Has the Party become the Platform?

[markiv]

In 1967, Marshall McLuhan famously said 'The medium is the message'

by that, he meant that the media, which is supposed to convey what is happeneing in the world around us, has become it's own message. No better example, is Lindsay Lohan or The Kardishans, the media telling us about people in the media. In these cases, the medium's message is nothing other than itself

But has the party become in many ways the same thing?

Once upon a time, it stood for solid wages for working people, and for civlil liberties, and against abuses like Nixon's wiretapping

But now, 'free trade' and wiretapping, and indentured servitude (via guest worker visas) is good - and it seems for no other reason than somone with a donkey on their lapel is doing it

Has the party become the platform?

[Laelth]

1. For those who now control the party, yes.

You're going to be called a goo-goo or f'ing retarded if you advance either principle or policy over the interests of the party.

Now, whether this is a new phenomenon is another question.

-Laelth

[on point]

2. The Dem party as currently led is in the hands of the corporations and the PTB.

The leaders are interested in the power, not principles, people or the good of the country

[mick063]

3. The strongest message in the platform is

Don't let a Republican appoint Supreme Court Justices.

After that, nothing. The party is bereft of ideas or filled with traditionally Republican ideas.

Health care inspired by the Heritage Foundation, security inspired by Bush, economic policy inspired by Goldman Sachs.

The move to the right has mitigated the fear factor. Fear of Republican policy is a failed message when Republican policy is implemented by Democrats.

Why vote for a fake Republican when you can get a real one?

When folks use fear tactics, fear of Republicans, they look rather foolish to me. Yes I do fear Republican policy, hence I fear Democratic policy.

[markiv]

4. From Animal farm: the 'Jones would come back!' speech

reminds me of a passage from Orwell's 'Animal Farm'

(Jones is the farmer the animals ran off in their revolution)

The mystery of where the milk went to was soon cleared up. It was mixed every day into the pigs' mash. The early apples were now ripening, and the grass of the orchard was littered with windfalls. The animals had assumed as a matter of course that these would be shared out equally; one day, however, the order went forth that all the windfalls were to be collected and brought to the harness?room for the use of the pigs. At this some of the other animals murmured, but it was no use. All the pigs were in full agreement on this point, even Snowball and Napoleon. Squealer was sent to make the necessary explanations to the others.

"Comrades!" he cried. "You do not imagine, I hope, that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege? Many of us actually dislike milk and apples. I dislike them myself. Our sole object in taking these things is to preserve our health. Milk and apples (this has been proved by Science, comrades) contain substances absolutely necessary to the well?being of a pig. We pigs are brainworkers. The wholemanagement and organisation of this farm depend on us. Day and night we are watching over your welfare. It is for your sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples. Do you know what would happen if we pigs failed in our duty? Jones would come back! Yes, Jones would come back! Surely, comrades," cried Squealer almost pleadingly, skipping from side to side and whisking his tail, "surely there is no one among you who wants to see Jones come back?"

Now if there was one thing that the animals were completely certain of, it was that they did not want Jones back. When it was put to them in this light, they had no more to say. The importance of keeping the pigs in good health was all too obvious. So it was agreed without further argument that the milk and the windfall apples (and also the main crop of apples when they ripened) should be reserved for the pigs alone


(When it was put to them in this light, they had no more to say. The importance of keeping the party in good health was all too obvious So it was agreed without further argument that indentured servitude (through H-1b visas)and logging of phone calls should not be questioned)

[mick063]

5. Outstanding book "Animal Farm"

It should be required reading for all palace guards.