The US elections: In whose interest is the campaign for “bipartisan unity”?

[IndianaGreen]

The US elections: In whose interest is the campaign for “bipartisan unity”?

By Barry Grey
11 January 2008

On the eve of the New Hampshire primary, a group of prominent Democrats and Republicans held a forum at the University of Oklahoma to press the demand for “unity” and bipartisanship.

The forum, called by former Democratic senators David Boren (now president of the university) and Sam Nunn, included ex-Democratic senators Bob Graham of Florida, Charles Robb of Virginia and Gary Hart of Colorado. Republicans in attendance included former senators Bill Brock of Tennessee, William Cohen of Maine and John Danforth of Missouri, and retiring Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska.

Boren, who organized the conference, is a right-wing Democrat with close ties to the most powerful sections of the American ruling elite. A graduate of Yale University, he was a member of the Yale Conservative Party and the elite Skull and Bones society, whose members include George W. Bush. He served for years as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Most of the other Democrats at the conference have been associated with the Democratic Leadership Council, the right-wing lobby within the Democratic Party that was founded in 1985 to adapt the party’s policies to the “free market” and pro-corporate nostrums of the Reagan administration and definitively repudiate any connection to the social reform policies dating back to Roosevelt’s New Deal and Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society.

The star of the Oklahoma event was New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a former Democrat-turned-Republican who left the Republican Party last spring and declared himself an independent. Bloomberg, whose personal fortune is estimated at $11 billion, has been toying with the idea of running as an independent candidate for president.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/jan2008/elec-j11.shtml

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. The corporations

Why else would the founders of Unity08, who had promised grass roots participation in creating a platform and in the nominations, dump it all this week in order to go work for Bloomberg?

As for which of the two parties Bloomberg's candidacy would hurt--from checking out some comments about Unity08's decision, the prediction is that Bloomberg will take more from the Dems because of his "far left social agenda". Interestingly enough, the commenters who said this also expressed disgust at Bloomberg's support of the war--apparently they didn't get it that being pro-war would alienate the Dems as well as themselves.

[IndianaGreen]

2. The only one they fear are Edwards and Huckabee

because of their populist message and appeal, despite their vast differences on social issues.

The ruling class is basically secular. All they care about is their profits. They use religion, race, sexual orientation, or any other wedge issue to keep the working class confuse and fragmented.

[madrchsod]

3. if paul got over 10%

it would be a disaster for the corporate republicans...

[DJ13]

4. The only one they fear are Edwards and Huckabee

I believe these same shadowy corporate types (the Bush backers, by in large) are also unsure how populist an Obama Presidency might be.

They already bought the loyality of Hillary long ago (through Bill).

The once highly touted "inevitibale" race in November between Hillary and Rudy was supposed to be a cant lose situation for them.

Now with Hillary fighting for her life (with Obama an unknown for their aims), and Rudy DOA, they cant guarantee their candidate will win, so an emergency third party candidate must be put forward to further their agenda.

[Essene]

5. It's mind-numbing to suggest bi-partisanship is bad. One of the 2 parties is going to die soon

It's my opinion that one of the two parties is going to collapse entirely in the coming years.

The growing moderate, independent and aliented voter base is going to eventually be snagged by a new party rising from the ashes of one of the current parties. My belief is that the GOP can easily collapse given the growth in power of the religious-right.

However, a move towards divisive and uncompromising politics by the Dems could lead to a collapse as well.

I'm dead serious.