The Dead Center.........by Robt Reich

[kentuck]

Is Robert correct that the "real fight is between those who only want to win back the White House and those who also want to build a new political movement..."
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http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/29/opinion/29REIC.html

<snip>
The dismal fifth-place showing by Senator Joseph Lieberman in the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday serves as both reminder and motivator to the other Democratic presidential candidates on what it will take to win in November. For so long now, everyone has assumed that recapturing the presidency depends on who triumphs in the battle between liberals and moderates within the party. Such thinking, though, is inherently flawed. The real fight is between those who want only to win back the White House and those who also want to build a new political movement — one that rivals the conservative movement that has given Republicans their dominant position in American politics.

Senator Lieberman's defeat on Tuesday could be a good indicator of which side is ahead. To their detriment, Mr. Lieberman and the perennially dour Democratic Leadership Council have been deeply wary of any hint of a progressive movement, preferring instead an uninspired centrist message that echoes Republican themes.

<snip>
Democrats who avoid movement politics point to Bill Clinton's success in repositioning the party in the center during the 1990's. Mr. Clinton was (and is) a remarkably gifted politician who accomplished something no Democrat since Franklin Delano Roosevelt had done — getting re-elected. But his effect on the party was to blur rather than to clarify what Democrats stand for. As a result, Mr. Clinton neither started nor sustained anything that might be called a political movement.

This handicapped his administration from the start. In 1994, when battling for his health care proposal, Mr. Clinton had no broad-based political movement behind him. Even though polls showed support among a majority of Americans, it wasn't enough to overcome the conservative effort on the other side. By contrast, George W. Bush got his tax cuts through Congress, even though Americans were ambivalent about them. President Bush had a political movement behind him that supplied the muscle he needed.

[Toots]

1. I usually agree with Robert Reich and this is no different

I think we should Stand for Something or we will fall for anything. I would love to see our platform spelled out and the sooner the better.

[dumpster_baby]

2. Another round of mendacity from vicious "Free Traitor" Robert Reich

The smug "free traitor" Reich was partly responsible for formulating the social darwinist Clinton policies that began the influx of cheap young 3rd world computer programmers in the 90s. Older programmers should never forget Reich's sellout of older American programmers, epitomized by this Reich quote: "programming requires the stamina of youth."

That quote was used to justify greatly increased quotas for h1b visas that eventually facilitated the current outsourcing of white collar jobs to India. Tens of thousands of American programmers, especially older programmers, were put out of work, and the influx of Indian programmers helped start the outsourcing to India movement that continues to put thousands of Americans out of work.

Come the electoral revolution, I propose passage of a Constitutional Amendment that will allow us to prosecute Reich and his free traitor cronies for a new category of treason, "economic treason". And if found guilty, these economic traitors may then be executed. Will anyone here join me in drinking a toast to Reich's lifeless body when he is lawfully executed?

You may find my comments above strage, twisted, psychotic, or whatever, but please consider, if you will, the wartime blood that has been shed by America over the past 50 years in "the fight against communism" AKA "The Fight to Keep Plutocrat Wallets as Fat as possible". Of course, there is also the occasional War For Oil.

As for myself, I say we stop spilling the blood of American soldiers and start spilling the blood (or stretching the necks, as the case may be) of the political elite. All in accordance with the rule of law, of course.

What Reich is doing here is stating--very well, actually--much of the current political problem. Of course, he offers no solution at this time. No doubt he seeks to position himself as best possible to remain in the elite and craft a solution, one that favors the elite and hurts the workers. Naturally.

As for myself, I would prefer to see him positioned on a gallows.....

[kentuck]

3. I think Reich left because he did not agree with the Clinton Admin???

I don't understand where you're coming from?? I certainly disagree that Robt Reich should be "positioned on a gallows"...

[dumpster_baby]

4. In the immortal words of Fawn Hall:

Sir/Madam, we have our seperate opinions...