The Possible Ramifications of Scorched Earth Tatics

[catcher]

Suppose Hilary unfairly got the nomination. What do you imagine the backlash might be? The stakes are high and we must support the democratic nominee no matter who it might be, however suppose if it were Hilary. We know that the young voter turnout might be suppressed and that a few voters might feel turned off by the party and vote green in November but I feel many will probably come to their sense with the S.C. appointees at stake, not to mention the war in Iraq, possible war in Iran with McInsane at the helm, the economic pressure of oil and food prices, and our health care crisis. Not to even speak of the national deficit, environment and so on. I believe that voters will see the light. But what are the other possible grave ramifications.

With Hilary at the head we'll need every political alliance we've got to go against every republican that will come out of the woodwork to vote against a Clinton. Despite all the injuries she's hurled at the DNC I believe we could still get our act together and fight against McCain and the machine, with the kind funds that Obama can generate. However that would mean the DLC would be back in control and all the work Dean's done in grassroots activism would be for nothing. Not to mention the down ticket races would suffer. However despite all these challenges I believe we could still overcome them. However there is one ramification that I am afraid that could do irreparable damage and that is blacks leaving the democratic party or sitting out the election.

If you think about it it is the blacks (sorry I don't mean to sound patronizing) that are the glue that hold the party together. We remember how when before FDR became president how the south was democrat and the north was largely republican, and how when FDR initiated the social programs of the great depression and social welfare which changed the political map. It was blacks who gave identities to the party with the south becoming republican because of it and the north democrat. Without this question of race what divides the two parties besides class and ideology.

I don't have to go into great detail but the reason blacks ally themselves with the democratic party is due to the legacy of FDR. However since the signing of the civil rights act in the 60's their lives have hardly improved. They are still largely poorer than the rest of the population, they are still are disproportionately discriminated against in housing and employment. They are incarcerated at higher disproportionate rates in nonviolent crimes compared to whites, it seems to me that the one reason they continue to devotely vote for the democratic nominee despite having received no real economic or social benefit from it is because of the stark racism of the republican party although in these days they try to mask it.

However it occurs to me since Clinton lost her 50-35 advantage with the AA community since South Carolina due to the Clintons lack of wooing the AA voters they have been voting strongly for Obama with every successive race-baiting tatic her campaign ran. I think that should the nomination be handed over to Clinton their eyes may be open to implied racism in such a move, and may abandon the party all together. Without AA voting bloc which comprise 20% of the faithful democratic voting bloc, we may just be at the mercy of the corporate elite who really care nothing for us. And since situations can't get much worse for the AA community they may just feel apathy for the results of the election. Even I have to admit that the democratic party has often used the AA as a buttress also taking their patronage for granted in the party w/o them it is obvious we would lose the election. The question is would they abandon the party. I sincerely hope not but if such an act of disrespect were to occur I'm afraid they would. Without their votes the corporate elites in both parties would start a class warfare and we would be the casualties. In the final analysis because of Clinton blatant race-baiting the democrats will either implode this November or may suffer a minor defeat at the hand of the GOP.

[bhikkhu]

1. That newbies with hidden profiles are viewed with suspicion

That would be one ramification here lately. Nothing personal.

on edit - Lets all discuss how its all about racial demographics again. Or not.

[catcher]

2. nothing personal taken at all my good man

care to elaborate?

[bhikkhu]

Sufficient posts have reduced the contest to race or gender

And assured us, one way or the other, thousands of times over, that one candidate or the other was unelectable for some cause that could be boiled down to "Americans are bigots". In the sense of the word "an intolerant or ignorant person incapable of change". So every argument that race will decide the election tries to convince us that Americans are bigots, predetermining not just the election but the character and potentials of the country. Every argument that gender will decide the election is equally obnoxious.

Argument upon argument piles up into a festering heap of arguments forming their own reality, to some extent, in the same way that a lie often enough repeated is taken for truth. You build the pile higher here, and I have no way of knowing whether it is out of ignorance or malice. To be blunt on a late night. Again, no personal offense meant, one anonymous screen name to another.

[ColbertWatcher]

3. Your post is so filled with...

...preumpstions, it's almost trollish.

[Fovea]

4. Welcome to DU.

We are in a difficult phase at the moment. And before you got here, we had a period where right wing bloggers try to disrupt.

Consequently, there is a bit of sensitivity to posters with low counts.

While I agree with a lot of your commentary, I do not think that the sly racist rhetoric will cause the calamity you believe will happen. I think the race card has, if you forgive the mixed metaphor, gone one too many times to the well.