Re: Rush Limbaugh

["Devine, James" <jdevine@xxxxxxx>]

>From the perspective of the working class and other dominated groups, 
it's likely true that >The crimes of the Bush administration aren't substantially 
different than those of the Great Liberal Humanitarian, Jimmy Carter ...<. (It's hard 
to make these kinds of comparisons, though.)

But in terms of contention amongst different fractions of the ruling class, i.e., in
terms of "special interests" within the capitalist class vs. their class interest, I think
Bush is different from Carter. Carter was more of the "enlightened leader" who tried
to think of the long-term interests of the class he was working for, being more unilateralist
(among the rich powers), etc. Bush seems to combine short-term interests of the class 
with the narrow focus of one fraction or coalition (oil, the military, etc.) The Bushwackers 
seem to see themselves as the capitalists' Marxist-Leninist Party,[*] saving the capitalists 
via a policy revolution (by all means necessary) while feathering their own nests and 
increasing their own group's power.  

The latter competition may not be relevant in the end, but in the immediate future, 
contention within the ruling class produces most of the political process that we see
(especially when non-ruling groups are so weak, as currently).

[*] I'm here referring to the Party as perceived by self-styled Marxist-Leninists. Of course, they
saw themselves as having a different "class stand."
------------------------
Jim Devine jdevine@xxxxxxx &  http://bellarmine.lmu.edu/~jdevine

> On Thursday, October 2, 2003 at 14:03:47 (-0700) Devine, James writes:
> >...
> >I wasn't trying to convince anyone. ...
> 
> I didn't say you were.
> 
> >                               .... My point is that some 
> attention to the personnel involved
> >helps us _understand_ what's going on.
> 
> I disagree.  Bush is a dolt and he's arrogant, but so what?  The
> crimes of the Bush administration aren't substantially different than
> those of the Great Liberal Humanitarian, Jimmy Carter, who helped to
> butcher countless thousands of innocents, nor of any other President
> in recent memory.  His personality is no better guide to
> "understanding what's going on" than are sun-spots, karma, or
> astrological signs.  It may make you and those who agree with you feel
> better to vent your rage by calling someone names (ad hominem ---
> against the man, remember?), but it doesn't help 
> understanding one jot.
> 
> 
> Bill
>