United States: Democrats Fearful As Midterm Elections Approach

In the run-up to the Nov. 8 Congressional elections, anxiety is spreading among Democrats. They are facing an increasingly restive public, angry over the failure of the Biden Administration to address the nation’s economic woes. Food, energy and housing prices have forced families to make major sacrifices, while concern grows that the President lacks the mental fitness to tackle the crisis. Thus, pollsters are virtually unanimous in predicting a “red wave” at the ballot box, which will put Republicans in charge of both Houses of Congress leading into the 2024 presidential election.

Making matters worse for Democrats are the interventions over the last weeks by LaRouche Organization (TLO) activists, who have been publicly accusing them of moving in lock-step with the Biden administration and Republican neocons toward a possible nuclear World War III with Russia over Ukraine. The latest who was confronted for his party’s role in launching provocations was the Democrat’s would-be savior, former President Barack Obama, who was addressing a large election rally crowd in Detroit, when TLO activists demanded he answer for his role in backing the Feb. 2014 regime change coup in Ukraine, in league with neocon Victoria Nuland. He was reduced to stammering about “hecklers” pushing “conspiracy theories”, which has become the favored dodge to avoid answering questions.

Activists also intervened at events of other “progressive” officials, such as Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Ihlan Omar, who was reduced to tears when she was accused of funding neo-Nazi killers. Videos of these events have been seen by millions (cf. SAS 42,43/22). The candidates can offer no defense to the charge that they have betrayed their base, which expects them to oppose war and offer a competent economic alternative. Instead, they hide behind slogans about democracy, while giving the Military-Industrial complex a “blank check”, and demanding a “crack-down” against “domestic terrorists”, which is their name for those opposing their neoliberal, neoconservative policies.

Nonetheless, as a result of the pressure, a letter to President Biden signed by 30 members of the Progressive Caucus was made public on Oct. 24, calling on him to “make vigorous diplomatic efforts in support of a negotiated settlement and ceasefire [in Ukraine], engage in direct talks with Russia, and… in coordination with our Ukrainian partners, seek a rapid end to the conflict and reiterate this goal as America’s chief priority.”

Although the letter otherwise repeats the Biden Administration’s narrative against Russia and in support of the Kiev regime, even the timid call for diplomacy was too much for the party leadership. Just 24 hours later, the Caucus had retracted the letter, lamely explaining that some “staffer” had released it “by mistake” and swearing full loyalty to the party line. No one believed the excuse, but the message was clear: no debate and no opposition are to be allowed.

What the war hawks in both parties most fear, is that the new Congress, to be seated in January, could oppose the current strategy of providing nearly-unlimited U.S. arms and funds to Ukraine, in order to make Russia “bleed”. The prospect of a Republican takeover of Congress and growing opposition to the war has led to leaks that President Biden will push for passage of a $50 billion additional weapons package by the “lame duck” session. Sending out Obama to campaign is a sign of desperation, as party officials assume he is still able to rally Democratic Party voters. Most candidates are afraid to invite Biden or VP Harris to campaign for them, as they have proven to be incapable of inspiring voters.