I often wonder what would have happened if Al Gore had been president instead of George W. Bush. Many from another generation dream of how life would have been different if George McGovern had beaten incumbent Richard Nixon in 1972.
This documentary takes a look at the 1972 campaign, and while watching it, I couldn’t help but think, “What If?”
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I have often expressed pleasure at watching Ron Paul appear in Republican presidential debates. His willingness to stray from so-called conventional wisdom, and to criticize American foreign policy, brings a needed element to the discussion.
However, I’ve also said to anyone who would listen that I disagree with Ron Paul on just about everything other than foreign policy. A recent article at AlterNet explains many of Paul’s ideas that worry me.
The AlterNet piece begins with this.
There are few things as maddening in a maddening political season as the warm and fuzzy feelings some progressives evince for Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, the Republican presidential candidate. “The anti-war Republican,” people say, as if that’s good enough.
But Ron Paul is much, much more than that. He’s the anti-Civil-Rights-Act Republican. He’s an anti-reproductive-rights Republican. He’s a gay-demonizing Republican. He’s an anti-public education Republican and an anti-Social Security Republican. He’s the John Birch Society’s favorite congressman. And he’s a booster of the Constitution Party, which has a Christian Reconstructionist platform. So, if you’re a member of the anti-woman, anti-gay, anti-black, anti-senior-citizen, anti-equality, anti-education, pro-communist-witch-hunt wing of the progressive movement, I can see how he’d be your guy.
I have no problem agreeing with much of what Paul says about American interventionism. In fact, I see him as a representation of libertarianism in general. I love their anti-war stance. One of my favorite web sites is antiwar.com, which is run by libertarians. I can consider myself their ally when it comes to foreign policy without also advocating their ideas on economic and social issues. I don’t think any progressive should feel bad about cheering Paul when he scolds the GOP on its war-mongering tendencies, as long as we keep in mind that Paul is no ally of ours when it comes to domestic issues.
As liberals, we’re the ones who often introduce nuance to debates, and recognize that very few people, nations or ideas are all good or all bad. Ron Paul and his followers are another example of this idea. So we should embrace the good without forgetting or excusing the bad.
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The economic debate in the U.S. tends to center around issues such as tax rates, regulation and government spending. The discussion is always conducted within the framework of capitalism, as if we’ve all accepted that capitalism is obviously the best economic system known to man, and the only solutions to our problems lie within a free-market system.
While this consensus is shared by the mainstream political and media classes, I wonder how many Americans suffering at the hands of the dismal economy would be so sold on capitalism if they understood that there are real alternatives that might be better for the nation, and the world. And by the way, considering such other economic options doesn’t make you evil. Being blind to the deficiencies and inequalities of capitalism, especially as it’s practiced in much of the world, is helpful to those who would much rather keep you from asking the obvious question: if capitalism is so great for everybody, why does such a small minority enjoy the majority of the world’s luxury, wealth and power?
I have occasionally come across the idea of Participatory Economics, also known as Parecon for short. I’m still getting acquainted with the idea, but find it quite interesting. This is a video of a speech by Michael Albert, one of the leading proponents of Participatory Economics. It’s more than an hour long, but worth the time for anyone interested in a new alternative to both capitalism and socialism.
Alternative Economy Cultures part 1 from pixelACHE festival on Vimeo.
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How do Christian parents handle the discovery that their child is gay? This documentary highlights several examples. Overall, the film is positive and heartwarming.
The U.S. still has some very powerful people who believe that homosexuality can, and should, be “cured”. However, the country’s attitude toward homosexuality is turning rapidly, mostly because people have learned that they know gay people, and there’s nothing to be afraid of. Religion is probably the biggest obstacle toward an even wider acceptance of gay people, and that obstacle is studied in this excellent documentary, which is both educational and illuminating.
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Many people are in an uproar over the recent Casey Anthony trial verdict, and understandably so. But I often fear that to many people, whose attitude seems to be exemplified by Nancy Grace, justice=conviction. This documentary, narrated by Sean Penn, demonstrates just how dangerous such an attitude can be.
Prepare to be outraged.
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I’ll be taking a break from posting for a few weeks, but plan to come back posting more consistently, and writing more articles, than ever.
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