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Related: About this forumNothing Left: The Long, Slow Surrender of American Liberals
Professor Adolph Reed Jr., explains how the Democratic Party embraced the neo-liberal agenda, how the shock of the Reagan Presidency shaped the modern Democratic Party, the role of the Democratic Leadership Council in moving Democrats to the right, the rightward legacy of Bill Clinton, the decoupling of class and social politics, why we have one neo-liberal party that is multicultural and another that is reactionary, why the left is in retreat, why acknowledging the problem can allow for a strengthening of leftist politics, how progressive politics is cheapened, how the left can rebuild itself and why we need to stop searching for progressive savors.
This clip from the Majority Report, live M-F at 12 noon EST and via daily podcast at http://Majority.FM
The cadence of this interview is a bit slow at times, but Prof. Reed does a great job on defining the lasting influence of the DLC on the Democratic Party.
vi5
(13,305 posts)I get so pissed off when the apologists in our party and on this page pull out the "Stop complaining about the DLC...they don't even exist any more!"
Exactly. They don't exist because their work here is done. Remember when the positions that Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders hold were entirely commonplace in the Democratic party, and so many more of our elected representatives stated those positions loudly and proudly and not the rare, precious birds they seem to be now amidst a sea of corporate apologists and cowards?
RKP5637
(67,111 posts)republican party.
fredamae
(4,458 posts)define me. And I don't remember "surrendering". Did you?
The DLC/Third Way/New Dem Coalition/Blue Dogs...can only succeed if we give them permission.
Do you?
I feel as tho this is a "depressant" so we'll just say "eff it".
Let those assholes lose a few elections and see how "superior" they are. But, then-that requires "us" to "wake up" and step outside the "comfort zone" and vote non-traditionally and/or run for office ourselves.
Will we, en masse'?
malthaussen
(17,205 posts)CaptainTruth
(6,594 posts)swilton
(5,069 posts)with Bill Moyers in February on this subject
http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/22125-adolph-reed-jr-the-surrender-of-americas-liberals
zeemike
(18,998 posts)And comprehensive.
But any plan to win for liberals will have to start at the bottom, because he that controls the bottom controls the top...right now they control the bottom by division and separating people into waring groups that fight...and provide a champion for those groups if they lack one.
And the plan must be long term not focused on one goal...but on coming out of a system that is rigged against you.
KoKo
(84,711 posts)HoosierCowboy
(561 posts)...the right/left, liberal/conservative false dichotomy? Shame on you DU!
ancianita
(36,109 posts)We can quit kicking ourselves around here. From my experience, any liberal who got high visibility in this country has had his/her life threatened or ended. Working within the system might seem cowardly, but justice and much good do get done. The liberal conscience is still influential without fighting force with force.
From Adam Curtis' "It Felt Like A Kiss":