[lbo-talk] Wisconsin recall results

[// ravi]

On Aug 15, 2011, at 11:40 AM, Wojtek S wrote:
<snip happens>
> So the question should be phrased as "what a minority (such left
> wingers) should do in a majoritarian winner-takes-all politics?  The
> answer is rather simple - change the electoral system to get access to
> political offices.  Instead of fighting shadows on the wall of a
> Platonic cave (which includes anything from global fight against
> abstractions such as "neo-liberalism" to freedom for Tibet) - the left
> should focus on a single goal - implement proportional representation.
> There is nothing in the US constitution that prohibits its
> implementation, and there are many groups that do not subscribe to a
> left political philosophy, but will certainly embrace the idea of
> proportional representation.
> 
> <…>
> So the goal to be achieved is strategic not tactical at this moment.
> That means no attempt to score quick electoral victories (this
> includes the third party nonsense), no protest action against
> initiatives of the right, but instead working with the forces that
> share the same strategic objective - change of the electoral system.
> Yes, that means working not only with Democrats, but also with some
> unsavory characters of the right.  The level of public disgust with
> the Republicrat doupoly is such that electoral reform should not be a
> very hard sell to people who feel abandoned by the existing party
> system.

With some minor modifications, I would agree with the reasoning behind the above. A good chunk of the Tea Party could be brought along in this quest (despite differing objectives) much like the Right drags along liberals and independents using libertarian style arguments and self-interest terminology.

	—ravi