Mother Jones w/ Jim Hightower- "Extremism on Viagra"

[DinahMoeHum]

Link:
http://www.motherjones.com/news/qa/2004/07/07_406.html

(snip)
MotherJones.com: What was the mood at the events you were at in Boston?

Jim Hightower: Basically, a wild enthusiasm for a regime change and the ABB program – Anybody But Bush. There’s a willingness to lift up John Kerry and use him as the battering ram to get that done. Nobody’s fooled that Kerry himself is going to be any kind of a wild progressive. But a commitment to keep building beyond the campaign, that to me is the most important thing. There’s just tremendous energy out there with the organizing, enthusiasm and training taking place. Thousands of people are going to be out on the streets for this election. But in just about every case, they understand that there’s no honeymoon. After we get rid of Bush, we have to stay right in the face of the Kerry/Edwards administration and just keep pushing.
(snip)

MJ.com: If Kerry gets elected, to what extent can he roll back the policies Bush has enacted over the past four years?

JH: I think quite a bit. I don’t know all the rules, but it’s apparent that the Bushites didn’t worry about the rules. They were able to roll back not only Clinton, but FDR. So I think there’s a lot of power there. Besides Kerry, the other question is what Congress is going to be. Is Tom DeLay still going to be the boss of the Congress? If so, it’s going to be a lot tougher. What are the courts going to do? Bush has messed those up pretty severely as did the people before him - unfortunately including Clinton, who didn’t put good, strong people in enough places. Again though, I say this is the beginning. Our goal is not Kerry. Our goal is to take our country back, and that’s going to require a long-term effort. We’re going to have to be organized and energized to make Kerry and Edwards as progressive as they possibly can be. But then we have to keep building, because they’re not the solution - they’re just a step along the path.
(snip)

MJ.com: What happens if Bush wins in November? What can progressives do with another four years?

JH: Revolt. It’s going to take that. Another four years is going to be extremism on Viagra, because they’ll recognize this is their final four years and will just go for it all. They’ve hardly been hesitant without having even won the election, so if they can grab this one... They are zealots who are attempting to impose their Orwellian, Strangelove-ian, Ayn Rand-ian, Jerry Falwell-ian ideology over our democratic principles and egalitarian aspirations. That’s why it’s so essential to defeat them. Not only are they nuts; they’re dangerous. And we have to take them out. If we don’t, then we spend another four years fighting all these negative rear-guard battles that don’t advance our cause at all.
(snip)

much much more. . .


:kick:

[glitch]

1. Jim Hightower is most excellent - he'll be here in Seattle on Saturday

Rolling Thunder Tour. I am so glad most progressives are seeing the difference between the parties now. Thanks for posting.

[KoKo]

2. Excellent article and a must read for those among us "Progressives!"

Hightower has excellent observances. And...what do we do when Kerry get's in, and is isolated from the voices trying to tell him how "real America" is living now? :shrug:

Kerry, like Edwards only sees what's in front of his nose.....Who will hold their feet to the fire and force them out of their "cocooned existence?"

[bleowheels]

3. Yes, but would you rather Bush is re-elected than have Kerry/Edwards

get elected as President/Vice President? Of course not! If Kerry and Edwards get elected, we hold their feet to the fire too! However, Give Them A F#@king Break! Allow them a few months to establish their base and start to work forward. As they say, "Rome was not built in a day!"