David Sirota: Laying Bare the Myth of ‘The Left’

[marmar]

from truthdig:



Laying Bare the Myth of ‘The Left’
Posted on May 20, 2010

By David Sirota


I’m always amused by popular references to the allegedly all-powerful American “Left.” The term suggests that progressives today possess the same kind of robust, ideologically driven political apparatus as the Right—a machine putting principles before party affiliation.

This notion is hilarious because it is so absurd.

Yes, there are certainly well-funded groups in Washington that call themselves “progressive,” that get media billing as “The Left,” and that purport to advocate liberal causes regardless of party. But unlike the Right’s network, which has sometimes ideologically opposed Republicans on court nominations and legislation, many “progressive” institutions are not principled at all—sadly, lots of them are just propagandists for Democrats, regardless of what Democrats do.

Everyone in professional “Left” politics knows this reality “deep down in places they don’t talk about at parties,” as Jack Nicholson might say—and they don’t discuss it for fear of both jeopardizing their employers’ nonprofit tax status and/or undermining their employers’ dishonest fundraising appeals to liberal donors’ ideals.

During the Bush years, this truth was easily obscured, as bashing the Republican president for trampling progressive initiatives was equivalent to aiding Democrats. But in the Obama era, “The Left’s” destructive, party-over-principles motivation has become impossible to hide, especially recently.

Behold, for instance, major environmental groups’ attitude toward the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/laying_bare_the_myth_of_the_left_20100520/

[bread_and_roses]

1. Yup. With ascendance, "we" have become what we were fighting (n/t)

[nashville_brook]

5. this is very often the case. William Irvin Thompson -- Evil and World Order -- good read.

[bread_and_roses]

6. thanks. i'll add it to "the list" (n/t)

[leveymg]

2. Machine Politics is machine politics.

"Deep down in places we don't talk about at parties", we all know the Party is a hierarchy, and when the top says march, the ranks below are expected to march. Keep a smile on that face. Don't step out of line, or speak when you're not being spoken to. Kinda like a job . . .

[Demeter]

3. Too Bad the Rank and File Hasn't Got the Message!

An army of leaders and no followers...and more Obamaniacs dropping out daily.

[nashville_brook]

4. politics without principles never benefits the people -- "your team" will always let you down