Webb's trick is to adapt this history of white folk to the categories of contemporary multiculturalism. He turns liberalism's assumptions of ethnic grievance and victimization to the service of people who, in more conventional accounts, have themselves been seen as the victimizers. Webb rails against "the wielders of cultural power such as Hollywood, academia, and major media [who] chip away at the core principles that have defined the traditions and history of [Scots-Irish] people." And now his people are fighting back. "In a society obsessed with multicultural jealousies, those who cannot articulate their ethnic origins are doomed to a form of social and political isolation. My culture needs to rediscover itself, and in doing so to regain its power to shape the direction of America." Using diversity dogma to put the white man back on top--it is a marvelous inversion...Yes... but isn't that a good thing? I find myself rooting for Webb. I want to see what he will do to the Democrats, who are so deeply invested right now in what he might do for them.
[T]he use of multiculturalism to advance the ethnic interests of white people, and the use of warrior rhetoric to discredit the Bush administration's war--might be extremely valuable to Democrats, if they knew what they were doing.
But that's never a safe bet. Webb's right-wing populism and the liberalism of today's Democratic party make for an abrasive fit...
November 6, 2006
"The most sophisticated right-wing reactionary to run on a Democratic ticket since Grover Cleveland."
It's Jim Webb!
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Webb is likely to be populist-a libertarian's worst nightmare. He will rail against free trade and big business and focus on pocketbook issues like raising the minimum wage and universal healthcare while mainly avoiding social issues like affirmative action and when he has to occasionly supporting Republicans on issues like guns or maybe on a Supreme Court appointment.
That said, I hope we never find out what type of Senator is and that Allen wins. Allen is a good Senator with an odd background who has run a bad campaign. While he is partially responsible for some of his own mistakes the national press has been unfair to Allen http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/03/AR2006110301462.html I suspect there will be some more mea culpa's after the election.
For more commentary on this and other things check out my blog http://holdthesenate.blogspot.com/
the prob is not webb; it's that he mighttip the power of the senate to reid/durbin/leahy/kenedy.
a vote for webb is a vote for ted.
Ken, unfortunately it is "railed" as in the past tense. As someone who also goes to a top law school I do enjoy on occasion the bashing of academic elitists. Although I actually find that most people at my law school including faculty as fairly grounded. That said, there is a long history of Democrats (some Republicans as well) running a certain way and than voting another once they built up seniority.
Tom Daschle, Al Gore, Jim Sasser, Max Cleland, and Mark Pryor to name a few. Would it surprise you to know that Al Gore campaigned originally as a pro-lifer?
In Webb's case he is mainly campaigned as a liberal populist domestically (which appeals to a decent number of people but not the majority in VA), it just that the issue in the campaign has been Allen and not Webb, so most people are not aware of Webb's platform.
Please excuse my numerous typos in my last post.
I think Webb may win by a hair. Who knows how he will vote in the future. He could be the Dems worst nightmare, or he could be just another democrat.
It will all come down to Court nominees. If Webb votes for Bush's strict constructionist nominees, he can stay. If he votes against them he reveals his liberalism.
Boy Ken, we could sure commiserate over a beer. I'd describe myself as a fish out of water, except most of my (Top 10 educated) legal peers would only accept sushi, and I'm afraid I'm straight up lake trout.
Don't sweat it though. When you leave dreamland and enter the real world you'll find most practitioners and clients have little use for somebody who wants to apply Critical Race and Gender theory to a breach of contract case. Fearless prediction: your hate will turn to pity within 5 years of graduating from law school. Thanks for reminding me how much of a treasure my more practically minded, non-ideological law profs were.
I live in Virginia, and I disagree that Webb will be a "sophisticated right wing reactionary" that will drive his own party nuts. I get emails every single day from his campaign, which may be the shrillest I have ever experienced. They are straight out of the playbook -- they are "written" by Jack Murtha, Bill Clinton, Al Gore -- I even got one from "John Kerry" before he completely jumped the shark. The only reason Webb is even in this race is because Allen has been so completely inept at being a decent candidate -- the "macaca" incident is a symptom of his campaign's inability to let the wackiness of Webb's campaign (e.g. calling Allen "George Felix Allen" all the time, as if your given names are something to be ashamed of) slide. Allen has a record, and a solid majority of Virginians appear to think it's fine. They are really turned off by Allen's ineptitude during the campaign, however, and independent types are leaning toward Webb because he is a person of substance. I intend to hold my nose and vote for Allen, for precisely the reasons stated by reliapundit -- chairman Leahy scares the hell out of me.
Wouldn't it be ironic if a victory for an old chauvinist-meant a victory for the world's oldest chauvinists?
There is a younger generation of military that see through Webb and call him out as a pig, and see through the NR types arguments and belief when they back Webb on Tailhook.
Tailhook went well beyond what the NRO and Webb alliance want you to believe.
But then again you could still believe that Iran Contra ended with a LTC....
Think I'll pass on waiting for the Webb Revolution-for women.
Wouldn't it be ironic if a victory for an old chauvinist-meant a victory for the world's oldest chauvinists?
What do the Chinese have to do with this? :)
I'm conservative and I want the Republicans to retain control of the Senate. However, I agree that electing James Webb might not be a bad thing if it prompts even a few Democrats to think seriously about the war on terror. The only thing they've done so far is say they are against war - any war - and while this kind of peace-loving view of life is quaint, it's not at all practical or realistic.
If we want to be a nation of Gandhis, we better make sure we're fighting a civlized nation like the British. Otherwise we don't have a chance.
Actually because military service seems to be multi-generational-I know old retired guys that would kick his testicles up into his tonsils for saying what he did about their daughters....
A guy like my dad. But then my dad having served in three wars knows that some gals have more of the right stuff than guys and he learned through the military not to judge people by color, race or creed.
Sex too.
Oh and a lot of the old guard believes in a thing called honor.
Webb will bring a welcome note of diversity to the large group of white men that make up the Senate.
Everyone should just get real. George Allen is an idiot. If it were possible to kill a political career twice, he would find a way to do it. I don't necessarily like Jim Webb, but Allen just doesn't have what it takes to take the next step...and we'd all be better off if his career ended tomorrow, instead of the Republican Party nominating him, my party not fielding someone competitive and getting another George.
His book "Born Fighting" tells a lot about his ancestry, specifically the Scots-Irish.
When I heard he would run as a Democrat, I thought it would be as a Jacksonian Democrat and wondered how a real Jacksonian would ever get along with the modern Democrat party.
If the majority and the war weren't so crucial, I'd probably root for him too.
looking for liberals (and conservatives) who like to debate the other side....feel free to come by and say hi...tomorrow could be a good day to do that
Seven, I'm not a millionaire, so that leaves my lazy ass right out of the Senate. What crawled up your ass and ate your sense of humor?
Elizabeth, you listed only one of the prerequisites for a senatorial campaign. You're also obviously lacking in the egotistical lunacy and latent masochism requirements also.
I don't think Webb will be able to accomplish much as a freshman, nor will he wield much influence. Especially if Republicans hold, or the Democrats win by a very small margin. There will be legislative gridlock. (Hooray!)
This is making me sick. Save the ethnic strife for Europeans.
Fenrisulven: Why hasn't WaPo done any research on Webb's term as Sec of Navy? He served ten months and then resigned? If true, why? Was he forced out?
From the Weekly Standard articled linked in this post: Webb resigned "only when Reagan ordered cuts in the military budget that threatened the Reaganite goal of a 600-ship Navy."
From Wikipedia: Webb "resigned as Secretary of the Navy after refusing to agree to reduce the size of the Navy."
If Webb is elected Senator, I predict he'll quit after ten months.
Wouldn't be the first time. ')
Wow! The Weekly Standard?
You're not even fucking trying anymore, are you, you blithering idiot?
The first think the Dems will do is push Webb into a corner. If that does not work , they will try to castrate him so he will be more like them. So , if Webb wins, it will be a lot of fun to watch.
For background on what Webb is saying about the Scots-Irish and the Jacksonian world view, read Bradley Graham's article The Jacksonian Tradition - Walter Russell Mead and American Foreign Policy"in the winter 1999 issue of The National Interest. It can be found at
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2751/is_1999_Winter/ai_58381618
The interface is a bit clunkly and the best way to read it is by hitting the "print" button, which does not print but produces a printer friendly version of the text.
As for Grover Cleveland - well, a good bio is "An Honest President: The Life and Presidencies of Grover Cleveland" by H. P. Jeffers.
You're also obviously lacking in the egotistical lunacy and latent masochism requirements also.
Joan, thank you. And if I did have a million dollars, I would buy a pony and ride far and fast from any desire to run for office.
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