SUNDAY, MARCH 5, 2017 ANALYSIS THE LEADING INDEPENDENT DAILY IN THE ARABIAN GULF ESTABLISHED 1961 Founder and Publisher YOUSUF S. AL-ALYAN Editor-in-Chief ABD AL-RAHMAN AL-ALYAN EDITORIAL : 24833199-24833358-24833432 ADVERTISING : 24835616/7 FAX : 24835620/1 CIRCULATION : 24833199 Extn. 163 ACCOUNTS : 24835619 COMMERCIAL : 24835618 P.O.Box 1301 Safat,13014 Kuwait. E MAIL :[email protected] Website: www.kuwaittimes.net Factbox Tea party parallel? Liberals taking aim at their own party our days after Donald Trump’s surprising White House victory, the liberal organization CREDO FAction fired off a frantic warning to its 4.6 million anxious supporters. Their worry wasn’t the new presi- dent. It was his opposition. “Democratic leaders have been welcoming Trump,” the email said. “That’s not acceptable. Democratic leaders need to stand up and fight. Now.” Amid a national surge of anti-Trump protests, boy- cotts and actions, liberals have begun taking aim at a different target: Their own party. Over the past few weeks, activists have formed a number of organizations threatening a primary challenge to Democratic law- makers who offer anything less than complete resist- ance to the Republican president. “We’re not interested in unity,” said Cenk Uygur, the founder of Justice Democrats, a new organization that’s pledged to replace “every establishment politician” in Congress. Washington Watch “We can’t beat the Republicans unless we have good, honest, uncorrupted candidates.” While party leaders have urged Democrats to keep their attacks focused on Trump, the liberal grass roots Disappointed, but not distraught sees the fresh wave of opposition energy as an oppor- By Dr James J Zogby road and did not sink to the level of his attackers, he ning. As I noted, this contest was not about differences in tunity to push their party to the left and wrest power emerged as the leader and unifier, while they have been policy. It was a continuation of the insurgent campaign from longtime party stalwarts. The intraparty pressure ike many other progressives, I was disappointed exposed as dividers and bigots. By naming Keith Ellison run by Bernie Sanders that was focused on reforming our is reminiscent of the tea party movement, where con- that Congressman Keith Ellison lost the election to as Deputy Chair, Tom Perez delivered the ultimate repudi- politics and making the Democratic Party more respon- servative activists defeated several centrist Republican Lbe the next Chair of the Democratic National ation. Another reason not to be distraught is because sive to its grass roots and less attentive to its donor class. incumbents. Their efforts reverberated through the Committee to former Labor Secretary Tom Perez. I was this was never an ideological contest between compet- As Bernie demonstrated in 2016 by raising over $200 mil- 2012 and 2016 presidential elections, forcing candi- disappointed, but not distraught. Here’s why. It was clear ing political philosophies. Progressive ideas didn’t lose. lion from small donors, it is possible for Democrats to be dates to the right on economic issues. from the outset that Keith wouldn’t have an easy go of it. Listening to the debates among those who ran for the competitive by relying on principled ideas, trusted lead- Like Uygur, many founders of the new groups are The party insiders, operatives, and major corporate several leadership positions being contested in this elec- ership, and grass roots organization. supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ presidential cam- donors were never going to surrender the reins of control tion, it became clear that the “Bernie agenda” of the 2016 This movement continues to manifest itself almost paign, eager to continue their effort to remake the without a fight. presidential race has become the dominant program of daily, as evidenced by the mass demonstrations: that Democratic Party. Uygur’s group says they’ve already During the course of the campaign, the Congressman the party. It has eclipsed the now discredited Clinton-era greeted the inauguration of Donald Trump; that gathered found 70 possible candidates who will refuse corporate was subjected to deeply disturbing and even vicious centrist agenda. in airports to welcome refugees and immigrants in defi- campaign donations while running for Congress - chal- attacks. Some disgustingly questioned why Democrats The new Chairman, Tom Perez, will be a champion for ance of Trump’s Executive Orders; that have denounced lenging elected Democrats if needed. Those people are would want to elect an African American Muslim as Chair change. He and Keith Ellison will join together to advo- the new Administration’s Islamophobia and tolerance of now going through candidate training. Democratic offi- when the party needed to win votes from the “white cate for policies that will: support workers’ rights and anti-Semitism; and that have challenged Republican cials from more conservative states worry that those working class”. It was equally troubling that conservative women’s rights; protect the environment; support quality efforts to gut health care reform. primary contests will result in the party holding even elements in the Jewish community baited Keith as anti- health care for all; improve the public education system; Led by Our Revolution and other progressives, this less power in Washington. Israel and shamefully quoted articles he had written as a bring justice to the criminal justice system; and advocate movement is currently running and winning elections on Sen Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat likely to young student, terming him “extremist”, “anti-Semitic” or for policies that keep the American people safe and the local level and in contests for party leadership posts face a tough re-election fight in a state won over- “a bigot”. Building on these attacks, some then questioned secure, while protecting their civil and political rights. in Blue, Red, and Purple states across the country. They whelmingly by Trump, said the effort will make whether with all these “strikes against him”, he could raise When some Democrats said that they wanted the are creating, from the bottom up, a new Democratic Democrats a “super minority” in the Senate. A coalition the funds the party would need to win elections. Chair to be a full-time job, Keith Ellison responded that, if Party, the significance of which will become clear in the named “WeWillReplaceYou” is urging Senate Despite this slander, Keith won 200 votes out of 435 elected, he would resign from his seat in Congress. It’s years to come. Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York to votes cast in the contest. Many who cast their ballot for important that Keith will not now be forced to honor that Given this, I can’t feel distraught. Instead, I’m hopeful. remove Manchin from his new role in the party leader- him were repulsed and embarrassed by the attacks and pledge. He will remain in Congress where his voice as a Democrats have a progressive chair and deputy chair; a ship after Manchin expressed openness to working wanted to send a strong message of support for and con- leader of the Progressive Caucus is needed more than true progressive retains his position in Congress; and the with Trump. “If you want to go ahead and beat me up in fidence in Keith’s leadership. They understood that he ever. In many ways this campaign has served to catapult movement for change is alive and well. The donor class a primary then go ahead,” Manchin said. “All it does is represented a new generation of Democrats and that he Keith into a national leadership role. He didn’t lose. and party “establishment” may have had their last hurrah. take the resources from the general.” was a principled progressive leader who could unify the Instead, he has become a leader in the party and will now Despite the claim of some in this crowd who boast that Even without primaries, the party faces a challeng- party and an effective organizer who knew how to win be an even stronger voice in Congress. they won - their boasts are hollow. The country and the ing political map in 2018. Republicans will be defend- elections. party are changing and there’s no going back to the ing just eight Senate seats, while Democrats must hold While those who slandered Keith are now gloating Beginning “good old days”. NOTE: 23 - plus two filled by independents who caucus with over his defeat, in fact, it is they who were the losers in Finally, there’s no reason to be distraught because the Dr James J Zogby is the President of the Arab them. Ten of those races are in states Trump carried last this contest. Because the Congressman took the high fight to change the party and our politics is just begin- American Institute November. The activists say they’re willing to trade power for conviction. “I’d rather have 44 or 45 awesome Democrats who are lockstep together than 44 or 45 really awesome Democrats and three to four weak- Gaza report risks ‘Mr Security’ reputation kneed individuals who are going to dilute the party,” said Murshed Zaheed, CREDO’s political director. report severely criticizing Israeli Prime Resignation call consistently accused Netanyahu of not shar- Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leader- Opposition leader Isaac Herzog ing information during the war. “The report Shift Aship in the 2014 Gaza war may weak- called for Netanyahu to step gives credit to Bennett (saying) he was ask- They point to a postelection shift among Democrats en the self-styled “Mr Security”, analysts say. down in the wake of the ing the right questions,” Yossi Mekelberg as a sign that their efforts are working. Initially, The state inquiry published Tuesday attacked report.