Saturday, May 31, 2008

RUSHED NEW FLASH: SPARKS FLY AT DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE HEARING

DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee held their almost day long hearing in Washington today about how and if to seat the contested Florida and Michigan Presidential primary delegates. Without bothering about the first 5 or 6 hours of speeches, rules, etc, it was in the last hour and a half, approximately, when votes were finally being taken, that I watched the drama of the Democratic Party destroying itself. It was carried live on C-Span. For those of you familiar with alittle bit of American history, I could not miss the symbolic significance of this drama unfolding before my eyes with two very historical names on opposite sides of the vote, Roosevelt's grandson versus Harold Ickes son. For those completely unfamiliar with the name Harold Ickes, suffice it to say, he was amongst the VERY, most Left/Liberal, populist, anti-corporate wings in American history and in the 1930's Roosevelt Administration. Harold Ickes (son) was eloquent. The room was filled with passionate partisans, screams, shouts, chants, boos, etc. There was an overflow room, and, possibly, more outside. I watched the Democratic National Committee implode and capitulate to the Republican Obama mafia agenda. The vote regarding Florida was close. It fell 3 short of a tie to seat the Florida delegation with full voting rights. It is rare to observe, first hand, in full public view, this kind of acquiescence and then the ridiculous rationalizations for it, which received screams and shouts. Generally, these "deals" are made behind closed doors, in secret. But, as I've said in previous blogs, the Obama mafia has accomplished its job. The Democrats are finished. However, Hillary has NOT admitted defeat, yet, despite the capitulation and the "fix," above. She is taking the fight to the next step and asking the Democratic Credentials Committee, which meets in late June, June 29, I believe, to review this vote. Given the level of passion involved, at this point, I fully expect the Democratic National Convention in August to be a totally fractious one. No matter which way they slice the cake, at this point, the Democrats are finished. NOW, I will repeat, to everyone reading this blog who lives in the US--tell others. This is a rare opportunity. A strategic moment in history. Do NOT miss this one. If Hillary's people, if not she, and others from the Democratic Party who feel completely disgusted by this last straw that takes the cake in a long laundry list, BOLT the Democratic Party, LEAD and join/invite others to form an independent, third Party, join with Nader, for example, with Cynthia McKinney, who was driven out of the Democratic Party by the same tactics utilized in the Obama campaign, they have an opportunity AT THIS MOMENT to change the course of history, to create a UNITED FRONT, a popular coalition and program, a real progressive opposition. It's highly unlikely, as I said, previously, that Hillary, herself, would do such a thing, but, not out of the question. Not completely out of the realm of the possible. And, certainly, not out of the realm of the possible for everyone else behind her and disgruntled by the constant, chronic, spineless, gutless Democratic capitulation. I'm well aware this is not the Bolshevik Party about which I speak. This is the US and one must begin from the possible realities of the miserable state in which we live. But, a popular, UNITED FRONT can be formed on a more progressive platform, a place from which to begin such a major, practical coalition, including unions. This is what must happen and can happen. Don't blow it, this time around. Anyone wishing to watch the events of the last hour and a half, approximately, to which I was referring, above, around the voting and Harold Ickes speech, they can go to http://www.c-span.org/ and look for the event under their program listings. For those with TV C-Span access, it will probably be repeated numerous times over the next few days. Again, the voting occurs AFTER the "break" and in the last hour and a half, approximately.

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