Bob Cesca's Awesome Blog
August 28, 2009
Something struck me while watching Bill Maher tonight. Not because of anything Maher, Moyers or Jay-Z said specifically. It was just a thought that occurred to me while watching.
When Republicans are in power, liberals attack the Republicans with ferocity. When Democrats are in power, liberals attack Democrats with the same ferocity.
Honestly, I don't know if this is good for the nation or good for liberalism or what. Seriously. As near as I can tell, attacking Democratic leaders from their left flank is a major aspect of the liberal/progressive style, especially since the Democratic Party now spans such a broad stretch of the ideological spectrum and many of our party leaders are still closer to the middle than they are to the left (the Republicans, on the other hand occupy a rapidly shrinking and crazy part of the spectrum).
So how do we adequately influence Democratic leadership to pay more attention to the left without blowing up the whole thing in the process -- a chain reaction that has, in the past, contributed in some way to the rise of despotic Republican administrations (Examples: LBJ disillusionment leading to Nixon, Clinton disillusionment leading to Bush)?
I suspect there's a sweet spot in the space between necessary influence and self-defeat that we haven't quite locked onto yet. I hope we find it.
Copyright 2009 Bob Cesca's Awesome Blog
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