Bill Clinton delivered a speech that did everything right at the DNC last night. I didn’t even plan to watch it, and I generally loathe all the self-congratulatory and aggrandizing nonsense of both parties’ conventions. But, think what you will of Bill, he possesses astounding oratorial powers. (Insert cigar joke here.)
He delivered a beautiful takedown of the GOP slate. But as I sat watching, I was reminded just how central he is to the watering down of the Democratic Party. Bright and engaging though he is, I really, really don’t like Clinton politically. He is, after all, the guy who more or less decided the way to win as a Democrat was to become a lighter version of the GOP. And now look–the Republicans are apparently quite, quite mad in their pursuit of a brighter yesterday, while the Democrats are equally self-deluded as they embrace what used to be a Republican healthcare plan, reasonable positions on social issues, equitable economic policy, and the very same assault on civil liberties that Bush began.
It’s because of that last bit that I can’t get into all the flag-waving and self-congratulation on view at the DNC. While the flags wave, Obama is endorsing the assassination of Americans, immunizing people in the CIA torture scandals, and claiming the right to all the same tramplings of liberty that Bush did.
Yet again, it comes down to the same question: what are you gonna do? Vote for Romney?
The two-party system is a closed loop. And it just keeps rolling further and further to the right.
