Martin Peretz tries to pull the Dems back from the cliff

I give him credit. While he still serves a few left-over delusions (his line about Democrats not entertaining pessimism killed me. Most of the pessimists I know are Democrats!) this piece is quite a brave call for an end to the ceaseless boo-hooing, bellyaching, negativism, racial/gender/victim-group pandering and starry-eyed, downright goofy gushing toward the corrupt United Nations that is killing the Democratic party, and the social left.

He’s suggesting that they advance their thinking 30 years, and finally admit that things have changed, that progress has been made, that some arms might be lain down (to – of course, pick up others) and that it might even be intellectually honest, and healthy if (as Peretz does concerning education) the left admits – finally admits – that outside of talk and constantly increasing funding, they have NO ideas to bring to the table, and that their knee-jerk, reactionary opposition to literally any idea (even some good ones) coming from the right is hurting our kids and our future.

It’s going to be interesting to watch the reaction from the left. I predict that some of the usual suspects will sputter and plotz and denounce Peretz for a fool or a coward, or both.

But I bet you’ll hear a low murmur of (reluctant) agreement from a surprising number of liberal voices.

Pendulums swing. Glory days come, and glory days go. When they go, you don’t whine and stomp your feet; you take a look at what didn’t work, and you stop doing that.