see you in LA (was Hillary, centrist creep like her husband)

michael perelman michael at ecst.csuchico.edu
Sat Dec 25 09:42:11 PST 1999


John, I think you left out another factor -- the neglect of the strategy of broadening the base of the democratic party by reaching out to the disinfranchised in favor of trolling for campaign donations from the corporate elite.

John Halle wrote:


> >
> > Date: Fri, 24 Dec 1999 23:33:13 -0800
> > From: michael perelman <michael at ecst.csuchico.edu>
> > Subject: Re: Hillary, centrist creep like her husband
> >
> > Like Jerry Brown in Cal, Clinton began with a fairly progressive agenda in
> > Ark., but got slammed and then turned to the right. Mind you, he never did
> > anything courageous.
> >
>
> Whether or not Clinton ever had any intention of pursuing a "progressive
> agenda" the important question is why Clinton, and other new Dems, gets
> "bashed" from the right when he moves left, but escapes bashing from the
> left when he moves right. I think the answer has to do with
>
> 1) his success in co-opting progressive leadership by giving them a
> token amount of "access"
>
> 2) the campaign of demonization waged by organs like the Nation
> which attempt to potray centrist repugs as wolves in moderate sheeps
> clothing. (They're at it again, as I mentioned in a previous posting.)
>
> 3) the willingness of liberals to excuse Clintons most egregious sell-outs
> based on 1) and also a religious faith (which some of us seem to share) in
> Clinton's "core" progressive values which will flower after he gets a
> democratic congress, wait no, after he mollifies the military, wait no,
> after he gets re-elected. . .
>
> 4) the inability of the left to impose punishment when Clinton
> triangulates us into insignificance.
>
> I'm sure others can add to the list. In any case, I think the lesson is
> clear-we have to be able to demonstrate that this sort of double
> dealing has consequences, which is why we all need to be in Los Angeles
> this summer-on the outside of the convention center, not on the inside-
> with gasmasks at the ready.
>
> I know I'll be there (maybe with the Santa brigade)-partly as penance for
> having missed Seattle-as most of us did, it appears-partly to demonstrate
> to myself that my committment to "revolutionary praxis" isn't just
> theoretical. Look forward to seeing you there.
>
> It would also be nice to have some discussion about how this event could
> be organized for maximum effectiveness, hopefully including some of the
> folks who brought us Seattle.
>
> Merry Christmas,
>
> John

-- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929

Tel. 530-898-5321 E-Mail michael at ecst.csuchico.edu



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