I've long maintained there were two basic levels of leftism, with some overlap, certainly. Most leftists are of the Unitarian / sprout-munching / green-diverse-and-socially-just type. They really swallow that hooey about the dream of a fair, fluffy world full of perfectible people and a thriving snail darter population. They're the ones who conduct bullying workshops in high school, eat a sustainable diet, pay way more than they need to for energy by installing solar panels on their roofs, and lead peace sing-alongs in Yiddish, Arabic and English at community interfaith forums. Then there are the hardboiled thugs who get off on the power, the ones who cynically manipulate the sprout-munchers' desire for a fluffy utopia for the purpose of entrenching themselves at the door to the storehouse.
As I say, sometimes you see overlap. I kind of think the MEC still swallows the Kool-Aid even as he digs perks such as executive fiat and lots of golf.
Anyway, veteran FHer political operative James Carville comes clean about the motive behind his own career: Dems are easier to herd into the pen - and that is the exact metaphor he uses.
OK, I'll be sure to stay out of both pens in your simplified zeitgeist. But this goof had this to say in his book following the Obama election:
ReplyDeleteTo understand the emergence of a lasting Democratic majority we'll first have to spend a few moments reviewing the profound and relentless incompetence of the Bush administration -- and the pursuant collapse of the Republican Party. That means looking back at the failure of Republican ideas -- including a wholesale rejection of the myth of conservative superiority on the economy -- and holding our noses long enough to survey the gallery of truly repellent scoundrels, scandals, and screwups that the Republican Party has been responsible for over the last eight years.
After completing the unpleasant but edifying task of autopsying the Republican Party, we'll examine the underpinnings of Democratic victories in 2004, 2006, and 2008 -- and make the argument for why Democrats are going to keep winning. (Two words: young people.) In short, the Republicans are going to keep getting spanked again and again for forty more years because we're right and they're wrong, and Americans know it.
Read more at http://www.amazon.com/40-More-Years-Democrats-Generation/dp/B003D7JWB0/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1350426098&sr=1-7&keywords=james+carville
Doesn't look like he really believed that, especially since their support base is crumbling hourly now.
ReplyDeleteAnd Bushism must never be confused with conservatism, the disingenuous efforst of a cynical opportunist like Carville notwithstanding.
How can anyone believe what JC said in the above quote when he has said in the posted article above that he can make truth whatever he wants when speaking to the Democrats. He said it; he didn't mean for it to be true, just believed.
ReplyDeleteAnd, Blogger, I love your humor!! Great intro.
Why, thanks.
ReplyDelete