Alternative views from the Democratic Convention

First the surprises.

Famed blogger billmon called Ralph Nader an "asshole" as he professed a rekindled loyalty* to the Democratic Party.

And gadfly David Sirota, a reliable Dem critic, claimed that progressives at the convention "finally defeated the corporate wing of the party."  He cited Ted Kennedy's "electrifying" speech as proof.

Well not so fast.  Not everyone is convinced that the Dems have gotten it right.

Stephen Zunes, for example, says that the choice of Joe Biden as vice-presidential candidate is a "stunning betrayal of the anti-war constituency." Biden, he writes

"...was perhaps the single most important congressional backer of the Bush administration's decision to invade that [Iraq] oil-rich country."

The irrepressible Glenn Greenwald criticizes Biden as an entrenched member of the political establishment which wants to make sure "...that in this election, the prevailing orthodoxies of our political system won't be meaningfully challenged."

In other words, so much for change.  (I did like Biden's speech, though.  And his family story.)

And then there's the corporate influence on the party, despite Sirota's contention that it's been finally exorcised.

Telecommunications behemoth AT&T threw an exclusive bash for the 'Blue Dog" conservative wing of the Democratic party.  You'll recall that Obama caved on telecommuncations immunity in the new FISA bill.  You also should know that AT&T is a primary sponsor of the Republican Convention which starts Monday.

(Isn't that why Nader --the "asshole"-- is running?  To challenge the rule of the  "corporate duopoly"?)

Greenwald tried to cover the AT&T event, but was told that the press wasn't welcome.  He wasn't happy:

"It was really the perfect symbol for how the Beltway political system functions -- those who dictate the nation's laws (the largest corporations and their lobbyists) cavorting in total secrecy with those who are elected to write those laws (members of Congress)... ."

And finally there are all the issues that haven't been discussed at all, "contentious" issues like immigration, guns, gays, and trade, swept, so to speak, under the convention rug.

The Obama Dems certainly don't want to risk alienating the Republican vote.  How will those 'Blue Dogs' get elected if party doesn't trump principal?

*(I sympathize with Billmon, despite the Nader comment. Who cares if Nader IS an "asshole?" The rank and file Dems I see at the convention are my kind of people, too.)

Comments

[trueblue]

Nader is an asshole and Obama is not a blue dog democrat. You seem to be operating under a set of intractable prejudices--not racial, but perhaps old school partisan?