Posted on 06/25/2002 3:39:12 PM PDT by summer
RAT ATTACK [Or: The Left is self-destructing as we speak...]
Note to FR, from summer:
I myself have never used the word "RAT" before to describe a Democrat, but today I find there is no other word appropriate to describe the kind of animalistic attack that has now exploded on the left - all because the GOP and Nader got together not long ago.
GOP Grover Norquist's weekly meeting -- attended recently by Nader -- was the spark that lit the flame in this firery exchange below, between a certain Dem web site and Nader's campaign manager (who affirmed she was speaking with Nader's approval).
From where I stand as an independent, this heightened level of vicious in-fighting on the left probably caused them to lose even more voters today, as who wouldn't be disgusted with this non-stop fighting. The Dem Party looks to me like it's going down faster than the Titanic…
For educational purposes only (and, I guess for the entertainment of some), excerpts from this RAT ATTACK follow. First, an open letter from the Dems was posted on a Dem web site to Nader. Then, Nader's campaign manager responded -- and affirmed the response was approved by Nader. Again, what follows is only an excerpt:
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Open Letter to Nader Posted on a Dem Web Site Complaining About Nader at GOP Meeting
Dear Ralph [Nader],
A number of your supporters have written …. asking why we have criticized you so sharply since 2000, and especially in connection with your recent appearance at Grover Norquist's Wednesday Morning Group.
It occurs to us that inquiries should really be directed to you.
In soliciting an invitation to Norquist's group, you knew exactly whom you were getting involved with, didn't you? Not a harmless assembly of conservatives or Republicans, as some of your supporters seem to think, but the national nerve-center of the hard-right wing advocacy groups and political machinery.
The apex of coordinating the continuing right-wing attacks on economic justice, civil rights, freedom of choice, separation of church and state, gun safety, environmental protection, you name it.
And when you were there, you ingratiated yourself, seeking their support, noting that much of what they said was "good" and much of the rest at least "arguable," taking in their cheers and applause over your vital aid to them in the 2000 election, making fun of liberals as conspiracy freaks, winning kudos from Phyllis Schlafly and Grover himself.
Not all of your supporters seem aware of exactly who is involved in Norquist's Wednesday Group. So here's a partial list of the core members, which includes either leaders or representatives of:
n The Christian Coalition
n The National Rifle Association
n The Free Congress Foundation
n The Eagle Forum
n Tom DeLay's office
-- The Republican National Committee
as well as representatives of the right-wing media, including (when they are in D.C.) the likes of John Fund and David Horowitz.
Now, Ralph, we don't see you out there these days soliciting invitations to meetings for and seeking the support of People for the American Way, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Alliance for Justice, the National Abortion and Reproduction Rights Action League, the Sierra Club, and similar liberal and progressive groups.
As far as you're concerned, it seems, YOU are …the one man who…, in his passion to destroy the Democratic Party, will gladly keep the right-wing Republicans in power.
For you, it makes sense to run spoiler Green candidates against progressive liberal Democrats like Paul Wellstone, to insure their defeat so that the G.O.P. can retake the Senate in 2002.
For you, it makes sense to, in turn, give the G.O.P. the power to ram through George W. Bush's right-wing judicial nominees, consolidating the power of the Rehnquist-Scalia axis on the Supreme Court, and making the rest of the federal judiciary even more of a hotbed of right-wing activism than it is now.
For you, it makes sense to keep Tom DeLay in charge of the House of Representatives.
Let's face it, Ralph. You're so interested in destroying liberals that you'll meet with anyone and everyone who will aid that cause - including the Wednesday Morning Group.
Isn't that right? Or what have we missed?
Not just to speak when invited - you will solicit invitations to the right-wing inner counsels.
To what end, Ralph? …..
Ralph Nader has emerged as an agent of the right-wing Republican Party.
Everything he says or does has the direct practical effect of making the right-wing Republicans stronger, in the long run as well as the short run.
Having received 2% of the vote from the American people - one-tenth of what the dime-store demagogue Ross Perot received in 1992 - he tries to elect as many extremist Republicans to office as possible ….
He uses whatever underhanded, anti-democratic tactics he can in order to do so.
He will run spoilers in close elections, like in Minnesota.
He backs term-limits, a quick and dirty way to deprive Americans of their right to vote for a candidate of their choice and improve prospects for the Greens and worsen the prospects for veteran Democrats.
He hopes and intends to inflict so much pain on the country that voters will have no choice but to acknowledge his greatness or perish.
Ralph cloaks these efforts and facts by appealing to and manipulating people's idealism, their hopes for a better America and a better world, all the while snuggling up to the most reactionary and vicious forces in our political life.
The [gun supporters, mentioned in derogatory terms…]
The [pro-life supporters, mentioned in derogatory terms…]
[etc., as the list continues in derogatory terms] ….
Ralph, we believe that you owe your supporters and admirers, many of whom read and support [this Dem web site] explanations for your appearance at the Wednesday Morning Group, for your alliances, past and present, with Grover Norquist, and for your larger efforts that redound to the benefit of the right-wing Republican Party.
We hope you will take the opportunity provided by this Open Letter to offer those explanations.
Our columns are, as ever, open to you.....[end]
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Posted later, on the same Dem web site:
Ralph Nader's 2000 Campaign Manager has responded on his behalf ….
Her response…..
From: Theresa Amato
To: [Dem site]
Sent: Friday, June 21, 2002 3:31 PM
Subject: Response to Your Open Letter to Ralph Nader
Dear [Dem site] ,
….. Your supporters are rightly questioning your motives for assailing Ralph Nader since 2000, especially for presenting his views at Grover Norquist's right wing, Wednesday morning ritual. I am taking this opportunity to respond on Ralph's behalf …
The writer(s) of your speculative, unsubstantiated rants against Ralph make clear that their sources for the Nader/Norquist meeting are second hand. Unlike them, I was at the Norquist meeting and can tell you exactly what happened. First, the invitation. If you will recall, a few months ago, Bob Borosage pointed out in the American Prospect that the right wing has a "Mighty Wurlitzer" of disciplined propaganda. Much of it is generated by Norquist's Wednesday meetings. Shortly after that article, Ralph and I bumped into Norquist at a media outlet and I sought an invitation - to see first hand how the "Mighty Wurlitzer" works, especially because we are building a progressive forum on the first Thursday of every month. Why not get an inside view on the dynamics of the Wurlitzer? One can seek to understand an adversary without being a subscriber. And the right wing regime is worth understanding for it has turned out - successfully -- a spew of right wing politicians, right wing legislation and right wing propaganda (that the Democrats have notably failed to stop or counteract, despite their control of the presidency and one or both houses of the Congress). As Ralph put it directly to those in attendance, Norquist's meetings are just "like a cold-blooded, ideological marine barracks."
More importantly though, why shouldn't Ralph take the opportunity …Is it Ralph's fault - or to his credit -- that Phyllis Schlafly saw the light about the inconsistency of the right wing in supporting corporatists? ….
…..
Your suggestion that Ralph doesn't solicit invitations to meetings with liberal and progressive groups and that this is indicative of some desire to keep right wingers in power is total nonsense….
To imply that there is some taint or conspiracy by attending a meeting that members of the press were invited to cover - and on the record at Ralph's insistence -- is absolute silliness. Ralph did indeed suggest to Norquist's buddies that there are common areas to work on: like getting members of Congress to put their voting records on line, like getting government contracts on line - because sunshine is the best disinfectant for politicians of any stripe and electronic access to this information is key. Should people be kept in the dark and wait another century for those in power to put their voting record on-line voluntarily?…. Should people who go to these meetings and have the courage to stand up for their very different beliefs be smeared by your Democratic Party propaganda machine? …This neo-Stalinistic approach as to who fits into your liberal progressive tent is breathtaking. Maybe it is you who needs a history (as well as an accuracy)lesson.
Finally, your attempt to label Ralph - who has worked for four decades on behalf of citizens -- as appealing to and manipulating people's idealism is pretty screwy coming from spin doctors like yourselves. Your fury at Greens and others who are participating in power without your permission, ….show that you are just an unabashed front for the Democratic Party….. Your shilling for the Democratic Party uber alles is so transparent it is laughable. Desperation indeed....
Theresa Amato
(P.S. I was the campaign manager for Nader 2000. And you can publish this because I do not hide…)
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From: [Dem site]
To: Theresa Amato
Date: Saturday, June 22
May we have confirmation from Ralph that he endorses the contents of this letter?
---------------------------------
From: Theresa Amato
To: [Dem site]
Date: Saturday, June 22
Yes.
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Dem Response to Nader/and Nader's campaign manager:
....There is only one immediately pertinent question left, now that we've gotten your attention, Ralph.
Will Ralph Nader unequivocally and publicly oppose the efforts of the Green Party or any other of his supporters to run candidates against progressive Democrats in close races this fall, beginning with the Senate race in Minnesota? Or will Nader try to throw the election to the Republicans as he did in 2000?
I think they've gone off the deep end.
I discussed this with a lot of conservatives at a 4th of July party yesterday. We will put these stickers on our garbage toters and in particuliar the recycle containers. At least once a week they will be on the streets to push the enviral whackos to voting green.
We will be working on Gray is to yellow to be Green stickers to go with:
In the meantime, this is our subtle message to the enviral whackos:
I was looking forward to the list of dangerous groups involved with this meeting. And we get the above. There is no 'there' there.
Snail mail data:
We also welcome contributions to our campaign by mail! Checks should be made out to "Camejo for Governor" and mailed to:
Camejo for Governor, P.O. Box 3629, Oakland, CA 94609
Campaign ID # 1237820
Please be sure to include your name, address, occupation & employer (these are equired by California campaign contribution laws for anyone contributing over $99).
I will be sending less than $99 to his campaign. He needs the money to fight Davis!
I'm unsure, since I haven't read it. I think "Radical Son" describes Horowitz's upbringing by his leftist parents; "The Art of Political War" is a staight-out political treatise on how the left views politics as the conduct of war by other means, and how to counter it. As he states in the very beginning, "In political war, just as in convential warfare, if one side is shooting and the other is not, the one that is not is soon dead".
The election debacle of 11/2000 demonstrated how the left can be defeated with many of it's own tactics when the right gets the gumption to take to the streets and get in people's faces.
NAZI's, Fascists, Neanderthals, religious fanatics, gun nuts. Etc.
Oh.....they do, already?
Sorry!
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