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This is outrageous special pleading. It says to return the
Democrats to office, even though they're the ones responsible for
"unnecessary deaths of people in wars from [Palestine to Pakistan
and from Central Asia to the Horn of Africa]."<br>
<br>
Of course the Democrats are also responsible for not extending
Medicare to all, not taking over the too-big-to-fail banks and
companies and running them for the public good, not stopping
foreclosures, not establishing an effective jobs program, etc., etc.
- and not by accident, but because they're working for the banks,
the insurance companies, the oil companies, the construction
companies, et al.<br>
<br>
The Democrat’s allegedly reformist agenda masks programs to ensure
that no major stakeholder in his coalition of corporate backers will
suffer significant losses, and will even enjoy spectacular gains —
the perfection of the long right turn of the Democratic Party since
the 1970s, as financialization of the economy led to shedding New
Deal commitments so as to compete with the Republicans for corporate
patronage. <br>
<br>
Reject the policies by not voting for them. Vote Green or for
individual legislators who e.g. vote against the war, like Kucinich,
Paul, or Johnson (IL). We'll still have to settle accounts with the
new Congress on war and social legislation, whoever is elected. <br>
<br>
Say to the Democrats what Cromwell said to the Rump parliament:
"Depart, I say; and let us have done with you. In the name of God,
go!"<br>
<br>
<br>
On 10/18/10 4:50 PM, Ron Szoke wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:20101018165048.CKE21709@expms6.cites.uiuc.edu"
type="cite">
<pre wrap="">        
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.consortiumnews.com/2010/101510.html">http://www.consortiumnews.com/2010/101510.html</a>
        
The 'Teach-the-Dems-a-Lesson' Myth
By Robert Parry (A Special Report)
October 15, 2010
If my e-mail inbox is any indication, many American progressives plan
to use the Nov. 2 election as an opportunity to “teach the Democrats a
lesson” by either not voting or casting ballots for third parties, even if
this contributes to the expected Republican (and Tea Party) landslide.
The thinking seems to be that the loss of the congressional majorities
will punish the Democrats for accepting half-measures and compromises
on issues from health care and financial reform to job stimulus and war.
The Left’s hope apparently is that the chastened Democrats will then
shift toward more progressive positions and be more assertive.
However, modern American political history tells us that this strategy
never works. After the four key elections in which many progressives
abandoned the governing Democrats – in 1968, 1980, 1994 and 2000 –
not only did Republicans take U.S. politics further to the right, but the
surviving Democrats tacked more to the center and grew more timid.
All four elections also were marred by GOP dirty tricks that drew little or
no reaction from either the governing Democrats or the progressives,
emboldening the slash-and-burn Republicans to operate in an ever
more audacious style.
Tragically, too, the Left’s sideline-sitting contributed to the unnecessary
deaths of millions of people in wars from Vietnam and Central America
to Iraq and Afghanistan. Arguably even worse, U.S. inaction on global
warming – a neglect surely to be continued if Republicans and Tea
Partiers are victorious in Election 2010 – may doom the future of a
livable planet.
In other words, the “teach-the-Dems-a-lesson” strategy not only
doesn’t work, it’s extremely dangerous.
. . .
<much more>
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