"There's another reason for working inside the system. Dostoevsky said that taking a new step is what people fear most. Any revolutionary change must be preceded by a passive, affirmative, non-challenging attitude toward change among the mass of our people. They must feel so frustrated, so defeated, so lost, so futureless in the prevailing system that they are willing to let go of the past and change the future. This acceptance is the reformation essential to any revolution. To bring on this reformation requires that the organizer work inside the system, among not only the middle class but the 40 per cent of American families - more than seventy million people - whose income range from $5,000 to $10,000 a year [in 1971]. They cannot be dismissed by labeling them blue collar or hard hat. They will not continue to be relatively passive and slightly challenging. If we fail to communicate with them, if we don't encourage them to form alliances with us, they will move to the right. Maybe they will anyway, but let's not let it happen by default.."[2]
Saul Alinsky - Rules for Radicals
A politician does what he can. Barack Obama is a hard-working politician. The people involved in politics, Republican, Democrat, Green, Communist, or any of the manifestations of what is called Libertarian, adopt a mantle of values.
The Democratic Party that I grew up with is the old Party of Al Smith, FDR, Truman, KFK and Johnson. That Party was scuttled in 1972 in Miami by the left wing of the Party, that had tried to undo Harry Truman, failed and waited.
This wing controlled the Democratic National Committee, it seems to me, but depends upon the Old Guard to get votes. Barack Obama, like any ambitious and talented politician adopted the extreme Left point of view and courted the Illinois Grandees of that Wing. He would depend upon the Old Guard to effectively garner votes, but would and did distance himself from the Old Guard, once he achieved national prominence.
Street Sweepers, plumbers, cops, fireman, school teachers ( not PACs), civil servants, and housewives are ignored and activists, radical fund-raisers, boards of directors, and tax-salaried labor leaders have his heart and ear.
It makes perfect sense to associate with Bill Ayers. Ayers is an unrepentant radical terrorist made ' wholesome' by dint of his personal wealth and inherited influence. Ayers is an enemy of America - I believe that - but that is just my opinion. Ayers is more of help to Obama than street sweepers, plumbers, cops, firemen, schools teachers (not PACs, civil servants and housewives who vote.
Wealth matters most to those who purport to redistribute wealth, because in the words of Saul Alinsky, 'Any revolutionary change must be preceded by a passive, affirmative, non-challenging attitude toward change among the mass of our people. They must feel so frustrated, so defeated, so lost, so futureless in the prevailing system that they are willing to let go of the past and change the future.
I believe that Senator Obama truly reflects ideals of the Democratic National Committee, but not the political traditions of Al Smith, FDR,Truman, JFK, or LBJ. Democrats, those of us characterized as 'clingers' by Senator Obama, find John McCain to more than reflect those values. That is why McCain appears to have such problems with the extreme Right in his Party.
I am voting for John McCain, because he represents the political ideals that formed me: self-reliance, commitment, service, and optimism.
This is not gotcha Senator. This is the path that you have taken. That is why there are other points of view in an election. You need to stand with your words, your associations, your beliefs, and your values. They just do not happen to be mine.
Click My Post Title for Marthon Pundit's Study of Bill Ayers
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