MICHAEL PARADIES SHOOB
Shoob, co-director (with Joseph Mealey) of the recent documentary film about Karl Rove titled “Bush’s Brain,” commented today: “I would say that the ‘mark’ of a Rove operation is absolute control, no leaks, no visible dissent. And, it would seem to me that the resignation of Colin Powell and the wholesale purge of dissenting voices at the CIA indicate the kind of consolidation of power by the White House that Rove is looking to create. Also, Rove has been very successful in portraying anyone who disagrees with the administration as either ‘evil’ or ‘unpatriotic.’ That will continue. Rove has said that he would prefer for Americans to watch their news with the sound ‘off.’ So, I think he will continue to look for every opportunity to run a John Wayne ‘white hats versus black hats’ movie from the White House.”
More Information

GAR ALPEROVITZ
Alperovitz, a professor of political economy at the University of Maryland, is author of the new book America Beyond Capitalism: Reclaiming Our Wealth, Our Liberty, and Our Democracy. He said today: “The election of 2004 marks a turning point for Democrats and progressives. But the key to their future is not simply a matter of better ‘framing’ of their message or finding a way to appeal to Americans concerned with moral values. Clearly a new long-term strategy is needed if they are ever to regain positive momentum. This requires the kind of profound reassessment of first principles and broad vision which conservatives undertook when they were sidelined and out of power in the 1950s and 1960s.” Alperovitz also said: “If we are ever to deal with the great social and economic issues facing the nation … progressives will also have to rethink some fundamental assumptions at the very core of the political economic system — especially those concerning control of the nation’s extraordinary wealth. Fortunately, the beginnings of such a process are well underway. Moreover, just beneath the surface of most media reporting, a variety of on-the-ground efforts offer new ways to give practical meaning to strategies which have far-reaching implications for longer term progressive economic renewal.”
More Information

For more information, contact at the Institute for Public Accuracy:
David Zupan, (541) 484-9167