Chomsky, in other words...

Tony Palmeri has links to a Noam Chomsky interview in which he is critical of Democratic Leadership (as is his right). But, I would like to point out to the 3rd party movers & shakers that like to quote Chomsky this passage in the Wikipedia on Chomsky:

his stance on U.S. elections is that citizens should vote for their local Democrat where this will keep the Republicans out, and support more radical candidates such as the Greens in areas where there is no risk of letting the Republicans win

You may not want to believe it, but an overwhelming amount of Democrats are working for change. While I believe that there are huge differences between the positions of the Democrats and Republicans (most obvious on display here in Wisconsin Legislature), even Chomsky argues:

Professor Chomsky - a linguist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as well as a renowned chronicler of American foreign policy - said there were "small differences" between Senator Kerry and the Republican president. But, in an interview on the Guardian's politics website, he added that those small differences "can translate into large outcomes".

He reserved his especial venom for the Bush administration's plans for the health sector: "The people around Bush are deeply committed to dismantling the achievements of popular struggle through the past century no matter what the cost to the general population."

Where as here in Wisconsin we have two great leaders on the national level for healthcare access, Dave Obey and Russ Feingold. Do you think there is a difference between their policies and Mark Green's, Paul Ryan's or Tom Petri's (all rabid supporters of Medicare Part D)?

As pointed out in an op-ed open letter to Ralph Nader by Tony's friend, Austin King, Chomski said:

Last month, Noam Chomsky told David Barsamian that anyone who says "I don't care if Bush gets elected" is basically telling poor and working people in the country, "I don't care if your lives are destroyed. I don't care if you're going to have a little less money to help your disabled mother. I just don't care, because from my elevated point of view I don't see much difference between them.'" That's a way of saying, "Pay no attention to me, because I don't care about you."

Austin King continues:

So though we do not oppose your running or begrudge you your right to run, we will do all we can to make sure that swing-state voters who would otherwise vote for Kerry do not vote for you on Election Day.

...and...

The world, our nation's poor and disenfranchised, and the people of Madison and the people of Providence - largely among our nation's poor and disenfrachised - cannot afford four more years of Bush. We know voting for you on Election Day will not facilitate Bush's defeat, and we do not understand how voting for you will yield long-term gains for the progressive movement.

Just as putting another Republican in Rep. Underheim's seat will not facilitate change to healthcare in Wisconsin. It will not ensure the continuance af Seniorcare. It will not protect the rights of racial, economic and other minorities.

This is going to have to be a serious, open debate that we have over the next few months...