Grow The Economy

A comrade convinced me to participate in a "discussion" he organized and it was a truly painful ordeal. He had invited local Representatives to our state legislature and a couple of wanna-bees, along with folks who work in social services. These folks were hurt by state budget cuts and would tell their stories. Sounds interesting so far, right? My comrade had expected this confrontation to somehow shame the Republican (who is chairwoman of Appropriations) but instead we all got a lesson in how "ideological rubble" has totally buried US society and any sane notions of political-economy. We are left with a ritualized performance of absurdity and confusion which is almost impossible to watch unfold.

My comrade, who calls himself a socialist but is willing to rely on liberal arguments in mixed company, actually seemed to believe there exists some magic logic which will instantly illuminate the contradictions in Conservative ideology, like Tiny Tim getting Scrooge to "see the light". He felt himself capable of rhetorical ju jitsu which would expose the paucity of the oppositions argument. He also believes in the old Patrick Leahy model of "reaching across the aisle", of pragmatically offering concessions and compromise, as if it were actual politics and not theater. Man, did he get his ass handed to him.

After hearing the sob stories of social workers, of the hellish crisis which is the everyday world of poor and damaged people (and the people who try to help them) the Conservatives simply did their Newt Gingrich impersonations- No New Taxes, Stop Enabling People, Tough Love Works, Entitlements and Bloated Bureaucracy and Accountability and Job Creators, you know the litany and they have it memorized word for word. What can a bleeding heart liberal say in response? Why, he can only nod and concede all those points and then ask: well, what is your solution?

And here is the where the magic part of the show begins: Grow The Economy, stupid! Lift All Boats! I keep looking at the clock, nine o clock and I haven't eaten dinner. Fuck this Spectacle. All agree that of course we need "responsible" growth but neither Amazon nor Boeing are moving here so the Repubs like mining and timber and my stomach is growling and the Dems like tourism and my head will soon explode if I don't get up and leave. And my comrade continues his social justice non-profit roadshow to the next town or village. Come Back Woody Guthrie!

Democracy In Action

As reported in The Hill:
"Polling continually shows that voters rank climate far down on their list of priorities. And although energy prices are lower than they were a decade or so ago, few lawmakers want to be responsible for significant increases in consumers’ costs or job losses that could accompany new policies.

Democrats, who are now favored to seize the House, have crafted their campaign message around issues like increasing working-class wages and lowering the cost of prescription drugs. They think the kitchen-table agenda will resonate more effectively, particularly in conservative-leaning districts where voters tend to be wary of the economic impact of climate legislation."

The first problem of course is basing your strategy on "polling" rather than any ethical considerations. I'm sure that polls would show me that Hugo Chavez was a dictator and that Saddam Husein was stockpiling WMD's. And that Adam and Eve rode dinosaurs. Whatever. I am constantly told that as an organizer I have to "meet people where they are at" which is code for clueless, center-right, and incoherent. And yes, many folks are filled with wacky information, but they are probably also feeling anxious and abused and eager to hear something that might sound half-way candid and honest. And radical. There is no way I can know "where they are at" through some momentary, cursory exchange, much less through some cleverly worded poll.

So the second problem is that if these Dems, who have been wringing their hands about the "huge deficit", do in fact "seize the House", they will cave on climate. As they themselves will tell you, the only way to shrink a deficit is to grow the economy and to do that you have to frack and drill and mine and burn as "a transition phase" to a greener capitalism. And with their higher wages, the working class will be in no hurry to see anyone throw a wrench in the gears. With cheaper prescription drugs, us old people will say "I guess the system has self-corrected itself" and with our savings we can take a cruise ship to Jamaica.

So it is finally time for Extinction Rebellion. Let's fill the jails (as a first step anyway) backed with the explicit threat of more drastic action.

Red Baiting

"You ain't done nothin if you aint been called a Red."

Trump's speechwriter published an op-ed in USA Today claiming "the new Democrats are radical socialists who want to model America's economy after Venezuela." I wish! This type of red-baiting is standard procedure here in the home of the brave and you can just imagine the angst of the DLC centrist Democrats. "Government run health care is just the beginning..." The Donald warns in the time-worn "slippery slope" argument. Starts with some free aspirin and next thing you know you're in a Siberian gulag.

It would be the perfect moment to break out the guillotine and say "Damn right rich fucks, and we're comin for you first" but don't expect anything but snivelling denials and finger pointing from the Dems. The Washington Post put their fact checkers on the case, proudly de-bunking The Donald's absurd argument, but then felt compelled to add their own vicious slander, claiming: "Venezuela is collapsing after years of near-dictatorship and squandering of oil wealth..." Because kicking a poor Latin American country when it is down is how we roll in the land of the free.

Don't be surprised if they initiate something truly original like The House Committee on Un-American Activities.

Legitimacy

" It's a Show You Know- Not Always Entertaining But a Show Even So"

Jurgen Habermas wrote a book called Legitimation Crisis (I lost my copy at Jackson Hot Springs of all places) that describes the current conjuncture pretty well. I was listening to pundit/ law expert Marsha Coyle on PBS NewsHour answer the question: would the Kavanaugh hearings affect the legitimacy of the Supreme Court? ( notice the capital letters!) She answered that the court required the appearance of non-partisanship...then caught herself and said the court needed to BE non-partisan to retain legitimacy. I found the distinction intriguing.

There are scores and scores of articles and op-eds out now asking whether our precious "democratic" institutions have been damaged (de-legitimized) by the hearings, with liberals being the most exercised and nervous. One of the more painful was an interview of Francis Fukuyama and some ex-Ambassador now with the Brookings Institute. The ex insisted history was full of such moments and not to get our panties in a bunch. Fukuyama felt the future hung on "new leadership" (get out and vote). Neither mentioned climate change. Even after watching a psycho clown win the highest office and the Congress getting a 4% approval rating and the Supreme Court openly pushing the corporate agenda, they continue to insist the King IS wearing clothes, the sacred institutions are infinitely resilient and we should all relax and watch the ritual enactment with total credulity. The appearance is enough. Act as if you believe and you will. Put on a black robe and become the wise, impartial Supreme Judge.

A new question arises when we read the new IPCC report on impending climate disaster ( 12 years till we hit 1.5degrees). Will the Kubuki theater provide enough entertainment value that people will ignore the waves lapping on their living room walls? Will those sacred institutions maintain their legitimacy even as Our Leaders stare paralyzed by stupidity at the approaching collapse ( like a cow staring at the image of a cattle guard painted on the highway).

Expect Elizabeth Warren and Corey Booker to call for an incremental carbon tax and research into carbon capture technology. Expect the new Ill Duce of Brazill to pull out of the Paris Accords. And what of the Left? Will the local DSA continue to invade the offices of Republicans even as coal trains continue to roll through town each day? How about national DSA? Will they grab this opportunity to make radical demands or stay with their hope of winning elections?