On Fri, 3 Nov 2000, Max Sawicky wrote:
> > One thing I'm definitely looking forward to, assuming that Gore is
> > indeed defeated, is the elimination of the Democratic Leadership
> > Council as a significant force in U.S. politics. The DLC's centrist
> > strategy will be completely discredited.
>
> Forget it. They ain't going away. If Gore loses they will chalk it
> up to his individual shortcomings, his populist vibrations, and, if
> possible, the Nader effect.
Max, this is one thing you and Nathan agree on, and it has the ring of sad truth. But could you guys explain to me how this would actually work -- how Nader causing the defeat of Gore would either not change things or make them worse for the left in the Democratic party? The DLC strategy was always based on the reality that moving right gained more votes in the center than it lost them on the left because the left had nowhere to go. But if the Democrats lost an election because they lost more votes on the left than they gained them in the center, why wouldn't that call this strategy into question? Especially if Nader, better organized, better known and better funded, presented a bigger threat next time? Why wouldn't that stop the rightward drift by presenting a new electoral logic?
Michael
__________________________________________________________________________ Michael Pollak................New York City..............mpollak at panix.com