{"id":28164,"date":"2021-02-05T22:51:22","date_gmt":"2021-02-05T22:51:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/realprogressives.org\/?p=39198"},"modified":"2021-02-05T22:51:22","modified_gmt":"2021-02-05T22:51:22","slug":"why-a-minimum-acceptable-compromise-matters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2021\/02\/05\/why-a-minimum-acceptable-compromise-matters\/","title":{"rendered":"Why A Minimum Acceptable Compromise Matters"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cDesigned to leave the world’s economic destiny at the mercy of bankers and multinational corporations, Globalization is a logical extension of imperialism, a victory of empire over republic, international finance capital over democracy.\u201d <\/em><\/p>Michael Parenti, Against Empire <\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

I want to start by defining a term. I know it is fully possible others have thought of this concept, but\u00a0as of yet, I haven\u2019t seen the concept enter progressive, leftist, or mainstream discourse. The term is ‘minimum acceptable compromise.’ The definition\u00a0I am\u00a0coining is inherently tied to politics and the idea of progress.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minimum Acceptable Compromise [MAC] (phrase\/noun):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. The minimum acceptable policy solution to ___________ problem or crisis.\u00a0
    <\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
    \n
      \n
    1. Anything less than the MAC is not worth the energy to fight for; winning a reform or program less effective or progressive than the MAC ultimately diffuses and obfuscates progress towards a better society.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0

      <\/span><\/li>\n
    2. The existence of a MAC implies a known or unknown \u201ceven better\u201d solution.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0

      <\/span><\/li>\n
    3. Examples:
      <\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\n
        \n
      1. Public Option healthcare is below the minimum acceptable compromise of\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Medicare For All<\/span><\/span><\/a>.

        <\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
      2. PatriotCare<\/span><\/span>, an American NHS<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0is a known \u201ceven better\u201d solution to the crisis of lack of healthcare in America.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0

        <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
      3. The minimum acceptable position,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>as\u00a0<\/span><\/span>adopted in rhetoric and advocacy.

        <\/span><\/span>\n
          \n
        1. Anything less than the MAC is indicative of watering-down and lack of passion<\/span><\/span>\u00a0or backbone<\/span><\/span>\u00a0in fighting for _____________ issue.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0

          <\/span><\/li>\n
        2. Great litmus test for whether to support a certain politician.\u00a0
          <\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
        3. Examples:
          <\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\n
            \n
          1. Warnock, Biden, &\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Ossoff<\/span><\/span>\u00a0campaigned in GA<\/span><\/span><\/a>, themselves setting a minimum acceptable compromise of new, $2,000 dollar stimulus checks for every American.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0

            <\/span>\n
              \n
            1. The \u201ceven better\u201d position is the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>A<\/span><\/span>utomatic\u00a0<\/span><\/span>B<\/span><\/span>OOST to\u00a0<\/span><\/span>C<\/span><\/span>ommunities<\/span><\/span>\u00a0act,<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0which would provide\u00a0<\/span><\/span>$<\/span><\/span>2,000\u00a0<\/span><\/span>per person one-time followed by\u00a0<\/span><\/span>$<\/span><\/span>1,000 monthly<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>(most likely\u00a0<\/span><\/span>retroactive to\u00a0<\/span><\/span>M<\/span><\/span>arch 2020<\/span><\/span>)<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0

              <\/span><\/li>\n
            2. The \u201ceven better\u201d than #1 position is $2,000 checks monthly, retroactive to March 2020. Legislation\u00a0<\/span><\/span>known as the Monthly Economic Crisis Support Act was introduced<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0by now-VP – then Senator Harris, as well as Senator Sanders and Senator Markey to do that during the election season.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0

              <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
            3. #DefundThePolice
              <\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\n
                \n
              1. A position indicating significant reduction in municipal budgets for police forces and distribution of those programs to social safety nets.
                \u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
              2. Was originally intended as a step to the \u201ceven better\u201d\u00a0<\/span>position<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>of #AbolishThePolice.<\/span><\/span><\/a>
                \u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
              3. Has been watered down by liberals to mean basically nothing.
                \u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
              4. Anything less than the MAC isn\u2019t worth the time and energy to support; further compromise is detrimental to progress and causes more harm in the long run.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                The MAC\u00a0is an essential litmus test. Voting and advocating for vague ‘lesser evil’ or ‘harm reduction’ has directly dragged America right since at least Reagan. In 2021, the effects of ‘harm reduction’ voting are already being felt by the Biden\/Harris administration.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Biden has used executive power to, among other things, issue 31 new oil\u00a0permits\u00a0and\u00a0expand the kids in cages (now called the shiny term\u00a0‘unaccompanied migrant children in overflow facilities’) –\u00a0including at a facility Trump closed<\/a>,\u00a0and we\u2019re barely two weeks in.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \"Regular<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n


                He\u2019s also refused to use executive power to unilaterally cancel all student loan debt, something he or\u00a0                the secretary of education can do without Congress<\/a>. So many promises broken already, and we haven\u2019t gotten\u00a0into the $2,000 checks debacle.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Supporting Biden was below my personal MAC, and it should have been the same for all progressives. We need to get serious about strategy. Frankly, Trump was far easier to push around and far less imperialistic than Biden and Harris. Trump was the only modern president to ramp down the endless wars, pulling troops out of Afghanistan<\/a>, Germany, and Somalia<\/a>, failing at coup attempts<\/a>, and not starting a single new war. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Biden has been President for less than three weeks, and has already halted orders to remove troops from Germany<\/a> and ordered a review of troop withdrawals in Afghanistan<\/a>, refused to recognize the rightfully elected president of Venezuela \u2013 only recognizing<\/a> the puppet we installed in a coup attempt<\/a>, and so much worse.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Former defense lobbyist and Raytheon Board member turned Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was put in charge of reviewing the troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and his department is claiming Al-Qaeda has grown in strength and supporters. Is it not odd that a defense lobbyist, now in charge of the world\u2019s largest and most powerful military (in most respects) and his department are indirectly banging the drums for more deployment of troops and increased conflict? War, after all, is a racket, a great business opportunity.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                We are also supposed to believe top Biden officials saying Iran is, once again, \u201cweeks away\u201d from having a \u201cnuclear bomb.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \"Graphical<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n


                Biden is getting ready to start more conflicts that will likely lead to WWIII, and once\u00a0he starts them,\u00a0he will\u00a0accomplish what Trump could not: war with Iran.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                In the context of the Democratic Primaries and the presidency, Bernie Sanders was the minimum acceptable compromise. Voting ‘blue no matter who’ has led to expanded fascism\u00a0and imperialism and it hasn\u2019t even been\u00a0three\u00a0weeks yet. Don\u2019t forget, Biden wants to sacrifice kids and teachers at the altar of the almighty stocks and is rushing the country into re-opening schools.\u00a0Biden\u2019s CDC director is\u00a0gaslighting\u00a0the nation into believing schools can be safely re-opened\u00a0without vaccines.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \n

                President Biden\u2019s CDC Director highlights data suggesting schools can safely go back without teacher vaccinations. It\u2019s time Maryland counties immediately re-open schools. pic.twitter.com\/dIkXOPNrOG<\/a><\/p>— Rep. Andy Harris, MD (@RepAndyHarrisMD) February 3, 2021<\/a><\/blockquote>