tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post2770636138209256882..comments2024-03-28T22:33:29.066-04:00Comments on The Philosopher's Stone: WHAT IS TO BE DONE?Robert Paul Wolffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970360952872431856noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-90697627592989409132016-11-30T17:10:40.246-05:002016-11-30T17:10:40.246-05:00I know I'm a tad pugnacious to put it mildly, ...I know I'm a tad pugnacious to put it mildly, but I couldn't agree with Frank more. I'm pretty convinced the problem is the 'new democrats' (i.e., that the FDR dems). We should work with them to stop Trump, but we should not work with them in the sense of reforming and progressive-izing the democratic party. On that front, as Trotsky said, they should be in the dust bin of history. Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08250295324149056708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-31243179354271783142016-11-30T14:31:37.640-05:002016-11-30T14:31:37.640-05:00Thomas Frank telling liberals that the "probl...Thomas Frank telling liberals that the "problem is them' and why nothing will change:<br /><br />https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/nov/29/how-the-democrats-could-win-again-if-they-wanted<br /><br /><br /><br />Jerry Fresiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17566575038825699112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-29897179885144499992016-11-30T12:59:57.633-05:002016-11-30T12:59:57.633-05:00for Hillary, all power flows top-down
and Debbie c...for Hillary, all power flows top-down<br />and Debbie can deliver a swing-state<br />denying power to that fascist clown<br />no compromise of ethics seems too great<br />the DNC bet on the weaker horse<br />'cause donors disapproved of Bernie's views<br />without a PAC to multiply his force<br />he shakes out pushkes from Progressive Jews<br />the senator from WallStreet tops the bill<br />and scolds the peasants to get on the bus<br />but no one here's convinced that Clinton will<br />risk irritating donors to serve us<br />now she and Trump compete to stoke up fear<br />and I wake screaming; it could happen here<br /><br />Barry H. Levinelevinebarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11436714033924525689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-72312922666991173582016-11-30T12:57:56.084-05:002016-11-30T12:57:56.084-05:00OK, Chris, I called and left a message of support ...OK, Chris, I called and left a message of support for Elison.Robert Paul Wolffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11970360952872431856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-54772960783558639592016-11-30T12:55:54.993-05:002016-11-30T12:55:54.993-05:00from where I sit, the emphasis on fund-raising is ...from where I sit, the emphasis on fund-raising is exactly what gave us the Wasserman-Schultz debacle. Surely wee need an organization of ideas, not of donor-relations?<br /><br /><br />Barry H. Levinelevinebarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11436714033924525689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-43914196902880834202016-11-30T12:53:36.954-05:002016-11-30T12:53:36.954-05:00OKOKRobert Paul Wolffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11970360952872431856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-51166850047501605762016-11-30T12:44:14.392-05:002016-11-30T12:44:14.392-05:00Small step, let's keep calling the WH and DNC ...Small step, let's keep calling the WH and DNC demanding Ellison get the appointment. If we want progressives running in all the local and house elections we really need a progressive as chair, no?Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08250295324149056708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-19907468632448657372016-11-30T11:36:53.132-05:002016-11-30T11:36:53.132-05:00Maybe I'm just an old man and completely out o...Maybe I'm just an old man and completely out of date, but from my experience, a movement (civil rights movement, movement against the Viet Nam war, woman's movement, human rights movement in Chile) does not need a 100 million dollars to start: it's not a question of money at all, although it helps to have computers and telephones and a few paid staff (who generally accept low wages because they believe in the cause). <br /><br />The movement needs to occur at the right time, it needs some very dedicated people who don't care about money at all and they need to convince others.<br /><br />We've just been arguing about Fidel Castro in another thread. Fidel spent his entire personal fortune on the expedition from Mexico with the Granma boat. The people who went with him risked their lives as did Fidel himself. I'm not claiming that people have to risk their lives to get this movement going, but unless people are willing to give up things for the cause, it's not going to get anywhere and it's just going to turn into one more do-good organization. s. wallersteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17448905469871566228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-90104707293288219732016-11-30T11:08:04.112-05:002016-11-30T11:08:04.112-05:00OK, suggest an alternative that has a realistic ch...OK, suggest an alternative that has a realistic chance of success. I am open to anything. Robert Paul Wolffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11970360952872431856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-37084215760061243032016-11-30T10:48:29.234-05:002016-11-30T10:48:29.234-05:00The idea that Obama will be a progressive leader i...The idea that Obama will be a progressive leader is less grounded in reality than any view I've seen Trump voters lampooned for on this blog. AS WE SPEAK HIS WHITEHOUSE IS ACTING AGAINST APPOINTING KEITH ELLISON TO DNC CHAIR IN FAVOR OF AN ESTABLISHMENT DEM! If they don't want a progressive DNC chair, why would they want a major progressive house strategy!? He's floating his TERRIBLE labor secretary as DNC chair! Hell he helped talk Biden out of running for president to help coronate Clinton! Obamas is a Clintonian triangulation democrat.<br /><br />http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/22/us/politics/democrats-leadership-fight-pits-west-wing-against-left-wing.html?_r=0<br /><br />http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/07/2016-barack-obama-hillary-clinton-democratic-establishment-campaign-primary-joe-biden-elizabeth-warren-214023<br /><br />My cited sources so people don't think I'm discounting Obama because he's not pure enough.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08250295324149056708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-37145614600788010632016-11-30T09:57:28.800-05:002016-11-30T09:57:28.800-05:00I believe all of them (Bernie, Warren, Obama) and ...I believe all of them (Bernie, Warren, Obama) and more will be stepping up, very soon after January 20. The first targets will be the most egregious nominations that require Senate confirmation, and specific legislative proposals as they arise. But for the longer term, they will turn their efforts to raising money for and supporting state and local candidates in the states that will have elections in 2017--and then the big one in 2018.<br /><br />House districts will still be gerrymandered at that time, but it certainly is possible, if not probable, that the bloom will be off the Trump rose by then. If the Obama coalition turns out to vote--a big, big "if"--the Democrats might just take the House. At that point, they would control the House agenda and its committees which could start a little payback for all of the investigations the Republicans have done for the past six years.<br /><br />I keep reminding myself that the Republican party was wiped out in 1964. Four years later, we had Richard Nixon.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01601151117159492920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-71673143684960965372016-11-30T09:56:31.197-05:002016-11-30T09:56:31.197-05:00The organization that SHOULD perform all these fun...The organization that SHOULD perform all these functions is called the Democratic Party. Or something new.<br /><br />David E.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-32699417815068525732016-11-30T09:25:33.161-05:002016-11-30T09:25:33.161-05:00Obama: 'I am a New Democrat'<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2009/03/obama-i-am-a-new-democrat-019862" rel="nofollow">Obama: 'I am a New Democrat'</a><br />Tom Hickeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08454222098667643650noreply@blogger.com