Beyond Left and Right

[bonito]

Recently among my inquiring adventures in cyberland it has become apparent that we are not alone in recognizing this extreme and destructive agenda of the so called neoconservatives and I think a healthy alliance is forming, so I'm relaying this author's opinion because I believe we have more leverage than we know.


Beyond Left and Right. by Jon Basil Utley

To change Washington from its cowboy, shoot-first approach to a more cooperative stance with other nations is not just a matter of defeating George Bush. Opposing new wars, whether in Iran or elsewhere, requires cooperation of the Left together with libertarians and constitutional conservatives. There is now a convergence of interests. The Left today is a minority and can’t expect to win power alone. The Republicans, because of the war, are splitting apart. Concern for deficits and constitutional freedoms have driven out libertarians, while immigration issues split business interests from the cultural conservatives.

To work together, the Left and Right must first confront their differences. There are past animosities and fundamental divergences in worldviews. Arguments that move one side have little effect on the other. In general the Left is more focused on America’s shortcomings and emotional issues, while the Right fears the outside world and looks to simplistic military solutions for most problems. more. http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/4113

[babylonsister]

1. The site lost me at the first sentence, though some good points are made:

"Americans opposed to war are a distinct minority." I don't think so.

[bonito]

3. I agree

that's not my opinion as well, but a general statement without circumstances I read right by it.

[checks-n-balances]

2. I looked at their "Who We Are" section & that looks pretty good

Their Board of Advisors looks fine to me, so I think this org. is at least worth a listen. Jim Lobe is one of their advisors. Even though I also disagree with this article's opening statement, the rest of what they say makes some sense.

[Warren Stupidity]

4. "Police State Republicans" yes I like that meme!

I agree that we who stand against the War Party do so from both the left and the right and we should where possible work together to end the 60 year reign of the War Party. I have no clue how that is supposed to happen, but its a good idea.

[pigpickle]

5. That guy may not be right about everything but he does have some good ideas.

That said, I won't hold my breath waiting for the "Anti-Imperial Coalition" to emerge.

[Odin2005]

6. This guy sondes like one of those "radical centrists" I've heard about

basically they are moderates fed up with the wishy-washy DLC "Centrism" I know one occasional DU poster, Oerdin, that calls himself a "radical centrist"

[bonito]

7. You know what

I look at it this way, I'm on a boat, while I like being in the center all comfy an such, realizing there's a left and a right to keep me in my position, when the boat starts listing one way or another, you can bet your bottom dollar I'm on the other side to balance it out.