Time to Build

This article, meshes well with what I am reading right now Iraq: The Borrowed Kettle by Zizek. It deals with the need to create something to replace the now defunct concept of Liberalism. (I might first ask the question: is Liberalism(*) dead in the US because it is truly irrelevant? Or, was it murdered, (or perhaps merely marginalized) by media propaganda?) Whatever the case, the New Whatever, I think, must strive to end exploitation and employ a moral and justifiable international policy. Beyond that, I agree with the need for more local production and governance as presented in the interview.

(*) I refer to this definition of liberalism:
A political theory founded on the natural goodness of humans and the autonomy of the individual and favoring civil and political liberties, government by law with the consent of the governed, and protection from arbitrary authority. dictionary.com

In the meantime, I also like the idea of how to put the conservative extremists back on their heels:

[The] first thing is to fight, and the second is to provide bold solutions that may lose – that may lose badly. Let’s say that the first $80,000 of everyone’s income should be tax-free. Let’s offer to pay a mother and father to stay at home and raise their child. Let them fight against motherhood. Alternet Article

A similar tactic is touched upon in another (short) article I read this morning from Buzzflash.

I’m not sure what Zizek would think about using these tactics (I haven’t finished the book yet.) He seems to caution against the Left buying into the system, and giving up the moral high-ground. Nonetheless, we need something for now to raise our spirits. Even if it only amounts to some minor rhetorical victories along the way, they may provide some amount of ‘political capital’ to be cashed in for the 2006 elections.