Doctor Atomic page 18 November 2008 http://gcadvocate.org [email protected] ALSO INSIDE What’s Happening to America?: Bill Ayers, Chalmers Johnson, Amiri Baraka (page 11) Grad Life: Coming Down from the Ivory Tower (page 6) FROM THE editor’s desk November 2008 The Road Ahead http://gcadvocate.org Despite the bitter acrimony, the racist quintessential nadir of low governance— points out in this issue of the GC Advo- [email protected] mobs, the comic distractions, and the a position from which everything looks cate (see page 14) the differences are im- CUNY Graduate Center absurd lack of substance that has defined better, more hopeful and optimistic. portant and criticizing Obama is a coun- the 2008 presidential campaign, one of From this position, Obama’s message terproductive exercise. However, despite Room 5396 the most fascinating and unexpected de- of change seems to have resonated almost the obvious policy differences and the 365 Fifth Avenue velopments of this election cycle is the messianically with the average American more obvious ideological and even intel- New York, NY 10016 recent and surprisingly palpable feeling voter, and indeed Barack Obama’s incred- lectual differences between the two, we (212) 817-7885 among so many voters that something ible rise to political stardom has been an must be wary of placing too much hope meaningful and potentially momentous inspiring story; and his remarkably well in a candidate who, like his Democratic EDITOR-IN-CHIEF is on the horizon. Whether this some- fought and rhetorically elegant cam- and Republican brethren, is so deeply James Hoff thing new is not simply a slick repack- paign—consider his Philadelphia speech ensconced in the corporate political sys- aging of something old is a fair and, let’s on race, which, as Tim Krause notes (see tem. Like other Democratic politicians MANAGING EDITOR face it, absolutely necessary question— page 20) was as rhetorically elegant as before him, Obama, should he win on the Michael Busch the cover of this month’s GC Advocate Lincoln and King—leaves one with the 4th, will likely find himself so tied to the makes a case for this kind of practically sense that he may actually be the real deal real Democratic Party platform that the LAYOUT EDITOR pessimistic approach. and more than just another Democratic possibility of meaningful change will be- Mark Wilson However, it has become increasingly politician. But at least for now, until he come quickly lost and/or watered down difficult—even for skeptical third party proves otherwise, Obama is a Democrat among the give and take of the political MEDIA BOARD CHAIR advocates like myself—not to get caught and a skilled politician, and despite the process. Like The Wire’s Mayor Carcetti, Rob Faunce up in the idea that our nation stands at rhetoric of change, his policy positions, whose ideological enthusiasms are de- a potentially historic crossroads. Despite those of which he has been willing to voured by the calculations and compro- CONTRIBUTORS the last eight years of Democratic and make a case for, have been consistently mises of the Baltimore political machine, Bill Ayers Republican incompetence, despite the middle of the road. Obama’s real political potential may just Amiri Baraka botched and stolen elections, the cow- His health care policy, for instance, quietly fade once he gets into office. In ardly Congress, the immovable Senate, while potentially a first step in the direc- this sense it will be critically important Frank Episale and the Bush administration’s record- tion of a national health care system is like that, at least for the first hundred days, Jesse Goldstein breaking streak of criminal malfeasance, nearly every health care plan proposed by the Left throw its weight behind Obama Chalmers Johnson it still seems possible, and almost inevi- a major party candidate in the last twelve and remain vigilant and demanding, but Tim Krause table, that we may finally be on the verge years, woefully inadequate. It does noth- the real impetus for change is not going Matt Lau of something positive—that the news ing to tackle the fraud and waste of pri- to come from the Democrats or the Left. Clay Matlan coming out of Washington may for once vate insurance companies, while offering The real potential of an Obama presi- Renée McGarry be good. In fact it is precisely because little help to businesses, whose health dency and the real potential for positive Steven Pludwin of these sad precedents that the idea of care costs, make it increasingly difficult change is, ironically, going to depend less Alison Powell something better seems almost inevi- to compete with their foreign counter- on who Obama is and more on the state table. Perhaps we have finally reached a parts who operate out of countries with of the nation come January 20th. It is no Justin Rohers-Cooper nationalized health care. The reasons for secret, after all, that this economic crisis Mark Schiebe this are so obvious that it almost goes has been a boon for the Obama campaign Harriet Zanzibar Correction without saying: the health insurance in- and it is clear that the longer it goes on, dustry is one of the most powerful lob- and the more desperate the public be- PUblICATION INFO bies in the nation and both candidates comes, the less they are going to continue TheGC Advocate is the student have received ample contributions. Like- to hiss and boo at the concept of redistrib- newspaper of the CUNY Grad- wise Obama’s position on military spend- uting the wealth. The more people who uate Center and is published ing is arguably mainstream conservative are laid off and find themselves without seven times a year. Publication and is almost indistinguishable from health care, the fewer people there will be is subsidized by Student Ac- McCain’s. Like McCain, Obama supports concerned about the socialist threat of la- tivities Fees and the Doctoral an increasingly large military and mili- bor unions and national health care; and Students’ Council. tary budget. Loren Thompson, a defense the more banks that go bust, the fewer analyst with the Lexington Institute, told executives there will be willing or able SUbmISSIONS McClatchy Newspapers that “Tempera- to lobby against greater regulation. One The GC Advocate accepts con- mentally, Senators Obama and McCain way or another Obama, should he win on tributions of articles, illustra- are very different on defense. But when Tuesday, is going to inherit a long list of tions, photos and letters to the you read the details of their defense posi- troublesome and increasingly dire eco- editor. Please send queries to tions, they are remarkably similar,” add- nomic, social, and environmental prob- the email address above. ing “Whether we get Obama or McCain, lems. In this sense he may very well find Articles selected for publica- we will get a bigger military.” None of himself positioned, thanks in part to the Nikolas Kozloff (honest) tion will be subjected to edi- this is to suggest that there is no differ- increased power of the executive carved torial revision. Writers who Last month’s book review in the Advocate, ence between McCain and Obama, but out by Bush and Rove, in one of the most contribute articles of 1,000 “The New Left Looks East,” was accom- only to suggest that their similarities are momentous periods in presidential his- words will be paid $50 and panied by a photograph of a man erro- greater than they may seem, and that like tory. Only then will he have the mandate those who submit longer ar- neously identified as Nikolas Kozloff. In all major party candidates, they are both and the public support to break the chains ticles requiring research will fact, the photograph was of Steve Stein, a bound by the corporations and lobbies of both parties and actually potentially receive $75. We also pay for leading authority of Peruvian history. The that have paved the way for their can- live up to the hype he’s been generating photographs and artwork. Advocate regrets the error. didacies. As Amiri Baraka passionately for the last four years. The GC Advocate is published seven times a year, in Septem- Turn the musings of ber, October, November, De- Don’t submit your mind into manna cember, February, March, and for the masses. Write April. Submissions should be for the Advocate. sent in by the middle of the month. Print copies will nor- CONTRIBUTE [email protected] mally be on the stacks around the end of the month. Page —GC Advocate— November 008 political analysis The Other November Election MICHAel BUSCH livarian Revolution looks vulnerable Venezuela’s Troubled Economy the end of 2007 to between six and seven As Venezuela prepares to mark the to defeat. The economy is in serious The election comes at a particularly percent in the first quarter of 2008. One tenth anniversary of its Bolivarian Rev- distress; public support for the Chávez tumultuous period in the country’s re- problem has been a slowdown in indus- olution, Hugo Chávez has little cause regime is wilting; state nationalizations cent history. While a number of factors trial production. Another has been the for celebration. His stewardship of the have repelled potential investment; and have been isolated to explain Venezuela’s steep decline in foreign investment. Ac- state economy has largely resulted in government policies have largely re- current problems, the locus of trouble cording to the Economic Commission failure: income inequality is on the rise fused to conform to the necessities of is the economy. Until the global finance for Latin America and the Caribbean, while poverty reduction has not kept reality.