| Volume 7, #25 | August 27, 2003 | POLITICS WITH BITE! | CONTACT | HELP | 
BACK ISSUES
|
|
Backtalk! Reform the State! PleaseAre you a progressive publication or an anarchist one? If you're the former, you really need to change your title. Eating, thus destroying the State is the last thing any progressive wants to do. That's for the libertarian right and the anarchist...loons.As for your comments on the "anything but Bush" mentality, most of those who say it also say they won't vote for Lieberman. Also, those who say it tend to be supporters of Dean, Kerry, and Gephardt. Kucinich supporters are more mixed, some would switch to another when Kucinich loses, while others will spit in the wind. Finally, I'm sure you have principled disagreements with several of Dean's positions, but to think that he wouldn't make every effort to repeal the Patriot act shows that you haven't been paying much attention to him. I think Kerry would probably make an effort to repeal it as well. don't know about Gephardt (I can't be bothered to pay attention to him). Anyway, I just thought that what could have been a good article was weakened by oversimplification on your part. Jonathan Halvorson TS Replies: Your confusion might stem from your equation of "eating," with "destroying." Eating provides nourishment for the eater. The eaten is not destroyed per se, but continues to cycle through the whole interdependent web of life. Any progressive government ought to gladly give of itself to nourish the people it claims to be caring for, don't you think? Thanks for clarifying that "anybody but Bush," really means "anybody but Bush...or Lieberman." A few more ellipses and we'll be making progress. But now I'm confused. If Lieberman becomes the Democratic nominee, who are the "Anybody But" supporters going to vote for? And what if Lieberman isn't the nominee but is chosen as "Anybody But's" running mate--one heartbeat away as they say. Is it reasonable to vote for the Green Party candidate if Lieberman is the Dems' choice for Vice-President? Anyway, my article wasn't a critique of Dean. I was critiquing the passive submission of so many people to the idea of the "generic Democratic candidate (with a preordained chance to win)" that the Dems hope they can browbeat us into accepting without giving anything in return. But since you've rushed to Dean's defense, for a chilling view of Deans' record on human rights, see "Howard Dean's Constitutional Hang-Up: Dean Would Rather Execute an Innocent Man, Than Let a Guilty One Walk Free By Josh Frank, CounterPunch, August 12, 2003). |
subscribe /
donate /
tiny print /
guidelines for writers /
help /
index
© 2003 Eat the State! All rights reserved.