In Case You Missed This... 'Matt Stoller: Understanding the Strategy of the Democratic Power Class'

[WillyT]

Matt Stoller: Understanding the Strategy of the Democratic Power Class
By Matt Stoller, the former Senior Policy Advisor for Rep. Alan Grayson.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2011

<snip>

Since the 1970s, Democratic elites have focused on breaking public sector unions and financializing the economy. Carter, not Reagan, started the defense build-up. Carter, not Reagan, lifted usury caps. Carter, not Reagan, first cut capital gains taxes. Clinton, not Bush, passed NAFTA. It isn’t the base of the Democratic party that did this, but then, voters in America have never had a lot of power because they are too disorganized. And there wasn’t a substantial grassroots movement to challenge this, either.

Obama continues this trend. It isn’t that he’s not fighting, he fights like hell for what he wants. He whipped incredibly aggressively for TARP, he has passed emergency war funding (breaking a campaign promise) several times, and nearly broke the arms of feckless liberals in the process. I mean, when Bernie Sanders did the filiBernie, Obama flirted with Bernie’s potential 2012 GOP challenger. Obama just wants policies that cement the status of a aristocratic class, with crumbs for everyone else (Republican elites disagree in that they hate anyone but elites getting crumbs). And he will fight for them.

There is simply no basis for arguing that Democratic elites are pursuing poor strategy anymore. They are achieving an enormous amount of leverage within the party. Consider the following. Despite Obama violating every core tenet of what might have been considered the Democratic Party platform, from supporting foreclosures to destroying civil liberties to torturing political dissidents to wrecking unions, Obama has no viable primary challenger. Moreover, no Senate Democratic incumbent lost a primary challenge in 2010, despite a horrible governing posture. Now THAT is a successful strategy, it minimized the losses of the Democratic elite and kept them firmly in control of the party. Thus, the political debate remains confined to what neoliberals want to talk about. It’s a good strategy, it’s just you are the one the strategy is being played on.

A lot of people think that Obama is a bad poker player, but they miss the point. He’s not playing with his money, he’s playing with YOUR money. You are the weak hand at the table, he’s colluding with the other players.

<snip>

More: http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2011/01/matt-stoller-understanding-the-strategy-of-the-democratic-power-class.html

So the Democrats and Republicans ARE playing Good Cop/BadCop!

:shrug:

[villager]

1. Exactly right. A lot of people swoon to "good cops," however

...which makes getting beyond the successful strategy of the elites more of a challenge...

[lumberjack_jeff]

2. He only needs to be better than Romney.

Sucks to be us.

The Simpsons Kang and Kodos joke isn't funny anymore.

[WillyT]

3. Yep... We Worker Bee's Are Definitely Replaceable...

:shrug:

:hi:

[rhett o rick]

14. It will be Jeb Bush. Did you forget Romney is a Morman? The Christian Right wont vote for a Mormon.

[Newest Reality]

4. That is a touchy subject ...

When you see it that way, (good cop/bad cop) it can challenge your belief in how the political system works. That can be both trying and unsettling for devoted party members.

However, when you compare actual results and outcomes to the bulk of the rhetoric and promises, there is sufficient reason to question the underlying intents.

This also brings back into question the nature and effect of class itself.

[karynnj]

5. No Senate Democrat lost in the primaries? - Spector did

I know he was a former Republican, but he was a Democrat and he lost.

[bbgrunt]

6. it's past time for ALL to open their eyes.

[yurbud]

7. except the good cop hits you in the back of the head with a blackjack and then blames the bad cop

because he's the one who says he likes to do it.

[Peace Patriot]

8. LOL! Very well put, yurbud! nt

[geek tragedy]

9. "torturing political dissidents" = nutjobbery. n/t

[Kurovski]

10. K&R (nt)

[xchrom]

11. Recommend

[Kurovski]

12. The "filiBernie"

Heh. :kick:

[Little Star]

13. Kabuki Theater.

I didn't realize all that stuff about Carter. I thought he was considered one of the best presidents by the left.
:shrug:

[alarimer]

15. I think the Democratic "elite" are worse than the Republicans.

Because we naively expect them to be different and we do not see the betrayals coming.

The fact is, all of Washington insiders, Democratic or Republican, are the enemies of the people. If they really cared about anyone other than the rich and powerful we would have had national health care already. Instead they throw us a bone now and then to keep us from outright rebellion. We will never get what we need with the current two party system or with the two parties we have.

[Hannah Bell]

16. kr

[snot]

17. K&R'd

[xchrom]

18. kick

[Wilms]

19. Yup.

[BlueIris]

20. Le sigh. It is all hopeless...why do I even post about it anymore...

I'm only half joking here.