[lbo-talk] cart before the horse

R rhisiart at charter.net
Tue Oct 26 19:39:10 PDT 2004


At 12:37 AM 10/26/2004, Yoshie Furuhashi wrote:
>>At 01:52 PM 10/25/2004, Doug Henwood wrote:
>>>Joseph Wanzala quoted Ace Cockburn:
>>>
>>>>Every four years, liberals unhitch the cart and put it in front of the
>>>>horse, arguing that the only way to a better tomorrow is to vote for
>>>>the Democratic nominee.
>>>
>>>Every four years, certain radicals lecture the unhitched cart, arguing
>>>that the only way to a better tomorrow is to vote for a Third Party
>>>nominee (or this year, a non-party non-nominee). Hasn't worked yet, has it?
>>>
>>>Doug
>>
>>neither one works, doug. any solutions?
>>
>>R
>
>In order to have intelligible and intelligent discussion of what works and
>what doesn't, we have to be clear about our goals. Amongst people who
>have different goals, talking about strategies and tactics is not
>productive, for different goals require different strategies and
>tactics. After the elections, those who are committed to independent
>political action on the electoral and movement fronts should get together
>amongst ourselves, evaluate what happened in 2000-4, and think about what
>strategies and tactics to employ to advance independent political action;
>and those who are committed to reforming the Democratic Party should get
>together amongst themselves, evaluate what happened in 2000-4, and think
>about what strategies and tactics to employ to reform the Democratic Party.
>--
>Yoshie

intellectually, i agree with you, yoshie. on a practical basis, i think there are a lot of generalities in your generous prescription that take a long time to iron out. long enough, in fact, that it could be long after 2008 -- and many more hitched and unhitched carts -- without anything being accomplished.

i believe people committed to reforming the democratic party are self deluded and wasting time which could better be used elsewhere -- including learning to knit or crochet, taking up golf, applique, reading, walking, or painting a room.

i don't see the depth and range of concern in the american people necessary for independent political action to be effective. there currently is a lot of anxiety about shrub and his pals which misleads people into believing there exists the possibility that grass roots activism and independent action will be meaningful in the future. surely, there are many caring, well meaning people in the US; but they don't seem able to work together effectively for a long enough period, or have a realistic grasp of the obstacles, to create lasting, meaningful change.

i doubt anything short of severe, shared, long term national trauma will shake the bulk of the american people from their chronic national quietus and permanent fear of doing anything politically constructive. where this would lead in a nation with so little knowledge of history and such deeply held delusions about reality is anyone's guess. after all, this is the nation that originated compassion fatigue, and the term "ethnic cleansing" as if the latter was something you buy at the supermarket.

R



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