Federalist Pixels

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A Contested Convention - Superdelegates

As the 24-hour news cycle continues to churn out opinions, forecasts, alternative takes, and legal definitions, take note of what isn't being reported. What stories have gone dark, what narratives have disappeared, and what noise is no longer being generated. July 22nd-26th will be very telling as to whether the convention will be contested or not.

Contested Conventions are where The People have the smallest amount of power.

Primary delegates are about to find themselves in the position where they must vote for a candidate that was mostly likely not on their district's primary ballot. If no clear nominee wins the majority, then superdelegates will toss their weight wherever they please, an even further removal from representative government. Considering Super PACs have become gatekeepers of successful campaigns, few if any Super Delegates are free of corporate or financial influence. Simply put, the will of The People is not reflected in this process and is further removed the less united the delegates are. The Harris/?? ticket has technically received zero votes or delegates; can party unity coalesce around this candidate and this situation?

Only time will tell.

Points of interest:

The majority of those that called for Biden to step down were large donors, safe seats, and legacy politicians.

Dean Philips, a 2024 Dem Candidate and owner of a distillery business, called for a vote of no confidence, one hour later Biden dropped out.

The Biden/Harris 92-million-dollar war chest can go to Harris but no other candidate. Only big money can subvert a Harris ticket.

If Harris and her chosen VP do not win on the first round of votes at the convention, it will become contested. Nominations will be made, and present delegates will continue to vote until a nominee holds the majority.

The 2024 convention will likely be decided by superdelegates.

Party conventions are not in the constitution, they are traditions that have taken shape over time out of societal necessities in the given moment.

Harris, while few Americans first choice, is the only nominee still in the race that has received both donations and votes. Dean Philips would be the next contender with 4 pledge delegates, although his campaign has ended, and he encouraged his delegates to vote for Biden.

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Owned Press equals Owned Reality

Reality has more in common with clay than stone, it's more like a poem than a definition. Reality is no truer than what is printed in our newspapers, transmitting across our devices, and even misinterpreted through our own ignorance. Individuals, entities, and even ideas can change how we as a people interpret the world.

The free press was tasked with maintaining a unified version of reality based on truth. Through this lens, western society was able to centralize their societal beliefs, views, and nationalism. The Fairness Doctrine (1949-1994) required that opposing views be provided on all topics of public interest and any individual or group attacked by a report was provided opportunity to respond on the same program.

Congress attempted to codify this FCC regulation twice, but both Regan and George H Bush threatened to veto it. In 2009 the Obama admin came out against reviving it as well stating, "I believe as President Reagan did, that the electronic press—and you're included in that—the press that uses air and electrons, should be and must be as free from government control as the press that uses paper and ink, Period." In 2009, the GOP controlled senate attempted to pass legislature that would prohibit the reintroduction of the Fairness Doctrine, it did not pass the House.

Keep in mind, the corporate control was never a problem for any of these administrations. Need I remind the reader, that there are ways to hold the government accountable, but there is little to no citizen control over corporations. These admins placed our news in the hands of entities completely unaccountable to the people. Entities whose sole reason for existing is to make money.

Political reasonings on both sides of the aisle for abandoning the Fairness Doctrine are Orwellian in nature, that somehow providing a regulation or law that requires opposing viewpoints will polarize the media or provide control over their reporting. This is of course, a fascist dog whistle. Fascism requires maintaining only one point of view, normalizing no longer hearing opposing viewpoints is the first step towards that end.

A Free Press is only a threat to those who wish to limit the people or hide the truth. There is nothing lost from free reporting unless you are ab individual or organization that wishes to hide their actions from others. To this end, the Free Press is one of the first things to be lost in societal collapse. The people can't learn of the collapse if those tasked with reporting on it are owned by those very people bringing about the collapse.

In late 1994 the Fairness Doctrine was struck down, in 1996 Fox News began broadcasting. It's politically biased and often angry reporting quickly found its target audience. Rather than report reality, Fox News reported what its audience wanted to watch and hear. The news had become subjective - at least on the right side of the aisle.

The first battle for America's democracy was lost as news stations were purchased by corporations that were not in search of objective truth or societal knowledge but ratings, ad revenue, and market share. With the 4th estate in shambles, with multiple versions of every event being reported, all seeped in audience-favored bias, societal reality splintered.

Politicians no longer need to be justified or hold the moral high ground; they just need to have a media mouthpiece say they are right and just. But, with all things in the USA, nothing is free, and so the politicians find themselves returning the favor of favorable reporting with favorable legislature. This tit-for-tat cycle has been going on for over 20 years. But a system under constant abuse will fall apart, we are witnessing the unraveling of societal reality every day.

This manipulation of reporting, this control over our perceived reality, has broken almost every pillar of democracy the United States Representative Republic had to offer. When those in search of power couldn't break the system because of the people, they broke the people's ability to recognize the damage being done and shattered their chances to organize against these domestic and external threats to society.

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The current state of the United States of American is unconstitutional

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

"We the people..."

The Constitution of the United State of America lays out how our democratic election process will choose our representatives, which in turn, will lead our republic until voted out of office or they reach their term limit.

That is not what is happening. The system no longer allows for a process that selects individuals which represent the people. Instead, wealthy industry leaders are able to tip the election thanks to excessive donations to Super PACs. These organizations cannot work WITH the campaign, but they can push campaign messaging and propaganda. Of course, the campaign can always distance itself if things go a bit far, like what we are seeing with the Heritage Foundation and Project 2025. This is all thanks to Citizens United.

Even if Citizens United is constitutional (it's not), the outcome is not.

There is a term for nations that allow the wealthy to choose who is and who is not able to run for office. While we have yet to reach the point of outright banning of political opposition, the DNC, GOP, and their wealthy backers effectively gatekeep political ascension. Allowing only those that will maintain the status quo to reach a ballot with a viable campaign.

They call this form of government an Oligarchy, but really, it's just modern-day feudalism. Instead of bloodline and war determining who will maintain control, it's chosen through financial status and market share. Oligarchy. Feudalism. All stem from authoritarian abuse of power melding industry and government to maintain control over the citizenry and economy under threat of punishment by the court systems, police, civilian authorities, and even military, all of which answer to the state. In the modern times, we refer to that as fascism.

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Corporatocracy - the abuse of the American Experiment

The American experiment began in the hearts and minds of our founding fathers long before a quill touched parchment. In this manner Fascism has been in the hearts and minds of Americans long before the rise of Ex-President and current candidate Donal Trump. In fact, if you are under the age of 40, you have always lived in a fascist nation trending towards Corporate Feudalism, which is better known as a Corporatocracy.

Western civilizations have butchered the definition of fascism on purpose. Fascism and Nazism has been married to one another in American citizen's minds. In fact, Americans are certain that fascism requires concentration camps, the rounding up and execution of certain groups, and an outright declaration of fascist ideologies, because to understand that fascism is a spectrum would out the United States as a fascist form of government.

However, for sake of argument I have listed the 10 signs of fascism below and the United States of America fulfills every one of these signs. Powerful and continuing nationalism - American Exceptionalism has been touted throughout our nation and abroad long before any of us were born. The pledge of allegiance is said by every student for twelve of our most impressionable years.

Disdain for human rights - The USA has a long history of human right violations. From slavery, to labor abuses, to being the only 1st world nation without socialized medicine... While various states may take human rights more seriously than others, the fact remains that the USA has a long history of failing to uphold the rights of its citizens.

Identification of enemies as a unifying cause - First it was the Red Scare, then we had the Hippies, then we had the "crack epidemic", then it was the Muslims, and currently immigrants, libtards, socialists, antifa, BLM, the GOP, Trump, fascism, Putin are all listed as enemies of the USA by various political groups and government official. All in an effort to rally the people around a unifying cause.

Supremacy of the military - No one needs explanation of this.

Rampant sexism - Sexism has and continues to be an issue throughout the USA. The Equal Rights Amendment has yet to be passed, and historically the women have been second class citizens. In some states they are treated as the husband's property.

Controlled mass media - The end of the Fairness Doctrine allowed the complete takeover of the 4th estate by corporations. It also paved way for the creation of Fox News and it's most vile hosts.

Obsession with national security - National Security has been used time and time again to commit atrocities bother within the nation's borders and abroad. The Patriot Act is a perfect example.

Religion and government intertwined - The Christian God began to seep further and further into our government over the course of the Cold War against the "Godless" Russians. In 1953 as the Cold War was just getting started, "Under God" was added to the Pledge of Allegiance.

Corporate power protected - I wont even bother.

Labor power suppressed - Labor abuses throughout the history of the United States of America cannot be understated. People had to die to get a 5-day work week. people had to die in order to get worker protections. Entire companies were burnt down. Company owners were murdered in the street. We are not taught that in school for a very specific reason.

Disdain for intellectuals & the arts - While this disdain is more prominent on one side of the political spectrum than the other, the United States has never supported art for the sake of art. In fact, art is only supported when it can be commodified to turn a profit, and keep in mind, federal funding for art institutes may help the institute, but it really just draws more students to the for-profit higher education industry that has left millions of American with unacceptable levels of debt.

Obsession with crime & punishment - Again, this is more prevalent on one side of the political spectrum than the other, but the United States is often caught up in high profile cases. These cases often unfold more like day-time TV than court thanks to the mediafication of even our most reputable news sources.

Rampant cronyism & corruption - This is apparent no matter what side of the political spectrum you are on. There is little doubt in any of our minds that a certain sect of Americans are kept in positions of power through generational wealth and family connections. Multiple political dynasties have been seen over the last three to four decades.

These dynasties have gatekept our political ecosystem for so long that our congress and politicians are mostly nearing or beyond retiring age. This has created a power vacuum as they have aged out. Populism is currently filling that power gap.

Fraudulent elections - This one is debatable. However, even if we step away from voter fraud or outright cheating, we still operate a system where money is the defining factor of a successful political campaign, allowing monied interested to easily tip the scale away from the needs of the people. Any election fueled by a group of wealthy individuals cannot be considered representative of the people. Citizens United ended anything resembling fair elections and only hastened the fall into fascism.

Fascism (/ˈfæʃɪzəm/ FASH-iz-əm) is a far-right, authoritarian, ultranationalist political ideology and movement,[1][2][3] characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hierarchy, subordination of individual interests for the perceived good of the nation or race, and strong regimentation of society and the economy.[2][3] Opposed to anarchism, democracy, pluralism, liberalism, socialism, and Marxism,[4][5] fascism is placed on the far-right wing within the traditional left–right spectrum.[6][5][7]

Fascism remains the height of capitalism, no other form of government or economic control, will allow for the consolidation of monopolistic power. Do not be fooled by calls for unregulated free market capitalism - we once had that, it led child labor, company towns, low wages, grueling hours, and then the labor movement.

So why is it only now that we are hearing about the rise of fascism in the United States of America? Very simple, the ruling corporate class has been united for the last 40 to 60 years. There have been family squabbles, divorces, even feuds, but never an outright war. This unspoken acceptance of Fascism-Lite has allowed the corporate ruling class to remain in power, so while there were fights amongst the ruling class, no dispute was allowed to tip the apple cart, until now.

Trump is not willing to share power with those currently in control, and so we are seeing this power struggle in the top echelons of our society, and the fallout is creating a very dangerous situation with global implications.

We are now faced with Neo-Liberalism verses authoritarian fascism, and Neo-Liberalism cannot defeat Fascism. It is the very policies the Neo-Liberals legislated, allowing them to consolidate their wealth and power, that now allows authoritarian fascism to take root. The Neo-Liberal ruling class is incapable of taking out the fascists without taking themselves out in the process. Instead, they have dug in, knowing full well that if their attempt to retain power fails, they can simply leave the nation behind. Us on the other hand.... Remember, that those living under Fascist rule, are often blissfully ignorant that they are living under Fascist Rule.