This Huffington baloney is an example of right wing populism...specifically the use of populist rhetoric in an intra-elite struggle. Cooper should indeed know better, but Pacifica has been suckered by right wing populist scams repeatedly over the past few years. The weirdest example was the right wing conspiracy theorest--Craig Hulet--they featured as an analyst for the Gulf War. But then Jerry Brown uses populist rhetoric to mask his regressive economic views.
-Chip
----- Original Message ----- From: Marta Russell <ap888 at lafn.org> To: <lbo-talk at lists.panix.com> Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2000 1:54 PM Subject: Rich overthrow government for themselves
>
> I know, I know, enough with the Huffington stuff
> already but I just can't resist. A major pulling the
> wool over the KPFK listeners eyes is going on here in
> LA during the fund drive.
>
> Arianna Huffington was on KPFK with Marc Cooper
> yesterday pushing her book and ideas (the book is a
> gift when one subscribes to KPFK during the
> funddrive). She said that Bush could have made a real
> gesture towards doing something about poverty if he
> just donated some money (I'm not sure where from, it
> wasn't clear.) That would be setting an example.
> Huffington called for people not to rely on government
> to something about poverty, rather they should question
> themselves (what are they doing?), and give more to
> charity to do something about poverty.
>
> This is NOT a left agenda. Huffington is not
> interested in fundamentally changing income inequality
> and disparities in wealth (she is afterall wealthy
> elitist herself) but wants to undo government so that
> rich people like herself can continue to lord their
> wealth over the poor. She is big in the charity
> industry - Center for Effective Compassion.
> "Effective" compassion means setting up a fund for
> disadvantaged children in Santa Barbara during her then
> husband Michael Huffington's senatorial campaign which
> did not outlive his bid for the senate.
>
> Huffington is not interested in economic justice, she
> is interested in perpetuating the same system we have.
> Her overthrow government (her book is called "How to
> OverThrow the Government") thing is very shallow, very
> misleading and dangerous. Just imagine if the
> Huffington agenda were to occur. 6 million people
> relying on SSI would get to rely on Huffington and her
> pals to pay their rent. What a joke.
>
> Marc Cooper is a fool to not see this woman's agenda.
> But then he reveals himself fairly frequently on more
> matters than the Huffington front.
>
> Frankly this is one of the more embarrassing moments
> for Pacifica radio.
> --
> Marta
>