If someone wanted to defeat progressivism - they might

[Douglas Carpenter]

manipulate office holders who ran on a progressive platform to carry out reactionary policies - even policies that violate core values of western democracy. Then bamboozle a significant number of the party faithful into embracing these reactionary policies and smearing those who remain faithful to liberal and democratic values accusing them of being on the other side. Thus progressivism can be defeated even under a liberal veneer. Not only does this defeat progressivism in the name of progressivism - it insures that there are no viable alternatives to reactionary policies.

[BOG PERSON]

1. today on tv we saw liberals out in the streets of cairo

celebrating a military coup

i suppsoe the moral of the story here is that being a liberal does not automatically make a person a democrat. it's possible to be a liberal and want less democracy, and vice versa. liberalism and democracy are two entirely separate things.

[Luminous Animal]

2. What makes you think that is what was being celebrated?

[BOG PERSON]

4. a military coup just ousted a democratically elected president

and people were setting off fireworks and acting generally pleased with the outcome

i dont know, there are limits to skepticism

[ljm2002]

7. Not your standard military coup, though...

...since traditionally, military coups begin with a cadre within the military.

In this case, the thing that started the ball rolling was massive demonstrations across Egypt.

I don't know enough about Egypt's internal politics to comment much on where this might lead, and of course it is always worrying when the military takes over, even if they claim it will be just long enough for elections to occur.

Just pointing out this is not the usual "military coup" scenario.

[FiveGoodMen]

3. They might manipulate office holders ... or they might select them

They might tell the left, "pick a card, any card..." and then hold out two possibilities both of which appeal to Democrats and both of whom really harbor neocon values.

One might be a woman, one might be a minority.

One might tip their hand on the campaign trail divulging where their real sympathies lie while the other might stick to a much better script until actually in office.

They might have anti-complaint memes ready and waiting before the office-holder even has a chance to do anything. Belittling, scoffing memes about ponies.

They might, for all intents and purposes, have canceled real elections in America without our even noticing.

[Douglas Carpenter]

5. well itt hs been more than 30 years since a progressive running on a progressive agenda has even

come close to winning the Democratic Party nomination. The only really rallying cry is , "Vote Democratic - We're Pathetic - But the other guys are nuts."

[Kurovski]

6. Re-branding the same product for wider consumption.

[sibelian]

8. Yes.

[Fire Walk With Me]

9. Sounds a lot like Karl Rove. Which means it's entirely possible. n/t