[GPSCC-chat] Teaching the Dems a Lesson

[Brian Good]

   Robert Parry calls the whole notion a myth.

     "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....

             "The Left was  separating itself from practical politics; the 
Republicans were 
learning that  they could win by playing dirty; and the
 governing Democrats were 
shying away  from demanding accountability for
 Republican abuses.

            "Over the next 42  years, all three of these patterns have deepened, combining 
to create a  political crisis for the nation."
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/10/15-7


    It's an insightful essay, and tells a story that's new for me:  In 1968 Nixon pulled
a pre-election move that foreshadowed the October Surprise of 1980.  It seems
that Lyndon Johnson had pretty much brokered a settlement to the Vietnam War, 
so Humphrey would be able to end it quick if he were elected.  Nixon's people
went to the South Vietnamese and convinced them they'd get a better deal if they
stayed out of the peace talks until after Nixon was elected, and they did.  Johnson 
caught wind of this before the election and considered exposing it, but was 
reigned in by Dems who feared that if Nixon won anyway, the damage to his
legitimacy might be harmful to the nation.  Sound familiar?   Later Lee Hamilton
would cover up the October Surprise and Clinton would cover up Iran-Contra 
for much the same reason (and Hamilton would go on to become co-chair of the
9/11 Commission).

   Parry makes some good points, but he lost me near the end when he left out 
the 2004 election.   Of the four elections cited above, I only voted in one, the 1994--
and that was to vote a corrupt Democrat, Dan Rostenkowski, out.  In 2004 I joined
most in the left by voting for Kerry--and he kicked us in the teeth.  He failed to 
demand a recount though in his promise that he would see that every vote was
counted he had mentioned the fact that two million black votes fall through the 
cracks in every election.  His failure to explain the "flip flop" flap and counterattack 
by pointing out that Bush had threatened to veto the legislation supporting the 
troops made it appear to me that he was trying to lose.  He was inexcusably lame,
and other leading Dems proved just as lame.

  Parry blames the lefties that Nixon kept the Vietnam war going, that Bush kept
climate change going, and that scumbag Dems roll over and play dead when 
scumbag Republicans engage in criminal dirty tricks.  Sorry Rob, I'm not buying it.


   








  








 		 	   		  
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