Comments on: How the Democrats Lost Their Spines http://www.mahablog.com/2006/08/15/how-the-democrats-lost-their-spines/ Exposing the ugly truths about the Bush Administration. Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:35:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1.3 by: The Mahablog » Same Old Song http://www.mahablog.com/2006/08/15/how-the-democrats-lost-their-spines/#comment-377293 Wed, 07 Nov 2007 17:02:23 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/08/15/how-the-democrats-lost-their-spines/#comment-377293 [...] Please. The Right has been screaming that “Democrats will lose the trust of the American people if they define themselves as soft on [CHOOSE ONE: Communism, spies in the State Department, the nuclear threat, defense, crime, Islamofascism] since before I was born, which wasn’t exactly last week. Most of the time the allegation of “softness” is pure hysteria and has little to do with any actual softness. About half the time righties are whistling in the dark about what voters will do. [...] […] Please. The Right has been screaming that “Democrats will lose the trust of the American people if they define themselves as soft on [CHOOSE ONE: Communism, spies in the State Department, the nuclear threat, defense, crime, Islamofascism] since before I was born, which wasn’t exactly last week. Most of the time the allegation of “softness” is pure hysteria and has little to do with any actual softness. About half the time righties are whistling in the dark about what voters will do. […]

]]> by: The Mahablog » America, Its Back Stabbed http://www.mahablog.com/2006/08/15/how-the-democrats-lost-their-spines/#comment-276032 Wed, 29 Aug 2007 19:28:29 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/08/15/how-the-democrats-lost-their-spines/#comment-276032 [...] I’ve written several posts that cite the Kevin Baker article, several of which are archived here; see this post in particular. Baker argues persuasively that in the postwar years Republicans saved themselves from irrelevancy by propagating the “FDR and Stalin at Yalta” myth. He wrote, A growing chorus of right-wing voices now began to excoriate our wartime diplomacy. Their most powerful charge, one that would firmly establish the Yalta myth in the American political psyche, was the accusation that our delegation had given over Eastern Europe to the Soviets. According to “How We Won the War and Lost the Peace,” an essay written for Life magazine shortly before the 1948 election by William Bullitt—a former diplomat who had been dismissed by Roosevelt for outing a gay rival in the State Department—FDR and his chief adviser, Harry Hopkins, were guilty of “wishful appeasement” of Stalin at Yalta, handing the peoples of Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and the Baltic states over to the Soviet dictator. [...] […] I’ve written several posts that cite the Kevin Baker article, several of which are archived here; see this post in particular. Baker argues persuasively that in the postwar years Republicans saved themselves from irrelevancy by propagating the “FDR and Stalin at Yalta” myth. He wrote, A growing chorus of right-wing voices now began to excoriate our wartime diplomacy. Their most powerful charge, one that would firmly establish the Yalta myth in the American political psyche, was the accusation that our delegation had given over Eastern Europe to the Soviets. According to “How We Won the War and Lost the Peace,” an essay written for Life magazine shortly before the 1948 election by William Bullitt—a former diplomat who had been dismissed by Roosevelt for outing a gay rival in the State Department—FDR and his chief adviser, Harry Hopkins, were guilty of “wishful appeasement” of Stalin at Yalta, handing the peoples of Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and the Baltic states over to the Soviet dictator. […]

]]> by: The Mahablog » Left Behind http://www.mahablog.com/2006/08/15/how-the-democrats-lost-their-spines/#comment-270154 Tue, 07 Aug 2007 17:29:10 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/08/15/how-the-democrats-lost-their-spines/#comment-270154 [...] I’ve written at length about the charge that Dems are “soft” on security. See, for example, “Don’t Blame McGovern,” “Don’t Blame McGovern II,” and “How the Democrats Lost Their Spines.” This is a history that goes back to the end of World War II; in short, the Right took credibility on national security away from the Dems through years of hysterical charges and lies. And the Wingnut Generation (b. 1970, give or take) were heavily imprinted by Jimmy Carter’s failure to resolve the Iran Hostage Crisis and the perception that the nation had been made strong again by Reagan. The fact that Democrats saw the nation through World War II, and the way Democratic President John Kennedy stared down the Soviets in the Cuban Missile Crisis, were entirely forgotten. Carter-Reagan became the only recognized narrative for both parties. [...] […] I’ve written at length about the charge that Dems are “soft” on security. See, for example, “Don’t Blame McGovern,” “Don’t Blame McGovern II,” and “How the Democrats Lost Their Spines.” This is a history that goes back to the end of World War II; in short, the Right took credibility on national security away from the Dems through years of hysterical charges and lies. And the Wingnut Generation (b. 1970, give or take) were heavily imprinted by Jimmy Carter’s failure to resolve the Iran Hostage Crisis and the perception that the nation had been made strong again by Reagan. The fact that Democrats saw the nation through World War II, and the way Democratic President John Kennedy stared down the Soviets in the Cuban Missile Crisis, were entirely forgotten. Carter-Reagan became the only recognized narrative for both parties. […]

]]> by: The Mahablog » Don’t Blame Vietnam http://www.mahablog.com/2006/08/15/how-the-democrats-lost-their-spines/#comment-215966 Sat, 12 May 2007 17:36:34 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/08/15/how-the-democrats-lost-their-spines/#comment-215966 [...] “How the Democrats Lost Their Spines” [...] […] “How the Democrats Lost Their Spines” […]

]]> by: mike http://www.mahablog.com/2006/08/15/how-the-democrats-lost-their-spines/#comment-71020 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 22:51:40 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/08/15/how-the-democrats-lost-their-spines/#comment-71020 Interesting reading but what really bothers me is that the *REAL* problem lies in politics in general. The whole lot of our politicians need to be "un-elected", bringing in new batches of politicians time and again until they all start getting the message that "we ain't gonna take it no more". Dems and Repubs alike are all guilty of "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" while us tax payers continue to itch like crazy. Politicians in general no longer look for the right solution and then persuing that, instead they are intent on finger pointing (360 degrees of it) and slapping band-aids on severed arteries that continue to bleed this country to death. Lastly, we need to force down the throats of our politicians that there will be no more homesteading. No more Ted Kennedys, Robert Byrds, Ted Stevens and Oren Hatches. We want term limitations on our politicians because so many of our congress men and women have gotten out of touch with the realities of life on the streets. Interesting reading but what really bothers me is that the *REAL* problem lies in politics in general. The whole lot of our politicians need to be “un-elected”, bringing in new batches of politicians time and again until they all start getting the message that “we ain’t gonna take it no more”.

Dems and Repubs alike are all guilty of “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” while us tax payers continue to itch like crazy.

Politicians in general no longer look for the right solution and then persuing that, instead they are intent on finger pointing (360 degrees of it) and slapping band-aids on severed arteries that continue to bleed this country to death.

Lastly, we need to force down the throats of our politicians that there will be no more homesteading. No more Ted Kennedys, Robert Byrds, Ted Stevens and Oren Hatches. We want term limitations on our politicians because so many of our congress men and women have gotten out of touch with the realities of life on the streets.

]]> by: alivingston http://www.mahablog.com/2006/08/15/how-the-democrats-lost-their-spines/#comment-69628 Sun, 14 Jan 2007 18:15:28 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/08/15/how-the-democrats-lost-their-spines/#comment-69628 Barbara, you need a larger platform. I can't believe the quality of analysis that I run into by chance here. I read another comment two doors up saying the same thing--and it was what was going through my head the whole time I was reading. I'm not only saying this for your sake, I'm saying it for the sake of the level of education in the general public; or namely, what it is lacking. This is a problem we need to approach, and find a solution to, as a group. Barbara, you need a larger platform. I can’t believe the quality of analysis that I run into by chance here. I read another comment two doors up saying the same thing–and it was what was going through my head the whole time I was reading.

I’m not only saying this for your sake, I’m saying it for the sake of the level of education in the general public; or namely, what it is lacking. This is a problem we need to approach, and find a solution to, as a group.

]]> by: Noel http://www.mahablog.com/2006/08/15/how-the-democrats-lost-their-spines/#comment-69121 Sun, 14 Jan 2007 00:02:23 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/08/15/how-the-democrats-lost-their-spines/#comment-69121 When the history of the late 19th centiry and the 20th century is written an underlying theme will be the use of the right and/or moneied interests to puff up the left - unions and the working man, the Palmer Raids of the Wilson era through to the overestimation of the Soveiet Unions strength in the Cold War era to further their own selfish self interest. When the history of the late 19th centiry and the 20th century is written an underlying theme will be the use of the right and/or moneied interests to puff up the left - unions and the working man, the Palmer Raids of the Wilson era through to the overestimation of the Soveiet Unions strength in the Cold War era to further their own selfish self interest.

]]> by: Pierluigi http://www.mahablog.com/2006/08/15/how-the-democrats-lost-their-spines/#comment-69106 Sat, 13 Jan 2007 23:19:19 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/08/15/how-the-democrats-lost-their-spines/#comment-69106 I am coming to it late, but this is an excellent post indeed. I had read the Baker piece, and yours actually frames its point in a larger historical context. Illuminating! I can't claim expertise but I have been thinking about this topic quite a but lately. There is a key thread developing through your narrative, which is not new, I think, but is rarely made this clear: for the right wing, foreign policy "strategy" has always been a direct extension of the domestic political struggle -- nothing else. Have you thought about writing a series or perhaps a book-length analysis on this? Makes me cry that overrated sycophants like Peter Beinart are showered with obsequious platitudes at the same time pieces like yours are being written basically for free. I am coming to it late, but this is an excellent post indeed. I had read the Baker piece, and yours actually frames its point in a larger historical context. Illuminating! I can’t claim expertise but I have been thinking about this topic quite a but lately.

There is a key thread developing through your narrative, which is not new, I think, but is rarely made this clear: for the right wing, foreign policy “strategy” has always been a direct extension of the domestic political struggle — nothing else.

Have you thought about writing a series or perhaps a book-length analysis on this? Makes me cry that overrated sycophants like Peter Beinart are showered with obsequious platitudes at the same time pieces like yours are being written basically for free.

]]> by: Alex http://www.mahablog.com/2006/08/15/how-the-democrats-lost-their-spines/#comment-69075 Sat, 13 Jan 2007 22:16:24 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/08/15/how-the-democrats-lost-their-spines/#comment-69075 Your history leaves out one huge realignment that can't have been inconsequential: the Democrats supporting civil rights in the 1960s, and the Republicans under Nixon becoming the party of the south. This is not a realignment in foreign policy, but it changed vastly the composition of Democratic and Republican constituents. Is it possible that this also forms an important part of the story? Your history leaves out one huge realignment that can’t have been inconsequential: the Democrats supporting civil rights in the 1960s, and the Republicans under Nixon becoming the party of the south.

This is not a realignment in foreign policy, but it changed vastly the composition of Democratic and Republican constituents. Is it possible that this also forms an important part of the story?

]]> by: Gaius Sempronius Gracchus http://www.mahablog.com/2006/08/15/how-the-democrats-lost-their-spines/#comment-69040 Sat, 13 Jan 2007 21:27:06 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/08/15/how-the-democrats-lost-their-spines/#comment-69040 To this day, some of us think the relatively isolationist Taft was right to oppose the emerging Cold War, and the GOP was right to resist WWII, and the Democrats were wrong not only about the Cold War but about both World Wars. (McKinley was wrong about Spain, Cuba, and the Philippines. Polk was wrong about both Texas and Mexico. And the gratuitous attempt to seize Canada in the war of 1812 was a ridiculous error.) Anti-war.com is a hotbed of paleocon and libertarian isolationist sentiment, as you doubtless know. But many progressives agree with much of what they say about America's past, and present, wars. Still, you write very lucid and succinct history. Sorry I didn't find your blog earlier. To this day, some of us think the relatively isolationist Taft was right to oppose the emerging Cold War, and the GOP was right to resist WWII, and the Democrats were wrong not only about the Cold War but about both World Wars.

(McKinley was wrong about Spain, Cuba, and the Philippines. Polk was wrong about both Texas and Mexico. And the gratuitous attempt to seize Canada in the war of 1812 was a ridiculous error.)

Anti-war.com is a hotbed of paleocon and libertarian isolationist sentiment, as you doubtless know. But many progressives agree with much of what they say about America’s past, and present, wars.

Still, you write very lucid and succinct history. Sorry I didn’t find your blog earlier.

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