Dear friends,
In the best of worlds Ron Paul, Mike Gravel or Dennis Kucinich would get elected in 2008. No matter what anyone thinks about their views of the state or other ‘internal’ issues, at least these three would not be bona fide Fascists. As Scott often points out, a President needs the support of Congress to implement internal policies. So the President really make a difference in the foreign policy real and, as Chalmers Johnson puts it, means choosing between being an Empire or a Republic. Paul, Gravel and Kucinich have clearly chosen the latter. They are, I submit, the only ones. All the rest of the candidates want a Neocon Empire.
Now, we do not live in the best of worlds and chances are that Paul, Gravel and Kucinich will never get their party’s nomination. There is a tiny little chance that Paul might, but I would not hold my breath. Besides, if he does get it the 2008 choice will be simple and self-evident.
In the real world, Paul, Kucinich and Gravel will get the boot at the conventions or even before. And there comes in my idea:
Could these three run as independent on one ticket (something like Paul/Gravel and Kucinich announced as Secretary of State)? Or could they even create something like a “Jeffersonian Party” with no money at all, but which would provide the American something other than a “choice” of Neocons to choose from?
I realize that there are some ideologues on the “left” who would start yapping about Ron Paul being a “capitalist” or “corporatist” and that he would (crime of crimes!) dismantle the IRS and Social Security, and on the “right” who would say that Gravel and Kucinich are “socialists” who will bloat the government, take away our guns and (crime of crimes!) introduce a single-payer heath care system. But to actually do any of that they would need a Congress to back them. Not to mention that even these important issues are dwarfed by the Empire vs. Republic choice. And no matter what we think about them, having a Neocon Fascist in power is worst of all options!
As far as I know there is no law preventing anyone from doing it. Look at how this SOB Liebermann did that to the Democrats. He lost the nomination, ran as an “independent” (warmongering Neocon) and won! I know – that scumbag had plenty of Neocon money, the support of the White House and the corporate media, etc. But still – he pulled it off.
Just by doing something original Paul, Gravel and Kucinich (or at least two of these three) could generate quite some media attention. They could also frame the debate in terms of such values as “defending the Constitution”, “Empire or Republic”, “GWOT or civil rights”, “imperial wars or getting the troops home”, etc. I think that the media would not be able to totally ignore them. So maybe, just maybe, they could substitute big money with strong ideas?
Right now all three are loyally doing their thing within their parties and “educating the public” as Scott says. But as soon as the Neocons get both parties’ nomination that “educational phase” will be over. Totally. So while we can enjoy it right now, let’s hope for the best but prepare for the worst i.e., something like a “choice” between, say, Hillary and Giuliani (shivers, nausea).
As far as I can tell, the American republic is in vital danger of being replaced by a Neocon authoritarian empire. So maybe we can all set aside our differences and join into a truly republican (small ‘r’) and jeffersonian movement? If we don’t – we will all weep next year!
Anyway – being the foreigner that I am I might be totally off the mark and maybe all that is just silly daydreaming.
What do you think?
