Is There a Real Left Wing in America?

[Sunstone]

Chris Hedges recently wrote:

The American left is a phantom. It is conjured up by the right wing to tag Barack Obama as a socialist and used by the liberal class to justify its complacency and lethargy. It diverts attention from corporate power. It perpetuates the myth of a democratic system that is influenced by the votes of citizens, political platforms and the work of legislators. It keeps the world neatly divided into a left and a right. The phantom left functions as a convenient scapegoat. The right wing blames it for moral degeneration and fiscal chaos. The liberal class uses it to call for “moderation.” And while we waste our time talking nonsense, the engines of corporate power—masked, ruthless and unexamined—happily devour the state.

What do you make of that? Is there a real Left Wing in America? A Left with any power or influence at all?

 

[Smoke]

There is a real left wing in America, but even if we had full attendance, we could hold our meetings in a high school auditorium.

The Demon Left of FakeNews/Republican rhetoric is a slightly left-leaning cohort of the Center Right -- by which I mean the center of the right, not the right side of the center.

 

[Requia]

The left wing in the US is plenty big. They are also very gullible, which is why we end up with people like Obama running the show.

 

[Smoke]

The left wing in the US is plenty big. They are also very gullible, which is why we end up with people like Obama running the show.

I don't think anybody who would have even considered voting for the McCain/Palin ticket is in a position to talk about gullibility.

Como un burro hablando de orejas -- Like a burro talking about ears.

 

[Levite]

Chris Hedges recently wrote:

The American left is a phantom. It is conjured up by the right wing to tag Barack Obama as a socialist and used by the liberal class to justify its complacency and lethargy. It diverts attention from corporate power. It perpetuates the myth of a democratic system that is influenced by the votes of citizens, political platforms and the work of legislators. It keeps the world neatly divided into a left and a right. The phantom left functions as a convenient scapegoat. The right wing blames it for moral degeneration and fiscal chaos. The liberal class uses it to call for “moderation.” And while we waste our time talking nonsense, the engines of corporate power—masked, ruthless and unexamined—happily devour the state.

What do you make of that? Is there a real Left Wing in America? A Left with any power or influence at all?

There is a left wing in America. It's smaller than either the right wing or the center, because it requires actually paying attention to things to be part of the left.

But the real problem with our left wing is that we have perpetual head-up-the-a**-itis. We cannot f***ing get our act together, and it has to do with an unwillingness or an inability to set priorities and agree on a united front. Everybody wants every rally, every protest, every campaign to be about their pet issue, whether it's relevant or not. Nobody can agree to draw lines, and say: this campaign needs to be about issue X. We'll handle all the other issues after we finish with this one.

One thing you have to give the lunatic Right credit for, the know how to protest. They may choose horrifically inappropriate things to protest, but they protest the hell out them: I have yet to see an anti-gay marriage rally where the signs were not overwhelmingly about hating gay people and wanting them not to be able to get married. Horrible, horrible morals, but extremely effective staying on point. Whereas, the last anti-Bush rally I went to (I quit attending most protests and rallies because there was too much anti-Semitism and Israel-bashing), right alongside the signs criticizing W and the wars, were bunches of signs about weed legalization, anti-Israel stuff, pro-Muslim stuff, anti-death penalty stuff, pro-choice stuff, prison reform, and education. Now, I'm not saying that some of those things aren't good causes worth protesting for. But this was just chaos: it didn't look like citizens determined to make change, it looked like a bunch of fringe hippies who didn't know what the f*** was going on, but they were p****d and wanted you to know about it.

The left, much to its own chagrin sometimes, is actually top-heavy with egos, and people unwilling to set aside their differences and work together. They constantly trip over their own f***ing feet, and as we just saw, if they can actually get anyone elected, they then can't keep the pressure on their politicians long enough to keep the politicians out of the pork and the lobbyists' pockets, and in the Congress doing stuff that actually helps people. Or, alternatively, they feel so bad about how aggressive they had to be to actually take power, they turn around, spread their cheeks, and offer it up to the Right until the other side takes back some power.

It's pathetic, is what it is.

 

[tomato1236]

I think this question is self-defeating. The absence of a true "left" means either:

1. There is no right, either. Left and right are terms of differentiation. If Right is opposite nothing, there's no point in using "right" to describe anyone.
2. Barack Obama is the same as the "right wing" people. Is that true?

Also, those on the left frequently refer to the "right" in political discussions. If they are not, in fact, left, then what are they talking about?

 

[Father Heathen]

I think this question is self-defeating. The absence of a true "left" means either:

1. There is no right, either. Left and right are terms of differentiation. If Right is opposite nothing, there's no point in using "right" to describe anyone.

Well, "left" and "right" refer to ideas that oppose one another and exist in concept, even if they lack actual adherents.

 

[tomato1236]

Well, "left" and "right" refer to ideas that oppose one another and exist in concept, even if they lack actual adherents.

I recognize that. But to suggest there is no left? Are they saying we all want the same things then?

 

[Father Heathen]

I recognize that. But to suggest there is no left? Are they saying we all want the same things then?

Well, it's not black and white. You can have center left, centrist, center right, right, far right, etc. In the U.S. is seems anything close to moderate or centrist is labeled "liberal" or even "socialist".

 

[YmirGF]

What do you make of that? Is there a real Left Wing in America? A Left with any power or influence at all?

It is an amusing piece, to be sure. How a writer for the self-described "flagship of the left", The Nation, can write a piece about the non-existence of itself is somewhat confusing. It sounds like a variation of the no true Scotsman appeal. I did, however, agree with his sentiments about the "Restore Sanity" love-fest.

 

[dust1n]

The left wing in the US is plenty big. They are also very gullible, which is why we end up with people like Obama running the show.

Oh really? Because I thought Obama was about 20 miles too far right. I'm gullible how, now?

 

[dust1n]

It is an amusing piece, to be sure. How a writer for the self-described "flagship of the left", The Nation, can write a piece about the non-existence of itself is somewhat confusing. It sounds like a variation of the no true Scotsman appeal. I did, however, agree with his sentiments about the "Restore Sanity" love-fest.

I don't think he meant that there was absolutely no left in existence in a literal fashion you make it out to be. It is, after all, an opinion piece, as I'm sure the news correspondent whom spent some years in Central America might know a thing or two about what 'left' is.

 

[Smoke]

I recognize that. But to suggest there is no left? Are they saying we all want the same things then?

It always amazes me that whenever someone starts a thread to discuss an article they've read, there are always people whose comments make it absolutely clear that they didn't bother to read the article.

Neither the OP nor the article it references denies that there is any such thing as a left in America. The point is that the left is no longer a real factor in American politics, that the "liberals" of the moment are not true leftists and that positions described by Republicans as "Marxist" are actually centrist or even right-wing positions that are just less extremely right-wing than those of our present-day "conservatives."

Although the article doesn't say it just this way, political positions once espoused by such Republican luminaries as Dwight Eisenhower, Barry Goldwater and Nelson Rockefeller are now labeled as "Communist," "Marxist," and "left-wing extremist" views by the members of the ever-more-ridiculous Republican Party. But they aren't really leftist views. Really leftist views are practically unheard of in the two major parties anymore, and are advocated mainly by minor parties like the SP-USA and the Greens.

That is the point. Not that there is no left, but that the left is no longer a real factor in American politics.

 

[DrTCH]

Isn't there some way to cut out some of the redundancy/repetition on these blog pages? Man!!!

"Left"and "right" mean very little these days, as most all the politicians are solidly supportive of:

Neverending war; NAFTA; the "Fed"; the Wall Street bail-out; the Health care bill sell-out; the insipid "War on Terrorism"....

The Bush admin. "players" were among the most corrupt in American history, and MINIMALLY, used "9-11" as a pretext for war, subverting the U.S. Constitution; and instituting this lunatic and outrageous "War on Terror." The Obama admin. has embraced the very same agenda. Now, who are the conservatives and who are the progressives? The question is meaningless today.

I have friends who regularly travel, and they tell me that the U.S. officials at the airports, these days, are much more abusive than, say, the British ones. The delays at airports are also very intrusive and time-consuming (when most of this "terrorist threat" is a hoax). Why should we stand for this??!! This is fascist B.S., and scandalous.

 

[DrTCH]

I used to cringe when I'd hear someone from another country speak of the USA as being imperialist, but after Vietnam and, now, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan...how can we deny it? Our reputation around the world is in the toilet.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Looked at from the perspective of Europe. There is no "Left" in the USA.
at best the Democrats are right of Centre. The republicans are the equivalent of the Loony Right.

 

[YmirGF]

That is the point. Not that there is no left, but that the left is no longer a real factor in American politics.

Oh, I got that rather loud and clear, Bill. Forgive me if I see it more as a camouflage of subterfuge. To say the left no longer has influence in American politics is a bit of a reach, imo. I see this as the opening salvo in a great disappearing act. A grand illusion of the left designed to take attention away from itself. Frankly, it's fricken brilliant.

 

[Sunstone]

Oh, I got that rather loud and clear, Bill. Forgive me if I see it more as a camouflage of subterfuge. To say the left no longer has influence in American politics is a bit of a reach, imo. I see this as the opening salvo in a great disappearing act. A grand illusion of the left designed to take attention away from itself. Frankly, it's fricken brilliant.

I love your sense of humor, Paul. To imagine there is a powerful Left in America is worthy of a first rate nightclub act.

 

[YmirGF]

I love your sense of humor, Paul. To imagine there is a powerful Left in America is worthy of a first rate nightclub act.

Well, if the truth be told, I have had people tell me I should do stand up comedy for many years now. Maybe there is hope, after all. At least I make you laugh, hopefully as hard as you folks make me laugh. At least we are not screaming at each other, lol. Though, I wouldn't rule out screaming if each side actually began to take the other seriously.

 

[Father Heathen]

Oh, I got that rather loud and clear, Bill. Forgive me if I see it more as a camouflage of subterfuge. To say the left no longer has influence in American politics is a bit of a reach, imo. I see this as the opening salvo in a great disappearing act. A grand illusion of the left designed to take attention away from itself. Frankly, it's fricken brilliant.

How the hell does it make any sense for a political movement to intentionally disappear from public eye? Support from the public is how political movements gain power, not by slipping into obscurity. Why would a political movement want to take attention away from it's causes?