Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Latas Heads Sonora PDA

I’m glad Latas continues to be active in Arizona’s political life. I hope that his first project for the new organization is a clear definition of Progressive goals and programs.

American political life has not been driven by platforms. Parties have had them, of course, but our political genius has been largely to forget them and solve particular problems based on the very general political inclinations of each of the parties.

We used to know, in some very broad way, what Republican political inclinations were, and what Democratic political inclinations were. Those distinctions have become blurred with the DLC adopting some of the fiscal conservatism of the Republicans, and the Republicans leaning heavily on huge deficits and extensive government interference in our personal lives.

I think the Progressives need a platform, and some detailed programs for realizing that platform. Right now I don’t have the faintest idea how Progressive Democrats are different from good old fashioned New Dealers. If they aren’t any different then I don’t see the need for another organization. If they are different I’d like to know how.

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In the meantime---

I think a Progressive project here in Arizona should be a repeal of right to work legislation and the re-empowerment of the labor movement.

Nationally, the only way to insure ‘affordable health care’ is to go to the Canadian single payer system and get the insurance companies off our backs.

If we really are at war with terrorism, let’s nationalize the petroleum industry until we win the war.

Let’s reinstate some level of corporate taxation to pay for healthcare and other social welfare programs.

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And isn’t it too cheery for words to watch the Republicans, the self-declared party of moral rectitude, twisting in their own ‘October Surprise.’

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