[Peace-discuss] Sold-out Liberalism

[C. G. Estabrook]

[Bill Clinton is scheduled to speak at Obama's renomination convention next month. The following piece by the late Alexander Cockburn from May 3, 1993, some three months into the first Clinton administration, reminds us how consistent the sell-out of Clinton-Obama liberalism is. But almost 20 years on, the economic elite whose interests it's designed to protect have destroyed the economy - except for themselves, who are doing nicely, thank you - and the task now, with the active help of the 'other party,' is to stave off a real uprising. C & O may be running out of snake-oil.] 

Ahoy there, Clinton lovers! 

Soon the first 100 days will be up, and what will the record show? Sold out the Haitian refugees (US press very cooperative in this regard, suppressing the recent O.A.S. call on the United States to review its policy in light of international law); let a Bush appointee, Herman Cohen, run Africa policy, essentially giving a green light to Savimbi in Angola to butcher thousands; put Israel's lobbyists in charge of Mideast policy bolstered the arms industry with a budget in which projected spending for '93 is higher in constant dollars than average spending during the cold war from 1950, increased secret intelligence spending; maintained full D.E.A. funding, put Wall Street in charge of national economic strategy; sold out on grazing and mineral rights on public lands; is pushing NAFTA forward and is now neutering the side agreements that as a candidate he proposed would protect workers and the environment - a big sellout, this one; and, with Mrs. H.R.C. at the wheel, ignores the desire for about 60 percent of Americans for single-payer national health insurance, opting instead for some version of "managed competition" that leaves the insurance companies in charge of the show.

I know. He's no friend of the unborn and unwanted, and that's enough to keep the liberals happy. Having been told that they can enlist in the catering corps or be behind-the-lines hairdressers, gays are not so sanguine about Mr. C. Environmentalists were shaken by the thumbs-up given to the East Liverpool, Ohio, incinerator but still have hopes. Labor is staking all on labor law reform. If Clinton really gets behind a ban on permanent striker replacements, I'll bring a hat to the next Nation benefit and eat it publicly. Bottom line: Clinton has been good on anything irrelevant to the stability of wealth and power.

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