David Sirota: Judge Them By Their Enemies

[marmar]

from OurFuture.org:



Judge Them By Their Enemies

By David Sirota

January 14th, 2008 - 10:37pm ET


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With so much campaign rhetoric and propaganda swirling around, how do you really find out where any of these candidates are coming from on the issues? Over the years, I've figured out a decent method: Judge them - at least in part - by their enemies. Enmity cuts right through all the B.S. Who is afraid of a given candidates indicates whose interests that candidate truly threatens.

By this standard, this week has given us two pretty exemplary signals. First, Reuters reported a story under the headline "Corporate Elite Fear Candidate Edwards." The piece details how Wall Street moneymen and K Street lobbyists are frightened about Edwards populist, power-challenging message against greed and corruption.

Now today, the Club for Growth - a notorious corporate front group in Washington - has issued this press release bemoaning "Mike Huckabee's Liberal Record." It provides the details of an event in which the major players in Washington's conservative Establishment will berate Huckabee for having the nerve to stop health care cuts and invest in public infrastructure during his tenure as governor of Arkansas.

I'm in no way endorsing either of these candidates. But I will say this: These enemies are indeed good enemies to have. When the forces of money, power and corruption attack, it means candidates are probably doing at least something right.

http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/judge-them-their-enemies

[CorpGovActivist]

1. K&R n/t

[TwilightGardener]

2. Huckabee is an ass. Period. I don't care if he handed out money to the poor

on the street corners every day of his Governorship, I agree with Club For Growth--not fit to be President.

[robbedvoter]

3. 3 factions of the GOP: the money bags, the neocons, the fundies...all hate each other!

And I hate them all!

[Mass]

4. I wished that David Sirota stop look at Huckaby with fawing eyes.

Populist or not, Huckabee is still an ass.

[Yael]

5. Has Sirota written about the $60 million from the Chamber?

I wonder if he knows about that gem of an enamy.

[Peace Patriot]

6. A good rule of thumb, whatever you think of his examples. I've applied it to

another situation...

"The Smart Way to Beat Tyrants Like Chávez," by Donald Rumsfeld, 12/1/07
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/30/AR2007113001800.html

You know when Donald Rumsfeld identifies an enemy, another oil war is in the offing. Mark my words. It also tells you a lot about Chavez, just about the most un-tyrannical man I've ever followed the political career of, with the exception maybe of Evo Morales in Bolivia.

Within this decade, probably before Bush leaves office - start of Oil War II. And I don't think we will win that one either.

[dkofos]

7. I judge them by where they get their money.

[baby_mouse]

8. Interesting idea, but judging them by their actions is probably more sensible. NT