The Need For Cohesion
[I have already discussed on the Left in the United States is really pretty "center Right" in the global scheme of politics. But for the sake of this piece, we will consider the Democratic Party the "center Left." Although I find this problematic, I just have to accept it. Considering the Right (GOP) is farther right then the DNC, we will consider the Democratic Party to be "Left."]
Yesterday, I mentioned that I was not happy with Adsense, displaying ads such as Newsmax and anti-minorities links. I logged into Facebook yesterday, and there was an advert to “remember in November” to “stop Obama and Obamacare.” I don’t have a problem with allowing the Conservatives to advertise their views. Quite contrarily, I agree with it. Everyone should be given a venue to espouse whatever concept they wish. (I did go to UC Berkeley, and even enjoyed the elderly, black man that would scream “Jesus wants you to be a racist!”, the man who would scream about the Jewish Armageddon that was about to descend upon us, or the man with the anti-petrol sign that would just say to everyone “Your mother loves you.”) But, I see these massive campaigns against the Democratic party, and all leftists. Someone is feeding the Tea Party a steady stream of propaganda (Fox). On the left, there is no cohesion.
You have the center-Left Democrats, that support a more Keynesian economic platform, than a Hobbesian “Free Market.” You also have various Socialists, Communists, Marxists, Anarchists, and whatever other “Left” leaning ideology you can imagine. None of these groups work together. The Democratic Party wants no association with Ultra-Left ideology. So, everyone left of center ends up a “marginalized fringe.”
Farther, there is no cohesion within the Ultra-Left. The Socialists won’t work with the Marxists or the Communists. The Black Nationalists won’t work with any other Socialists, Marxists, Communists, Anarchists, etc. It all goes on, because everyone gets hung up on minutia.
The problem with this is that many of the primary goals of ALL of these groups is the same. Fair labor rules, fair market regulation, equality under the law, equality in the workplace, elimination of poverty, healthcare for every citizen. (These are just key issues, but I find there are many, many more commonalities.) Do the Marxists want to marginalize the Latinos in America? Surely not. If anything, the Marxists and Socialists care just as much about fair labor rules for Latino/Chicano laborers as any other group, maybe more. Do the Marxists or the Socialists promote racism? Obviously not, how is that equality under the law? Do the Anarchists support any inequalities at all? Not in my experience. Do the Democrats want more social stratification? Less aid to the poor or impoverished families? Does the DNC want less fair workplace environments, hiring policies and legal treatment? I highly doubt it.
All of these groups have a common “enemy.” I do not use “enemy” as a loaded term. This is not a war. This is not about violence, or any physical means of attack. Its an ideological enemy. Conservativism believes in aristocracy, class stratification, unfettered corporate progress and a “free market.” EVERYONE on the left opposes these things. Why can’t everyone on the Left stand against these things? Why can’t the DNC ask the rest of the Left for support? Well, there is one reason.
McCarthyism, and the Cold War in general, did a number of the American psyche and created memes against keywords. As soon as the word “Socialist” or “Communist” is espoused, the Tea Party loads their guns. The pundits on Fox and Friends decide to launch an all out attack to tear them down, and the DNC ultimately loses votes. I understand this problem and empathize with it. But, I really need to say, “so what?”
Pay for advertisements to explain that you don’t care if it is considered “socialist” to do something, because it is what is fair. Explain that your goal is govern, not run a business. Our rights are not a corporate “mission statement.” There is no profit motive for guaranteeing equal rights under the law, the freedom to assemble, freedom of movement, freedom of speech, etc. Get the Anarchists and the Socialists and the Communists and everyone else in the Ultra-Left to support you. Any Socialist or Marxist can explain plenty of things FOR you. They will be the first to point out they are anti-fascism. (Fascism is far right – this is a fact, and as debatable as gravity.) They will also be the first to point out they are not Left Liberals. They also can be valuable allies.
To everyone else on the Ultra-Left: Stop fighting over ideological bullshit while your primary goals are being squandered. If you truly believe you are right, would you rather convince the Democrats that you are right, or a Tea Party rally? Who is going to benefit you more? If you want to promote Black Nationalism, is that ever going to happen with the GOP in power? With the Tea Party roving around Virginia with loaded weapons? If you are a proponent of a Socialist economy, are you ever going to convince the Far Right this is plausible? Would you rather they be in charge? Your lack of support for the Democratic Party is only hurting you, and everyone else. Your fragmentation only farther marginalizes you and makes you irrelevant. You are becoming your own worst enemy.
