Beware the Left Flank

But on a political level, the left has been betrayed over and over again on the things that matter to us the most. The village is pleased, I'm sure. But the Democratic party only needs to look back eight short years to see just how destructive it is to constantly tell their left flank to go fuck themselves.

In 2000, I recall standing in line to see Al Gore speak here in LA and I was inundated by a bunch of young, impressionable lefties, inspired by the globalisation movement and Ralph Nader's message. We sparred for some time, me telling them how third parties don't work, and them having none of it. They had no political experience except what they saw as a betrayal of liberalism and they found Nader's analysis of the two parties as being in bed with corporate interests extremely convincing. And it was very hard to argue that point, although I did try valiently, knowing as I did that while both parties were corporate whores, the Republican Party, being insane, wanted to actually kill large numbers of people in foreign countries, put the church in everyone's bedroom and give everybody's money directly to the wealthiest people in the nation. But I didn't convince any of them. And we know the result.

At the time nobody believed that an incumbent Vice President in a roaring economy would have a race so close that the Republicans could steal it. But we know differently now don't we? And you would think that the Democratic establishment would also know that because of that, it may not be a good idea to alienate the left to the point where they become apathetic or even well... you know. It can happen. It did happen. Why the Democrats persist in believing that it can't happen again is beyond me. Perhaps they internalized all the villager CW about Al Gore being a bad candidate, but the fact remains that if a slice of the left hadn't been so disgusted by the New Democratic, mushy centrism of the Clinton years, he would have won.

Obama mobilized a whole lot of young people who have great expectations and disappointing them could lead to all sorts of unpleasant results. Success is about more than simply buying off some congressional liberals or pleasing the village. It's worth remembering that a third party run from the left is what created the conditions for eight long years of Republican governance that pretty much wrecked this country.

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/playing-with-fire-by-digby-ambinder-sez.html

nt

And it's getting harder and harder to argue the "slightly less" part too.

Yeah the democrats had a vicotry of progressive language and ideas, now lets let the corporate wing totally sell that victory down the river to appeal to people that will never vote for them and for campaign contributions to try to convince people they have pissed off this way to come back to the party.

Might have been easier just to push and sell the progressive message and stay true to the base rather than shooting this victory in the foot.

... in rigged elections.

I will never for for a Republican in the Democratic party again. I'd sooner see the whole thing collapse and begin the repair sooner, than fade slowly on this life support. I'm tired of being the host for these parasites!!!

alleviate our situation.

We believe the abusers' promises that they won't beat us any more and when they do, we do nothing.

The only solution is "Goodbye Earl."

but I may in 2012, depending on this healthcare debate.

But, when I got in the booth, I just couldn't do it.

Not much stopping me now.

I voted for the first Republican in my life last year. A County Clerk race. And that was just to punish the opportunist who called himself a Dem. He ran in 2004 as a Democrat, and lost. We all supported him, and gave him money. Then right after the election, he switched to repuke, and started bad-mouthing Dems.

He wanted to run as a Republican in 2008, but when they decided to support someone else, he switched back to Democrat, and expected support. Fuck him.

Legalizing Marijuana would be nice. Come on guys. Give us something other than lip service for a change.

At election time, they want our money and our footwork, but when it comes to actually DOING something about our pressing domestic problems, not only is there no action, but the DLC and other "moderates" make snide remarks about us being "far left."

Never mind that the "far left" has been right more than it has been wrong, including such matters as "free" trade destroying jobs, the lies that led to the Iraq War, the foolishness of financial deregulation, and a host of other issues.

during the bush* years doesnt give a crap about those issue other than to have them as raging distractions. If CorpAmerica got profits from those issues, you better believe they would have gotten passed.

There are no tanks in the streets and I haven't been arrested, so it's not fascism.

The SCOTUS has a vote coming up that will give CorpAmerica more control of the country. Thom Hartmann was talking about it, but I don't have any links yet. As I see it we are only a step away from what Mussolini called fascism. Hitler didnt us tanks to establish a fascist state. The public will vote it in. Maybe on Diebold machines, but they will vote it in.

the school.

And abortion is, effectively, banned - when there are no providers, its legality becomes moot, and there are places where a woman would have to travel literally hundreds of miles for a legal abortion, such travel being beyond the means of many who need the procedure.

as well as playing to their racial prejudices through drug laws and a criminal justice system that disproportionately affect dark-skinned people.

:dem:

-Laelth

and call it Democratic Party.

...for faults within the Democratic Party.
If they blame Nader, then they don't have to look at themselves or fix the REAL problem.... Corporate Anti-LABOR influence ushered into the Democratic Party by the "Centrists"/DLC.

Most of the people that I know who defected to The Greens are far better educated and informed about "Politics" than those who simply wave the flag and follow the parade every 4 years.

I continue to think he let his ego get in the way of reading the political situation in 2000.

HOWEVER...

Just because Nader did something he shouldn't have, doesn't change the fact that Democrats worshiping at the golden calf of "centrism" and spitting on their base is deeply wrong both as policy and as politics. If they'd respect their base on the left, we wouldn't have to worry about 3rd-party challenges throwing the election. And oh by the way, we might also get some real progressive policies implemented. So crazy, it might work...

Nader just made it easier for the Republicans to get away with their theft by providing enough obfuscation (as a repository for stolen votes, among other things) to help muddy the election results in FL long enough for the theft to be solidified by the USSC. (can you believe Obama gave the US Medal of Honor to Sandra Day O'Connor?)

He has stated one point of his running is to try and shift the Dems off their right block(age).

was that, with it being so close, there are several factors that might have tipped the scales.

For example, it is a true statement that "all other things being equal, Nader's run threw the election."

However, it is also true that "all other things being equal, the retarded MSM coverage of Gore threw the election."

Or: "all other things being equal, GOP dirty tricks threw the election."

Or: "all other things being equal, the supreme court threw the election."

Or: "all other things being equal, Democratic mushiness threw the election."

Or: "all other things being equal, Gore's decision not to contest threw the election."

etc.


So, it's probably a mistake for me to say "I blame Nader" in the sense that I think he was at fault over and above anything else. I think it was a mistake for him to run, and I think his ego played a part in that mistake. But other things might have tipped the election to Gore, and in the end they didn't.

It reminds me of a football game that the Miami Dolphins (?) lost on a bad call near the end of the game. Did the coach blame that for the loss? No, he said his team had ample opportunities and the game never should have been that close that they would lose it on a bad call.

In 2000 we had a booming economy and were not at war. It should never have been close enough for Gore to lose to someone like Bush. That would leave me to wonder if the Republicans worked harder for Bush, did they not take his election for granted? Did the Republican base hold together and not fragment like the Democrats? For better or worse I think Republicans are more pragmatic than Democrats in sticking together to accomplish their major goals.

Democrats tend to carve out their own personal turf and defend it to the exclusion of the things they have in common.

The party is farther to the right than ever before. Alan Specter is a Democrat.

I think she is recognizing that if we Democrats don't fix the REAL problems within out party we are AGAIN looking at more Progressive third party competition in the coming elections. Progressive third party competition, especially without proportional representation or runoff voting, will hurt Progressive Democrats.

As we continue to get betrayed by our "leadership" we risk more and more of the "better educated and informed" being siphoned out of the Democratic Party. If our goal is to fix the REAL problems within our party, and it is, losing them will hurt us.

Digby's post is a warning, and I think it's a valid one. I think the DLC believes they can ignore it and replace the left with disaffected Republicans. Perhaps they can, but they won't be my party anymore.

If the DLC squashes the Progressives within the Democratic Party I think we are looking at solidified Corporate Rule for perhaps generations, because without proportional representation or runoff voting there is no way a third party can gear up on the ground fast enough to successfully compete in our current system, other than as spoilers.

As far as DLC is concerned it's all good, whether the Republicans win or the DLC wing of the Democrats win their Corporate Masters will be happy and they will be well rewarded in this life.

Our best hope continues to be to fight to make the Democratic Party "leadership" more Progressive. IMO.

I believe a lot of people are hanging in there with healthcare reform as their last harrah with the Dems. To go where if they're disappointed? Who knows.

Someone else pointed out , what does it matter to me if the Dems have the majority if all we get is pandered, watered down, "bi-partisan" bs bills anyway?

What good does having the majority do us when you think it would have made some sort of difference with a seminal issue like healthcare reform?

How ironic if after all the effort, we all end up with Romney care?! Mandated private coverage with little or no price controls.

my insurance before it goes into effect and refusing to buy other insurance, and I urge everyone who doesn't have chronic health issues to do the same.

I had to declare bankruptcy once before in the early years of my business when I lost the customer who was providing half my income, and while it was unpleasant and tedious and embarrassing, the prospect of doing so again does not frighten me.

You are correct. My wife surprised me by saying that health care is it for her. If there is not a strong public option, then she'll simply quit voting or maybe go Green. She's never voted anything but Democratic in her whole life. And she's not given to issuing ultimatums...thank goodness. :)

So, yeah, the Washington Democrats are playing with fire on a massive scale, imo.

With her medical conditions the odds of making it the 17 years to the current public option in this system without bankruptcy is pertnear zero. We've already decided that the only chance at any retirement is a medical divorce. Her work at two major health insurance companies and two major hospitals has left her with absolutely no faith in the current system.

Best wishes to you and Mrs. Yowza. You deserve better.

It is my experience that the "left flank" is to blame for it's own ineffectiveness. Here on the local level they do not care to learn how elections work and strategy on getting elected. Know, they will aim way too high, run a bad campaign and then point at the Dems when they fail.

Here on DU is an excellent example of another slice of the left flank, all are so worried about their pet issue and their pet issue only they won't lift a finger for any other and they are expert at alienating those who support their cause but do not agree it is the single most important cause of all

Quite sad really.

Julie

It gave us Raygun. For that matter, it gave us Carter.

Ross Perot got Clinton in and his DLC administration threw the left, the women, and the working class under the bus and got a Republik controlled legislature. The only thing that keeps the Republik party alive is the Democratic Party.

But this is it. If they fuck this up with 60 d's in the senate and an overwhelming majority of d's in the house, then there really isn't a dem party at all. Just more corporate enablers.

Its not like I didn't know it was gonna be like this either. Just having Rahm near any candidate should be a warning. Its my fault I believed but no more.

Nuff said.