[lbo-talk] Notes from old Berkeley Tossers

Carrol Cox cbcox at ilstu.edu
Thu Nov 6 20:13:23 PST 2008


Chuck Grimes wrote:
>
> Of course I don't know ... and you're definitely right, I am more
> hopeful. I guess what I was trying to point out is all the internal
> systems O is subject to are the source of that hope. Externally he,
> like any other big league politician will be subject to the constant
> pressure to `go slow'.

This assumes that Obama (or _any_ other presidential candidate the DP will _ever_ nominate) is in some way "our friend"; that he has some sort of urge to "go" in "our way."

He is The Enemy. Serously. The U.S. Presidency is Our Enemy! Some enemies are definitely less fierce; we can privately hope that this will be the case with Obama, but it is bizarre to hope for positive good things from his administration.

So worrying about pressure on him to "go slow" is not intelligible. One can and often should bargain with enemies, but that is pointless given the present weakness of the left -- or rather its non-existence as a coherent entity. Our concern is to build a left for the years to come; that is what our hope needs to be focused on. Piddling around looking for how we can directly affect current policy is a dereliction of duty.

Carrol



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