On May 10, 2008, at 2:45 PM, Michael Pollak wrote:
> Sure, and we wouldn't stop them. But Doug's point -- with which I
> agree
> -- is that the purpose of a left is to move politics to the left.
> And you
> do that from outside the political process, by building a movement
> that
> exerts force on politicians. It doesn't mean you don't care who gets
> elected. It means you care more about how you can influence them
> before
> and after they get elected, when the real decisions are made. It
> means
> leftists should put their energy into creating something that
> changes the
> discourse and that politicians have to take notice of. Elections,
> from
> our point of view, are mainly the expression and ratification of the
> constellation of social and political forces. Real politics is about
> changing that constellation. And it's a defining belief of the
> left that
> mostly that's not done by politicians; that mostly they are the acted
> upon, not the actors; that real change is produced by social
> movements.
Exactly.
I might add that the Swedish social dems began at the local level, though they were a national party, and didn't contest for national office until they'd built a solid base further down. Of course, Sweden's pop is only slightly higher than New York City's, but still, I think the principle is valid.
Doug