Reply #29: Well, it IS.

[alvarezadams]

As I noted in my OP, I embrace centrists, moderates and even conservatives. What I refuse to countenance is an organization that paints itself as progressive while holding reactionary and extremist ideals.

What the DLC EXPRESSES is one thing, what it propounds is another.

I indeed place the greatest values on economic and foreign policy considerations. These are the cornerstones of government policy - virtually all else are "punctual" issues. Economic issues far outweigh such punctual issues inasmuch as our very economic wellbeing depends on adequate economic policies. Foreign policy, of course, also influences the economy... and our very safety from outside threats. Abortion, school prayer or any other such "punctual" issue pale by comparison.

The current economic orientation of rightwing governments is neoliberal, based on the Austrian School/Von Misses/Hayek school of thought. It is extremist laissez faire capitalism, a return to the pre-New Deal days - with the notable difference in that it is global in scope.

I am fully aware that few Americans see eye-to-eye with me outside the Ivory Tower. Few Americans have heard of Von Misses and are prone to confuse Socialism with Communism. I can't be blamed for their ignorance. I just hope to light a fire under their arses so they might take the trouble to find out how they've been hoodwinked into thinking that the extreme right is somehow moderate.

"Ignorance is indeed difficult and even deplorable, but political campaigns are not night school courses, and any political action aimed at mass effect that begins with announcing the intent to educate the public is doomed to failure."

The right certainly learned this over their decades-long indoctrination campaign. This is one of the reasons why the very concept of the DLC is so insidious, so dangerous and so execrable.

I am not a meme-monger nor a framer. I am an historian with a tendency towards reinterpretation through the application of socioeconomic factors - which is perhaps why I am so keenly aware of the extreme danger that the likes of the DLC pose. This is a democratic board visited by people who are at least moderately aware politically - I wouldn't adopt this posture in a more public, bipartisan forum if my intentions were to convince.

I -have- tried to raise a debate in this sense however: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2678558