Thursday, February 14, 2013

Opportunity Knocked

Ishmael Reed writes an interesting column:
Republicans should also be more open to programs like that of the educator and poet Haki Madhubuti, a founder of the Betty Shabazz International Charter School in Chicago. He focuses on African-American literature — not just books about black dysfunction, readily available in the marketplace, but a variety of texts that give students alternative role models to those provided by the media, who are too often seen toting semiautomatic weapons.

And Republicans should oppose discrimination against blacks by banks and mortgage companies, which frequently deny blacks access to loans with which to begin businesses and purchase homes so that they can develop the equity toward a nest egg. And since the Republican ideal is a colorblind America, how about promoting a colorblind criminal justice system?

Rather than running on bizarre suggestions that Mr. Obama was influenced by his father’s anticolonialism, wouldn’t the billionaires in the Republican Party get more for their money by embracing proven solutions that address the real problems of black America?

After all, if the president and the Democrats won’t do it, someone has to.
Not gonna happen, as Republicans are too crazy and/or too unwilling to sacrifice their base for a smaller one (and Reed doesn't seem to notice that his ideas are Programs for Special Interest Groups). It'd be an interesting inroad for Green politicians to try though. If another party is ever gonna have a shot it has to have a local base, and a good and very visible base might be found in urban municipal politics. The Dems have left a gap that the Republicans won't fill...why not someone else?

19 comments:

mikey said...

Because, and I hate to have to be the one to break this to you Mr. Substance, but American Politics is entirely corrupt. Oh sure, we thought we were OH SO CLEVER when we legalized political bribery and called it campaign finance, but it has left us down here with the most thoroughly corrupt political system in the world. Like our medical care, our politicians are for sale, but they are ridiculously expensive.

No third party can gain traction because the people who own our elected officials and system of governance outright recognize that would be a system that was harder and more expensive to control. So forget it - it's not gonna happen...

Substance McGravitas said...

I mostly agree, but there ARE already mayors in the US who aren't Republicans or Democrats.

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

If our two parties are so corrupt, mikey (and they are), why do you insist that we must support one of them?
~

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

it's pretty simple, thndr, but I know this is unconvincing: because the results when one of them in power are demonstrably better than when the other one is.

Also, Substance, the Greens have indicated a near-zero interest in building a local political base. The Milwaukee Green Party has little more than a FB page with 17 likes, and the web page of the Wisconsin Green Party has been pilfered by cialis scammers.

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

...but don't get me wrong, thndr. I don't think mikey ever insisted that you HAD to support one of the parties.

wiley said...

What's the difference between a party that mandates that insurance companies provide contraception and one that wants to declare personhood for fertilized eggs? That's a question a man would ask.

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

Only reason that the Democrats blew that 60 seat majority in the Senate is because Obama spent his first term blowing the banksters.

That's how good cop/bad cop works.
~

Substance McGravitas said...

Also, Substance, the Greens have indicated a near-zero interest in building a local political base.

Yeah, I think that's a major fault. It just isn't the case in many other countries. I have been very annoyed at greens here, but they're active on the small scale, which is good. I guess it's an American fantasy to battle only for The Biggest Prize in the Universe.

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

So, if the Democratic Party is just as corrupt as the Republicans, why would that have been an issue? Weren't the Republicans blowing the bankers just as fervently?

It's almost as if there were other factors in the election that contributed to the losses.

Substance McGravitas said...

What's the difference between a party that mandates that insurance companies provide contraception and one that wants to declare personhood for fertilized eggs? That's a question a man would ask.

I agree with that calculation, but America is a big place and being mad at one voter, who in practice makes no difference at all, seems counterproductive. And that also applies to those who think there's betrayal in voting Democrat. My ideal is that everyone here takes their single vote somewhat less seriously (although I really like the arguments about the policies and approaches).

fish said...

Ahem Mr. Zombie:

WISCONSON

Peter Blewett
School Board
Milwaukee District 6, Milwaukee County

David Conley
Board of Supervisors
District 25, Douglas County

Greg David
Board of Supervisors
Jefferson District 3, Jefferson County

Ron Hardy
Board of Supervisors
District 17, Winnebago County

John Hendrick
Board of Supervisors
Dane District 6, Dane County

Kathy Kienholz
County Board
Polk District 6, Polk County

Leland Pan
Board of Supervisors
District 5, Dane County

Bob Poeschl
Common Council
Oshkosh Oshkosh At-Large, Winnebago County

Marsha Rummel
Common Council
Madison Madison District 6, Dane County


I believe this is your neck of the woods including one in Milwaukee.

Green Party can't get traction because people refuse to abandon derelict parties, even at the local level.

Substance McGravitas said...

Another Crooked Timber book event is ongoing, and it has a relationship to what we're talking about. I haven't read the book though...

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

Green Party can't get traction because people refuse to abandon derelict parties, even at the local level.

I don't think that's the case at all. But if someone's going to run for an office, are they going to affiliate themselves with a party that is nothing more than a name, or one that has a network and support structure?

But really? There's one Green guy in Madison, and one in Milwaukee, the two most populous, and liberal, areas of the state? I don't think it's an issue of lack of opportunity, or lack of lefty types willing to support alternative parties.

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

On the other stump, as I think about it, local Dems are much more liberalish and pragmatic, and maybe it's just that there's not much daylight for a further left pol to scrounge up votes.

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

My ideal is that everyone here takes their single vote somewhat less seriously (although I really like the arguments about the policies and approaches).

Oh, You're no fun anymore.

Substance McGravitas said...

I'm plenty of fun! Want another goatse?

Big Bad Bald Bastard said...

Republicans are more interested in making money with private prison corporations and paramilitary police forces to embrace any policies which will help black people in the inner cities.

Big Bad Bald Bastard said...

Yeah, I think that's a major fault. It just isn't the case in many other countries. I have been very annoyed at greens here, but they're active on the small scale, which is good. I guess it's an American fantasy to battle only for The Biggest Prize in the Universe.

Other countries have a parliamentary system with proportional representation. The U.S. gubbermint was formed before this model was extant, and nothing was done to move to this model.

M. Bouffant said...

Send me weapons & ammo & I will start to deal w/ these people, as I haven't the time or patience to see things (maybe, possibly) improve in another 30-40 whatever yrs.

See, Yankees can only think big. Don't sweat the small, local stuff.