I still don't get it. Any aphorisms that came about before 'where's the beef?' predate me, remember. But a couple hundred thousand organized workers... thats a couple divisions, right? If the US radical left has achieved more success in mass organizing somewhere, I'm unaware of it. Telling an organization you're not a part of where to put their divisions is a bit like playing Risk with your friends, no?
> You know, as in how many divisions has the pope?
Anyway. The SEIU leadership thinks single-payer isn't winnable under present conditions, and are instead gonna try with the large chunk of US capital that wants a new non employer based universal hc system to create a bipartisan consensus for universal. It won't be what Doug wants. Doug thinks it is winnable. Heck, so do I.
So, Doug, are you willing to give of your energies to make it happen? As Aguste said, the social movement to bring it about hasn't arisen, the groups that exist preach to the choir and are extremely far out of the mainstream. But if it so winnable, will the left step up to the challenge? Or will the left do as it always does, and consign its role to marginal whining and echo-chamber critique, bitterly dissapointed that less radical movements refused to do the 'heavy lifting' you want done. You're a smart guy Doug. You could get a lot of lifting done yourself. So could 30,000 other US socialists presently engaged in navel-gazing and disdainful prognostication. If the audience is there as you say, the US left could create momentum that, even if it doesn't bring about single payer, changes the direction, and makes mainstream social actors like organized labor, evangelical christians, municipal governments and mass organizations get on board. It's not as if we're sitting around trying to dream up ways to stop single payer from happening. The union just has a different strategic read of the situation than you. Considering the accomplishments of the seiu leadership, as stacked against those of lbo (no personal slight intended) or any other radical left group, they bring a bit of nuts and bolts credibility to the debate. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <../attachments/20070207/3d5911e6/attachment.htm>