>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 07/23/04 3:29 AM >>> I don't think that it was worth leftists' time to fight to have Howard Dean nominated, as Dean's agenda in some crucial respects (especially on Iraq) went against leftists', but, supposing that there were left-of-center liberal folks who really, really, wanted to nominate him as the Democratic presidential candidate, it's now clear that it takes much more than internet communication to win in the caucuses and primaries. Besides, the MoveOn model is strictly one-way communication from the center to the margins (unlike the Dean model), far more centralized and undemocratic than any other organization on the left side of the political spectrum.
And there is a reason why reforms and mobilizations did not last beyond Washington's death. The US-style electoral system strongly acts against party-building, but it's better to have a political party like the Green Party than a Washington-style campaign, which is doomed to remain in one location and destined to die with the person with whom mobilization is inseparably associated. -- Yoshie <<<<<>>>>> agree re. leftists trying to get dean nominated which has nothing to do with suggestion i made several days ago, agree also re. moveon although democratic character of lots of groups generally is debatable... as for what happened in chicago following washington's death, there's not *a* reason why things turned, there's bunch of them incuding: racism, daley machine, Washington's death re-opened bitter struggle among various political factions and activists, movement (which is what was happening rather than personal-style campaign) might not have succeeded anyway given competitive character of 'global city' that literally responds to dictates of global capital markets *and/or* dominance of urban 'growth machine'... i previously indicated that example was partial and pointed out as well that washington role was problem for long run (in short run, he helped hold some things and folks together), attempt should be judged on basis of what it was able to accomplish in brief time under very trying circumstances and for its potential (among other things, independent political party was being organized)... responses to my initial post conveyed, by and large, varying degrees of maximalism, making quantitative leap from my modest suggestion all the way to presidential electoral politics (by such measures *all" attempts will fail), pervasive problem imo... think i'll leave it at that, michael hoover (checking in for last time from ann arbor where i ran into al haber - an sds founder - the other day, he's trying to rekindle sds as 'students' for dem society on one hand, seniors for dem society on other) -------------------------------------------------------------- Please Note: Due to Florida's very broad public records law, most written communications to or from College employees regarding College business are public records, available to the public and media upon request. Therefore, this e-mail communication may be subject to public disclosure.
