Replacing _The Nation_ ? was: Re: The Nation Magazine's tainted liberalism

["LouPaulsen" <LouPaulsen@xxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Louis Proyect" <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>

"The most urgent task for the left is to develop a
mass-circulation alternative to the Nation Magazine that relies on the
grass roots rather than liberal millionaires. Such alternatives are taking
shape right now with the Counterpunch web and print editions, but much more
is needed with the survival of the human race at stake."

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I am trying to make up my mind about this proposition, whether it's true,
what it would mean, etc.  The following are not rhetorical questions, they
are intended as 'real discussion':

(a) While a mass-circulation left publication would certainly be good, I'm a
tiny bit confused about why it should be pitched as an "alternative to the
Nation".  In my experience, not more than one out of 50 of the people whom
we engage with have actually bought The Nation.  A larger proportion have
seen the website, but they aren't guided by it in their activities.  So my
question, Louis, is whether you are thinking that we need something that can
get specifically at the stratum of people who DO relate to The Nation.  The
follow-up question would be whether this is a logically possible idea, or
whether that stratum relates to The Nation precisely because they are
committed to the kind of politics that The Nation actually represents.

(b) For the sake of discussion, how would this hypothetical publication
differ from (1) Mother Jones, (2) the old Guardian newspaper of the 1960's,
or (3) Z?  or (4) some other existing thing?  OR, for that matter, (5) the
Marxmail digest?

(c) Is there some existing entity, Counterpunch for example (on
conflict-of-interest grounds I am not mentioning swans.com), that could be
'boosted' into a more prominent role?  Or would it be better to start fresh?

(d) If it were better to start fresh, how to deal with the following
contradiction: if one or two editors with a vision in mind get it up and
running, then they won't be representative, accountable, etc.; but if some
big left committee gets it up and running, it will be like a 'typical
committee product' and won't print opinionated stuff.

(e) How important is the paper side of it all?

Louis? anyone?

LPa






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