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Published on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 by The Real News Network
Jeff Cohen on Progressives and the Democratic Party
Jeff Cohen is a media critic and lecturer, founding
director of the Park Center for Independent Media at Ithaca College,
where he is an associate professor of journalism. Cohen founded the
media watch group FAIR in 1986. He speaks here with Paul Jay:
Part I:
© 2010 The Real News Network
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17 Comments so far
Show AllVery interesting interviews. It may explain how the Dems conned you all. It doesn't explain why you haven't wised up.
I only agree in part, we don't have a real democratic choice to begin with. In our system the corporate big-money candidate with the best exposure on the MSM wins. Best democracy money can buy.
odoco
This enough for all you Obama fans? of course, the plan to elect him was only half the plan - the other part of the plan will be to energize the right wing base and alienate the left wing base, leaving room for an even more right-leaning candidate to take up the reins in 2012. This, in addition to the supreme court ruling on corporate free speech, will effectively mean the end of this country as we have at least viewed it in the past.
great video--is there a part 3?
The video--and Cohen's arguments--really are great.
Up until part 4, that is. (click the RNN link to see'em)
Then splat.
What a let down.
Maybe I'm projecting, but you can almost see the let down in Jay's face too.
Throughout the first three videos Cohen makes a compelling version of the undeniable case of the "complete" take-over of the Democratic party by corporate power.
But then in the last video Cohen, after making such a solid analyses of the problem, he then seems to sweep it aside arguing that the complete take-over of the Democratic Party doesn't mean that they still can't be held "accountable." No joke, and he calls arguments to the contrary "silly"--adding that the problem--apparently the real problem all along which he didn't happen to mention in the first three parts--has been Democrats "allowing themselves to be snookered time and time again."
I think it was about then that I saw Jay's eyes go quite dead.
I guess the new slogan for Democrats will be "just don't continue to be snookered time and time again!" or maybe just the word "snooker" in a red circle with a line through it.
I can almost feel the electricity!
Where Kerry's slogan "We can do better" pushed the envelope on betternessness, Cohen follows up with the bold call for snookerlessness.
These sure are exciting times to be a progressive.
Cohen however, is absolutely right in one respect: the problem we face is not rocket science.
But it's not the ugly face of snookerism either.
THAT is what's silly. Dipshit silly, really.
The problem is lack of independence from corporate power.
And apparently Cohen is part of the problem.
Along with the rest of the Democrats.
Which is why we need an alternative to the corporate party. And dipshitness.
I actually knew about Obama's connection to the Hamilton Project -- I think it was David Sirota who wrote about it, although I will check on that fact. I remember I also went to the website, and sure enough, there was Obama. It explains a lot, doesn't it?
I was never a Clinton fan, nor was I a fan of the DLC. Long ago, it was clear to me that they did NOT represent "we the people."
http://davidsirota.com/index.php/2006/04/19/harold-meyerson-on-the-hamiltonian-democrats/
Harold Meyerson, of the Washington Post, also wrote about the Hamilton Project.
I wish I had been as perceptive as Michael Cavlan (below), but the fact is, I bought the whole Obama "progressive" mystique. And I am one who despised the DLC and everything it stood for!! In the one year Obama has been in office, without delivering one iota of change, I have seen enough. We have one major party constructing its village around its idiots, and the other graciously suppling the building materials.
I think it's safe to say, with the corrupt two-party system now in place, and with the recent Supreme Court decision on corporate money in politics, that democracy is finally dead. I only wish my grandkids had had the opportunity to experience it.
Obama during a July health care town meeting about private for profit heath insurers, "They have right to be there and make an acceptable profit but they have to be accountable."
Analysis: "they have a right to be there" means--The market cam better allocate resources for who gets health care than any universal system which would give health care as a right of citizenship om the basis of need.
"and make an acceptable profit"--- means acceptable in the eyes of Wall Street private investors-- that is 8-10%.
"but they have to be accountable"-- means they have to operate legally and pay taxes--center right vs. extreme right-they should be able to do anything they want. Since our politics is bought an paid for by corporate interests there is little real difference. As we well know in a corrupt culture such as Washington politics, the question of legality has little to do with morality.
After Obama speaks he waits for applause- no applause but no boos either--shame shame shame on the American public for not howling at this bullshit.
I agree with what this man said, but I also know that sadly, $ is the only way in the US to get elected. I also have no problem with the free market and capitolism unless it hurts or kills people IE healthcare or lack therof, perpetual war to keep defense contractors rich and big oil happy.
When an industry can hurt people or take away their ability to have the basic things in a developed country like a job to have a home, feed and educate your family and get care if you are sick then that industry needs to be regulated or reformed.THAT is the distinction, I hope, between the Democratic platform and the GOP Platform.
Sadly, the GOP is still protecting the status quo of big banks, health/ pharma. bog oil and defense contractors even at the expense of Americans.
Free market unfettered capitolism is fine for all the products and services until ones that hurt or kill citizens get so big that we cannot change, reform or regulate them.That is when an effective Government should step in. The notion that all Govt is bad ,that the right perpetuates when a Dmeocrat is President, is extremely dangerous and unpatriotic towards the people.
odoco
A balanced and well-reasoned statement. Thank you.
"I also have no problem with the free market and capitolism unless it hurts or kills people IE healthcare or lack therof, perpetual war to keep defense contractors rich and big oil happy."
The problem is that the free market and capitalism are designed to hurt people, as well as all other resources they need. That's how labor's life energy and money are funneled up to the top. It is in the design of the system.
I DO have a problem with the free market and capitalism the way they are practiced. Unfettered anything doesn't work, and the "free market" by its very definition means unfettered. Bad stuff. Greed exists and it must be regulated and controlled or else we will get...well, what we got.
As far as Obama goes - yeah, my eyes have been opened a little more, and yes, I hoped - I was rope-a-dope-hoped. However, while I supported and voted for him, I knew that he was part of the same cloth as the rest, otherwise the masters would not have let him play. Despite the fact that we wound up with a corporate Democrat, I still believe a corporate Republican would have been worse. In any event, I'm so tired of all this political and third party talk. It's the same as rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. New deck decor, same sinking ship.
Just because we don't know what to do doesn't mean we have to keep doing the same failed things we've been doing. The system doesn't work for us and throwing whatever we have at it won't change that. Only stopping the system and rebuilding it will save us.
I have my ideas own how to do that, but I'm done repeating them. They are my ideas and what I am doing. What we need are people with some imagination and courage to just start doing things to bring this system down. Can't or won't do that? See you all at the bottom.
Progressives?!? Does anyone see a picture of a single progressive above? Are DLCers members of the Democratic Party? They are right of center . . . Has someone re-defined "progressive" to means right of center and forgot to inform folk who can read?
Feeling more than a bit confused . . .
Jeff Cohen is not making the case that those in the picture nor Obama are progressives. He is speaking to how some progressives saw Obama as an alternative to the corporate Dems of the DLC, and in the bargain got just a repackaged corporate Dem.
Cohen himself is very much a progressive, and he is counterpoising both the Republican Party (which goes without saying) and now the Democratic Party (since the 80's) against the true Progressives. In short, we have two heads of the same party now, and "the people", well they don't have a Party anymore.
So, the question is, can we remake the Democratic Party even though they have backing from the corporate well that is unlimited, and since the Republican Party in no alternative (to anyone with a brain anyway), is it now time to vote third party no matter if the Dems keep losing? I say since the Dems do not look out for your interests, they deserve to lose so vote third party, again, and again, and again.
What was it Eugen Debs said about rather voting for his interests and losing than voting against his interests and winnning? Eschew both parties, and let's start having a ball.
is it now time to vote third party no matter if the Dems keep losing?
Yes. Absolutely.
The video I'm seeing is about Haiti... did the video get switched by accident or what?
If, as Cohen says, the Democratic party has been "completely" taken over by corporate power then there is no independence from power within the Democratic party.
Without independence from power there can be not only no "accountablity" but no meaningful fight for justice of any sort.
Only the independence from power--as in an alternative party--can offer the chance for meaningful reform.
Everything else is just lip-service.