[PAA-Discuss] Whither Progressive Democrats?

[Ron and Kris Graham]

This is an interesting piece on Progressive Democrats of America and their
endorsement of Barack Obama by John Halle and found at Counterpunch.

 

Kris

 

February 4, 2008


An Open Letter to the PDA


Whither Progressive Democrats?


By JOHN HALLE

As board members, you are aware that on Jan 31, in the wake of John
Edwards's suspension of his candidacy, the Progressive Democrats of America
announced its endorsement of Barack Obama. Appended to the endorsement was
the mild qualification that Obama "has not always been a progressive".

This is not just an understatement, it is an absurdity.

The PDA's "hopes" notwithstanding, where Obama really stands can be seen by
comparing Obama's stated positions with the PDA's own seven point
"progressive challenge" according to which "candidates should be measured."

On almost all counts, Obama fails.

For example, the PDA declares that the candidate should "end imperial
foreign policy . . . redirecting funding towards needs at home". Nowhere
does Obama provide the slightest hint that he would support anything of the
kind. He supports not diminishing but augmenting existing troop levels by
90,000 solidiers. He has at no time made any mention of reducing absurdly
bloated defense budgets. His team of foreign policy advisors led by Zbigniew
Brzezinski are reliable imperialists fully committed to military force as a
first resort as was demonstrated by Obama's endorsement of strikes in
Pakistani regions likely to harbor terrorists.

As for the PDA's second challenge--"heath care for all"-- it is now well
known from Paul Krugman's columns that Obama has been consistent in his
rejection of universal healthcare. In this respect, he is to the right of
Romney who implemented universal health care as Massachusetts governor.

Krugman also observes more generally that Obama has consistently positioned
himself to the right of the major Democratic candidates on questions of
"economic justice." As for the PDA's specific demands on this score, there
is nothing in Obama's platform which indicates strong support for organized
labor or a recognition of the devastating effect of corporate negotiated
trade agreements, which Obama has supported.

Having failed on the first three points, it is hardly worth itemizing the
remaining areas where Obama fails to rise to the PDA's challenges.

For ultimately, these are not a reflection of Obama but rather of the PDA
itself. Obama, whatever his faults, has run a relatively honest campaign. He
has consistently communicated his disdain for the Democratic Party left,
issuing thinly coded appeals to "bipartisanship" signaling his willingness
to consider extreme right wing policies such as the privatization of social
security. Also telling is his support of his Senate mentor Joseph Lieberman
and his recent panegyric for Ronald Reagan.

In endorsing Obama, the PDA has shown itself to be precisely what some had
feared: the latest entry in a time honored series of bait and switch tactics
designed to herd progressives into support of the Democratic Party, holding
it out as the only possible vehicle for progressive change. As Obama's
positions and as the Obama presidency will surely demonstrate, yet again
this "hope" has shown itself to be a chimera. Most crucially, yet again the
left will be forced to confront anew the necessity for organizing
independent challenges to the Democrats and will be required build them from
scratch.

We sincerely hope you will reconsider lending your names and credibility to
an organization which has shown itself, perhaps unwittingly, but
increasingly obviously, to be nothing more, or less, than a tool in the
hands of the financial, corporate and media elites who own and operate the
political system.

Yours Truly,

John Halle

John Halle teaches music theory at the Bard College Conservancy. He can be
reached at: halle at bard.edu

 

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