One minor point to add to the discussion. While I am sensitive to the potentially destructive nature of ideological purity, let me mention that the ABB strategy works to enable the Democratic party approach of "respectable" opposition. Voting for Hillary lends support to the idea that next time Lieberman or maybe a resurrection of Lester Maddox would be an appropriate candidate to appeal to the center. At some point, the Democrats need a spanking from their base.
Of course, the discussion may be off-base from the start. Voting is a very ineffectual instrument to address complex issues of state. We know that the legislative achievements of Richard Nixon are superior to any post-World War II presidents. Not because the people voted in a great candidate, but because of militant organization throughout the country. It's easy to call for organization, especially for an academic who has not done any organizing for more than 20 years. Even so, if the left cannot organize now, when the right displays an unprecedented combination of arrogance and incompetence, we are in deep trouble. -- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929 Tel. 530-898-5321 E-Mail michael at ecst.csuchico.edu
