dagblog - Comments for "The Sanders Syndrome Hits Home Court"

I can't wait for Bernard to

Peter — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 16:26:52 +0000

In reply to The Sanders Syndrome Hits Home Court

I can't wait for Bernard to be selected as our Great Leader, he'll be our first Labor Zionist bringing Socialism to the masses. Every state will get an F35 base just as the People's Republic of Vermont has.and will enjoy their MIC Socialism because the other Socialism is impossible with militarists such as Bernie, Warren or Clinton.

Bernie's Run has pumped new life into the disillusioned leaderless Liberals who can now point and cheer at the proof that the system still works if we will only believe.

We've already seen that once a Democrat rules in Washington war becomes more tolerable and necessary to protect our interests. With a socialist like Bernie in power promising a more equal sharing of the profits many people may start waving their little Amerikan flags again as the military executes the necessary murder and mayhem to guarantee those profits.

When reviewing the pros and

Resistance — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 04:33:22 +0000

In reply to I think you've just written

When reviewing the pros and cons of all the other candidates, to consider the best

Bernie - is what's left

I think you've just written

MrSmith1 — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 03:53:03 +0000

In reply to I'm pro-leftwingloudmouth.

I think you've just written Sanders' new bumper sticker: Bernie - He's the Leftiest!

I'm pro-leftwingloudmouth.

Michael Wolraich — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 02:34:32 +0000

In reply to Worse? No, at least IMO, but

I'm pro-leftwingloudmouth. Sanders may not be the loudest and leftiest man in America, but he's louder and leftier than anyone else on the national stage except perhaps Elizabeth Warren. For this reason, we should welcome his candidacy.

Worse? No, at least IMO, but

A Guy Called LULU — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 14:26:01 +0000

In reply to Ugh, I didn't realize that

Worse? No, at least IMO, but just coming from a different place. Street and Levine stand well to the left of Sanders and are saying that if he wants to call himself a socialist that he should move closer to them, over where the 'real' socialists stand.

When was the last time a self-declared socialist received serious political coverage?

When was the last time that a committed, charismatic, dedicated, soft-spoken, moderate centrist hoping to make some small changes ever inspired a revolutionary movement? Or, even modest improvements that went against the prevailing power structure? Still, if he helps change the national conversation in that direction and help pave the way, I am for all it.

Ugh, I didn't realize that

Michael Wolraich — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 20:48:27 +0000

In reply to

Ugh, I didn't realize that Street was a socialist. That makes it even worse. When was the last time a self-declared socialist received serious political coverage? You'd think Street would be enthusiastic--even if Sanders' ideology is only socialism-lite.

Interesting piece about academia. I think it's more complicated than economics, though that certainly plays a big part. Other factors include the rise of academic specialization and the post-modern fetish for obscure language. I also think the effect is not limited to progressive and radicals, though it's more pronounced on the left. You don't see many Milton Friedman's or Allan Bloom's these days either.

A Guy Called LULU — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 03:05:59 +0000

In reply to Lulu, if the left goes silent

I think Street, a socialist himself, is more critical of Sanders as a socialist than as a Democrat or as a candidate.

Andrew Levine in the same issue at Counterpunch has good observations on many of the declared and potential candidates including Webb. When he gets to Sanders his take is much like Street’s, Sanders is just not his kind of socialist either. I think Levine's analysis is worth checking out.

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/06/05/no-need-yet-to-abandon-all-hope/

I think you are right about the ‘long game’ but that is a bit discouraging seeing as how the Republicans are the only ones playing it affectively or who even seem to know what the game is. Corey Robin has a post about part of their team and the power game they play.

http://coreyrobin.com/2015/06/07/how-corporations-control-politics/

On another front and though not directly about electoral politics, something very significant in the long game is happening in the academic world according to Michael Shwalbe.

Just as the public intellectuals that Jacoby reveres began to fade when their economic niche eroded such that they could no longer survive by freelance writing for engaged publics, so too with professors. The niche that once supported critical intellectual work in the university and allowed professors to offer independent analysis to a wide audience is changing. These changes will ever more strongly discourage professors, even tenured ones, from aspiring to or becoming public left intellectuals. What remains after that is likely to be merely academic.

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/06/05/twilight-of-the-professors/

He also talks about how many

trkingmomoe — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 22:58:35 +0000

In reply to The Sanders Syndrome Hits Home Court

He also talks about how many we have in jails now.

Sanders does talk about the

trkingmomoe — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 22:43:47 +0000

In reply to The Sanders Syndrome Hits Home Court

Sanders does talk about the plight of African Americans.

http://www.rawstory.com/2015/06/bernie-sanders-wants-to-put-a-million-young-people-to-work-heres-how/

He is framing it as a job issue.

Lulu, if the left goes silent

Michael Wolraich — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 15:03:00 +0000

In reply to I have long believed that

Lulu, if the left goes silent after a Clinton election, then I certainly agree with you that she would not alter her behavior as President. The left should press Clinton for policy promises during the campaign AND hold her to them post-election. I say that with the understanding that this strategy may not work well right now. The left wing of the party is still too weak to threaten serious damage. But this is a long game. Ultimately, the left must rebuild itself into a more potent political force, and I believe that Sanders's campaign can contribute to that effort.

Which gets me to your question. The American left suffers from poor political strategy, limited vision, disunity, and apathy. Instead of griping about Sanders' failure to satisfy ideological benchmarks and complaining that the campaign will suck energy from his own agenda, Paul Street might have welcomed the enthusiasm for a populist, progressive candidate like Sanders and recognized that strategic political campaigns are an essential tool for achieving social change.