At 04:14 PM 8/28/00 -0700, B. Deutsch wrote:
>: I think there is a certain discomfort with these sorts of "good
>: government" solutions since they play into the hands of the
>technocratic
>: wing of the Dems who assume that all problems have to do not with
>: institutionalized social and economic injustice, but with poorly
>: engineered governmental machinery. So while I agree that
>proportional
>: representation would help, as a strategic matter I think
>progressives are
>: better off organizing around issues which go directly to the heart
>of the
>: increasing class polarization which "good government" types (such as
>Gore
>: and Bradley) have been directly responsible for in recent decades.
>
>I can see it both ways. I've spoken to literally dozens of democrats
>who agree readily enough that Gore is the pits, and who say they
>prefer Nader - but for the chance of electing Bush. A policy like IRV
>could give people more confidence that they won't flush themselves
>down the toilet by voting for a progressive candidate they believe in.
>
>I agree that "good guvmint" solutions won't get us anywhere without a
>broader analysis of what's wrong. But in combination with such an
>analysis, they might be a useful tool.
What he said :)
Brett