From policymic.com: Former White House environmental advisor Van Jones announced the creation of “The American Dream Movement” last night in New York City, a new political movement aiming to serve as the liberal alternative to the Tea Party.
Jones is teaming up with MoveOn.org to unite Americans who are angry at the GOP’s desire to cut government spending and collective bargaining rights. Will young people support this movement? According to Pew 2010 polling, youth (age 19 – 29) support for the Democratic party has dwindled down to 54 percent from 62 percent in 2008. Over the same period, young people identifying as Republican increased from 30 to 40 percent. But, only 9 percent support the Tea Party. This data suggests young people have shifting allegiances between parties and are moderate in their views. The “Dream” movement may be a tough sell for our generation.
Debate of the Day – What is the Solution to the Global Drug Problem? Michael Youhana argues that the “War on Drugs” has created a humanitarian and economic crisis and the only solution is to legalize drugs. Truman Fellow Daniella Bove-LaMonica counters that legalizing drugs would be ineffective and calls for a more efficient international anti-drug approach. Where do you stand?
Today’s Highlight – Jess Coleman compares GOP attempts to pass voter ID laws to Jim Crow discrimination and calls on Dems to stand up for poor, minority, and young voters by opposing these laws.
What We’re Reading – FBI ramps up domestic spying; Herman Cain plays the race card with Jon Stewart; Afghan contractor surge despite troop withdrawal; Cantor and Kyl abandon Biden deficit talks.
*Boren Forum note: The above content is from www.policymic.com
This article doesn’t give to much information about what exactly the platform of this “Movement” will look like. I do think there is a large number of young people — myself included — who are disillusioned with Democratic Party politics; however, what I think the Pew poll doesn’t show (and largely because it can’t) is that many of us are disillusioned with the Party because we see it as not left-leaning enough. That is to say, those who dislike the Democratic Party and lean more towards the right in terms of whatever issues are most relevant to them have other options, while those of us who seek a more radical left in the US are left with no alternatives. I think this has a lot to do with America’s recent history of state-sponsored anti-Communism and anti-Socialism. I also don’t doubt that right-leaning people make up the majority of the American populace, but I think it’s more important that rightists are powerful and less-so that they are numerous. There are plenty of radical leftist Americans, but radical leftist political activity, language, and thought are sanctioned neither by the official state apparatus, nor the culture of the majority generated by the propaganda of the state. If this movement intends to provide a radical leftist counterbalance to the radical right, I doubt it will get very far. Which is sad, whether I agree with its platform or not. But that’s a whole other kettle of fish…