The media, in their reporting of politics, deliberately reduce it to a game, in which the only or controlling motive of each party is to win the game (the election). This seriously ignores that in many, probably most, instances, the governing elite really believes in the policy they are carrying out, however they may describe it for popular consumption.
DP leadership have a conception of the "national interest" that leads them seriously to believe that a ravaging of Afghanistan and Pakistan is essential to that interest. _Given_ that, they will use the rhetoric to describe it that (they think) will be best for their electoral chances. They want to win, but they often will subordinate that desire to what they believe are the desirable policies. Now there are a number of motives for believing in a given policy. A number of these of course are self-interested; others may be that they are corrupted. That is irrelevant and a matter of reading minds; the important point is that for whatever 'internal' motives they put the policy before the 'pure' desire to win elections. Obama is committed to the interests of Wall Street, and as far as is compatible with that, to the interests of other corporate concerns, as well as to the general (global) interests of "American business." His inner psychic reasons for this are irrelevant: the point is that he probably is telling the truth that he is willing to be a one-term president rather than sacrifice these interests. And the DP has given plenty of evidence over the last half-century that it subordinates many purposes to an overriding purpose of NOT inciting active public participation in politics. One must not rile up the people, for that will lead to a disruption of order, and Order (public peace) must be preserved at all costs. That is one of the reasons that, even when it would clearly be in their electoral interests they will _not_ resort to "rabble rousing" (which, I suspect, would be Obama's label for the kind of rhetoric liberals wanted him to use in supporting some liberal legislation). _____ From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Lakshmi Rhone Sent: Sunday, January 16, 2011 12:41 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [Pen-l] civility No for the Republicans to push the right wing agenda that they want they need it to have some popular support, and the only way they can get is by creating paranoia about a government take over of individual lives (your health will be controlled by the State, you will be put to death by the State, your guns and money will be taken by the State) and popular calls for the repatriation of illegal aliens. Of course business can live with the Democrats but it now wants the Republicans back in control. And this is how the Republicans will win hearts and minds for a radically anti working class agenda. That the Democrats have so little to offer makes people willing to gamble on the Republicans. Lakshmi
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