Power doesn't have friends.

With Senate Democrats showing signs of relenting in their quest to get protections for Dreamers, this seems as good a time as any to talk a little about the relationship between the powerful and the powerless. Hint: it isn't as between equals.

That is worth remembering in any situation, but politics are what I am talking about right now, just because the Democrats aren't actively trying to destroy minority populations doesn't mean they are on our side, for most if not all of them, the issues they take stands on are not chosen because of the harm they prevent but rather because of what advantage that might give them in their reelection campaigns. In many ways the only reason the two parties have any differences at all is because they have to distinguish themselves from each other, yes the Democratic platform is objectively more liberal and kinder than the Republican one, but it would be a mistake to say that is because the party is on the side of the people, rather you should think of it as branding really, that is what social policies are by the way, just branding, they are strictly to attract people to the party, but the politicians and the system get more benefit from economic changes and that is what they really care about.

Economic policy differences are less a matter of ideology, and more a matter of degree with the two parties, the Democrats don't argue for the reduction in corporate power and influence, not really, what they do push for is that power and influence to grow slower, and be less obvious, it's a matter of degree, not kind. They will talk the talk of fixing the system of inequality, and push social changes such as abortion rights or fair pay laws or whatever, but doing something like nationalizing utilities, instituting a universal basic income, or ending, not restricting, ending the abuses in the student loan programs do not get paid more than lip service, if they are mentioned at all. Those things, and many others of course, would help people infinitely more than a watered down health care bill or financial regulations, but those things cost money and don't benefit the established structures of power, so those things will not be seriously attempted while those structures retain their influence.

The Democrats, just as much as the Republicans, benefit from single issue voters, while the GOP makes their bread and butter off of the NRA nuts or the Evangelicals and parley that support into programs that have nothing to do with those issues, the Democrats get theirs from freedom of choice supporters or those in favor of raising the minimum wage and do the exact same thing.

They don't really care about you, they want your vote sure, but not your vote specifically, they just want a vote, and it is easier to focus on those single issue voters rather than make a serious and comprehensive push for equality and reforms that would make a real change. In that they have benefited greatly from the GOP's recent(ish) turn towards outright white nationalism, because minority groups pretty much have to vote against that, the biggest single issue being not getting killed after all. But what it means is the Democrats don't actually have to be objectively good to attract those groups, they just have to not be as evil as the Republicans. That doesn't require moral fortitude, it just requires apathy.

I mean, I'll take apathy over hatred I guess, but neither is ideal, by all means, vote for them, we kind of have to at this point, but as soon as we get what we want we must turn on them and find people with real willingness to change, if that feels like a betrayal, well, they will do it to us, and have already.