Dump the Democrats and unite!
Joshua Frank | 07.03.2007 18:32 | Analysis | Anti-militarism | Social Struggles | World
U.S. foreign policy has not and will not change direction as long as the Democratic Party continues to be dominated by corporate interests and tacit compliance with the neoconservative agenda. The antiwar movement needs to understand this reality or it is doomed to collapse like it did under the pressure of the 2004 elections.
We should have known it was coming. Even though the Democratic Party rode the antiwar wave in to Congress last November they’ve done little since to end the bloody war in Iraq.
Just last week House Democrats met to discuss how best to halt Bush’s request to send more troops into the region but couldn’t come to an agreement on whether or not to put any restrictions on the administration’s plea for an additional $93 billion to continue the occupation. The only way to stop the war, as Sen. Russ Feingold understands well, is to cease all funding for the ongoing tragedy. But the majority of Democrats, already preparing for the next round of elections, aren’t about to step up and represent their constituents.
Hate to say we told you so but we predicted this outcome long ago in these pages. While some, including John Nichols at The Nation, claimed Washington was being taken over by progressive Democrats, we knew the numbers proved otherwise. Progressive Democrats did gain strength, however conservative pro-war Blue Dog and DLC patrons gained the most seats in the last election cycle. Virtually all ran on pro-war platforms -- guaranteeing that they would continue to support Bush’s efforts to eradicate “terrorism” by terrorizing Iraqis and Afghanis instead.
“The Blue Dogs are pretty unified in not wanting to micromanage how the Pentagon conducts the war,” said Blue Dog Rep. John Salazar of Colorado. “None of us will support withholding funds from troops in the field.”
Senator Carl Levin of Michigan, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, also refused to block Bush’s call for additional funds by claiming it would be “immoral” for the Democratic Party to do so. Senator Hillary Clinton won’t apologize for giving Bush the authority to invade Iraq, nor will Senator Dianne Feinstein acknowledge that her support for past reconstruction funds has fattened the pockets of her husband who has large stakes in several companies currently profiting from the war.
We may as well call all of this what it is: a willful abandonment of ideals and purpose, which never really existed to begin with. The Democratic Party exerts the same hawkish fervor as the Republican Party. Indeed, they have proven that despite the overwhelming opposition to the war nationwide they will not do a damn thing to end it.
U.S. foreign policy has not and will not change direction as long as the Democratic Party continues to be dominated by corporate interests and tacit compliance with the neoconservative agenda. The antiwar movement needs to understand this reality or it is doomed to collapse like it did under the pressure of the 2004 elections.
The time is now for us to come together under a unified antiwar banner despite what our political leanings may be. Liberal, radical, conservative, libertarian, it doesn’t matter. Ending the war and our government’s imperialist polices is just that important. We may be a minority, but we can be a successful one. Indeed, if we unite, we could have a profound effect on our political discourse and the upcoming elections. Let’s not wait around for either party to come to their senses. Let’s force them to.
Joshua Frank is the author of Left Out!: How Liberals Helped Reelect George W. Bush and edits BrickBurner.org.
Just last week House Democrats met to discuss how best to halt Bush’s request to send more troops into the region but couldn’t come to an agreement on whether or not to put any restrictions on the administration’s plea for an additional $93 billion to continue the occupation. The only way to stop the war, as Sen. Russ Feingold understands well, is to cease all funding for the ongoing tragedy. But the majority of Democrats, already preparing for the next round of elections, aren’t about to step up and represent their constituents.
Hate to say we told you so but we predicted this outcome long ago in these pages. While some, including John Nichols at The Nation, claimed Washington was being taken over by progressive Democrats, we knew the numbers proved otherwise. Progressive Democrats did gain strength, however conservative pro-war Blue Dog and DLC patrons gained the most seats in the last election cycle. Virtually all ran on pro-war platforms -- guaranteeing that they would continue to support Bush’s efforts to eradicate “terrorism” by terrorizing Iraqis and Afghanis instead.
“The Blue Dogs are pretty unified in not wanting to micromanage how the Pentagon conducts the war,” said Blue Dog Rep. John Salazar of Colorado. “None of us will support withholding funds from troops in the field.”
Senator Carl Levin of Michigan, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, also refused to block Bush’s call for additional funds by claiming it would be “immoral” for the Democratic Party to do so. Senator Hillary Clinton won’t apologize for giving Bush the authority to invade Iraq, nor will Senator Dianne Feinstein acknowledge that her support for past reconstruction funds has fattened the pockets of her husband who has large stakes in several companies currently profiting from the war.
We may as well call all of this what it is: a willful abandonment of ideals and purpose, which never really existed to begin with. The Democratic Party exerts the same hawkish fervor as the Republican Party. Indeed, they have proven that despite the overwhelming opposition to the war nationwide they will not do a damn thing to end it.
U.S. foreign policy has not and will not change direction as long as the Democratic Party continues to be dominated by corporate interests and tacit compliance with the neoconservative agenda. The antiwar movement needs to understand this reality or it is doomed to collapse like it did under the pressure of the 2004 elections.
The time is now for us to come together under a unified antiwar banner despite what our political leanings may be. Liberal, radical, conservative, libertarian, it doesn’t matter. Ending the war and our government’s imperialist polices is just that important. We may be a minority, but we can be a successful one. Indeed, if we unite, we could have a profound effect on our political discourse and the upcoming elections. Let’s not wait around for either party to come to their senses. Let’s force them to.
Joshua Frank is the author of Left Out!: How Liberals Helped Reelect George W. Bush and edits BrickBurner.org.
Joshua Frank
Homepage:
http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/printer_1820.shtml
Comments
Hide the following 2 comments
Understanding your own words (do you?)
07.03.2007 19:29
Joshua -- do you UNDERSTAND your own words. Do you understand the meaning of being able to unite in this way. It means that we (the people who might be able to do this) consider the issue of the war MORE IMPORTANT than any of our other issues. That in order to gain this unity we would be willing to give way on our other issues "in the name of unity".
You actually believe that many (any?) of us fall into that category?
That there are enough feminists against the war willign to give up aboortions?
Enough gays and lesbians against the war to be willing to return to the previous era of hiding?
Enough liberals and socialists and left radicals against the war willing to accept unbridled capitalism?
Enough economic conservaties against the war willing to accept communism?
Enough social conservatives against the war willign to accept gay marriage, abortion, etc.?
OH --- what you meant was that we all get together against the war AND the other things that you hold dear. Joshua --- what matters with a call like this is what you are willing to give up in the name of achieving anti-war unity.
Mike Novack
e-mail:
stepbystpefarm mtdata.com
Unite For Peace
10.03.2007 03:37
Addressing the absolute corruption of Washington to end these wars, and disempowering those responsible for them, will set us leaps and bounds ahead on all those other issues.
Translation