Left Turn: The Political Pendulum Swings Back

[babylonsister]

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/7937

Left Turn: The Political Pendulum Swings Back
by Ted Rall | Jun 6 2007

America's experiment with neofascism is coming to an end.

He came to office in a coup d'état and consolidated power after 9/11. George W. Bush may be our worst president in history--certainly in recent times--but he is also one of the most important. Imposing his sweeping vision on everything from the tax system to why we wage war to eliminating your right to an attorney, his legislative and stylistic legacy will long outlive his administration.

He has been wildly successful at getting what he wanted. The irony is, his radical achievements have set the stage for a dramatic political shift to the left.

In my 2004 book "Wake Up! You're Liberal!" I argued that liberalism went into crisis after winning most of the cultural battles of the 20th century--the New Deal, civil rights, equality for women, gay rights. By 1980 once dynamic ideology was reduced to defending its gains against a roll-back campaign by an insurgent New Right. In electoral politics, a dynamic party offering new proposals, even ideas recycled from previous decades, tends to defeat a party that comes off as stodgy and defensive.

Bush's neofascists find themselves in the same unenviable position as the Democrats of Jimmy Carter's time. (Old-school conservatism, Goldwater's prescription of isolationism and limited government, is dead or dormant.) Now that they've won acceptance of preemptive warfare, torture, elimination of the estate tax, and spying on American citizens, Republicans are fresh out of new ideas.

As people who lived in Nazi Germany and Communist China attest, what starts out as exciting soon turns tedious. Long stretches of political radicalism leaves citizens exhausted, overwhelmed, and longing for "normalcy." Sound familiar?

You can see the leftward shift everywhere. Bush's approval rating, 91 percent after 9/11, is at 30 percent. Even most Republicans say Iraq is going badly. "I think this (the Iraq War) is the most expensive, stupidest thing we've ever done," says Debbie Thompson of Wilmette, Illinois, a staunch pro-war Republican. The military, from privates in Iraq to armchair generals in Washington, openly derides him and his war in the media.



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[napi21]

1. Another confirmation of this was a report on c-span this AM.

It wasn't Chuch Todd, but someone like him who covred the NH debates. He was asked what the excitement factor is like in NH; who's drawing big crowds during their visits etc. Of course the 3 top tier candidates in both parties are doing best, but he said the Dems are drawing MUCH BIGGER crowds and the Pubs know it! It's very obvious.

I realize NH is a very small State, but I do think it's a strong indicator of the shift to the left by the general public.

[babylonsister]

2. Great news-thanks for sharing as I missed it. nt

[Bravo Zulu]

3. I hope it's not to late?

[ixion]

4. I think it's far too early to proclaim the fascists passe'

especially when a) the majority just caved to this unpopular preznit; and b)Gonzales is still in office, and we are still in Iraq despite gross evidence of lies and criminal negligence on both counts.

Nope. I think calling the neocon-fascists DOA is premature, at best.

[libodem]

5. Am I ever ready!

Swing pendulum swing.