[Peace-discuss] The source of our problems

[Laurie Solomon]

>The source is "...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."

>And the cure is to make the single-issue large enough.  ("Be as radical as reality," said Lenin.) 

I have no argument with the above, although I do have some serious reservations concerning your interpretation of what comprises "making the single issue large enough>"

> Opposition to the war is the necessary if not sufficient first condition for a serious politics. What is required is "a revitalization of the founding tradition of civic virtue and republican values of liberty."  >And that's what the teapartiers are calling for, even if they need to clarify their analysis.

I serious question you assertion above and consider it arguable that opposition to war is the necessary if not sufficient first condition for a serious politics.  I am also not sure what you specifically consider to be the founding tradition of civil virtue and republican values of liberty that needs to be revitalized or your documentation that the interpretation you accept is the one that people (including the founding fathers) operated under is clear-cut and not open to argumentation; nor am I convinced that such a revitalization is essential for a serious politics - at least for its re-establishment although it might be arguably a factor as a condition for maintaining serious politics within a system once established.  To argue that a revitalization is necessary or desirable presumes that the currently constitutive organization of the political, social, and economic system we call society is itself desirable and that serious politics within it and grounded upon it would make the existing system better, fairer, more just, more equitable, less violent, etc.  I do not accept that.  What I deem to be a necessary, although not necessarily a sufficient, first pre-condition for a serious politics would be a questioning and radical change in the presuppositions and constitutive organizational features which underlie and upon which the system itself is structurally grounded which comprises the substructure of the system upon which the superstructure of serious politics is built and operates.  Any rules or practices of civil virtue or values of liberty are secondary issues related to the functioning of the societal processes under which the system operates that color its style of operation, limit the possibilities of the system reaching its potential for equity, fairness, justice, civility, productivity, and goodness as a provider of the "general welfare."  

Any discussion of or use of the current structures and processes in my point of view is superficial with respect to real substantive change, results in being co-opted by the system and having bought into the constitutive organizational structure of the system and playing the game by the establishment rules no matter what questions get asked or debated, and with result at best in feel good peripheral symbolic results as usual when doing business as normal.  The corporate powers and their minions will still be in power and control, the establishment interests will still be protected and implemented although not necessarily as openly and crassly as previously.  The individual (especially the ordinary and poorer citizens) will continue to be screwed domestically and internationally we will still attempt to expand and protect our world dominance and colonialism in accordance with the changing world scene even if it entails covert actions and the use of mercenary enforcers to represent us.  In short, what the tea party is doing and what you suggest needs to be done is essentially engage in a reformist movement aimed at changing the peripheral components of the system while leaving the substantive premises of the system and its operation alone.  Stop wars - not necessarily all killing - and optimistically hope that this will result in the system correcting other problems in and with the system seems to be what you are suggesting.  I don't see how that is really possible in a system that is structured organizationally to favor the corporate establishment and wealthy and in which the government officials - elected and civil service - represent nothing more than a circulation of elites between private corporations, organizations, and bureaucratic and professional interest groups and the government.


From: C. G. Estabrook 
Sent: Sunday, October 17, 2010 2:45 PM
To: Peace-discuss 
Subject: [Peace-discuss] The source of our problems


[Or, how not to be that terrible thing, a "single-issue voter." Tsk, tsk.]

The source is "...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."

And the cure is to make the single-issue large enough.  ("Be as radical as reality," said Lenin.) 

Opposition to the war is the necessary if not sufficient first condition for a serious politics. What is required is "a revitalization of the founding tradition of civic virtue and republican values of liberty."  And that's what the teapartiers are calling for, even if they need to clarify their analysis.

"If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't need to worry about answers."

Imperial war contradicts that revitalization.  And avoiding the question of the war disqualifies any further discussion.

It's important that the Democrats do that, while the teapartiers are conflicted on the matter.  Although the polity is far from democratic, a serious defeat for the Democratic party and the concomitant rejection of their policies is the probably necessary beginning of an insistence on different - and contrasting - policies.  

Although it's true that no one - outside of a few Greens - are clear on the matter.  

There's work for people like us.



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