Happy Labor Day (U.S.)*

[gordonzola]

So in my Weather Underground post, a good conversation got going about trashing vs. criticizing of the Left by the Left. Since it’s Labor Day weekend in this country, what do you folks think?. What’s the Left’s biggest problem right now?

Too much infighting? Too many wingnuts with "responsibility"? Failure to support the correct tenets of scientific socialism? Nader? The fact that no one is following the sectarian party you belong to? Lack of any coherence or relevance whatsoever?

This isn’t a poll, so write about whatever you want. Hell, it doesn't even have to be the biggest problem, it can just be your biggest peeve. Don’t post your unpublished manifestos though, please. No right-wing trolls either.

(I include anarchists on the Left, btw, so answer accordingly)

*I tend to recognize May 1st as Labor Day myself, but this is a convenient excuse.

Comments

[walktheplank.livejournal.com]

What’s the Left’s biggest problem right now?

1. "Triangulation," the DLC, and the power of the Democratic National Committee.

"I was on a phone call once with a pollster and a DSCC official (Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) and [U.S. Senate primary candidate] Mike Ciresi. First off they wanted him to raise a lot of soft money for the party. I told him, don't be fooled--they're not going to put any of that money back into your race unless you toe the party line and it looks very winnable." -Bill Hillsman

2. The growing political power of the suburbs.

The fact that physical barriers separating suburbanites from their neighbors (freeways, lack of sidewalks, gated communities, etc.) -- together with white flight and the fear of crime -- have led to a decline of community values and the rise of an ideology best symbolized by Rush Limbaugh.

("Here in Pleasant Prairie, we don't pay for government services, and we like it that way. I worked hard for my money, and I don't see why I should have to share it with anybody."))

3. The Left seems to think that "tolerance" means letting wingnuts speak on your behalf. If members of the Christian Coalition showed up at a conference, they'd be thrown out of the building. But for some reason, wackos spouting "pro-life" animal rights propaganda, or raving about the evils of modern medicine and birth control ("Anarchists should use the rhythm method, 'cause it's NATURAL...") are treated with kid-gloves and "tolerance".

4. Letting wingnuts organize major demonstrations.

5. Tokenism. Also: Fear of confronting people who are being disruptive or violent for fear of being labeled racist/sexist/classist/etc.

6. Lack of a coherent strategy (make that ANY strategy) for dealing with violent crime.

Nader?

Only if he tries to run again in 2004. That would be a total disaster for the Green Party, and would serve no purpose other than to stoke Ralph Nader's ego.

Nader squandered the opportunity to run a serious campaign during the 1996 election. Clinton and Dole were virtually indistinguishable from one-another, and this would have been a great time to make the case that the Two Party system is politically bankrupt.

The problem with 2000, is that even though Gore is a conservative asshole, Bush is far more radical than anyone gave him credit for. Nader's campaign still served an important role in that it helped to galvanize the national Green Party, and inspired people to make successful runs for local office, but having done that, he should stay out of the race, and focus on actually WINNING more local elections.

Which brings us to...

7. The Green Party has its head up its ass.

For example: in Minnesota the Green Party receives matching campaign funds from the state. Instead of using those funds to mount strong campaigns for local offices that no one ever votes for --like State Auditor-- the Greens wasted a lot of money running Guy Smiley for governor, and trying to unseat Paul Wellstone. That was stupid.

[lemon-says.livejournal.com]

And please don't get Georgians started on the Green Party's support of Cynthia McKinney--she single-handedly can destroy the party's legitimacy.

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

I put in the Nader thing as a joke, actually. can one be any less self-examining than to blame Nader for the problems of the left?

I agree with 3 and 4 a lot. 6 is interesting. "after the revolution we won't worry about violent crime because everyone will have what they need" is not a compelling arguement. 5 is true often because of real diversity in existing organizations.