The Blame Game
If all the energy going into condemning Greens, Trots, and what-not was devoted to thinking how the moderate left could fashion a stable, governing, productive majority, it might just happen. In the end, Gore and Jospin, despite huge advantages in money and media coverage relative to their left gadflies, could not persuade enough people to vote for them. The elections were theirs to lose. If voting for them is such a moral and practical imperative, if the case is so compelling, how come it doesn't pan out? The onus is on them and nobody else. They had the platform and they blew it. And to anyone who kvetches, YOU blew it. Nobody ever got votes by being a moral scold, whether it's Al G's boyz warning of the dangers of the GOP, or Jesse J. trying to sell his own unique claim to conscience. If you don't know that, you need to review politics 101. Look in the mirror. A neglected factor is that those who control the Dems et al. would rather retain control of a losing party than lose control of a winning party. mbs
Re: The Blame Game
Could the French election represent the end of the turd way, as Rob called it? Could it lead to more energetic organization? What does the rise in the non-voters mean? How much to the right of Gore is Chirac? -- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929 Tel. 530-898-5321 E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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Michael Perelman asks: ...How much to the right of Gore is Chirac? -- By American standards, Chirac is clearly to the left of Gore. Shane Mage
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Michael Perelman asks: ...How much to the right of Gore is Chirac? -- By American standards, Chirac is clearly to the left of Gore. Shane Mage That's true. Additionally, there is very little difference between Chirac's party ant the Socialist one, but the ways of doing the same politics that can be summarized by one word: Maastricht. That is to say the suppression of budget deficit, that is to say suppression of growth in order to fight inflation (inflation rate being limited to 2%). But even communists and Trotskysts dont say any word about that (communists regularly vote a Maastrichtian budget every year at National Assembly). Only two men have explicitely condemned Maastricht politiccs during the campaign. One is Chevènement who is an authentic Gaullist leftist (having resigned from his defence ministryship in desagreement with bombing of Irak). The second one is Le Pen. Chevènement was not listen from the left, which is now moaning and demonstrating, but without realizing its fault. French people who voted for Le Pen have not become fascists, they only refuse Maastricht and capitalist Globalization. RK
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La Lettre de l'irép n° 11, 22-04-02 __ http://www.edu-irep.org - Un judéo-nazisme est-il possible? Ou: de l'urgence de comprendre Auschwitz Is a Judaeo-Nazim possible? Or: of the urgency of understanding auschwitz http://www.edu-irep.org/forum_6.htm irép BP 26 94267 Fresnes Cedex France _ tél/fax: 33 1 4091 9997
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I would like to know how accurate Romain's account is. How much were his voters reacting against immigration and crime vs. Maastricht and capitalist Globalization? On Mon, Apr 22, 2002 at 06:06:06PM +0200, Romain Kroes wrote: French people who voted for Le Pen have not become fascists, they only refuse Maastricht and capitalist Globalization. RK -- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929 Tel. 530-898-5321 E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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I would like to know how accurate Romain's account is. How much were his voters reacting against immigration and crime vs. Maastricht and capitalist Globalization? Michael Perelman The question of immigration has not been an important matter in political discourses, even Le Pen's, for years. But for thirty years, popular voters keep giving the same message in vain. When government is hold by rightists (the seventies), they vote for the left. When government is hold by the left, for doing the same Europen and Globalizing policy (the eighties), they vote for the right. But neither the right nor the left listen to this message. And hand in hand, both oligarchies continue their sapping of salaries, of employment, of social laws, of independance, of hope. Sunday, for the first time, popular voters swang over to a man who spoke (electioneeringly) against Bruxelles, against Maastricht, against oligarchies, and spoke of the real fears, fears of future. As for the security discourse, it was not mainly of Le Pen, but of Chirac and Jospin, first! It is in the traditional communist places (Seine St Denis, Pas de Calais, Loraine, etc.) that Le Pen got the higher scores, not in the richest places where are traditionnally living the rightists and the fascists. And this is the responsibility of the French communist party. There is a globalizing economic crisis with huge social and intellectual consequences! And as long as leftits will continue denying it, popular voters will continue sliding towards populism, as between the two World Wars. RK
Re: The Blame Game
Romain writes: It is in the traditional communist places (Seine St Denis, Pas de Calais, Loraine, etc.) that Le Pen got the higher scores, not in the richest places where are traditionnally living the rightists and the fascists. And this is the responsibility of the French communist party. I don't know much about France so I will take Romain's word for that until he is proven wrong, if he is wrong, of course. On the other hand, a phenomenon similar to the above exists in Turkey. Some polls prior to September 11 showed that the newly formed Islamic fundamentalist Saadet Party (Felicity Party) was leading with a 29% whereas all other existing parties whether they are on the left or on the right were failing to pass the 10% level to qualify for the National Assembly membership. The situation may be different now because the US pulled its support behind this party back but if the Turkish military does not block Felicity, I am sure they will do well. And this did not happen because 29% of the electorate suddenly turned Islamic fundamentalist but because of what Romain said: There is a globalizing economic crisis with huge social and intellectual consequences! And as long as leftits will continue denying it, popular voters will continue sliding towards populism, as between the two World Wars. Sabri
