I think we need to realize what is going on.
The Reagan right is in control and is now attempting
to carry through its quasi-revolutionary program on
the United States and the world at large. Bush even
has the smiley face and moderate family background
to serve as the front man for this takeover. The court
appointments and all the rest that are coming down
are the beginning of a long siege. Demogogues in
the Senate might be able to filibuster some of the court
appointments, but they will be able to do nothing about
the regulations (or deregulations) passed by the
administration as long as the Congress remains controlled
by the Repugs.
For those like michael perelman who are betting that
a recession will turn this around, let me remind that the
recession of 1982 was the worst since the Great Depression.
It did slow Reagan down by sharply increasing Dem strength
in the Congress. But in 1984 he won reelection with 49 states....
A sign of what is up is the drive to name (or rename)
all kinds of things in the US after Ronald Reagan. There
is now a group headed by Grover Norquist that seeks to
do this in every county of the US. Revolutionaries always
do lots of renaming. So far we in D.C. we have National
Airport (get lost, George Washington, you third rater) and the
new humongous federal building on 14th Street that
(ironically) houses the EPA. Now, Bob Barr is insisting
on the metro station being changed at a cost of $400,000
to local governments. BTW, it was a Repug, Linwood Holton,
first Repug governor of Virginia since Reconstruction (and a
pro-civil rights moderate progressive), who led the opposition
to the airport renamingn as Head of the Metro Airport Authority.
Final note to Brad: And of course in Florida it has been
widely noted that the Bush-Gore vote margin was less than
the votes for most of the to-the-left candidates of Nader, much
less him. Thus, I think we should blame it all on the Trots.
Why not? As my wife tells me whenever I am right about
something, "And once again you are right, just like that
prostitute Trotsky!"
Barkley Rosser
