[lbo-talk] Repeating Goldwater

Nathan Newman nathanne at nathannewman.org
Wed Jun 11 07:03:06 PDT 2003


----- Original Message ----- From: "Shane Taylor" <s-t-t at juno.com>
>By my biases,
>the actions of the conservatives contrasts sharply with most of the
>progressive Democratic Party strategies I've heard before. They didn't
>seek a national consensus; they shattered one. They didn't approach
>their host party exclusively as the means of opposition; they recognized
>their opponents within the party ranks. They didn't simple seek the
>patronage of existing party leaders, but set about seizing the party
>apparatus (learning lessons from the Commies, no less).

Um-- and when have I or any other progressives argued for anything other than challenging existing leadership. I cited to the insurgency in Hudson County this past week that was decidely seeking (vocally) to smash the power of the Menendez-linked machine in the county.

And look at the new union-backed Partnership which will be funded with tens of millions of dollars for election 2004. This is essentially a means to bypass and marginalize the DNC, with labor and progressive allies taking direct control of all progressive soft money and distributing it as they see fit, not as Terry McAulliffe et al might wish.

What's odd is that folks on this list can't even see radical organizational shifts even when they are on the front page of the New York Times. The DNC and other traditional centers of traditional Dem leadership are essentially being turned into sideshows, as unions and other progressive groups are seizing the financial, turnout and other levers of party power.

-- Nathan Newman



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