I think Mark is engaging in some wishful thinking. The election is
a serious setback for progressive movements and any possible legislative
initiative on progressive issues. It does reflect a shift in the electorate.
I agree that this shift is being manipulated bythe right wing to pass
their own legislative agenda, and this agenda is not really supported
by the people. But there is a shift. You can't cut or freeze working peoples
wages for 20 years, wipe out the prospects oof higher paying jobs, and
then raise taxes. Every tax increase for the working class in the past
15-20 years has amounted to a wage cut for most. And the leadership of
the Democratic party, regardless of the color of their social pronouncements
from time to time, have not, are not and will not support taxing the
rich. It costs at least 10 million to win a Senate seat in even a medium
sized state. The people that have 10 million $$ won't give it to someone
to raise THEIR taxes.
It is also futile, in my opinion, to berate Clinton for being to
ready to compromise with conservatives. He's the most liberal president
since Roosevelt. If the progressives had a sufficient base of power in the
mass organization of working and oppressed peoples, Clinton would hold
firm on many issues. The task is to build the base. this is a complex
task, but at the root of the difficulties is the lack of a clear
political program that will create jobs, raise wages, and empower
workers, AND that has a sound economic foundation. Because progressive
politics must arise from local structures in the begining, this program
must have components that are viable on a local politicfal and economic
level. The empowerment aspect is vital. Woprkplace empowerment, including
enhanced rightsd to self-organization, is absolutely indespensable for
independent poltics to expand its power.
A worker who voted for a Gingrich because he heard Clinton's
upbeat rap about the "new" jobs created and compared it to his
wallet, the number of hours or jobs his family has to work to get by
,
and his job prospects can be won over. Even more easy is to win over
the worker who listened to the rap, and decided there was nothing
worth taking the time to go ann vote at all.
When Jesse Jackson was considering the run for President in 92
he worked with Felix Rohatan(?) ona document spelling out an American
Investment bank concept that would direct private investment with
a minimal bureaucaratic (at least in theory) component? Is anyone
familiar with this concept. I believe Rohatan was infavor of seeding
this bank with a gas tax. Does anyone know if Rohatan has published more
on this concept?
Adios.
