--- Doug Henwood <dhenwood at panix.com> wrote:
>
> On Jan 11, 2008, at 4:03 PM, Mark Rickling wrote:
>
> > On Jan 11, 2008 3:50 PM, Doug Henwood
> <dhenwood at panix.com> wrote:
> >
> >> The strongest statement I ever made was that
> >> some things are marginally better when a D is in
> the WH than an R.
> >
> > You think this doesn't hold true today? What's
> changed?
>
> Me, maybe. I'm tired of all of them. They suck.
>
> I often try to imagine what a Kerry presidency would
> have been like.
> We'd probably still be in Iraq. And it wouldn't
> surprise me if
> there'd have been more effective covert activities
> against Chavez. In
> the unlikely event that Edwards were the nominee, I
> might vote for
> him, but not Obama or Clinton.
>
[WS:] You need to keep things in a proper perspective, Doug. Dems will not implement social democracy in the US (not to mention socialism) not because "they suck" or are otherwise unwilling to, but because structural conditions do not permit it at this moment in history.
It is like a cancer or HIV patient, frustrated with the lack of progress in his health conditions, starts blaiming his doctors for his illness. He forgets that they are doctors, not magicians, they cannot perform miracles, and can do only what is possible given his condition and the current state of medical art.
The same applies to Dems. The capital is historically strong in this country, perhaps the strongest since the end of the Civil War. There is no way that an electoral process will change that balance of power. Even if by some fluke a genuine reformist will manage to get elected to the WH, he will be assassinated, either politically or literally, as soon as he starts making moves that threaten the position of capital in the US. Every US politician understands that quite well, and if he/she does not, he/she gets nowhere in politics. It is akin to the old Soviet system, politicians had to either toe in the party line or end up we know where.
The best that Dems can do, and we can hope for from an electoral process, is the attenuation of the raw capitalist power, little concessions and comforts here and there, soothing words, message of hope, and kindred palliative services. Nothing more. The cancer of the US capitalism is incurable at the moment. And AFAIK, Dems, especially Obama, perform that palliative function rather well. So why getting upset at them. That is all they can do under the circumstances.
Wojtek
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