If we had a real opposition party, you know–one with real alternative policy proposals–said party would have won the midterms in a landslide. Recent history has demonstrated that American voters are willing to support any candidate that offers an alternative to the same old neoliberal-economic-bullshit and endless war.

In 2016 President Donald Trump was elected on a platform of dealing with domestic crises raging from economic ruin and impoverishment from corporate off-shoring of US manufacturing to an out of control drug and opioid abuse epidemic brought about by these economic policies. Trump’s surprising victory was also predicated on opposition to the previous US policies of unsuccessful nation-building and government-toppling projects ranging from Iraq to Afghanistan and since extended into such nations as Ukraine, Syria, and Libya.

Unfortunately, as Trump’s proposals– to reform the trade policies that have hollowed out American manufacturing by sending jobs to China; and to change US foreign policies of regime-change, while improving relations with Russia, have foundered, the Democrats have wasted two years screeching about Russia-gate. Domestically the Democrats have failed to provide an alternative for Trump’s trickle-down economic nostrums and counterproductive tariffs. In the midterms the DNC is running a record number of former military and intelligence officers as candidates.

At this point I think it’s safe to conclude that the DNC intends to ignore the enormous popularity of Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign policy proposals, and that this behavior is a feature rather than a bug.

I think it’s also obvious to conclude that both parties support an oligarchic agenda, only that the Democrats have a tougher PR problem. Republicans can be straight up about their wealth-humping, whereas Democrats have to disguise it with opposition towards racism and other forms of bigotry, because their wealthy benefactors could give-a-fuck if gay people can marry as long as Democrats bail out bankers and support more wars.  That both parties support the same oligarchic agendas which absolutely clobber their disadvantaged supporters first and worst goes unmentioned by either side.

Despite the fact of both parties being in the thrall of their wealthy supporters, surveys consistently demonstrate that Americans favor much more progressive policies than our plutocratic political parties offer.

Like ending our forever wars? In the run-up to the “historic midterms” neither party had a thing to say a thing about American foreign policy, the nation’s ongoing wars, or the exploding, record defense budget.

Or, single-payer healthcare? While, Trump is accusing Democrats of wanting to impose socialism, and he uses single-payer healthcare, also known as Medicare for All, Democrats are still stuck defending Obamacare, while most of the developed countries around the world have single-payer systems, offering better healthcare outcomes.

After the elections results, it appears that our future will be a ongoing stalemate between the parties, with the Democrats controlling the House, while the Republicans control the Senate and Presidency.

With the sheer venality of both parties, I think it’s probably the best we can hope for.

Though largely unmentioned in the corporate press, the current impasse and incoherent policies put forth by both parties are hastening the end of the US empire.

The vision of Nero fiddling while Rome burns come to mind.