Re: [Marxism] Bush's Speech

[Intense Red <intnsred@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

 > What did you think of Bush's speech and the RNC in general?

   Hyperbole and propaganda meant for the domestic audience; nothing really
new or specific there, right?

   I do think it's interesting to see this show framed as an exercise in
democracy though.  I mean, George flies in for one speech, accepts his
coronation, and then flies back out quick before he sees a protester or
terrorist, and we call that democracy. (!?)  I sure hope there was a helluva
lot of committee work, arguing, and consensus building going on behind the
scenes (but I know better; the agenda is far more top-down than bottom-up).

 > Surely now more than ever it is vital that the US Left gets their act
 > together.

   Agreed.  It's long overdue.  The left has to form some sort of third party
to break the deadlock on the duopoly.

 > Sadly, based my own experience, they are incapable of doing anything more
 > than attacking each other.

   It seems that way often.  On the other hand, I saw a helluva lot of
cooperation among many disparate groups -- from centrist to liberal to far
left -- in turning out the most massive protest in US history against a
political convention.  Things aren't as dark as they seem.

 > Seems the US ruling class is in an unassailable position. What is to be
 > done?

   I think they're far from unassailable!  While they may appear strong,
remember, there are very, very strong factors working against the US ruling
class.

   First, the economics of the US aren't all they're cracked up to be.  The
dollar is potentially very shaky, given the huge trade and gov't deficits.
That's a very large ticking time bomb and it can't go on forever.

   Large portions of the population are very worried about their fiscal
position, jobs, and their standard of living.  It looks like those issues
will get worse.  Talk to them about health care, how many hours they're
working, and job security and you have a huge potential for opposition.

   Tax cuts for the rich are great from the wealthy's perspective, but I get
the feeling they're just getting it while they can -- and they know it.  With
China moving to eclipse the US as the world's largest economy, it seems the
US is now more determined to use its only strong card -- the military.  I
think it's inevitable that over the next couple of decades the US will see a
dramatic decline in both economic and political stature in the world.

   Though the ruling class seems to have latched onto the idea of using the
WoT in a "Cold War" type of Keynesian economic pump, the economic realities
work against this.  Add to that the resistance in Iraq, and in the US where
millions of the American people know, deep down, that it was just a war for
oil.  Add to that the lack of a firm WoT ideology and the public's skepticism
to the military side of the WoT outside of Afghanistan.

   Though right-wingers routinely talk about attacking Iran, the public would
need another 9/11-type event to support anything more than a quick air
strike.  The WoT is a much harder P.R. sell compared to the Soviet bogeyman
unless contining attacks happen.  This increases the odds of an internal turn
towards fascism, but more moves in that direction would remove all pretense
as to who is running the country and for whose benefit.

   Though Bush brags about unilateralism to the party faithful, large sectors
of the ruling class (and public) knows that's a short-sighted, foolhardy
position.  There's a split there.

   What's to be done?  This will sound like a tired old line, but it's true:
we need to organize.

   We need to hit hard on economic points that show economic inequality and
class differences.  We need to point out the tweedledee and tweedledum
aspects of the duopoly and the need for more alternatives.  We need to remind
people that they can control their communities and jobs and not be
straightjacketed with the narrow choices the corporate media tells us we
have.

   Many people have been doing that for a long time.  We just need to increase
our efforts, to work harder, and to remember that we have a huge majority of
people potentially on our side, and that we're right and just in our desires.

   Okay, okay.  Forgive the speech -- it's the convention season. :-)  Now how
the hell do I get down from this skyscraper-high soap box. :-)

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