(no subject)
Fascinating NYT article here about someone trying to save the Democratic party. He sees the problem as 2 fold. One, the democratic party has become a random group of pros (labor, environment, choice, lawyers, ect.) that often conflict and without any sort of philosophy to tie them together. Their recent pro-little guy populism is not helping. Secondly he believes that the vast association of conservative mouthpieces are drowning out the progressive voices.
I don't buy his assertion that this is a vast right wing conspiracy. I think its more related the astounding failures of the 70's that led to an american rejection of socialism in the 80's. However, he is trying to marshal a similar force of wealthy left wingers to counteract this force.
I'm not sure how good an idea this is. If the parties disappear and there is nothing left but idealouges spewing billions at each other, the polarization of the elected is likely to get worse. The more power we have taken away from parties, the more democracy has tended more to excess. Parties would usually be centrist. Second, the people funding this would be like George Soros. Its real easy to be a socialist when you have billions of dollars. its a lot harder to make even small amounts of socialism work. Even western europe si begining to maybe consider suggesting altering their socialist economies. After decades of economic stagnation, europeans are slowly learning that socialism doesnt work. The last thing we need is a socialist resurgance. Either it will suceed, and we'll be where europe is now in 80 years, or it will fail, and the current republicans will get all teh power, which will be nearly as bad.
My only real hope is that the republican party, not the underdog for the first time since 1928, will, split over their own hypocrisies and guys like Mccain and Guliani will lead create something new, like Roosevelt and his Progressive Party, only sucessful.
I don't buy his assertion that this is a vast right wing conspiracy. I think its more related the astounding failures of the 70's that led to an american rejection of socialism in the 80's. However, he is trying to marshal a similar force of wealthy left wingers to counteract this force.
I'm not sure how good an idea this is. If the parties disappear and there is nothing left but idealouges spewing billions at each other, the polarization of the elected is likely to get worse. The more power we have taken away from parties, the more democracy has tended more to excess. Parties would usually be centrist. Second, the people funding this would be like George Soros. Its real easy to be a socialist when you have billions of dollars. its a lot harder to make even small amounts of socialism work. Even western europe si begining to maybe consider suggesting altering their socialist economies. After decades of economic stagnation, europeans are slowly learning that socialism doesnt work. The last thing we need is a socialist resurgance. Either it will suceed, and we'll be where europe is now in 80 years, or it will fail, and the current republicans will get all teh power, which will be nearly as bad.
My only real hope is that the republican party, not the underdog for the first time since 1928, will, split over their own hypocrisies and guys like Mccain and Guliani will lead create something new, like Roosevelt and his Progressive Party, only sucessful.