The following is a selection of recent letters sent to the World Socialist Web Site concerning our response to an editorial in the Nation magazine opposing Cindy Sheehan’s decision to run against Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Congratulations on an excellent piece. My wife long ago left the Democratic Party because of their fecklessness. In this respect, she was, as always, ahead of me. I applaud Cindy Sheehan, wish her the best and will be glad to contribute my small mite on her behalf. The Democrats’ capitulation in recently funding more billions for the war is a repetition of their bottomless cowardice in supporting the war in Iraq in the first place. They didn’t have the guts to say boldly and repetitively to the American people that the Bush arguments for war were rank. And now we get Hillary Clinton pretending, “If I knew then what I know now, I wouldn’t have voted in favor.” Please! Spare me! I want to retch.
JS
23 August 2007
* * *Excellent reporting. Sheehan should run and get Pelosi out. Pelosi is as valuable to the Democrats as Lieberman.
While Sheehan is trying to accomplish running against Pelosi, a general house cleansing in the Senate and the House would be a good beginning.
WW
23 August 2007
* * *Pelosi, Pollitt and their ilk need to go find a good bridge to jump off of. I used to read the Nation until I figured out their whole shtick was to support the Democratic Party, regardless—and I’m glad you have been addressing this so well. You bet they fear a run by someone like Sheehan, who could upset the whole shebang. Can one imagine Sheehan in a position of power? Look at all she’s done to make life uncomfortable for the nabobs since pitching her tent in Texas. I’m sure to all the quislings—of both parties—the prospect of her getting elected, which could really happen, is very daunting, to say the least.
RM
Mobile, Alabama, USA
23 August 2007
* * *Dear David Walsh,
Just read your essay about the Nation opposing Cindy Sheehan’s run against Pelosi. Beautiful analysis, right on target. Have you sent it to the San Francisco Chronicle, which picked up Katha Pollitt’s essay and printed it today?
LP
23 August 2007
* * *Dear David,
Thank you for your well thought-out response to the Nation magazine. In my opinion, if the Nation were serious in terms of using critical thinking and the scientific method on the actual practice of the Democrats, the Nation [would] pose the question to itself, “Under what conditions would we be willing to admit that the Democratic Party does not support liberalism (let alone anything to the left of that)?”
They would never state those conditions because, as you say, they are ideologically committed to the Democratic Party, no matter what the Democrats do. I also agree that the Nation does not include itself and what it advocates as part of the historical process. Of course, their advocating for Cindy Sheehan would affect the election here. Far more people are fed up with the two-party system than will ever come out in mass media. Here in the Bay Area a Green Party candidate almost won the election a few years ago with next to no funding.
Frankly, I don’t understand why we socialists aren’t more aggressive in attacking the Democrats.
Thanks again,
BL
Oakland, California, USA
23 August 2007
* * *Pelosi promised her voters that change would happen. Fool me once, shame on you. I think Cindy Sheehan’s election is the first step in getting the rats off of the cheese.
PK
24 August 2007