The Europeanization of the Democratic Party - by William Molony
To understand this hostile takeover of the Democratic Party it must be seen in the context of what happened to all “parties of the left” in Europe in the second half of the 20th century. Traumatized by the shocks and dislocations of world wars and Cold War the entire European political spectrum moved decisively leftward. While the socialist parties led this progression, the parties of the center and right - shaken by their own crises of confidence - succumbed as well. European capitalism and nationalism was decisively weakened and the door opened to a continent-wide shift to collectivism and the transnationalism represented by the United Nations, and the European Union. Today the elitists who dominate the Democratic Party have embraced the “New Europe” and its worldview. On virtually every issue - Iraq, taxes, abortion, global warming, energy, hostility to religion, suspicion of Israel, regulation, U.N. worship etc. etc. - differences are only of degree, not kind. The fawning reception of Barack Obama in Europe illustrated this perverse harmony. Clearly Obama’s view of the future fits with Europe’s. They see him as the anti-Bush, their best bet ever to lash “rambunctious” America to the collectivist chariot of Europe’s “Brave New World.”
Note EU-Digest: "The Neocons seem to be getting very desperate".
2 comments:
This piece shows how little Americans understand about Europe's history. After WW2 Europe turned to socialism because all citizens were in the same desperate boat. Resources needed to be employed evenly for all, lest social upheavals would occur.
Wartime profiteers needed to be neutralized in order to prevent the emergence of oligarchs, as in post-USSR Russia.
After Europe stabilized capitalsim was again given freer reign, albeit with some safeguards. Europe's insistence on a semblance of economic equality for all gives many Europeans a better standard of living than many Americans. Unbridled capitalism may be good for some but consider the state of American healthcare and transportation infrastructure, including its airlines.
The Democratic Party recognizes that there is such a system as Social Capitalism. A system whereby extreme personal wealth and corporate power is curtailed for the benefit of the country at large.
Keeping in mind that some of the world's largest multi national corporations have a European capital as their home base, very frequently the Netherlands. After WW2, many Europeans demanded peace and stability. Part of this came about in the form of government run social supports. It should also be kept in mind that NATO provided a protective shield, by which defence was aided with support from the former American colonies.
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