Re: [Pen-l] The Obama cult

["Jim Devine" <jdevine03@xxxxxxxxx>]

me:
>> he's [Louis is] engaged
>> in social criticism, something that's totally legit on pen-l.

Sandwichman:
> It just seems a very crabbed and resentful type of "social criticism."
> There are those of us that have no illusions about the inherent
> progressive nature of the Obama administration that nevertheless see
> an opportunity to make progressive inroads. It seems to me that
> persisting in the display of ill-will toward Obama enthusiasts would
> only serve to insulate them from potential influence from the left.
> Not a winning strategy.

I must admit that I don't like the tone of a lot of LP's
contributions, but I wouldn't call it "hate." And it's not akin at all
to Orwell's "two minute hate" at all (since such institutions have
been government-organized and LP is not a government). In fact, to
imply so seems to be veering toward hate -- or (more likely) putting
LP on some kind of imaginary throne, assuming that he has much much
more power than he actually does.

> I suppose, though, that this kind of social criticism more closely
> approximates "concrete analysis of concrete conditions" than does,
> say, a discussion of whether calling for Keynesian "fiscal stimulus"
> encompasses the most progressive interpretation for labor of Keynes's
> thought.

For those not in the know, this barb is aimed at me.

If you think Keynes advocated your single-issue program, Tom, go for
it. I for one am not into using authorities to back up my opinions. I
prefer the old anarchoid slogan, "question authority." (By the way,
the Shakyamuni Buddha seems to have said that first. now there's an
authority! ;-) )

You've read much more Keynes than I have, so I'm willing to assume
that anything you say he said he actually said. But, as I said before,
it's best to look at what he said in context: his advocacy of your
program (as far as I can tell) was predicated on his since-falsified
view that capitalism suffers from secular stagnation (due to the
rising aggregate propensity to save). Nowadays, a lot of people
(including yours truly) think capitalism expands _too much_ over the
long haul, destroying the environment. Some even see that problem as
partly solved by reducing the hours of work!

As far as I can tell, Keynes' main message was not in favor of
shortening the work-week (or -year) but instead of having safe
technocratic rule (under capitalism), with moderate Fabians replacing
rentiers. His advocacy of fiscal policy was based on the (likely
accurate) perception that monetary policy had stopped working during
the 1930s, that "you can't push on a string." (The main argument
against him was that it wasn't seriously tried.) Though I haven't read
all of Keynes, I haven't seen this opinion contradicted yet.
-- 
Jim Devine /  "Nobody told me there'd be days like these / Strange
days indeed -- most peculiar, mama." -- JL.
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