[Peace-discuss] Punish the Democrats?

[David Green]

"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."

Like the Democrats who survived in 1980 after 4 years of Carter taking the 
Democrats to the right? 


 "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."

What "Left" is he referring to? I'm embarrassed to even read this.

DG





________________________________
From: Jenifer Cartwright <jencart13 at yahoo.com>
To: Ron Szoke <r-szoke at illinois.edu>
Cc: Peace-discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
Sent: Mon, October 18, 2010 10:37:55 PM
Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] Punish the Democrats?


Omg, Ron, what a GREAT post-- it should be required reading for everyone 
everywhere. I can't believe that anyone reading it wouldn't be persuaded of its 
truth and act accordingly. THANKS for posting it! 

 --Jenifer

--- On Mon, 10/18/10, Ron Szoke <r-szoke at illinois.edu> wrote:


>From: Ron Szoke <r-szoke at illinois.edu>
>Subject: [Peace-discuss] Punish the Democrats?
>To: "Ron Szoke" <r-szoke at illinois.edu>
>Cc: "Peace-discuss" <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
>Date: Monday, October 18, 2010, 4:50 PM
>
>
>    
>http://www.consortiumnews.com/2010/101510.html 
>    
>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>  
>
>
>
>-----Inline Attachment Follows-----
>
>
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