Party Unity

The Pragmatic Left is made up of those who back Obama while disagreeing with some major policies, starting with his war in Afghanistan. Their opposite is the Idealistic Left who energetically attack Obama. This difference is sometimes thought of as a difference in party unity, with the Pragmatic Left putting the Democratic party above principle, but that's a misunderstanding.

It's the Idealistic Left that focuses on party unity. That is, they are disappointed that the Democrats are not unified in pursuit of progressive goals. The Pragmatic Left never believed that a big tent party could be unified. They aren't loyal to a party. They believe that they are working in a corporate system that makes every positive change as difficult as possible. They are loyal to specific goals and willing to take small steps in what they hope will be the right direction.

The Pragmatic Left ranges from Obama to the somewhat less pragmatic Kucinich and Michael Moore. The Idealistic Left, refusing big-tent compromises, is represented by Ralph Nader, who still believes that it made no difference if Bush or Gore got elected President.

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Chris O'Sullivan sent along the following recent quote from someone called Fishpeddler: "It's important to remember that Republican elites think they are raising revenues by cutting taxes to the rich. The technical term for this theory is The Fifth Stage of Tequila (after 1. I'm rich, 2. I'm good looking, 3. I'm bullet-proof, 4. I'm invisible)."

---Gary Goss

1. In Republican health terms, this Fascist Communist country was doomed from the start when, in 1798, Congress enacted the Relief of Sick and Disabled Seamen Act. That was just the kind of thing that Hitler did.

2. Will the coverage of Cheetah Woods never end? I'm wearing out my remote control turning him off.

Republican Record

From Chris O'Sullivan (with thanks)

I come from a long-standing Republican family. Everyone in my family (myself excepted) has voted Republican in all contests, presidential and gubernatorial, since 1856. But lets face historical reality: the GOP has been on the wrong side of every major issue for the past 100 years, at least since TR's administration. They opposed American participation in the League of Nations; their pro-Wall Street policies in the 20's produced the Great Depression; they then opposed every effort to reduce the consequences of the Depression; they opposed every New Deal reform, including Social Security, banking reform, unemployment insurance, collective bargaining; 40 hour work week; and public works; they opposed FDR's efforts to fight fascism; they opposed health expansion plans proposed by Gov. Earl Warren AND President Harry Truman; they opposed Medicare in 1965 (Ronald Reagan predicted the end of freedom over THAT one, the End of Days itself); they staunchly opposed all Civil Rights legislation, including for African Americans, women, and gays and lesbians; and they've opposed Health Care reform since at least 1935. They've played the Race Card in just about every election since Reagan's 1966 gubernatorial crusade. Oh, don't forget their creation of massive deficits through tax giveaways to the super wealthy in 1981-82 and 2001-2002. Great track record, there. They've really put their "Country First" -- as was their slogan in 2008. No doubt they'll have much to campaign on in 2010. -- Chris

A lot happened in the last week.

I should write something about the health care bill. For one thing, there will be some nearly immediate benefits. Six months after the bill is enacted, the insurance companies will be banned from dropping your coverage because you became ill. Also the drug payment doughnut hole will begin to close right away.

1. Nancy Pelosi now holds the title of the most powerful woman in the history of the United States. Think of that. She is, among other things, a product of the progressive Burton machine in San Francisco--she holds Phil Burton's old seat--so the Bay Area can take some local pride in her.

The Democrats and progressives have passed a difficult bill; it seems possible, after all, to enact legislation the Republicans and teabaggers oppose. Let's do it again.

2. The Republicans strongly oppose catering to selfish special interest groups. Someone pointed out that nurses are a special interest group. So are carpenters, dentists, teachers, singers, police officers, etc. They aren't real American voters, just special interest groups we should denounce if we are Republican.

Who are the real Americans, the ones not in a special interest group? The Presidents of multi-national corporations?

3. Sue, Tim and I represented the Democratic & Progressive Club and the Healdsburg Peace Project in the big happy march on Sunday to call attention to immigrant rights. According to the Press Democrat about 5,000 people walked together to Courthouse Square. At one corner there was a brief confrontation just before I arrived. Apparently some white teabaggers stood on the sidewalk and yelled at the masses of people strolling by, people who, in most cases, were partly descended from North American Indians.The white dudes were telling the brown walkers to go back where they came from.

Ah . . . stupidity. We never get enough of it.

Gary Goss

Pragmatic Progressives

As I write this, the health care bill is in the balance. Dennis Kucinich has just announced his support for the legislation, and the Left's Circular Firing Squad has stacked its rifles for the moment. Time out to think. . . .

My sense is that most progressive reformists are pragmatic. That covers a range of views from Barack Obama to Michael Moore, with Obama and Clinton being, perhaps, more pragmatic than progressive and Moore, Rachel Maddow and Kucinich being more progressive than pragmatic.

Definition: A pragmatic progressive understands how to get minor improvements done in our corporate governance system.

The other sort of progressive is the Black & White Idealist, someone who believes that a democracy should function without compromises among the different groups. An example might be a voter who holds it made no difference to the children of Iraq whether Al Gore or Dick Cheney became President, because both candidates were imperfect.

No one likes the health care bill, not even the insurance companies. But here's the thing. If it passes in the next few days, it will save some lives and crack open a door that might lead to universal coverage.That's why Kucinich held his nose and offered his vote.

A little more than a year ago, my younger sister died because she had no health care. For me there is nothing abstract about the current proposal.

Gary Goss

Military Commies

As some of you know, the Pentagon now includes the impact of climate change in its contingency plans. The military does this in the belief that climate change is likely to result in social unrest.

Now if someone could just convince the Stupid Party. . . .