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[bryant]

Hey! Why aren’t Democrats winning the culture wars? Because conservatives are supporting college Republicans like this while liberals support college Democrats like this. Note in particular the differences between the Conservative Student Conference schedule and the Young Democrats Association schedule. On the one hand, you have a reception and a tour to Niagara Falls. On the other hand, you have lessons (or, if you like, indoctrination) on criticizing “liberal textbook bias” and becoming “a more effective advocate for your beliefs.” Also, one’s in Buffalo and one is in Washington, DC. Which city is more apropos if you want to encourage new blood to participate in the political process?

Similarly, the progressive left is blowing the Democrats away as far as student organization goes. I suspect some Democrats are blithely assuming that this chunk of the left is breeding future Democratic thinkers. Nope; this is the progressive wing of the left and it’s doing an excellent job of creating future progressive thinkers. Think Green Party.

This post should not be taken as approval of any particular segment of the left, or, for that matter, of the right. It’s just an observation, cause I’ve seen a few Democrats talking about party problems lately. Time to stop bitching about Nader and start recognizing the successful tactics of both the radical left and the radical right.

(Hey, I know I have some readers from outside the US. I am deeply curious about the sort of student outreach that exists in Australia and the UK, if there’s any.)

Comments

[patchworkkid.livejournal.com]

While I'm not exactly plugged in to the student political arena in Australia, I get the impression it's nowhere near as prominent as what you get Stateside. LJ user tcpip might be the one to speak to if you want to know more.

[patchworkkid.livejournal.com]

erudito is another one you might ask, as well.

[jeregenest.livejournal.com]

I think your over-magnifying the effective organization of the Student Left in this country. I do not think they are nearly as well organized or as effectvie as their far-right counterparts. A large part of that has to do with money and stable infrastructure. The stduent left, unlike the stduent right, seems to reinvent itself every 6 years or so. The current student left is nothing like the student left of 6 years ago, though it doesn't seem any mroe vibrant. this lack of continuity is its largest flaw, and probably the reason why it will never be more effectvie than it is. The student-far-right on the other hand has looked pretty similar for at least 18 years.

The question is always will the students on the left turn out to be activists on the left. The last time this happened enmasse was the early 70s (which led to a large chunk of the environmental and some identiy movements). The jury is still out if the crrent batch of student left activists will be more successful at the transition than the activists of the last 20 years. I know my batch didn't end up being that successful at it.

Jere

[bryant]

I'd agree that the student left isn't as well-organized as the far-right, particularly given my own experiences in college. Particularly at UIowa, I watched left-wing factionalism get in the way of practical progress -- there's nothing like watching socialists rejecting union participation to depress one, in my book. (The University was trying to cut down library hours. In fact, the right wing student organizations came to the left-wing organizational meetings with a sincere interest in helping out and got tossed out. Very depressing.)

Still, I think the progressive left is doing a better job of training student activists than the mainstream left. The right is a strong #1, the progressives are a middling #2, and the Democratic Party is limping along behind both of 'em.