Joyce L. Arnold, Liberally Independent, Queer Talk, equality activist, writer.
Announcing the Ryan pick for a weekend news cycle meant the Romney/Ryan campaign got the Sunday morning political-analysis-as-duopoly-entertainment attention, in which the same predictable points are made, about the same predictable process by which We the Electorate are expected to choose between the predictable oligarchy approved nominees of the two corporate parties. Resulting in a rather predictable response on my part, I acknowledge.
Ryan on economy, but also on “social issues” (and there is an audience as much focused on that – from “socialized medicine” / Obamacare to immigration “reform” to the “protect our innocent children, traditional marriage” – as on reducing deficit and taxes) gives some of the “I’m really uncomfortable with Romney” voters a way to move to “okay, with Ryan on the ticket I can vote for Romney,” while also encouraging the “You have to vote for Romney / Ryan because Obama / Biden are much worse!” Republican side of lesser evildom.
On the Democratic side of things, not much changes except we can now fill in the space after Romney’s name with Ryan’s (R&R doesn’t mean what it used to), and use his unquestionably very conservative positions and record for an even stronger, if predictable, “why you have to vote for Obama / Biden because Romney / Ryan are much worse!” Democratic side of lesser evildom.
As lambert at Corrente put it: “The choice … will be which legacy party will, or will be perceived to, gut the New Deal less.”
Of course, we can choose to vote for a “third” party at the top of the ticket and beyond (if you’re fortunate enough to be in a state on which such appear on the ballot, or you can write-in). I’ll do that, yet again, and it will be Stein / Honkala.
Predictably, making any but the Repub / Dem choice will mean hearing: 1) you’re wasting your vote; 2) (on the Left) a vote for “third party” is a vote for Romney / Ryan (mention of Nader at this point is likely); 3) you’re being unrealistic; 4) post-2008, there may also be a mention of Hillary, implying the only reason you could possibly have to vote “third” party is because you are a disgruntled Hillary-ite who needs to “get over it.” It’s significantly weaker than the already weak arguments it accompanies, but it sometimes gets thrown in, along with “single issue” and the exceptionally condescending, “you’re looking for perfection,” accusations.
We keep ourselves stuck with either/or options when we let “evildom” framing (explicitly and implicitly) limit the conversation. We restrict our choices when we let lesser evildom, or anti-lesser evildom, rule. The need for change, more options, reform, revolution, etc., is about so much more than 2012; so much more than Obama/Biden vs. Romney/Ryan; so much more than the latest version of the “most important election of our lifetime” framing.
For everyone working within the two party system, and for everyone working from the outside, toward making actual changes … more power to you! Those efforts to challenge the Two Party Front for the Oligarchy reality are a long-term, hard work process, which is very important even though its ultimate success is, of course, in doubt.
As for the next few months of mainstream public and media Obama/Biden vs. Romney/Ryan attention, there’s no doubt: Lesser evildom rules! And so in terms of actually providing any challenge to the Duopoly, predictable 2012 politics is so exciting even the crickets are yawning.
(Cricket photo via Photobucket)
Where is the Democratic or progressive version of Paul Ryan, which is an addendum to the question I asked in January, where is the progressive Tea Party movement?
lambert at Corrente is exactly correct, because whoever wins in November, there will be a “grand bargain.”
Yep, “grand bargain” it will be.
A caller to Tom Even Dumber than Most Right Wing Radio Hosts Sullivan declared himself to be “Leaning LIbertarian” and attacked Ryan’s voting for TARP, wars, the Wall Street bailout, etc. Sullivan went into a rage, saying “look, there are only two choices- you want an imperfect Conservative, or a Socialist? Because that’s what Obama is, a SOCIALIST!!” When the caller said he might vote Libertarian, Sullivan ramped it up- “then you are wasting your vote, you are helping the Socialist win- and we can’t afford four more years of HELL. That’s what Obama would bring- four more years of HELL!”
So, it’s happening on both sides. I hope the Libertarians do what true Progressives do- vote their conscience, and ignore the “You Owe Your Vote To the Lesser of Two Evils” bleating.
Me, I’ll happily vote for Jill Stein, and won’t feel dirty afterwards. And if Romney wins, I’ll know who to blame- the party that had total control of the govt for two years, and used those two years to reveal just how similar they are to the Republicans in their devotion to the corporations and the one percent.
The last mainstream liberal Democrat (pre DLC) was governor Jerry Brown of California. He truly was a progressive back in the day (when he was dating Linda Ronstadt). Since then, potential national candidates left of center have been purged from the roster of future presidential picks by the Democratic Party. John Edwards was closest pol willing to embrace FDR New Deal politics, unfortunately, he contracted Spitzer disease.
“potential national candidates left of center have been purged” — that is so right on target. Unfortunately.
TPAZ,
Sad to say John Edwards was nothing more than a narcissistic doofus. I am bitter … you betcha! I really do believe that Elizabeth was the prime mover in Edwards shift to the left. Edwards was quite the DLC moderate while in the Senate. Remember he also joined Hillary in voting for misfeasance/malfeasance that was Iraq.
The message of Edwards “One America” was spot on, but the messenger was tragically flawed. Remember this was Mudcat’s man, and the bill of sale on him, that he could attract Southern Whites, was always dodgy at best. Hillary was able to out Blue Collar Edward anyway.
Until we rip a page from the LGBT activists, until progressives close their wallets and punish Corporate Democrats in the primaries, there will be no relief from the rightward drift of the Donkey Party. As Cujo 359 is fond of saying, you don’t ask; you demand.
Me, I’m looking hard at the Green Party. Why vote for a party that does not reflect my values, when I can vote for one that does? It may be time to get off the hamster wheel of the two party duopoly.
spin, I agree with all you say here.
I’m kinda, I don’t know what the word is, annoyed, that’s it, annoyed by those who continue to think that what John Edwards was selling was the real thing about the poor. I never believed him even before he behaved like a jackass with Elizabeth. And, for all of Elizabeth’s faults, I, too, believe (and there is ample proof) that it was she who pushed him along the path towards declaring that there were 2 Americas and therefore to the left. It seemed to be in her DNA not in his.
History is full of leaders who loved more than one woman at a time. But, we each have our own value system and priorities. I have decided to believe Edwards believes his stump speech as much as any other politician; no more, no less.
This has nothing to do with his loving more than one woman. You are making it into that, not I.
he behaved like a jackass with Elizabeth
New Dem, yes you are.
John Edwards was the closest pol What does this say about the rest of the party when Edwards is the closest to speaking the truth. When a liar tells the truth, does it dilute the truth?
Sorry, Edwards wasn’t the closest to telling the truth because I never believed for a moment that he truly believed what he said. A liar is a liar is a liar and a rose never smelled so bad.
How sad it is that it’s come down to having to “vote for the lesser of two evils.” Have they no shame?
I am thrilled that Jill Stein will be on the ballot in my state. It gives me someone to vote for. I have vote Democratic candidates since I started voting. Not this year.