Leftists, Liberals—and Losers? .... How and why progressives must unite for real change [View All]

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from In These Times:



Leftists, Liberals—and Losers?
How and why progressives must unite for real change.

By G. William Domhoff


As President Barack Obama’s first year in office draws to a close, perhaps most In These Times readers feel the same way I do—more disappointed in the new administration and the Democratic Congress than I expected to be, even as I recognize dramatic changes since the Bush administration departed. Yet, I am even more disappointed that we on the left (progressives, socialists, anti-corporate capitalists) seem to be missing opportunities to change the direction of our country.

Those of us who seek progressive social change in the United States have made few advances in recent decades. This dearth of progress comes after a wealth of earlier successes: the organization of industrial unions, the creation and triumphs of the civil rights movement, and the successes of the feminist, environmentalist, LGBT and living-wage movements.

One cause of our current lack of accomplishments is an impasse between the two main political forces working for social change—Democratic liberals and leftist progressives—who differ in both goals and strategies. Liberals support gradual changes through education, lobbying and elections to curb the worst excesses of our capitalist system and provide greater social benefits through government. Leftists argue for more radical changes to the status quo.

Rather than lament the failures of the Democrats in Washington or the past failures of leftists, I want to offer a concrete strategy for creating the change we all want. In this more hopeful post-Bush/Cheney era, it is time to figure out how these two forces can rethink their strategies and create a coalition that could transform the nation.

Why don’t leftists connect with very many people, even though most Americans support greater equality, jobs for all, government support for education at all levels, government health insurance and much more? Maybe the problem is in the solutions the left offers and the way we’ve framed them, rather than people’s unwillingness to support greater fairness and equality. To overcome our relative marginalization, American leftists should create a strong new alliance with our more numerous brethren—the approximately 20 percent of Americans who define themselves as “liberal.” ........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/5314/leftists_liberalsand_losers