In an op/ed in the Austin American-Statesman, Robert Jensen and Patrick Youngblood of Third Coast point out that while Texas politics is particularly reactionary, the deeper problem is a U.S. political culture that can’t face reality.
We spend little time decrying the ideological fanaticism of Republicans but instead highlight differences between our work on global justice at the Third Coast Activist Resource Center and the Democrats’ conventional wisdom. The reactionary right is more viscerally frightening — especially for immigrants, women and other vulnerable groups — but neither party has a coherent analysis of the cascading crises of our time or meaningful policy prescriptions.
The op/ed highlights the inability of Republicans or Democrats to deal with the crucial problems in ecology, economics, and empire, which means left politics is more important than ever.
Is it unrealistic to pursue left politics in Texas — or anywhere in the United States? Quite the contrary: The ecological crises, economic catastrophes and immorality of empire lead us to conclude that mainstream politics is a dead-end. We remain committed to left politics because we are realistic.
The essay is on the American-Statesman website, but behind a paywall. You can also read it online at the Truthout.