On Feb 12, 2007, at 1:05 PM, Jim Straub wrote:
> leftists fantasize extravagantly about US workers and bitterly
> demean political engagement with them from where they're actually
> at as acts of running dog collaborationism
Since I suspect this is directed at least in part at me, let me say: 1) I'm hardly one to idealize the consciousness of the American working class; 2) on the particular issue of health insurance, I don't think the consciousness of the working class is at its most dismal; 3) the point of unions and their leadership is to try to figure out where the working class could go, and not just throw in the towel and accept what exists as immutable; and 4) no union leader should ever say that leadership on any issue at all should be the prerogative of business. Doing 4) is almost the very definition of running dog collaborationism, except that business doesn't need Andy Stern, even as a very junior partner.
Doug