Today I talked with Garland Nixon about the recent US election and the crisis of legitimacy that is spreading across the western world as life for the masses gets harder by the day.

In particular, we touched on the untold story of the many millions (45% of US adults) who don't vote at all, and who are simply wiped out of the wall-to-wall commentary about percentage points, ethnic groups and swing states.

On the question of Donald Trump himself, we talked about whether his election can really change the reality of economic crisis, austerity, unemployment, deindustrialisation and war which is driving the anger of many who vote for him.

We discussed the reshaping of the Hollywoodised narrative regarding politics into culture wars/football team loyalty groupings, in which workers are encouraged to identify with one or other brand/section of the ruling class and to do battle with the workers who have allied themselves with the other team.

Such divide-and-rule tactics are fundamental to the capitalist system and benefit only the ruling class – a class whose control of social wealth is systematically impoverishing the masses while enriching a handful of trilionaires.

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