The Anti-Obama Left Meets the Anti-Romney Right
Both left and right often make the same mistakes. We over interpret election victories as mandates and therefore overreach. We also, way too easily, form circular firing squads to shoot our own when they disappoint us. We both act as if the good were the mortal enemy of the perfect.
I understand the progressive's disappointment, bordering on despair, with Obama. I know how they would like to be idealists and find someone who better represents their views. I also know that when significant numbers act on these noble impulses, they lose and lose, as Cheney used to say, "Big time!"
When I read and hear the various criticisms of Obama I'm often moved to laughter and tears (Physiologically they are very close). The right characterizes Obama as a screaming socialist, a man of the left and a secret hater of capitalism. The left characterizes him as a secret corporatist, beholden to moneyed interests, way too aggressive in the pursuit of wars and too diffident about civil rights, human rights and gay rights.
The right says he won't cooperate or compromise and just rammed his agenda through Congress in the first two years. The left argues that he compromises too much, negotiates with himself and pre-surrenders on the important issues. Talk about the divide in our politics.
However, if the Occupy folks believe that a Republican president will more closely represent their politics and interests, they are delusional. If, on the other hand, they believe that the only way to accomplish radical change is to bring in the Republicans to so totally wreck the system that the left will inherit the mess, history shows they will only in the words of Proverbs, "inherit the wind."
Both Marx and Mao believed that capitalism would be brought down by the contradictions in its excesses. There were even Communists in Weimar Germany who supported Hitler and not their own left. Their thought was that he would break the nation and that they would inherit it. Their slogan was Nach Hitler Uns--after Hitler us! This did not work out for them, Germany or the world.
The strategy of sabotaging your own--whether on the right or left--in the hopes of profiting from the wreckage is morally wrong and pragmatically doesn't work. Perot elected Clinton while Nader Elected Bush. In an imperfect world with imperfect candidates smart Republicans will support Romney and not a third party and smart Democrats will support Obama and not sit on their hands and wallets.
Where do you find smart Republicans or smart Democrats? The truly smart ones are not involved in politics, unfortunately for the rest of us.
A well written, thought provoking article. Thanks.