Countering GOP Racism With A Class-Based Uprising Message

Earlier this week, I wrote a short dispatch about Barack Obama dancing around the issue of trade -- an issue at the heart of the populist uprising on both the right and left. Now today, my syndicated newspaper column explores the issue more thoroughly, showing precisely the opportunity the GOP's inevitable racism and nationalism with a populist line on trade.

John McCain is taking an extremist position on the issue -- to the point of doing a public event today with Canadian industrialists to promote NAFTA. This extremist position presents a huge opportunity for Obama in states that have been destroyed by NAFTA-style trade policies -- swing states from Maine to North Carolina to Ohio.

The problem is that Obama still seems hesitant to take a strong position on trade. He has hired one of Bob Rubin's chief confidantes as his top economic adviser, and he gives speeches depicting those who are pushing a strong fair trade agenda as Luddite protectionists.

This speaks to what we discussed last night for THE UPRISING at a big event here in Chicago at In These Times: the notion of progressive pressure as a positive force for Obama. We have to keep the pressure on Obama to take a strong position on issues like trade -- and we have to use the election to leverage that pressure.

Of course, there are those who claim that any pressure against Obama imperils his electoral chances, but that's a farce. In 2006, progressive pressure on Democrats forced the party to take a stronger line on Iraq - and that stronger line helped them win the 2006 election. The same can be the case with Obama on the issue of trade - and if we are effective, we can help him both take a majority position on the issue and win the election.

Read the whole column at the San Francisco Chronicle, Denver Post, Ft. Collins Coloradoan, In These Times, TruthDig, Credo Action or Creators Syndicate. Then go pick up a copy of THE UPRISING to read more about how trade policy is fueling a backlash on both the right and left.

This is an ongoing series from the national tour for THE UPRISING. You can order The Uprising at Amazon.com or through your local independent bookstore.

Comments

[TRYKER]

Let us hope that his portraying of himself as a weak kneed wuss, is to incite our wrath so we will push and insist that he stand up and walk the line.
Then he can say to his 'special interest people',,,,"see guys, they just won't let me do it." He could save face and do the right thing at the same time.
Or, he could drive his campaign into a sinkhole.

[MidwestBlue]

Obama lost me with his announcement that he will be supporting the FISA bill. Now I'm wondering: what else? I can't get his speech to the AIPAC neocons out of my mind, and he doesn't seem to be too keen on trade issues, either.
I'll vote for him, but I will not knock on doors, lick envelopes, or contribute to his campaign. He seems to be courting the "low information" voters now. Fine. Trouble is, as witnessed by the Clinton's lack of individual contributors, "low information" voters don't give much money or actively support their candidate. Good luck, Obama. You led us to believe you had some principals. Remember his "I taught the Constitution, I believe in the Constitution, and I will uphold the Constitution of the United States of America!" schtick? What a rube I was to fall for it.

[jmpurser]

From a liberal or progressive point of view Obama is a VERY weak candidate. He already seems to be heading to the "politics of the possible" triangulation of Clinton fame. IE, GOP Lite. On the other hand he was and is CLEARLY so much better than McCain or Clinton that I'll only have to slightly hold my nose to vote for him.

To a starving man bread and water is a meal.