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The big problem with republican light is that is isn't much of a choice in our direction, as much as it is a choice in the speed of our progression towards a clandestinely chosen direction. Slow fascism, or fast fascism. Or in another word, corpretisem.
I have been forced to reevaluate my opinion of Clinton, and exactly how "republican light" he was. And as much as I hate to say, Dean himself may have republican light qualities. But that is another discussion.
The DLC's argument is that they must appeal to the "center" in order to win. The center as being defined as "Democrats who voted for Ragan." But then one remembers that Ragan had the October surprise, one of our classic Republican manipulations. So this manipulation was either successful beyond the Republican's wildest dreams by tricking the Democrats into basing there entirely campaign philosophy on this one event, or they were in on the scam.
The problem is that this has provided its own self fulfilling philosophy. As dems moved more to the right to remain in the center, this further alienates the left. Even as the right demonizes the left, prompting the dems to run away from the left. In the dems effort to appeal to the center, they have in fact given the power to define what the center is, to the Republicans.
Much of the DLC's political position is the result of ridiculously poor strategically thinking. Defeats become victories, and victories become defeats. Even now, it has become apparent that the Dems efforts to "soften up" the recent tax cuts, are now being used by the Repugs (who opposed them in the first place) as reasons why we shouldn't just repeal the tax cuts. That isn't Republican light, just incompetence. But the DLC dems walk into it every time. And I mean EVERY TIME.
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