There are still Communists who claim that Communism is the perfect system, it just hasn't been tried anywhere (I'm not going to link for them; just google "CPUSA" and/or "wacko").
Soon (or maybe yesterday) there will be Conservatives who claim that Conservativism is the perfect system, it just hasn't been tried anywhere (I'm not going to link for them either; just google "GOP" and/or "wacko").
They both suffer from the same religious faith in an untestable proposition, they just differ in the details. Communium/Conservativism failed in the USSR/USA because of the human failings of the Kommissars/Republicans.
In fact, at the heart of both religions are the same thoughts: Humanity is defined by economic motivations, and we just need a Leading Party to implement the Ideal Economic Plan for success.
It doesn't work.
Partly the problem is that we humans aren't solely economic critters; we are more swayed by feelings of community, love and family, for example. More importantly: Any system that depends upon a political party to put it into practice it without skimming something off the top for themselves cannot be implemented by human beings.
The lesson for Liberals/Progressives/Etc is not to rely upon the Democratic Party ... help it, sure why not? it's a very useful tool ... but on community and democracy (small "d"). Progress will be slower that way, but less prone to corruption.
2 comments:
Oh, put not your trust in the Democrats, that's for sure. My second-hand experience of the Democrats (as opposed to democrats), gained from watching my Dad's involvement in local campaigns here in Pinellas Co. FL, is that from local up to national, they're the reincarnation of The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight. Their favorite pastimes seem to be bickering with each other and chasing off anybody remotely competent for fear they'll take away someone's cushy little post or threaten their often imagined authority. I'm not talking so much about the candidates and elected official so much as the volunteers and paid staffers.
It appears to me to have resulted in a case of institutionalized incompetence. The GOP had to practically run the country into the ground and tear itself apart in-fighting before the Dems could get some advantage over them. Yeah, Gore got buggered in FL in 2000 but if he and the Dems had run a halfway decent campaign and taken, say, his HOME STATE of TN, FL would have been irrelevant. And Kerry got so-o-o outmaneuvered. That election was winnable, damnit.
Ooh, and promise local candidates the world to get them to run, but actually come up with real, spendable money for campaign expenses? Hah! There's a very remote possibly, but - and only if they think you really might actually win - you need to let them run you campaign "because they know how to run them." How to lose, that is, but hey, it's not the outcome, it's the experience that's important, you see.
Do I sound cynical? Moi? Well, a bit. And you know, us FL liberal voters aren't really happy with the Dems this year.
That being said, I'm still urging everyone I know to pretty much vote Democratic. Because bad as they are, the GOP is so-o-o much worse.
There's a very apt Rob't Heinlein quote on the subject, something on the order of "the difference between good and bad is...not nearly as great as the difference between bad and worse." Let's not go for worse.
Though this does then lead, of course, to the bumper sticker "Vote for Cthulu: When You're Tired of Voting for the Lesser of Two Evils" *hee* Can I photoshop McCain's face onto a nice, tentacle-y Cthulu graphic? Only the geeks would get it and besides the conservatives figure we're all devil-worshipers anyway.
*grin* Hijacked your blog for a rant - sorry about that. Must say, it did feel good to let off a bit of steam.
Joyce/Jocetta
Hi Joycetta/redsquirrel: yes, it may have been a rant, but it was a fun rant, I loved it!
I liked your stories derived from actual experience - tell me more!
I certainly agree that we mustn't rely on the Dems; we must force them to do the right thing. That's just the way it is. There's a story about FDR (the truth of which I haven't yet documented): supposedly, someone comes to him with an excellent analysis of what needs to be done (some say Frances Perkins, others A. Philip Randolph or Sidney Hillman). FDR replies "I agree - now go out and make me do it."
Even if that is an urban legend, it expresses a basic truth: politicians will lead only if we make them do it. We have to get together and out-organize the opposition, that's all. Besides, it can be fun - as long as the bickering doesn't drive you made.
Your comment on the kingdom-building among staffers & volunteers made me snicker. I work mostly with non-political volunteer groups, but the in-fighting is amazing! As "someone once said" about, hm, I think it was faculty meetings: "The battles are so fierce because the stakes are so small."
Maybe the best example of the incompetence of the Institutional Democratic Party is Hilary's primary campaign. She had every advantage in money, name-recognition and organization, and proceeded to p1ss it away on highly expensive "consultants" who, as the saying goes, snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. But it WAS a victory - for the highly paid consultants! I don't see any of them shamefacedly getting out of the business.
It reminds me of the IT consultants I've seen pop into so many private businesses ... but that's another rant altogether. If "Dilbert" were to join a political campaign sometime; he wouldn't have to change more than 1 word in 10.
OK, this morning's rant is over ... for now ;-)
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