The Democrats should take some advice from Syriza and stand for something.

[white_wolf]

Syriza issued an ultimatum to the other parties to join them in an anti-austerity plan or face them in elections. It looks like that is going to pay off for Syriza as early polls show Syriza gaining seats in the upcoming elections.

Maybe Obama and the Democrats should have tried that. Stand for a leftist agenda that would really up the 99% and tell the Republicans to join them or face them in the polls. Instead the Democrats decided to be moderate centrists and it cost them in 2010 and it will probably cost them in 2012, at least in Congress, if not the White House.

I think most people would prefer a party that stands for something even if they don't get as much done than they would a party that has compromised so many of their positions away that they might as well have done nothing.

[Comrade_McKenzie]

1. That would require putting the people over their career and club memberships. nt

[MrSlayer]

2. The Republicans aren't the only whores on the hill.

Not by a long shot.

[David__77]

3. Syriza has never governed and if it does, it will capitulate.

The "left" went berserk with glee when PASOK seized power in the early 80s - socialist revolution was right around the corner, so some thought. Of course, PASOK kept the Greek people in line while Greece was integrated with NATO and the Western consensus.

[white_wolf]

4. And you know this, how?

[Odin2005]

5. Prolly because our resident Stalinist hates them for some reason

[David__77]

9. You know, the sort of snide comment is really counterproductive.

It would be like if I called you a fascist. Or it would be like if I said that you are a pure right-wing shill that spends all their efforts attacking the left and not the right... Not that I believe you are those things, and in any case I would not say that, because it is counterproductive.

[Odin2005]

11. Then why the hell are you attacking Syriza???

Are you of the type that think democratic elections are useless and only a violent revolution will work?

[David__77]

12. Because I'm cynical at the moment...

This scenario has played out time and again. I hope I'm wrong... Elections can be very useful of course. No, I do not wish a violent revolution on any country.

[David__77]

8. I don't know this, of course.

Pardon - "I believe..." And this is because the social democratic component of Syriza is in a position to capture control of the organization, and eliminate the influence of left forces in the coalition. There are plenty of good forces in Syriza, clearly.

[white_wolf]

10. Fair enough.

You are likely right about there being 2 factions within Syriza. I'm just hoping that the left faction can get rid of the social-democrats, because this crisis has proven that even the most left-leaning social-democrats are helpless to do anything about international capital.

[socialist_n_TN]

6. I won't argue that Syriza is centrist politically...........

Because that's the truth. Merely talking abhout them taking power at the ballot box makes them centrist by definition.

HOWEVER, to compare them with PASOK is disingenious. They're way to the left of the SINOs in PASOK. Their program looks a little like the transitional programme to socialism. And if anybody thought that a PAsOK victory at any time would lead to a socialist revolution, they were deluding themselves. A Syriza victory just MIGHT pave the way whereas a PAsok victory never will.

[David__77]

7. SYRIZA is like PASOK three decades ago...

PASOK was routinely considered to the left of social democracy, i.e., "really socialist." SYRIZA is under intense pressure to transform itself into a "normal party," which means purging internal left forces and becoming aligned with European social democracy.