We’ve all heard the argument: a vote for Green Party candidate Dr Jill Stein will help elect Trump in a close race. Many of us have also heard the Susan Sarandon counter-argument: a Trump presidency will bring on ‘The Revolution’ which will sweep into power a progressive and enlightened government. This way, we will get to the promised land faster, and we won’t have to waste our time with these pesky and tedious elections.
Apparently, Jill Stein thinks Ms Sarandon’s answer was too mainstream, too establishment, too sane. While trying to recruit Sanders dead-enders at the DNC, Dr. Stein gave an interview to WGBH and was asked whether or not her candidacy helps elect Trump by poaching Democratic voters.
Her answer:
What we know from history, and what we know from the current situation, we are seeing a rise in right-wing extremism, not just in the United States, and it’s not just Donald Trump, it’s also throughout countries in Europe. What is driving this? It is policies like NAFTA, like globalization, like the dominance of the banks, like the Wall Street bailouts, like the Wall Street meltdown thanks to deregulation. Who gave us those policies? The Clintons were leading the way on those policies! The answer to neofascism is stopping neoliberalism. Putting another Clinton in the White House will fan the flames of this right-wing extremism. We have known that for a long time ever since Nazi Germany. We are going to stand up to Donald Trump and to stand up to Hillary Clinton!
Well, that should settle it. Jill Stein will actually defeat fascist Trump and neoliberal Clinton. Dr. Stein represents true progressive purity and authentic, raised-fist lefty leftism. One small quibble: there’s no evidence that either Bill or Hillary Clinton (or anyone who shared their political ideology) enabled or facilitated Hitler’s rise to power in Germany, but I realize I’m being nitpicky.
But Jill Stein’s point is clear: the Democratic Party is clearly to blame for the rise of right wing extremism. And to paraphrase Dr. Stein, “I alone can solve it.”
Now, everything would be fine at this point, and Dr. Stein would be coming down while sipping herbal tea and watching the Philadelphia sunset, except that noted corporatist, counter-revolutionary trouble maker Jonathan Chait over at neoliberal NY Magazine offered this incoherent screed in reply to Stein:
The crisis in Weimar Germany had many causes, but one of them was the Communist Party’s insistence on destroying the Social Democrats. Because the Communists would not support any center-left government coalition, it was impossible to form a parliamentary majority without the Nazis. So whatever lessons about left-wing political strategy we should draw from the Nazi era, “withhold votes from the mainstream party that is the only viable alternative to the far right” is definitely not one of them.
Typical Chait. He supports pragmatism, forming coalitions and accomplishing things. How mainstream can you get?
Now, regarding Dr. Stein, please don’t misunderstand. I’m very liberal about psychedelic drugs. Research into LSD indicates it may be useful in curing alcoholism. And pot is tons of fun any time.
But if I were running for president, I’d do my heavy tripping on the weekends.