[Peace-discuss] Memo to Prairie Greens: local Democrat legislators

[C. G. Estabrook]

Eric—

The disingenuous Democrats are the problem even more than the mad Republicans. Locally and nationally, they’ve lied for a generation about what they’re doing at home and abroad and why, from the bombs dropped on Europe by Clinton (not for the mendacious ‘R2P’ but because Serbia dared to present a different economic model) through the thousands dead from Obama’s drone assassinations (“the most extreme terrorist campaign of modern times” - Chomsky).   

We saw that when we ran a Green party campaign for Congress in 2002, and we had something to do with reversing the war position of an incumbent Republican Congressman (the Democrats as usual remaining recalcitrant). Our problem has not been “repetition” but inaudibility: we were outside the limits of allowable debate. 

You recognized the need for a Green party a dozen years ago, ouside those limits. Chomsky noted at the time, "The smart way to keep people passive and obedient is to strictly limit the spectrum of acceptable opinion, but allow very lively debate within that spectrum - even encourage the more critical and dissident views. That gives people the sense that there's free thinking going on, while all the time the presuppositions of the system are being reinforced by the limits put on the range of the debate.”

Greens, then and now, mean to go beyond "the limits put on the range of the debate,” within which the Democrats and Republicans stage their charade. I don’t mind repeating that that still needs to be done, here and elsewhere.

I appreciate your opinion: I’m speaking to a UI poli sci class on the 28th - want to come along?

—CGE

> On Jul 16, 2015, at 2:44 AM, Eric Sizemore <ericsizemore at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Carl--
> 
> We agree on more than we disagree on, as you know. I'm questioning the impact and effectiveness of this particular message. There comes a tipping point when repetition stops amplifying and starts diluting. 
> 
> Strictly my opinion. Take it however you like.
> 
> Keep up the good work,
> 
> -Eric
> 
> On Wed, Jul 15, 2015 at 8:44 PM, C. G. Estabrook <carl at newsfromneptune.com> wrote:
> Eric—
> 
> As much as I enjoy your jaundiced take on politics, I thought you’d moved on a while ago.
> 
> A one-issue voter? Moi? What issue is that? War? Imperialism? Racism? Apartheid? Abortion? Climate catastrophe?
> 
> “These are my principles. If you don’t like them, I have others….” (Groucho Marx).
> 
> You surely haven’t bought the US position that it’s OK to help the Israelis oppress the Palestinians, because we probably need their help to control Mideast energy resources?
> 
> As I suggest below, the Democrats - state and national - continue to manifest politics so disingenuous that Obama learnt all he needed to know on the basketball court: “Fake left, drive right…”
> 
> Or didn’t we agree on this a dozen years ago?  —CGE
> 
> 
> > On Jul 15, 2015, at 6:27 PM, Eric Sizemore <ericsizemore at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Carl,
> >
> > You make valid points, but I feel you are becoming a one-issue voter.
> > I've seen too many one-issue types on all political sides, and after a
> > while, I stop taking them seriously. From outside, it appears you've
> > picked your battle.
> >
> > I, like all of us here, hate apartheid, and I'm sure, see various
> > Israeli actions as highly offensive.
> >
> > But, speaking for myself, I cannot judge a person based on a single
> > issue. I see you r point, but I'm moving on.
> >
> > -Eric
> >
> > On 7/15/15, C. G. Estabrook <carl at newsfromneptune.com> wrote:
> >> Elizabeth—
> >>
> >> Do you realize that Rep. Ammons, a Democrat, refused to vote against a bill
> >> - promoted by the Israeli government - that uses Illinois funds to support
> >> Israeli apartheid?
> >>
> >> That’s hardly a position that the Green party can support.
> >>
> >> —CGE