What's the Matter with Democrats?
Thomas Frank interviewed by Lakshmi Chaudhry
Alternet
So what now? The intractable reality of the culture wars seems all the more daunting thanks to the Democratic Party leadership, which shows no sign of breaking the decades-long habit of responding to defeat with abject submission. Having already moved to the right on economic issues, the party seems ready to don the mask of social conservatism – – as in the appointment of an anti-abortion Tim Reid as the House Minority leader – to hold on to a sliver of power.
That's exactly the wrong strategy to beat the Republicans, says Tom Frank. The solution is not Bible-thumping but economic populism. Liberals need to respond to the faux populism of the GOP – which pits "real" working class Americans against over-educated, snotty liberals – with the real deal. Frank argues it's time for the Democratic Party to return to its roots, to rediscover its lost soul. To become once again the champion of the working class.
Read the Interview
2 comments:
We don't make it clear enough that the Republican party is not looking out for anyone that is not in the 39.6% tax bracket. Morality is all nice to think about as you live paycheck to paycheck with no health insurance.
Who is this we ;) ... I made it clear enough to anyone that came within shouting distance.
Instead I blame the contemporary nature of communication and knowledge (both dominated by corporate media) which discourages reflection, complexity and transperspective...
Additionally your last post on community also speaks to this problem from another angle--how can we speak to our neighbors when our interactions are only ever on a superficial level? Where is the public sphere--the arena (not the marketplace--which only consumes and leaves nothing nutritious for the people) of ideals/ideas?
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