‘I think to a large extent, we ought to stop discussing whether Obama is being “good” or “bad” and focus on the POLICIES we want his administration (and Congress) to follow.’
By Michael Meeropol / The Rag Blog / December 4, 2008
All the stories about Obama’s economic team and his economic instincts mean is that we on the left have to shout loud and clear to make the policies move in our direction.
That’s what the socialists and communists did during the Depression and though the New Deal “saved” capitalism — it also made it a lot more “worker” and “people” friendly … I think living in the America of 1945-1972 was better than living in the America of 1902-1929 … And in some ways the America of 2008 (lots of ways) is WORSE than the America of the 1970s …
It wasn’t revolution, but that didn’t stop the socialists and communists of the 1930s from fighting for the right to organize unions, for anti-lynching legislation, for the minimum wage law, etc. etc. — and it didn’t stop the Civil Rights Movements of the 1930s, 40s, and 50s from demanding the most minimal rights already guaranteed under the capitalist constitution.
I think to a large extent, we ought to stop discussing whether Obama is being “good” or “bad” and focus on the POLICIES we want his administration (and Congress) to follow.
Whether he stays in the DLC-Clintonian mode or adopts policies that significantly move away from the right-wing economic concensus depends on US and the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.
Joe Hill said, “Don’t mourn for me, organize.” We should say, “Don’t mourn Obama’s leanings — organize to push him the other way…”
And let’s not forget pressure on Congress.
(The Wagner Act came out of Congress. Roosevelt was NOT in support of it at first — and, yes, it was flawed because it excluded agricultural workers in order to get Southern racist support.]
I’m in total agreement with Michael Meeropol here. Until we can get ourselves or others like us elected to office, we’re always going to be in the position of mobilizing constituencies to act, along with bringing other forms of pressure to bear on existing policy-makers.
In this narrow regard, it doesn’t matter whether we’re “inside” or “outside.” This is perhaps the beginning of a
Michael, your statement “I think living in the America of 1945-1972 was better than living in the America of 1902-1929…” indulges the worst U.S. capitalist-imperialist years, considering the Guatemalan death squads, Batista, Somoza, etc., the Shah of Iran and the Vietnam war.
This kind of trade off for the sake of “better living” is not mitigated by marching against selected bad
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