Public Policy with a One-and-a-half Party System

Alexander Cockburn, who is a staunch liberal, wrote of the election between Bush and Kerry in an article entitled "You Can't Blame Nader for This," The Nation, 8 Nov 2004, p. 10. He gave the following analysis of the Democratic Party, which is as valid now as it was then:

We are now witnessing the Democratic Party in very advanced decay. After the Clinton/DLC years, its street cred[ibility] is conclusively shot. In formal political function the party is nothing much more than an ATM machine, spewing torrents of cash, supplied by the unions and by corporations seeking favors, to the armies of consultants and operators who have lived off it for decades. Its right wing comprises people who could as easily be in the Republican Party, its center people incapable of standing on any principle.

In other words, the Democratic Machine is less than half a party. Cockburn goes on to say that its left flank was made up of Anybody-but-Bush people, who accepted Kerry only for that reason. Now they intend to push ugly Hillary in everyone's face.

Some Republicans seem to think we will accept Anybody-but-Hillary, but that is not so. I will never vote for Giuliani, not even if the opposite choice is Hillary Clinton. If that is the choice I will not vote, or I will vote for a third party candidate. Giuliani is not a Republican. He is not pro-Life. He is pro-Giuliani, and that is about it.

The Republicans need to find a good darkhorse and run him. If the party continues to push Giuliani it is highly likely that Hillary will end up in the Whitehouse.

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