The American Left Does Not Exist - Or At Least Not In the Way It Seems - Dave Sirota

[asdjrocky]

(At first I thought Dave was just being cranky, more and more I'm starting to see he is one of the few truth tellers left.)

These last few months have provided ample evidence that the American Left may not, in fact, really exist - at least not in the way it is billed in the media and at various progressive political conferences. There is certainly a lot of high-profile Democratic Party infrastructure around today. From Moveon to Organizing for America to the Democracy Alliance, Democratic partisans have done a good job of capitalizing on a desire out there for a real American Left - but, alas, we've been taught over and over and over again that (with the rare exception) there's a difference between parties and movements.

What are the signs that there isn't the American Left we've think there is? Obviously, the Emanuel White House shunning movement progressives from its team was a good signal - as was its reflexive firing of the few movement progressives it hired in low level positions (see Van Jones and now Yosi Sergant). The Professional Beltway Left's willingness to be corralled into the veal pen, as Jane Hamsher aptly calls it, is also a big sign that often times "progressive" organizations are all too happy to subvert movement goals for access to the perks and privileges of the D.C. cocktail party circuit. As the Wall Street Journal reported this weekend, the Professional Beltway Left is now being given orders every Tuesday by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina - the same Jim Messina who was chief of staff to Max Baucus when Baucus helped President Bush ram through almost every one of the Republican's signature initiatives (with the exception of Social Security privatization).

But we can't just blame President Emanuel for - rather predictably - being President Emanuel. It goes much deeper than that.

The rest-
http://www.openleft.com/diary/15287/the-american-left-does-not-exist-or-at-least-not-as-it-is-billed

[ShortnFiery]

1. Insightful.

"So when you are wondering why the Democratic Party proceeds to sell out the public option or environmental policy or anything else, you have your answer: It's because the 'American Left' has made the party, not the policy, the objective. Only when that formula and outlook is reformed will we have any prayer of turning 'hope' into 'change.'"

[asdjrocky]

2. Yep.

If you've voted, volunteered and been a liberal activist for this pos party, and you're not pissed off, then you are not paying attention.

[omega minimo]

3. So Baucus' guy helps Rahm "ram it through" and the real left that warned about DINOs faded out......

[ShortnFiery]

4. We liberals have no TRUE representation within the leadership of the Senate. None with SPINE. eom

[asdjrocky]

7. I can think of a few in the house that speak for me, certainly not my rep, but that's about it.

If anyone here still thinks the Democratic party cares with the left wants, they they are being fooled.

[Prism]

45. Yes, exactly this:

"It's because the 'American Left' has made the party, not the policy, the objective."

Exactly, exactly, exactly.

[leveymg]

5. We exist, alright, it's just that few of us pass through the membrane of the DC bubble

It really only listens to itself. The Far-Right gets heard more than the Far-Left, even by Democrats in the White House and Congress, because the former is an institutional part of the DC power structure. That's a constant of life inside The Bubble.

[Echo In Light]

6. "America has one political party with two right wings." Gore Vidal

[yurbud]

8. OUCH! Paul Kirk is a pharma lobbyist?

Two weeks ago, the Massachusetts legislature did not merely make a mockery of election law by going back and forth and then back to allowing its governor to appoint Senate replacements. Gov. Deval Patrick (D) then appointed former pharmaceutical lobbyist, insurance executive and corporate lawyer Paul Kirk to fill the seat of Ted Kennedy - right in the middle of the legislative endgame on health care. Patrick passed over the three-term former governor and one-time Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis to appoint Kirk - a person who has never held public office.

CONFIRMATION
http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2009/09/paul-kirk-massa...

[redqueen]

9. Yup. I could've sworn I read that here on DU...

right after his name was first mentioned.

[Name removed]

33. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[asdjrocky]

10. It's okay because he was Teddy's good friend.

Hey, there's no way Teddy's friend would screw us over, would he?

[yurbud]

27. not like NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND, no.

[cali]

11. too bad he ruins some good points by lying. Van Jones was NOT fired

and he fucking knows it. Words have meaning. I've noticed this about Sirota before. It's stinks.

[asdjrocky]

12. He wasn't fired?

Do you really think they rolled out the red carpet and asked him to stay?

[starroute]

13. Are we damned if we do and damned if we don't?

The left moved away from the Democratic Party as a result of Vietnam -- and that set things up for a generation of Republican dominance. That's one reason for the current strong support of the party by mainstream liberal organizations, a form of overreaction which isn't working any better.

Somehow the third option -- which the right exercised successfully in capturing the Republican Party -- is never considered seriously. Is that because the left really are wimps and can only think in terms of support/non-support and not in terms of victory? Or is it because the perception is that a majority of Americans hate liberals so the Democratic Party has to be allowed to keep pretending it isn't really liberal?

In any case, I suspect it may be time to say "enough" and get a little crazy-desperate here. But if we do, who will our allies be and what are our resources?

[asdjrocky]

14. You ask a lot of good questions.

Man I wish I had some answers. I am starting to feel this tent has gotten too big for me. I find myself standing next to gun nuts, people who don't believe in equality for everyone and people that support war.

Where is my party? Who is my party? Do I even have one anymore. Did I ever?

We're even too afraid to call ourselves what we are, Liberal, and instead use a word less threatening, like Progressive.

[ShortnFiery]

15. Nope! No more capitulation because we've morphed into ONE right wing duopoly.

It's time to move LEFT.

Fascism is still FASCISM ... even when it's from the FAMILIAR velvet glove of corporate democratic leadership.

[Overseas]

16. K&R. //nt

[Jennicut]

17. Yawn....Rahm is President. No guts to blame it on Obama solely when someone is unhappy with him?

Obama is a big boy, I think he can take criticism. Sounds so twisted it is almost a RW talking point...Obama is too weak to govern himself, he needs someone else to "be" President.

[depakid]

19. Obama is (pathologically?) conflict averse- Rahm is not

thus, Rahm ends up making a lot of the decisions and calls for Obama on these matters- especially as to access (which affects policy direction).

[Jennicut]

20. And how do you know that, you have a bug in the Oval Office?

Ridiculous speculation.

I am not opposed to criticizing Obama and the only thing wrong with this article to me is not blaming Obama directly. I just find the whole Obama is Bush and Cheney is Rahm thing hard to believe in terms of the dynamics of the Presidency. Obama seems too intelligent to go "yes, Rahm, I must obey". And why are we afraid to attack Obama when it is something he has done that we don't like? I want us to leave Afghanistan. If Obama orders more troops there, I will be pissed at Obama, not Rahm.

[ellenfl]

21. obama always said he would move our 'war' effort back to

afghanistan. you should not be pissed about something he said he would do from the beginning. that doesn't mean you cannot let your feelings be known to him just don't be surprised when he does what he said he would do.

ellen fl

[Jennicut]

24. I am just making the point that when I disagree with Obama on something that we should look at

Obama. Rahm is not President to me.

And I am not really angry at Obama for focusing on Afghanistan during the campaign and wanting a new strategy, I was for that for a long time. But I am seeing the writing on the wall in the last few months here. I doubt any amount of troops can improve the war there. It just seems like we will just keep getting more and more mired in this mess. I would like us to admit that and move on. How long and how many troops would it take to get it more stable...2 years, 3, 5, 10? It sounds like Vietnam.

[ellenfl]

50. i agree about getting out of afghanistan but

that goes for any 'war' in which we engage. i guess we won't get rid of wars until women gain control. we ARE the masters at negotiation . . . just ask any mom. :toast: i hope pres obama won't become a hawk. our military is stretched way too thin and our national guard needs to come home.

ellen fl

[depakid]

22. The evidence is there for anyone to observe re: conflict aversion

It's not a big inferential leap- given the duties of the Chief of Staff to conclude that Rahm's taken on (or been delegated) that role in the administration.

That of course is a very different inference than Rahm being Cheney- though gatekeeping still affects the direction that certain policy decisions take.

[Jennicut]

29. So gatekeeping = President Emmanuel? Then what is Sirota trying to infer?

Rahm has influence but does that mean he is acting like the President, making every single decision?

[depakid]

38. He's abserving that progressives are being denied "seats at the table"

and thus their arguments and positions are being excluded from active consideration. And not just by the administration- but by the "coalition" of center right and de facto Republicans in Congress with D's behind their names.

[Ardent15]

53. Yep.

We might as well have a GOP majority in the Senate right now.

[BlooInBloo]

23. Yep. I ignore it as soon as I see Rahm conspiracies. Got enough of the Obambi crap from Clinton

supporters in the primaries. No need to read the same book over and over.

[depakid]

26. So you don't see the role of Chief of Staff as important to policy direction?

[BlooInBloo]

28. I don't see Obama as a puppet, and all who do can fuck off...

I realize, of course, that it's mostly just shit Clinton supporters like to say - part of their bitter losing tears - and that's ok.

[depakid]

34. Who said anything about a puppet?

The Chief of Staff controls access and makes a lot of calls because they have to given the amount of work that's on the table.

A lot of discretion goes along with the delegation of authority- it has to, and any manager (or President) necessarily has to trust their right hand mans' (or woman's) judgment on both policy and procedure.

Clinton would have done the same- though probably to a lesser degree, because she's more the micromanager type and has already had 8 years to observe the process.

[BlooInBloo]

37. (yawn) Ok.... You folks don't typically use the *word* "puppet", since it's too transparent...

Actually - find someone else who might actually fall for anything you're saying.

[depakid]

42. Seems nuance and details excape some folks

as they look for attributions (or hearken back to primary battles). Fact is- Obama's team (including Rahm) has in fact excluded progressives- and has in fact excluded those who got it right (or have it right) in terms of responsible policy- while at the same time, pandering to industry types and others who've gotten it (and get it wrong).

Sirota makes a case in point about that with the Massachusetts governor's decision.Why put a PhARMA guy in there? To curry favor? What sort of message does that send?

[BlooInBloo]

43. Moar bitter tears plz - MOAR!

[depakid]

46. As if I was ever a Hillary supporter! Or as if most progressives were

Frankly, we'll soon be watching from afar again (for good) where we have universal health care (along with regulated private insurers). Aside for concern about friends and colleagues, this and other battles aren't mine to fight anymore. Did my time in the trenches....

That leaves us with the Obama administration's handling of foreign policy and relationship with PM Rudd- both of which are excellent. People living in America on the other hand have to deal with the consequences of center right domestic policies up close and personal. Like the woman from Texas who posted last night about being denied a prosthetic leg....

Our (my new) nation did the stimulus and economic measures right- not halfway right- and is pursuing bona fide means to cap on CEO salaries and abuses. Because we followed progressive economists, the economy never went into a recession- and is healthy enough to convince the RBA to raise interest rates to cool things off a bit.

Might be nice if the US might follow our lead- seeing how well it's worked in this and other areas (like health care)

[dionysus]

32. i learned to never underestimate the venom stored up from the primaries.

[BlooInBloo]

35. Of course. Even though the current fashion rage is to pretend it doesn't exist...

by not allowing it to be spoken of, we all know the bitter tears are still there, and see their expression regularly.

I wish I could collect them and make soup with them, personally.

[dionysus]

36. the bitter tears are like nectar for my soul.

[dionysus]

41. lemon soup sounds gross.

[AllentownJake]

18. Here are President Obama's top 10 donors

http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/contrib.php?cycle=2008&cid=N00009638

Now why would Goldman Sachs give President Obama close to $1,000,000

[leftstreet]

25. Golden Sacs gave $1mil, now why doesn't that surprise me

:puke:

[AllentownJake]

30. That was my wake-up call

so to speak. I read about all the bad things Goldman has been getting away with the past 8 months, than I looked at the donor list. Things clicked.

[asdjrocky]

44. All I can say is, yep that's it.

[dionysus]

31. President Emanuel? sirota jumps the shark. doesn't have the stones to go after O directly?

[AuntPatsy]

oh dont doubt. tweedle dee n tweedle dummer are a daily sideshow

[DireStrike]

52. I would say that it is as good as a direct attack

Dismissing him as so irrelevant and ineffectual he need not even be mentioned? Powerful insult.

[jgraz]

55. That is a direct attack, just as "President Cheney" was an attack on B*sh.

He's pointing out the sad fact that Rahm is running the show.

[AuntPatsy]

39. when will this side ever learn from its mistakes

[leftstreet]

40. "the American Left has made the party, not the policy, the objective"

:thumbsup:

[bvar22]

47. K&R.....Strong read.

You can see it here at DU everyday.
...coordinated attacks on those who dare to question Democratic Party Policy.

It is OK when The Democrats do it....

"The Left" hasn't gone away.
The Left has been discarded by the Obama Administration.
Election 2008 was a crushing defeat for Liberals/Progressives/The Left.

The Obama Administration has been successful at co-opting some of The Lefts' more outspoken advocacy groups like MoveON and others, but those of us who are Issues Oriented haven't "gone away"....yet.
The Democratic Party is in danger of seeing The Left go away in 2010 and 2012.



I WILL keep fighting for the same things I have always fought for:

*Complete withdrawal of ALL US Troops and Mercenaries from the Middle East.

*Single Payer Universal Health Care

*Reduction in Military Spending of at least 50%

*Equal Rights and Equal Protection for EVERYONE....No Exceptions

*Break Up of de facto Monopolies

*Fair Competition Legislation that let Mom & Pop (small, locally owned business & farms) compete with WalMart (Big Boxes/Agribusiness) on a level playing field.

*Working Americans/LABOR
(Wall Street Bankers can go bust and stand in bread lines with the rest of us.)

*Rule of LAW (No exceptions for the "Elite Class", especially War Criminals)

*Heavy Regulation or Public Ownership of Banking/Investment, Transportation, Prisons, Communications, Trade, Energy/Utilities

*Transparent/Verifiable Elections (Why hasn't The Democratic Party made THIS a Primary Issue?)

*Oppose "Free Trade" (Race to the Bottom)

*Oppose MIC

*Oppose Corporate/Republican influence INSIDE the Democratic Party.
The Democratic Party IS a "Big Tent", but there is NO ROOM for those who advance the agenda of The RICH at the expense of Labor and the Poor.

When Obama/The Democrats move TOWARD those goals, I will cheer.
When they move AWAY, I will oppose.

I have found precious little to cheer about lately (since 1992 actually).


"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans. I want us to compete for that great mass of voters that want a party that will stand up for working Americans, family farmers, and people who haven't felt the benefits of the economic upturn."---Paul Wellstone

[asdjrocky]

48. Thank you my friend.

How often has history shown us that it's the truth tellers that get mocked and ridiculed?

[tomp]

57. "Election 2008 was a crushing defeat for Liberals/Progressives/The Left."

you got it!

one day some of them will get it.

the left must consolidate around its own ideas, principles, goals, and stop being midwife to the center.

the democratic party is unfriendly to the left, i.e., to the people.

kucinich 2012, with or without the party. will be working against obama/emmanuel/goldman sachs.

[Geek_Girl]

49. I still can't believe that people are Surprised that the Obama administration is Centrist

I knew since the primaries that Obama was a centrist even more of a corporatist than Clinton. I just wish everyone realized it earlier on maybe we could have had President Kucinich.

[jgraz]

56. I think a lot of us hoped that his brains and talent would drag him leftward.

We never learn, do we?

[KittyWampus]

58. BULL! "Obama was a centrist even more of a corporatist than Clinton" You apparently know nothing abo

about Hillary Clinton.

[Ardent15]

51. Actual progressives are too dangerous for the powers that be..

..to be given any power.

[LWolf]

54. K & R nt

[femrap]

59. David doesn't blame

President Obama, just President Emanuel and others.

David was extremely naive not to see the Obama Marketing Campaign for what it was. Now he feels betrayed, but not to the point of looking at the Prez as the one who betrayed him.

As David said before the election, if Obama makes mistakes, WE have to correct him. What happened to that David???

[mdmc]

60. --