Comments for The Activist http://theactivist.org/blog // Culture. Consciousness. Critical Thought. // Sat, 13 Mar 2010 22:17:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 Comment on Misreading the Tea Leaves by brad http://theactivist.org/blog/misreading-the-tea-leaves/comment-page-1#comment-74627 brad Sat, 13 Mar 2010 22:17:20 +0000 http://theactivist.org/blog/?p=2796#comment-74627 Yes, they may well be 'more well off than most people', but what does that have to do with class? You seem to be implying that the majority of self described teapartiers are petty or pure bourgeois. Maybe you have a point about the petty, but I know very few members of the capitalist class that make less than $75,000 (which 58% of those polled do) and many workers who make this much (most auto workers and unionized public sector workers). So yes, we are talking mostly about well off workers who feel threatened. Are we to just conceed that they are going to side with the bourgeois class? I completely agree that many on the left hold inaccurate ideas about them, mainly the idea that they represent a larger 'movement' then they actually are and that they are fascist. Yes, they may well be ‘more well off than most people’, but what does that have to do with class? You seem to be implying that the majority of self described teapartiers are petty or pure bourgeois. Maybe you have a point about the petty, but I know very few members of the capitalist class that make less than $75,000 (which 58% of those polled do) and many workers who make this much (most auto workers and unionized public sector workers). So yes, we are talking mostly about well off workers who feel threatened. Are we to just conceed that they are going to side with the bourgeois class?

I completely agree that many on the left hold inaccurate ideas about them, mainly the idea that they represent a larger ‘movement’ then they actually are and that they are fascist.

]]> Comment on Misreading the Tea Leaves by Chris Maisano http://theactivist.org/blog/misreading-the-tea-leaves/comment-page-1#comment-74626 Chris Maisano Sat, 13 Mar 2010 21:10:31 +0000 http://theactivist.org/blog/?p=2796#comment-74626 I wouldn't use the modifier "only" before 66%. That's a huge majority. And I'm not just conflating income with class, but also educational level, which is also a very good indicator of class status. If something like 66% of teabaggers make over $50,000 and 75% of them have been to college (with 40% of that group graduating college, which is a huge percentage), then it's pretty clear that we're dealing with a group of people that is more well off than most other people. And that's reflected in their ideology, which is focused on advancing a libertarian economic agenda rather than the kinds of social issues that matter to a lot of working class conservatives. It doesn't look like we're dealing with a movement of disgruntled proletarians here. And this kind of data undermines claims that the teabaggers are some sort of incipient fascist movement, which a lot of people on the left make. We should definitely be trying to give people who think that the deficit is too high and that spending needs to be immediately cut an alternative explanation, because that view is dangerous and crazy. But I'm just trying to point out that the perceptions that many people on the left about the teabaggers is inaccurate in a lot of ways. I wouldn’t use the modifier “only” before 66%. That’s a huge majority. And I’m not just conflating income with class, but also educational level, which is also a very good indicator of class status. If something like 66% of teabaggers make over $50,000 and 75% of them have been to college (with 40% of that group graduating college, which is a huge percentage), then it’s pretty clear that we’re dealing with a group of people that is more well off than most other people. And that’s reflected in their ideology, which is focused on advancing a libertarian economic agenda rather than the kinds of social issues that matter to a lot of working class conservatives. It doesn’t look like we’re dealing with a movement of disgruntled proletarians here. And this kind of data undermines claims that the teabaggers are some sort of incipient fascist movement, which a lot of people on the left make.

We should definitely be trying to give people who think that the deficit is too high and that spending needs to be immediately cut an alternative explanation, because that view is dangerous and crazy. But I’m just trying to point out that the perceptions that many people on the left about the teabaggers is inaccurate in a lot of ways.

]]> Comment on Misreading the Tea Leaves by brad http://theactivist.org/blog/misreading-the-tea-leaves/comment-page-1#comment-74625 brad Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:07:35 +0000 http://theactivist.org/blog/?p=2796#comment-74625 Yes, you are mostly correct. However, the polling shows that only 66% make over $50,000 meaning that over a third make less than $50,000. The poll also shows that 58% of self described teaparty activist respondents make less than $75,000 a year. I am not sure but I don't really think $50,000, or even $70,000, makes one upper middle 'class'. This however is also a major problem: why are you conflating income with class? Realated to this, why wouldn't the left care about proletarians who make $75,000? This economic crisis is undermining the security of these middle income people. Are you saying that the left should not care about this income group regardless of their relationship with the MOP? So, say, an auto worker who was laid off and is concerned about the economy and the increasing size of the federal budget (due to TARP and the wars) is not someone that the left should have some answers for? I don't know, but it would appear that the white nationalism is the opiate for the masses of workers who are under attack, not automatic. It represents the ideological battlefield. If the left retreats into its ultra-left ghettos in the face of this huge crisis we stand to only swell the ranks of the ugliest of social responses. But you are correct, we should not be reaching out to teapartiers or going to rallies hoping to flip people. Yes, you are mostly correct. However, the polling shows that only 66% make over $50,000 meaning that over a third make less than $50,000. The poll also shows that 58% of self described teaparty activist respondents make less than $75,000 a year. I am not sure but I don’t really think $50,000, or even $70,000, makes one upper middle ‘class’. This however is also a major problem: why are you conflating income with class? Realated to this, why wouldn’t the left care about proletarians who make $75,000? This economic crisis is undermining the security of these middle income people. Are you saying that the left should not care about this income group regardless of their relationship with the MOP? So, say, an auto worker who was laid off and is concerned about the economy and the increasing size of the federal budget (due to TARP and the wars) is not someone that the left should have some answers for? I don’t know, but it would appear that the white nationalism is the opiate for the masses of workers who are under attack, not automatic. It represents the ideological battlefield. If the left retreats into its ultra-left ghettos in the face of this huge crisis we stand to only swell the ranks of the ugliest of social responses. But you are correct, we should not be reaching out to teapartiers or going to rallies hoping to flip people.

]]> Comment on Education is a Right – Not a Privilege! by carine http://theactivist.org/blog/education-is-a-right-not-a-privilege/comment-page-1#comment-74624 carine Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:10:51 +0000 http://theactivist.org/blog/?p=173#comment-74624 Jastel: i hope the government side of our parliamentary debate in school will not read about your comment. they will surely win if they'll read about this. haha. but what can i say, as a speaker in the debate, to convince the judicators that education must be a right? can you give me statements, concepts, or ideas? Jastel: i hope the government side of our parliamentary debate in school will not read about your comment. they will surely win if they’ll read about this. haha. but what can i say, as a speaker in the debate, to convince the judicators that education must be a right? can you give me statements, concepts, or ideas?

]]> Comment on YDS Statement on the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill by Jason http://theactivist.org/blog/news/yds-statement-on-the-comprehensive-immigration-reform-bill/comment-page-1#comment-74622 Jason Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:07:45 +0000 http://theactivist.org/blog/?page_id=87#comment-74622 Found this accidently via google, very informative site! Found this accidently via google, very informative site!

]]> Comment on March 4: National Day of Action to Defend Education by marisvart http://theactivist.org/blog/march-4-national-day-of-action-to-defend-education/comment-page-1#comment-74621 marisvart Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:41:49 +0000 http://theactivist.org/blog/?p=2781#comment-74621 Check out this rally William Patterson University YDS organized: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_zgEhnjLMw&NR=1 Check out this rally William Patterson University YDS organized: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_zgEhnjLMw&NR=1

]]> Comment on Unconventional Wisdom: An Interview with Doug Henwood by Bhaskar http://theactivist.org/blog/unconventional-wisdom-an-interview-with-doug-henwood/comment-page-1#comment-74620 Bhaskar Sun, 07 Mar 2010 02:52:29 +0000 http://theactivist.org/blog/?p=2743#comment-74620 you haven't paid great attention to this debate then :) you haven’t paid great attention to this debate then :)

]]> Comment on Unconventional Wisdom: An Interview with Doug Henwood by Mike http://theactivist.org/blog/unconventional-wisdom-an-interview-with-doug-henwood/comment-page-1#comment-74619 Mike Sat, 06 Mar 2010 08:46:26 +0000 http://theactivist.org/blog/?p=2743#comment-74619 I don't see the issue in voting for the party which best fits your political beliefs. In terms of action, the Democratic party can hardly be called a party of the left. Why should anyone feel compelled to support their candidates? And far from "Throwing Your Vote Away", a vote for a smaller party rings loud. I'd rather embolden a leftist with my support than be one more vote in the wholly ignored "Progressive Base" of the Democratic party. That said, I am concerned that the Green party has become tainted by 9/11 "Truth" nonsense. They're pretty much the stand-in for a proper labor or democratic socialist party in the US. I don’t see the issue in voting for the party which best fits your political beliefs. In terms of action, the Democratic party can hardly be called a party of the left. Why should anyone feel compelled to support their candidates?

And far from “Throwing Your Vote Away”, a vote for a smaller party rings loud. I’d rather embolden a leftist with my support than be one more vote in the wholly ignored “Progressive Base” of the Democratic party.

That said, I am concerned that the Green party has become tainted by 9/11 “Truth” nonsense. They’re pretty much the stand-in for a proper labor or democratic socialist party in the US.

]]> Comment on It’s Time for the Left to Get Serious by Chris Hedges Says Join The Greens « CounterPower http://theactivist.org/blog/its-time-for-the-left-to-get-serious/comment-page-1#comment-74618 Chris Hedges Says Join The Greens « CounterPower Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:09:04 +0000 http://theactivist.org/blog/?p=2529#comment-74618 [...] I respect Chris Hedges, and his work, immensely. He has sojourned into the heart of some of our era's worst conflicts and brought the stories back to any with the guts to read them. He is an steadfast opponent of American Empire and I do not dismiss his analysis, however dire, and I welcome his call to build an unapologetically oppositional, Left party/movement. [...] [...] I respect Chris Hedges, and his work, immensely. He has sojourned into the heart of some of our era's worst conflicts and brought the stories back to any with the guts to read them. He is an steadfast opponent of American Empire and I do not dismiss his analysis, however dire, and I welcome his call to build an unapologetically oppositional, Left party/movement. [...]

]]> Comment on March 4: National Day of Action to Defend Education by Bhaskar http://theactivist.org/blog/march-4-national-day-of-action-to-defend-education/comment-page-1#comment-74617 Bhaskar Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:28:21 +0000 http://theactivist.org/blog/?p=2781#comment-74617 This morning's banner drop at Riverside is quite epic: http://occupyca.wordpress.com/2010/03/03/banner-at-uc-riverside/ This morning’s banner drop at Riverside is quite epic: http://occupyca.wordpress.com/2010/03/03/banner-at-uc-riverside/

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