Lessons From The California Democratic Convention
An interesting article about the recent California Democratic Party convention, from LA Weekly, brilliantly captures the essence of what is wrong with the Democratic Party, as well as the naivete of its legions of liberal activists.
The article describes the huge disconnect between the reformist impulses of liberal delegates within the party and the reality of a stage-managed convention, run by and for pro-corporate politicians. For example:
This is all interesting reading--and par for the course in understanding not just how corrupt and morally bankrupt the Democratic Party is, but how self-destructive progressives are when they bury themselves inside the Democratic Party--which many on the left correctly identify as the graveyard of progressive social movements.
What is particularly ironic about all of this is that the author of this article, who embraced the ABB argument in supporting Kerry in 2004, has thus exemplified many of the same qualities that he criticizes among the liberal activists at the convention. Amazingly, the same person who complains about those "embarked on a crusade to convince themselves that this is really their party" has himself embraced that same party. Which perhaps illustrates how entrenched the duopoly mentality is--even many of those who sharply critique it nevertheless, when all is said and done, embrace it themselves anyway.
The article describes the huge disconnect between the reformist impulses of liberal delegates within the party and the reality of a stage-managed convention, run by and for pro-corporate politicians. For example:
As the convention was breaking up on Sunday, I couldn't help but chuckle--partly in sympathy but partly in amazement --at the loud laments from some of the self-proclaimed liberals (like the Progressive Democrats of America) who just couldn't believe that the party voted down most of its last-minute proposals. The PDAers were walking around shell-shocked because the party and organized labor had endorsed the re-election of the rather conservative South Bay Congresswoman Jane Harman over her lefty challenger Marcy Winograd. The latter's supporters had diligently gathered up the hundreds of signatures necessary to re-float an agenda item before the convention, and were seeking to overturn the Harman endorsement. What they got was an express railroad ticket, the convention chair rushing the measure through an unaccountable 'nay' voice-vote.The article then discusses in detail some of the key players in the corporate sponsored convention, starting with one who wasn't able to attend: Speaker of the Assembly Fabian Nunez, who was a big supporter of AT&T's telecommunications interests, couldn't attend because he was at Pebble Beach being "feted" by--you guessed it, AT&T. And because the Party Chairman couldn't be there, they gave the party podium to corporate lobbyist Willie Brown, who had been paid by the pharmaceutical industry to oppose a pro-consumer ballot measure last year.
These progressive folks seem to forget that in party conventions, the delegates are there strictly as unpaid extras in what is otherwise a tightly scripted, totally predetermined political reality show. In my experience, Republican delegates to both national and state party conventions seem to know and readily accept this uncomfortable fact about American party politics. The Republican delegates just don't care, and seem more than happy to just sit there with their plastic boaters and rubber elephant ears, clapping on cue in exchange for the parties, free buffets and open bars.
But Democratic delegates--often earnest teachers and oh-so-serious community activists--seem permanently embarked on a crusade to convince themselves that this is really their party, hence the nonstop yammering about taking it back, turning it around, taking it over, etc., etc., etc. I've been watching this now-ritual kabuki for my entire adulthood (stretching back to McGovern '72) and nothing, really, seems to change. I actually met shaking and weeping delegates who were outraged--outraged, I tell you--after the move to endorse Winograd was gaveled down on Sunday morning. Ah.
This is all interesting reading--and par for the course in understanding not just how corrupt and morally bankrupt the Democratic Party is, but how self-destructive progressives are when they bury themselves inside the Democratic Party--which many on the left correctly identify as the graveyard of progressive social movements.
What is particularly ironic about all of this is that the author of this article, who embraced the ABB argument in supporting Kerry in 2004, has thus exemplified many of the same qualities that he criticizes among the liberal activists at the convention. Amazingly, the same person who complains about those "embarked on a crusade to convince themselves that this is really their party" has himself embraced that same party. Which perhaps illustrates how entrenched the duopoly mentality is--even many of those who sharply critique it nevertheless, when all is said and done, embrace it themselves anyway.
I agree with every word of your post.
Too bad we don't have a Labor Party. No matter how corrupt, it would be based on the working class.
Posted by
Frank Partisan |
8:26 PM
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