This message was self-deleted by its author

[Jackpine Radical]

186. What is a "stunt?"

A gesture that is unlikely to result in immediate success?

Was it a stunt when the Billionaires for Bush engaged in a little theatre to make their point about Oligarchy? Of COURSE it was.
But it wasn't a pointless stunt.

Bernie has periodically proposed legislation that is close to his heart, even though he knows that it won't pass at the time of its introduction. A stunt? Yes, I guess you could say so, depending on your definition of "stunt."

What would you prefer that he do? Sit on the back bench and keep shut up?

Back in the teens & 20's, the Democratic Socialists used to run candidates like Gene Debs & platforms advocating pie-in-the-sky notions like workmen's comp, unemployment comp, and Social Security. It was ridiculous. Not only would they fail to get elected, but none of those platform planks had the proverbial snowball's chance in Hell of passing.

Then one maverick state, under the baleful influence of Bob LaFollette and his evil band of Progressives, passed some of those things. Eventually they became law across the land.

I think Gandhi engaged in stunts too. Like that salt strike nonsense.

Sometimes you have to do "stunts" to pry the Overton Window open a little wider, knowing that it still won't be quite wide enough to shove your platform through, but the widening itself is an incremental act.