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 U.S. Republicans Blindly Attack Social JusticePosted on Apr 12, 2011The determination of the Republican congressional majority to destroy the country’s legacy of what once was known (in religious circles, at least) as social justice is being accomplished amid the ignorance of the vast majority that such a thing ever existed and was defended, in the 1940s, 1950s and even after, by what were known as progressive Republicans. Not only has that breed of Republican been stamped out, but so has the memory that such a movement even existed under the leadership of Theodore Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover (a humanist, if a credulous economist), Dwight Eisenhower, Wendell Willkie, Thomas Dewey and even under the demonized Richard Nixon. What has replaced it has been an ignorant and repressive socio-political ideology that rests on assumptions of class and individual privilege devoid of responsibility. The United States has experienced this before. It might in Rumsfeldian idiom be called one of the “known knowns” of American history, and that history would indicate that it will eventually be brought to an end by electoral choice, after voters have experienced its consequences. When this will happen is an unknown known. This ideology, in its modern American version, is a “conservative” attack on the popular rights proclaimed in Europe in the 19th century by such genuinely conservative figures as Prussia’s Chancellor Otto von Bismarck (in 1883-1887) and Pope Leo XIII, in his 1891 encyclical letter “Rerum Novarum,” intended to liberate people from a condition in which “the rich had in effect enslaved the poor.” The encyclical demanded the guarantee to workers of a minimum wage, the right to form unions, to bargain collectively and to possess individual property. Bismarck, against violent opposition, created national sickness, accident and old age insurance, limits on child and women’s labor, and fixed working hours for laborers. The contemporary rationale for oppressing the poor is national debt and deficit, which could otherwise be relieved only by raising taxes on the rich and requiring corporations to bear an equitable share of the national tax burden, which in the Republican Party, and a part of the Democratic Party today, is unacceptable (and plausibly thought politically suicidal, in view of the current alignment of available political funds and of the legislation governing campaign practice—quite possibly irreversible, since this alignment would seem automatically to disallow reversal). There is another possibility for ending national indebtedness, which is rendered impossible by the power of cowardice. That possibility is to end the country’s two trillion-dollar wars against “terror,” and its futile effort to maintain what is seen as a crucial strategic domination of global affairs, an increasingly expensive, steadily deteriorating and seriously unreasonable undertaking. Advertisement He backed off from the Libyan intervention as rapidly as possible, even though he insisted, while doing so, that he would not hesitate to use American military power unilaterally not only when American interests were at stake but when its “values” were threatened. Conventional international opinion and neoconservative Washington interpreted this as a move by his administration toward “disengagement” and “isolationism.” Would that it were so. He and others lack the courage of their doubts or criticisms, fearing still another American ground engagement in the Islamic world, but afraid to condemn the ones to which the U.S. is already committed, because they fear electoral attack as “surrendering” to terrorism, “betraying our soldiers,” inviting the Taliban and al-Qaida to install Shariah law in American courtrooms, and humbling America before the new caliphs—all of which is utter nonsense. People claim that “defeats” in the Middle East or Asia would create “terrorist lairs.” A terrorist lair can be created anywhere that is sparsely populated and has airstrips, or better yet, is heavily populated and inadequately policed. The major terrorist attacks on America, Britain and Spain were ultimately mounted from within those countries. James Baker and Henry Kissinger recently wrote in The Washington Post that the foreign policy choice between realism and idealism is “false,” proposing a substitute policy they describe as “pragmatic idealism,” since “our values impel us to alleviate human suffering; but as a general principle, our country should do so militarily only when a national interest is also at stake.” As Robert Dreyfuss notes in his blog for The Nation, they add in their next paragraph that, “Libya is arguably an exception to the rule.” Even they are afraid to offer more than equivocation. Global war has silenced and numbed America. The national deficit is moral. The American people pay in deprivation, indigence, ill health, insecurity, and the humiliation of men and women who cannot find work, support their offspring or properly educate their children. Visit William Pfaff’s website for more on his latest book, “The Irony of Manifest Destiny: The Tragedy of America’s Foreign Policy” (Walker & Co., $25), at www.williampfaff.com. © 2011 Tribune Media Services, Inc.  Previous item: Obama Jilts the Jobless Next item: U.S.-Backed Bloodshed Stains Bahrain's Arab Spring New and Improved CommentsWe are launching a major overhaul of our comments section. In addition to more robust spam filtering and moderation, new features include the ability to rate other comments, sort how they are displayed and respond directly via e-mail or in a thread. Unfortunately, commenters will lose their existing Truthdig identities. 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Say ‘Hi-Ho!’ as They Strip-Search You
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By radson, April 14, 2011 at 10:22 am Link to this comment
Mr. Pfaff
Report thisI appreciate your articles and opinion and at times I read them in the ‘Diplo’ in French ,which by the way are not carbon copies of the English version,perhaps due to cultural differences.Nevertheless the path
that has been chosen -by the few - and without the consent of the many is continually gravitating towards a crash landing ;to put it lightly.The Cold War mentality of the ‘dogs of war ’ which are in essence a continuation of the Tyrants that the West had supposedly vanquished during the last Great War,’ to end all wars’ is but a shadow of Democracy.The ‘shadow’ being the manipulation of the masses in this so-called New World Order that strives to rule the world ;the undertaking is reprehensible and culturally Racist along with a total reckless disregard for the Planet. This post second World War totalitarianism by the supporters
of this policy ‘NWO’ are students that studied -basically what the Nazis’ and the Soviets - did wrong in their ignoble quest for domination and literally improved upon it.This Ideology in all of its persuasive forms is
a duopolistic adaptation of the Soviet Model that was so effective in blinding the unwary,those that don’t play along are offered either Bribes or dealt with through violence ,administered by the Pentagon ;in simple
terms the’ Carrot or the Stick’.The fact that America is in debt to the tune of Trillions of dollars in this new fangled Fiat economy is basically irrelevant ,because money in itself is just another tool to impoverish and
control countries ,the countries that have natural resources and the capacity for transforming them are nations that have strength and the ability to resist ,hence the threat of Germany’s and Russia’s rapprochement
along with Poland’s usefulness as a Wedge .Western Europe’s conundrum has been , in modern history their reliance for raw materials ,and not their manufacturing capacity which the US exploits through the
control in large part by unequivocal control of the seas and the air .The infamous War on Terror is a ‘Canned Goods ’ operation -see the Gliwice operation WWII -overall it maintains perpetual warfare which basically
supports the MIC ,but that is not the ‘raison d’être of this Endeavour ,it is the ‘NWO’ and the control of the Planet .The stooges that represent the American Citizens in Congress and the Senate are very easily
bought by the Corporate Lobbyists and even Foreign countries such as Israel which have an enormous influence on the body politic of America ;Israel will not end the occupation because it is a major source of income ,but that is another topic.This potential global tragedy is boiling down to ONE HELL of a GAMBLE ,roughly Las Vegas on a global scale or as Jared Diamond alluded to a planetary Easter Island.If President Obama
has any scruples left ,he should resign the Presidency in an address to the Nation and summon the citizens to reject Unipolarity and all of its lawlessness.
By Stella Godbey, April 13, 2011 at 11:14 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
The President speaks for social justice much more so than repubs, so we best
Report thissupport and encourage him tp be even more demanding. Beat congress over the
head by letting them hear from us at every opportunity.
By frecklefever, April 13, 2011 at 1:56 pm Link to this comment
..AGAIN WILLIAM LAYS IT OUT….WHY DOES AMERICA HAVE THIS MANIA TO
Report thisDOMINATE THE GLOBE..I GUESS THEY HAVE FORGOTTEN THAT WWII WAS
FOUGHT TO STOP A GERMAN GLOBAL PRESENCE…THE CONSERVATIVES
AGENDA IS REALLY TORYISM…THEY ADVOCATE A ROYALIST SOCIETY BASED
ON PRIVILEGE AND SUPERIORITY OF THE MONEY CLASS…THEY OPPOSE
TAXES NOT BECAUSE OF ECONOMIC THEORY…BUT BECAUSE ROYAL STATUS
DEMANDS ONLY THE PLEBS HAVE THE OBLIGATION TO FINANCE THE
UPPER CRUST…AMERICA NEEDS A PHILOSOPHER KING IN MENDICANT
GARB..NOT A GAGGLE OF MONIED SOCIOPATHS TRYING TO PASS
THEMSELVES OFF AS PATRIOTS..
By copernicist, April 13, 2011 at 11:42 am Link to this comment
gerard – Pfaff did not pull his punches. They were timed to the stated topic, necessarily noting first the corrupted “politics” now making an equitable distribution of the tax burden a mirage The 5th paragraph of this piece then reads:
Report this“There is another possibility for ending national indebtedness, which is rendered impossible by the power of cowardice. That possibility is to end the country’s two trillion-dollar wars against “terror,” and its futile effort to maintain what is seen as a crucial strategic domination of global affairs, an increasingly expensive, steadily deteriorating and seriously unreasonable undertaking.”
And the final para couldn’t be plainer: “
“Global war has silenced and numbed America. The national deficit is moral. The American people pay in deprivation, indigence, ill health, insecurity, and the humiliation of men and women who cannot find work, support their offspring or properly educate their children.”
Though his usual column, for obvious reasons, is focused on matters beyond the tragedy of America’s domestic farce, I doubt anyone likely to be haunting this site lacks sufficient skill at reading comprehension to not know Pfaff’s views or the point he made here and many times previously.(Indeed, Readers can even see the full title of his most recent book, as shown at column’s end.) That some who might be better engaged in beating the Pestilent Malefactors back to the Swamp have an unquenchable itch for Own Side Quibbling to no useful purpose is one of the reasons the Darkness is Descending upon Us.
There are, of course, quite a few more.
By Jeffrey C. Goldfarb, April 13, 2011 at 7:00 am Link to this comment
The Republicans days are number. Now the Democrats and Obama should start planning the second term, which finally pushes for a social justice agenda. http://www.deliberatelyconsidered.com/2011/04/obama-wins/
Report thisBy doublestandards/glasshouses, April 13, 2011 at 2:36 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
A couple of months ago on her show Rachel Maddow read a statement on economic and social justice which was made by an American president and asked viewers if they could guess who said it. It sounded like something Ralph Nader or Bernie Sanders would have said. Turns out it was Dwight Eisenhower. His words today would be off the political spectrum. Limbaugh, Hannity, and Savage would be calling him a socialist demagogue. Beck would be talking about the Eisenhower threat to the American way of life. The idiot fringe has taken over and become mainstream. Few people seem to care.
Report thisBy SteveL, April 12, 2011 at 10:15 pm Link to this comment
Does this mean the Repubs will be using vouchers instead of their congressional
Report thishealth care plan? Will the Repubs forgo their congressional pensions for Social
Security benefits? If not why not? This stuff seems to be ok for everyone else.
By gerard, April 12, 2011 at 9:25 pm Link to this comment
Pfaff still doesn’t come at the main point head-on.
Report thisHe refers to “the national debt ... which could otherwise be relieved only by raising taxes on the rich.” Then he goes on—and never gets to the real issue till near the end of the article. So again the “elephant in the room”—the complete waste of human and financial resources on consecutive wars in the Middle East that gain us
nothing—and the urgency to stop the military machine and take away its financial and political influence on us and on the world at large.
It is as if we are tired of talking about it, of hearing about it, when the fact is that the longer it goes on, the worse for everyone concerned.
The ease with which we let it run off the edge of the page indicates our true poverty of heart and spirit.
By Inherit The Wind, April 12, 2011 at 9:23 pm Link to this comment
The continued cowardice of Obama and the Democratic majority in the Senate, and caucus in the House is shameful and depressing.
In the years from 2001 to 2007 when the GOP held everything the Dems couldn’t stop anything. But from 2009 to 2011 when the Dems held a SUPER majority in the Senate, 40 Re-thugs were able to stop them cold.
Liam Neeson said it best in Batman, the Beginning: “Skills are nothing. Will is everything.”
Had Democrats had the WILL to stop the bat-shit crazy right-wing of the Republicans, which now controls the whole thing, we would not be on the brink of a feudal fascist society, a society that FUNCTIONALLY will be no different than the old Stalinist Soviet Union.
(Oh, no, they won’t say “Marxism” or “Socialism”, and they will say “Christian Values” and “Individual Responsibility” but it will be the same as the Soviets. Actually, it will be worse because at least the Soviets had safety nets. Hell, even Qadaffi and Saddam Hussein had SOME safety nets, but these shitheads want ALL safety nets abandoned.)
So, do you blame a rabid dog for being rabid? Do you blame a cobra for being poisonous? Or do you blame the people who HAD IT IN THEIR POWER to protect us from the rabid dog and poisonous cobra and chose not to?
Who was it who said all it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing? We are in the middle of living proof of it, and our President and Senate Majority Leader and Senate Minority Leader are all guilty of NOT STOPPING THE BAT-SHIT CRAZY RABID DOGS!
So WHAT if the Federal Government had to be shut down? Small price to pay to keep the fascists at bay. Instead, they’ve won again.
That’s right, won again when BEATING THEM was in the President’s grasp. Who blinked? He did.
Report thisBy TDoff, April 12, 2011 at 9:11 pm Link to this comment
It’s difficult to believe that a successful community organizer/leader would forget the maxim, ‘Take care of the people, and they will take care of you’. Admittedly, it’s a big jump from someone of Obama’s background/experience to suddenly successfully organize/lead the entire US of A, and a large part of the world. But he sure had the talk to make many of US believe he could do it. ‘Cause he preached ‘Take care of the people…’. He talked it, but he sure hasn’t walked it.
Report thisHe shucked and jived and soft-shoed and tapped, and he had a helluvan act. Had he been born a couple of generations earlier, he’d have been a big star on Lawrence Welk.
Now he’s turning out to be a big disappointment. If only he had remembered, ‘Take care of the people…’.
It’s a shame, what might have been.
By aacme, April 12, 2011 at 7:28 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
See Chris Hedges’ article on this site about the collective loss of memory of the necessity to defend social justice. This loss is a perfect illustration of the reasons behind the unprecedented attack on education by the right over the last 30 years.
Report thisAmericans who understand our history and the struggles that have gone before are the enemy of those who are creating a system of enslavement of the many by the few.