The war, criminality and violence unleashed during previous Democratic administrations are equal in fury to Republican adminstrations, though they have been different (at times) in style, targets, beneficiaries. We might argue among ourselves which operations were more unsavory (for instance, was Contra drugs during Reagan-Bush worse than Golden Triangle heroin during Johnson), but in the end, it is a subjective argument rendered moot by the end results.
I will agree to a small part of Doug's point. Under Dems, more discourse and organizing are permitted on certain chosen avenues of thought and "safe criticism" (such as gender, morality, race, the allocation of government budgets, etc.); but only in arenas those that do not threaten the true workings of the system or its criminals. This is only because neoliberals must allow a small degree more "noise" because it is part of the manipulation to keep the masses stupid under the Big Lies. Indeed, whistleblowers have died or been persecuted in droves under both Republicans and Dems, and have been subjected to the same intimidation and shut downs. That is the bottom line.
Every Dem presidential candidate has vowed to expand and "improve on" the worldwide criminal war (that was long in the making since before Bush, put into high gear by Bush). In other words, the police state and terrorism will increase and deepen, as the worldwide situation deteriorates for the empire. Simply listen to your "electable" warmongering front runners, Kerry (Mr. "I promise the most extensive and effective war on terror this world has ever seen") and Edwards, wrapping themselves with the flag, hanging with militarists, and slamming critics of war better than any Republican ever could. Don't even bother talking about The General (make that Jackson Stephens' general).
Look at what they, and the media, have made an example of Dean. Dean, a conservative by any objective measure, who is a buddy to the likes of Bill Simon for god's sake, actually does NOT oppose war, has been "made to lose" simply because of his mild criticism of the "handling" of Iraq. The Dems won't even touch Iraq anymore. They love the "war on terrorism".
Does Doug believe that a presidency of the handpicked Kerry, the man who helped cover up CIA-Contra drugs and BCCI crimes, whose chief accomplishments were the coverups of official terrorism and narcoterrorism crimes, will result in some sort of progressive panacea for "discourse and organizing"?
Anyone who signs on to the Dem trick has surrendered. Utterly.
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