I've sent the following message to several Green lists. Please scroll down to see my action proposal. I'd like to hear your thoughts on this. Thank you.
- Mitchel Cohen
Seth17279 at aol.com wrote:
>The Naderites only rationale for voting for Nader in swing states despite the absurd claim that Bush is no more pernicious than Kerry ..... <
This is not the claim that I and others who are supporting Ralph Nader are making. Of course an overt fascist like the Bush cabal is more "pernicious" than an Exxon-fawning corporate clone like Kerry. (Please note, however, that "pernicious" does not necessarily translate to "more dangerous".)
Seth also misstates Kolko's position, as "a Bush victory will lead to such a world catastrophe that Europe will be mored likely to establish an alternative axis opposed to US hegemony. (Kolko) "
No, that is not Kolko's (or my) position. Kolko and others write the opposite: That DESPITE Bush's more pernicious mentality, the US government's quest for empire under Bush and the Neo-Cons (sounds like a punk rock group) gets bogged down in places like Iraq, while Kerry's multi-lateral imperialism may end up being far more successful, leading to much WIDER wars with millions of more people killed.
Kolko is NOT saying that the worse things get, the better for the movement, as Seth alleges. He's saying that things may actually be far worse under Kerry.
Now, whether that will turn out to be the case ..... who knows?
All I know is, these email barrages by several on this listserve, trying to convince others whom to vote for are taking away dramatically from any discussion of serious radical Green strategy. No matter which candidate you support, I suppose we can all agree that we want Nader, Cobb and Badnarik in the debates! Here's an opportunity to actually DO SOMETHING -- to blockade the debates and demand that they be "open" to 3rd Party candidates, and while doing so we raise all the issues that are being excluded by Bush and Kerry.
Can we shift the debate on this and other Green lists to "How do we accomplish that strategy"? Will Nader, Cobb, Badnarik, show up at the official debates and demand to be included, and FIGHT for that right? Or will they wimp out and desert us, too? We have around one week to get it together. I know that in St. Louis, antiwar activists are beginning to mobilize around the October 9 (I think) debate there.
I urge Seth, Charles, Joe, Bill, Shelley W. -- have you noticed that this debate has degenerated into all males? -- to STOP the foolish bantering and let's ORGANIZE together around this common demand.
Mitchel Cohen
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