[Peace-discuss] Progressive politics after Gaza

[David Green via Peace-discuss]

http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/08/08/progressive-politics-after-gaza/

"Gaza proved that beyond a reasonable doubt.   Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Al Franken, the handful of progressives in the so-called Progressive and Black Caucuses, and so on  – every last one of them is elbow deep in the blood of Gazan children.
Now mid-term elections are upon us, and the contest for the presidency in 2016 is about to heat up.
These elections, like others before them, will suck up political energy that would be better expended elsewhere; and, as usual, little, if any, good will come from them.
Lesser evilism happens when elections are held; it will be no different this November or in 2016.  And progressive hearts will again be set atwitter – by one or another meretricious savior.
In liberal circles, the will to believe is irrepressible.  The Obama experience hasn’t stifled it; and even complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity will not overcome it.
If only there were a way to vote for “none of the above” or to make an absence count as a principled abstention.  Then it would be possible to vote in good conscience, and move on.  But our electoral system allows for no such thing.
And so, people will vote, or not, as they see fit; and in the voting booth, they will do what seems best (least bad) to them at the time.
This is lamentable, but it hardly matters because, in a sham democracy like ours, voting is not how justice is advanced – not in general and especially not where Israel and Palestine are concerned."
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