be some dumb hillbilly. As well as it is true that the overly politically correct fringe on the left keeps trying to push their views on them and doesn't want to discuss their views at all. It's a really toxic environment down there. I won't even go down there anymore. So much hatred down there. Which I think is the anger towards there government being taken out in different ways. Not saying it's all so black and white. There are still really good ppl on the Right. And some clowns on the left. But it's what is most common. Plus not just Fox News. Outside of local news which is still good. News like CNN, etc. Only care about ratings. And the negative stuff seems to bring in the most viewers, which breads a lot of fear and distrust. I'll end my Essay with this. The US is in big trouble. And when you got the Worlds Superpower in this much of a mess. If they don't turn it around soon. Whatever happens, whether it's another War, financial crisis, etc. It will hurt this whole planet severely. And with Donald Trump.... All he has to do is Tweet the "US is going to renege on its debt." Those words, unless takin back right away could bring down the worlds markets in a day.... Or worse. Another Terrorist attack, a bad one and Trump uses Nukes on Tehran, Syria... Scary world right now.
Several good points on this thread. Another point - Education - NC himself has made quite a lot of commentary on the subject .... A crude summary - essentially, state education promotes political illiteracy. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Subjects which are often overlooked, yet essential? - Economics - Politics itself - History (broad, inclusive) - Philosophy and Ethics If anyone wants to look at this in greater depth - there's a few books on the subject - at least 2 by NC himself, IIRC. leftreferenceguide.wordpress.com/noam-chomsky-reading-list/ The UN Education 'league tables' are informative Current leading 'system' to be found in Finland - innovative, progressive, highly effective.... Much good content here on YT.
Democratic Party needs to wake up and reform! Start by abolishing super-delegates and closed caucuses. Without Bernie Sanders and his supporters the Dems are completely doomed in 2020. Learn the lessons or suffer the consequences.
Yes. Chomsky spells it out... Shenanigans... I am in my 40's and Bernie is the ONLY candidate I ever gave money to..... He is a testament to real truth and a commitment that can be seen from judging the track record of his actions....
You mean to pay for his two mansions and all of his fancy cars while you struggle to make ends meet ? Yeah. Hope it makes you feel better. He actually won the nomination but sold out for money. Doesn't sound very honorable to me.
Thank you for all your years of teaching the truth, Noam Chomsky. Still-not enough advances or achievements made to allow them to keep dragging us back. Resist!
It's beautiful how Chomsky acknowledges the triumphs of the last 50 - 60 years of U.S. history whilst simultaneously being skeptical and critical as a scientist should be.
Well, slaughtering all those people all over the world for the last couple of decades is really eye-opening IYKWIM. And Chomsky knows it better than anyone since he was one of the first to lay down all the crimes committed by the US governments.
a remarkable phenomenon, the Sanders campaign. I agree >> got the youth and others thinking of the idea that socialism isn't necessarily a bad thing, when applied correctly and to the right areas (health care and education, for instance). I would like to see him try again for 2020
This is one of the few good Chomsky channels on YT. I wrote a longer comment on why this is important, but I only see it in my app when I'm logged in, NOT when viewing in standard browsers! Furthermore, the comment by username Matt Nolan with the standard anti-Chomsky deception on Cambodia is shown there WITHOUT the discussion that debunks him.
This might be the most optimistic I have ever heard The Great Professor sound! He knows we need it. This Era of Fuckery needs to die double quick, while we still have a society worth saving. #Crunchtime
In 1965, 77 percent of black children were born into a household with both parents. After the initiation of the civil rights bill this number started to decline. Can somebody ask Professor Chomsky why only 23 percent of blacks are born into a home with both parents. Perhaps Professor Chomsky isn’t aware that the black unemployment rate is at an all time low under Trump. Can somebody explain this to me please.
I needed to hear this. I've been paralyzed by this election, and I don't just mean the outcome. It's all just so incredibly bad that I couldn't see a bright side or think of a constructive response. Now I do.
thanks for that i was afraid Chomsky was just a very educated genius who has thought deeply about america for decades thank god your 30 plus books are available to balance out his nuanced succinct analysis who needs rationality anyway right ? moron
Really, fo you think that we have the same situation with Hillary Clinton. The answer is of course not. But this guy is a bernie's lover and his hate for Hillary was the reason because we have Trump now. Crying for the trump administration is awful and hypocrite.
I agree. It wasn't like he didn't try. The Republicans declared on the day he was elected that they would never agree to anything, even if they were conservative ideas.
@ Susie Saalwaechter. Yes, and that is the way the political game is played. They are all the same; two sides of one coin. The good thing about nothing getting done is kind of like being on a precipice in the dark. You know that not moving is the safest move. Moving forward at the risk of falling over the edge, which will assuredly bring death, would be catastrophic. Patience is not only a virtue it can be a life saver. There is a reason when people are at loggerheads. An impasse forces people to take wait. Things don't change; people change. And when people change, then things change. The passage of time often brings change in people as they experience 'what is' and as they mature in their thinking and reason. What I once thought I no longer think/believe because I have changed, the world has changed. It's not the end of the world, having a gridlocked Congress; although with the majority in both houses and the presidency for the next two years a given, a lot can be accomplished on the Republican front. But they are not known for doing much. Hence we have the election of Trump. Many people are fed up with the establishment and the status quo; but they are also fed up with the liberals and the left. It's a new day.
So Dr. Chomsky goes on and on about the great opportunities we have in our country, but then ensures to remind the crowd that this same country isn't great. Great job on the double-speak.
As a grey beard progressive I will eventually be on the front line as a protector of the young as they spread their wings and flex the collective muscle of collective, united effort towards sustainable continuity of life and liberty as we assert the will of the working class and democratic rule.
Can't explain how Chomsky changed my way of thinking. I would read every material I could possibly get my hands on by Chomsky and reference it in most of my modules in my undergrad and postgrad studies.
There are plenty of others as well keep investing, there are people like the Dali Lama and some guys in India etc....I think the most wise are the ones we never hear about...Such as monks in the hymilayas or maybe in the deep south American mtns...I know their are people in Russia as well the natives in NE Russia...there were many native American wise men but sadly became to the US government.....etc etc etc...Jesus was in not just my opinion but many others to be the wisest and greatest teacher of all.....
I am not sure about women rights in the West in the past 25 years. I have the impression that the progressivist agenda peaked in the early 1990s. Women are better off today than in 1950, but in comparison to 1992? I am not sure.
Norm is right, the root cause is us. For we do so love to enrich ourselves upon the misery of those with less education, less wealth or less whiteness of skin.
I truly wish your analysis of the MAGA motives was accurate. Unfortunately for the most part I believe it is their racism bigotry and religious beliefs that have caused them to blindly follow that conman Trump. I will however agree, that they are ignorant, but it's not for lack of necessary information but willfully ignoring truth. Racism bigotry hate homophobia and religious white supiority are synonymous with ignorance, so yes, it does boil down to ignorance.
Interesting perspective. People need to realise that neoliberal capitalism is there any. Capitalism has its problems but it also has its benefits, the current form is capitalism on steroids. The obsession with cutting taxes on those who can afford it and completely deregulating industries and companies that have massive influences good and bad on the economy is the issue. You need a balance of public and private wealth. Government can't do everything and neither can business, business is personal interest manifested within the community government is community interest manifested in the community. We need balance,. People think only State Tyranny is the problem, they dismiss or don't realise that corporate tyranny in unregulated and untaxed companies is the elephant in the room. They are spreading fear about what taxing and regulations will do to their bottom line when in many cases that is complete bull because they can still easily prosper within regulations and taxation. They are getting away with theft masked as capitalism. Hence jobs moving offshore, wages not moving or moving down, and the wealth gap increasing. But we need to have this conversation without calling everyone that wants to change it a Communist. Something that resembles the fracture of the new deal before the neoliberalism revolution of the 70s and 80s, it was still capitalism, it just wasn't all business and private wealth orientated. It was capitalism within a democratic and community orientated framework. Still has its problems, but much better than what's going on now
Noam Chomsky is a true hero. How America has managed to completely dismiss this incredible mans sage commentary for decades is astounding. The only thing that even approaches this mans academic qualifications are his humanist qualifications. Much love to Noam and his family. You are loved.
+Greg Lautigar ... can you name a communist country that would count as a failed experiment? I certainly can't, so I'd be interested in this supposed 'historic' record of communisms failures. Do you think the USSR was ever communist? There is a pacific island where the islanders have no concept of theft as they have no concept of property ownership. I think that's possibly the closest we can get in terms of examples. In that very isolated community everyone voluntarily worked to common cause as their abilities permitted and the product of that work was held in true common ownership... even of those who could not work. Everyone ate. Everyone had a boat because the village had a boat... and if they realised they needed more boats, everyone would work towards that. You could argue that it was perhaps a more civilised society than could be found in the more modern west. People argue that it cannot work at large scales ... or that it cannot work post-industrialisation ... but those people are usually derriving more benefit than the work they put in, and their lifestyles are propped up by the less fortunate - an essential class of poor people which must be maintained for the game to work. But hey, who cares, as long as you got your Nike trainers eh? If those workers didn't like living in poverty and being abused they should start their own factories... and employ who... you? No, they should create an underclass and exploit their labour. Oh great, problem solved : ) Communism is just an ideal people are not ready for. Like pacifism... it's not a bad idea that failed... it's a good idea we need to work towards. Capitalisms biggest challenge may well be robotics and AI changing the currency of labour completely... the best solution to a labourless world is a society freed up to engage in art, sport and communistic living... ... because under capitalism, the fully automated world leaves every man woman and child disenfranchised, valueless and... most likely... starving and begging to be of any service to their corporate masters. Effectively disposable and abused. It's no accident that socialism grew following the industrialisation. Truth is, the only societies that are even remotely stable employ a careful balance of communism, socialism and capitalism, to avoid the tendancy of either ideology to destroy itself... the specific balance of these constantly shift to meet the circumstances of the times. Socialism, is simply what you're left with when you've solved all the other problems and contentions.
Also a voice that often makes me fall asleep: he sometimes puts so little energy in his speech, that his voice starts to sound like an old grass mower that slowly runs out of power.
"When Donald Trump talks about making the country great again, for many people it wasn't that great, quite the opposite." What a brilliant line! Professor Chomsky, may you live forever!
I don't dispute Chomsky's points, but there is another factor to consider. After WWII, the industrial nations were in ruins having been bombed or fought over for six years. The sole exception was the US. There was a delay switching from wartime production, after which US industry could sell anything unopposed anywhere in the free world. It became fabulously rich. With the American pie expanding, workers reaped the benefits. By the 70's, Germany and Japan in particular had recovered to the point that US industry had real competition, particularly as US wages were higher. When the Japanese faced greater production costs 15 years later, they began opening plants in other parts of Asia, then South America and Europe, so too did the Germans. US manufacturers in the 70's were not smart enough to move manufacturing off shore, and really only got going after NAFTA. With the American pie now shrinking, the fight by the wealthy to hang on to their privileges shifted into high gear, hence increasing wage inequality.
Linguistics is your thoughts, all of them. When you think you think in language. If you understand language you are open to understanding all concepts, scientific, political and psychological to name but a few. Language is everything, if you don’t have good language comprehension skills you are reduced to ignorance and are limited to short expletives like jack shit.
Ok. Tell me then. How do infants think. If thinking is a function of language? That still doesn't touch the fact that Chomsky is an intellectual lightweight. Rush Limbaugh as much as I part company with him, makes Chomsky look foolish. So I'll stick to my original statement; Wong. He knows jack shit about anything that is not LINGUISTICS.
I'm confused with your preposition. You say “he knows jack shit about anything" does that mean he knows everything about anything? Now if he didn't know jack shit that's a different thing he is then considered ignorant. Your statement contains a double negative; it is contradictory to your preposition. I'm thinking even Noam would have problems with such a poorly worded contradictory sentence.
It's a statement of fact. Those Prussian marxist teachers you had sure did make a good mop pusher out of you. They didn't teach you to think critically.
I usually like Chomsky but I'm disappointed he is perpetuating that" DNC cost Bernie the primary win" bull. I have looked into that many times and it's just a myth. I understand young people not wanting Clinton ( and I voted for Sanders in NY) but that doesn't' mean they have to lie to themselves about what really happened
1. The Myth of the All-Powerful Democratic National Committee Easily the most ridiculous argument this year was that the DNC was some sort of monolith that orchestrated the nomination of Hillary Clinton against the will of “the people.” This was immensely popular with the Bernie-or-Busters, those who declared themselves unwilling to vote for Clinton under any circumstances because the Democratic primary had been rigged (and how many of these people laughed when Trump started moaning about election rigging?) The notion that the fix was in was stupid, as were the people who believed it. Start with this: The DNC, just like the Republican National Committee, is an impotent organization with very little power. It is composed of the chair and vice chair of the Democratic parties of each state, and over 200 members elected by Democrats. What it does is fundraise, organize the Democratic National Convention, and put together the party platform. It handles some organizational activity but tries to hold down its expenditures during the primaries; it has no authority to coordinate spending with any candidate until the party’s nominee is selected. This was why then-President Richard Nixon reacted with incredulity when he heard that some of his people had ordered a break-in at the DNC offices at the Watergate; he couldn’t figure out what information anyone would want out of such a toothless organization. The first big criticism this year was that the DNC had sponsored “only” six debates between Clinton and Sanders in some sort of conspiracy to impede the Vermont Senator. This rage was built on ignorance: The DNC at first announced it would sponsor six debates in 2016, just as it had in 2008 and 2004 (In 2012, Barack Obama was running for re-election. Plus, while the DNC announced it would sponsor six debates in 2008, only five took place.) Debates cost money, and the more spent on debates, the less available for the nominee in the general election. Plus, there is a reasonable belief among political experts that allowing the nominees to tear each other down over and over undermines their chances in the general election, which is exactly what happened with the Republicans in 2012. Still, in the face of rage by Sanders’ supporters, the number of DNC sponsored debates went up to nine-more than have been held in almost 30 years. Plans for a 10th one, scheduled for May 24, were abandoned after it became mathematically impossible for Sanders to win the nomination. Notice that these were only DNC-sponsored debates. There were also an 13 forums, sponsored by other organizations. So, that’s 22 debates and forums, of which 14 were only for two candidates, Clinton and Sanders. Compare that to 2008: there were 17 debates and forums with between six and eight candidates; only six with two candidates, less than half the number in 2016. This was a big deal why? The next conspiracy theory embraced by Bernie-or-Busters was that the DNC-sponsored debates were all held on nights no one would watch. Two took place on a Saturday, two on Sunday, three on a Thursday, one on a Tuesday and one on a Wednesday. In 2008, the DNC scheduled two on a Monday (one was canceled), and one each on a Sunday, Wednesday, Tuesday and Thursday. Not including any of the 2016 forums, there were 72 million viewers for the DNC-sponsored debates, almost the same amount-75 million viewers-as there were for every debate in 2008, including those sponsored by other organizations. And those Saturday debates, which Bernie fans howled no one would watch, were the third- and fifth-most watched debates (one of them was 3 percent away from being the fourth most watched.) In other words, the argument that the DNC rigged the debates is, by any rational analysis, garbage. For those who still believe it, hats made of tin foil are available on Amazon. Next, the infamous hack of DNC emails that “proved” the organization had its thumb on the scale for Clinton. Perhaps nothing has been more frustrating for people in the politics business to address, because the conspiracy is based on ignorance. Almost every email that set off the “rigged” accusations were from May, 2016 (One was in late April; I’ll address that below.) Even in the most ridiculous of dream worlds, Sanders could not have possibly won the nomination after May 3-at that point, he needed 984 more pledged delegates, but there were only 933 available in the remaining contests. And political pros could tell by the delegate math that the race was over on April 19, since a victory would require him to win almost every single delegate after that, something no rational person could believe. Sanders voters proclaimed that super-delegates, elected officials and party regulars who controlled thousands of votes, could flip their support and instead vote for the candidate with the fewest votes. In other words, they wanted the party to overthrow the will of the majority of voters. That Bernie fans were wishing for an establishment overthrow of the electorate more common in banana republics or dictatorships is obscene. (One side note: Sanders supporters also made a big deal out of the fact that many of the super-delegates had expressed support for Clinton early in the campaign. They did the same thing in 2008, then switched to Obama when he won the most pledged delegates. Same thing would have happened with Sanders if he had persuaded more people to vote for him.) This is important because it shows Sanders supporters were tricked into believing a false narrative. Once only one candidate can win the nomination, of course the DNC gets to work on that person’s behalf. Of course emails from that time would reflect support for the person who would clearly be the nominee. And given that their jobs are to elect Democrats, of course DNC officials were annoyed that Sanders would not tell his followers he could not possibly be the nominee. Battling for the sake of battling gave his supporters a false belief that they could still win-something that added to their increasingly embittered feelings. According to a Western European intelligence source, Russian hackers, using a series of go-betweens, transmitted the DNC emails to WikiLeaks with the intent of having them released on the verge of the Democratic Convention in hopes of sowing chaos. And that’s what happened - just a couple of days before Democrats gathered in Philadelphia, the emails came out, and suddenly the media was loaded with stories about trauma in the party. Crews of Russian propagandists - working through an array of Twitter accounts and websites, started spreading the story that the DNC had stolen the election from Sanders. (An analysis provided to Newsweek by independent internet and computer specialists using a series of algorithms show that this kind of propaganda, using the same words, went from Russian disinformation sources to comment sections on more than 200 sites catering to liberals, conservatives, white supremacists, nutritionists and an amazing assortment of other interest groups.) The fact that the dates of the most controversial emails-May 3, May 4, May 5, May 9, May 16, May 17, May 18, May 21-were after it was impossible for Sanders to win was almost never mentioned, and was certainly ignored by the propagandists trying to sell the “primaries were rigged” narrative. (Yes, one of them said something inappropriate about his religious beliefs. So a guy inside the DNC was a jerk; that didn’t change the outcome.) Two other emails-one from April 24 and May 1-were statements of fact. In the first, responding to Sanders saying he would push for a contested convention (even though he would not have the delegates to do so), a DNC official wrote, “So much for a traditional presumptive nominee.” Yeah, no kidding. The second stated that Sanders didn’t know what the DNC’s job actually was-which he didn’t, apparently because he had not ever been a Democrat before his run. Bottom line: The “scandalous” DNC emails were hacked by people working with the Kremlin, then misrepresented online by Russian propagandists to gullible fools who never checked the dates of the documents. And the media, which in the flurry of breathless stories about the emails would occasionally mention that they were all dated after any rational person knew the nomination was Clinton’s, fed into the misinformation. In the real world, here is what happened: Clinton got 16.9 million votes in the primaries, compared to 13.2 million for Sanders. The rules were never changed to stop him, even though Bernie supporters started calling for them to be changed as his losses piled up.
Superdelegates are overwhelmingly controlled by the DNC's whims. The DNC could easily have put Sanders on top, but they chose to go with the establishment. You're not using the word "myth" correctly.
+Kenneth Hunn Wherever it's sourced from it's lacking for than half the allegations against the DNC, including shifting money towards the Clinton camp early in the primaries. And of course if you fact-check that copypasta you'll notice how much is made up or intended to deliberately mislead.
"Change has come in the past out of much harder circumstances." That's the breath of air we need, just a bit of perspective to keep the goals in front of working people all over the world: Ecological sense, Economic justice, and Egalitarian culture.
Noam Chomsky is the best! I can always depend on him to speak logically and factually as well as unbiased. He is truthful, in a world plagued by fake news...
I really hoped he didn't use that "life wasn't so great for many" line. That's a lazy cop-op that undermines centuries of human development and gives a sense of entitlement to younger generation even though they've had no struggle what so ever, as Chomsky mentioned at the beginning. Telling someone they're "better" than Thomas Jefferson or Issac Newton just b/c said person doesn't live in a time of slavery is a destruction and regressive practice that produces righteous fools.
He's just so good. His writing, his intellect, the way he delivers his thoughts, he's covered every element. His documentary Requiem of an American Dream is amazing.
Requiem for An American Dream should be required viewing for so many who have posted up disparaging comments about Chomsky. The ten principles which he expounds in that documentary clearly illustrate how the agenda of Neo-liberalism has been fashioned to tear the heart out of humanity by those who have allowed themselves to become dehumanised entities lacking any empathy or feeling towards others. Unlike the many comments posted by those engaging in their tantrums within this forum, you will never hear Chomsky resorting to the currency of abuse or shouting others down who just might be able to offer a viable alternative to the socio-economic structural dystopia that has been gradually engineered over the centuries by those who harbour a visceral loathing of any notion of equity or peaceful coexistence. We have the same problems here in the UK with those, who have been bought off by the mainstream, corporate, war-mongering lobby, who are so terrified of any prospect of real social, economic and political change, that they will stop at nothing in their campaign to undermine and destroy the good character of others. Hurling their volleys of insults, expletives and terms of abuse, they harass and bully others who merely wish to be allowed the opportunity to present a different way of seeing things. They shift the blame on to others for the very fears and uncertainties that are brewed up by the coalition of the greedy, the arrogant and the foolish. Obstinately refusing to allow any examination of available evidence, and often criminalising those who bring such evidence to light, they engage in knee-jerk reactionary impulses, jumping to conclusions which are specious and spurious in their irrationality. Jonathan Swift encountered these people in his novel "Gullivers Travels" where he arrived in a strange land which had been purged of any values of decency, humanity or solidarity. In his novel he referred to them as the "Yahoos". We find ourselves amongst them, right now. . . . .
Professor Chomsky never fails to blow my mind. I think all talking heads, 'experts', and pundits could collectively be out of a job and replaced solely by him. His ability to be objective affords no party or constituency a 'free ride'. He's a National Treasure.
How wonderful to listen to you again, Noam. You are so special to me! One of the few voices of sanity in insane times, but yes! I so agree! The pimple has burst! We must view this as an opportunity, now, for real, POSITIVE change! We will grow stronger through the fight against the Trump regime, and before long, we will have a true, progressive leader! :) In the meantime, we will all become more involved!
