[lbo-talk] Fighting the far right in Europe

[Charles Brown]

On Wed, Jan 11, 2012 at 2:20 PM, c b <cb31450 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Wojtek: Therefore, I do not think that comeback of the "old" left is likely.
>
> ^^^^^
> CB:  Circumspice . Look around u. The Occupiers r quite old left with
> their central focus on the contradiction between the 99% and the 1%.
> All the discussions at Occupy Detroit GA's are full of anti-capitalist
> _system_ sentiments and ideas.
>
> By the way, Romney is arguing against the Occupation the way
> Nietszche would - ressentiment.  However , I think the Occupiers are
> the Ubermenschen.
>
>
> Romney: Questions about Wall Street and inequality are driven by `envy’
>
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/romney-questions-about-wall-street-and-inequality-are-driven-by-envy/2012/01/11/gIQAJ6L2qP_blog.html
>
> By Greg Sargent
>
> Mitt Romney had a remarkable exchange on NBC this morning that may not
> be as attention-grabbing about his “fire people” gaffe — but may
> actually be just as revealing and significant. And I hope it gets some
> attention.
>
> In it, Romney suggested that concerns about Wall Street conduct and
> inequality are driven by “envy,” and even said we needn’t have a
> public debate about inequitable wealth distribution in this country.
>
> Oh, sure, Romney has said before that Obama’s populist rhetoric is
> about the politics of envy. But in this particular case, Romney was
> pressed specifically — twice — on the question of whether any concerns
> about Wall Street, inequality, and economic unfairness are legitimate
> and are about something more than “envy.” His answer:
>
> Here’s the exchange:
>
>     QUESTIONER: When you said that we already have a leader who
> divides us with the bitter politics of envy, I’m curious about the
> word envy. Did you suggest that anyone who questions the policies and
> practices of Wall Street and financial institutions, anyone who has
> questions about the distribution of wealth and power in this country,
> is envious? Is it about jealousy, or fairness?
>
>     ROMNEY: You know, I think it’s about envy. I think it’s about
> class warfare. When you have a president encouraging the idea of
> dividing America based on 99 percent versus one percent, and those
> people who have been most successful will be in the one percent, you
> have opened up a wave of approach in this country which is entirely
> inconsistent with the concept of one nation under God. The American
> people, I believe in the final analysis, will reject it.
>
>     QUESTIONER: Are there no fair questions about the distribution of
> wealth without it being seen as envy, though?
>
>     ROMNEY: I think it’s fine to talk about those things in quiet
> rooms and discussions about tax policy and the like. But the president
> has made it part of his campaign rally. Everywhere he goes we hear him
> talking about millionaires and billionaires and executives and Wall
> Street. It’s a very envy-oriented, attack-oriented approach and I
> think it will fail.
>
> Romney was twice given a chance to nod in the direction of saying that
> concerns about these problems have at least some legitimacy to them,
> that they are about something more than mere envy or class warfare,
> and that they are deserving of a public debate. And this is the answer
> he gave.
>
> At a time when polls show rising public anxiety about these problems
> and what they mean for the country’s future — and at a time when Dems
> are preparing to run a campaign focused on economic unfairness and
> lack of Wall Street accountability while painting Romney as the
> candidate of the one percent — this seems like a pretty revealing and
> important moment.