Promoting mass purchasing power

[William S. Lear]

On Tue, September 22, 1998 at 16:34:11 (-0700) Brad De Long writes:
>>Rosser Jr, John Barkley wrote:
>>
>>>All part of the right-wing salami tactics
>>>that has led us to Clinton/Blair/Prodi/Schroeder et al.
>>
>>Christopher Hitchens said last night that he hopes Kohl wins - he's within
>>two points in the latest polls. With Blair down, Clinton sort of down,
>>these Third Way folks need to take a whipping.
>>
>>Doug
>
>For God's sake why?
>
>Each defeat of the (relatively) left candidate moves the terrain of
>political engagement a bit further to the right...

I'm in knee-jerk agreement here.  Is it that Hitchens wants to see
them go down in flames because he despises them so much (an
understandable, but selfish motive), or because he thinks some good
will come of it?

If anything, segment(s) of business opposing the Third Way might take
a whipping of the Third Way folks as a sign that still further moves
to the right are possible, as would the segment(s) supporting it.

I guess it all depends upon by whom the whipping is administered: if
by the people, genuinely engaged in taking (some) control of politics,
all the better; if by Rush Limbaugh devotees ... we'll be in trouble.

By the way, Brad, I'm still mulling over your critique of Chomsky's
presentation of the Marshal Plan figures (finally got my Helleiner
book unpacked).  When I figure out how you have twisted things, I'll
administer a devastating retort.

Bill