An Apology, and a Choice That Isn't Much of a Choice

20 Apr 2017

A Black Agenda Radio Commentary by BAR managing editor Bruce A. Dixon

In a March 15 commentary I erroneously clamed that Our Revolution had endorsed corporate Democrat Jon Ossoff. I was incorrect, and offer my sincere apology for the error. In yesterday's special election closely watched by the entire nation and billed as a referendum on Donald Trump, Democrat Jon Ossoff almost became the first Democrat elected from that district in 39 years. He'll stand in a June 20 runoff against the Republican. But when the choice is a pro privatization, pro-war Republican and a pro privatization pro war Democrat is that really a choice at all?

A Sincere Apology, and a Choice That Isn't Much of a Choice

A Black Agenda Radio Commentary by BAR managing editor Bruce A. Dixon

I want to take this opportunity to offer the good people at Our Revolution a sincere apology, for asserting in a March 15 commentary that they had endorsed Jon Ossoff, the Democratic congressional candidate in Georgia’s 6th district, where I live. The fact is that Our Revolution did not endorse Mr. Ossoff. I’m a big boy so I will offer no excuses, and I cannot blame my error on anyone else, the fault is mine and mine alone.

All that working people have in this world are each other and our reputations, so this is not the kind of thing we take lightly at Black Agenda Report. Both the print and audio versions of the erroneous March 15 commentary will be corrected today, with a notation at their beginning indicating the nature of the correction, and again I offer my sincere apology.

Of course I will not apologize to Jon Ossoff, who narrowly missed being the first Democrat to represent this district in 39 years. Ossoff will face Republican Karen Handel in a June 20 runoff election, and the nation will be watching. Corporate media and corporate Democrats will portray the contest as a referendum on Donald Trump. They will encourage us to confuse the Democratic party label with opposition to the military budget and runaway privatization of roads, schools and nearly everything else in sight. They’ll trot out their old tired sainted John Lewis, who blessed Hillary Clinton. But Jon Ossoff is a corporate Democrat.

While the 6th district urgently need mass transit expansion, they’re now building privatized express lanes on interstates 75 and 575 right through the heart of the 6th district. Privatizing the interstates is apparently OK with Jon Ossoff since he doesn’t say a word about it. As far as we know, Jon Ossoff does not support Medicare For All, the only practical alternative to the high premiums and spotty coverage of Obamacare, and the meaner version of Obamacare pushed by Republican Speaker Paul Ryan. Ossoff brags incessantly about his experience in “national security” as if the national security policies of the past decade and more have the nation more instead of less secure, and touts his willingness to work with Republicans to see our money isn’t wasted. That’s codespeak for Republicans who want to sound like Republicans, and Democrats who want to sound like Republicans.

It looks like we’ll be choosing between a pro-privatization Republican and a pro-privatization Democrat, between a pro-war Republican and a pro-war Democrat, between a Republican who opposes Medicare For All and a Democrat who does the same, between a Republican who’s against free tuition and a Democrat who agrees with her.

The 6th district congressional election will be between a real Republican and a fake one. Harry Truman used to say that when you give people a choice between a real Republican and a fake one they choose the real one every time. President Trump is so widely hated that Ossoff may disprove this old saying. But in Georgia on June 20, as across the country time after time, the labels Republican and Democrat are distinctions without a difference.

Bruce A. Dixon is managing editor at Black Agenda Report and a state committee member of the Ga Green Party.

More Stories