Liberals used to be exciting; we tended to think outside of the box and we believed in the power of advocacy. We championed peace; fought for justice; attacked racism and sexism with gusto. But not any more, here lately we whine a lot about what President Obama has not accomplished and insist that he needs to be more aggressive.
I think phrases like "be more aggressive" are meaningless. Be more agressive in what way? What would you have Obama do that he has not done on those issues? He has no authority to compel Congress to do anything. To get the cooperation of Congress is a process of negotiation; there is no presidential authority to push any legislation through Congress.
What would you have him do? I want to know precisely what it is any of the folks who keep saying that the president should be more aggressive on progressive issues want him to do? I don't mean some nebulous concept such as act tough, I mean what specific actions do you think that he should take that he has not taken? He supports repealing DADT and has said as much to Congress; he even got the military leadership to state that it favored repealing DADT. What now, pimp slap John McCain and the other recalcitrant senators?
Some assert that this administration should prosecute the former administration for its use of torture. The actions of the previous administration were immoral but they were argubably within the parameters of executive authority and not, therefore, prosecutable. As for the Patriot Act, bad law but once again it is not within the authority of the president to simply declare that it no longer exists. Guess who? Congress. Instead of undermining the president, how about we direct our resources towards holding Congress accountable and insisting on changes.
Some of my friends insist that the president's efforts at bipartisanship are a demonstration of weakness. They think that we need to be tougher, adapt the tactics of the right for our own use. I reject that notion, not because I'm interested in making nice; I'm interested in accomplishing our goals. How does stooping to the same level of deception, rudeness, and unethical standards as the right, move forward a progressive agenda?
The one thing upon which liberals appear to agree is that the left is more intellectually astute than the right. Frankly, I don't believe that this is an absolute, but liberals pride themselves on being thinkers. Exactly to whom does a policy that adapts the approach of the right appeal? It doesn't appear likely that the intelligent minded folks on the left will be influenced by negative strategies; besides, they are already on our side. So who are we trying to influence?
As for the Tea Party, it is a lost cause and there is nothing that the left can say that will sway them to change their position. Calling the right on the lies that it perpetrates may provide some personal satisfaction but it will not change their minds. You can't show them that they are wrong. It's a waste of effort. Their beliefs aren't based on logic; no matter how many facts you present to the Tea Party faithful they will continue to believe what they want to believe. For heaven's sakes, these people believe that Obama is a Muslim, a socialist, and a supporter of the terrorists in spite of there being nothing to support these allegations and everything to contradict them!
The progresive left needs to focus on the independents and young people who played a key role in winning the presidential election in 2008. Is the dumbed down, angry attack mode of the right really going to be an effective tool in persuading the disenchangted progresives who were so enthused in 2008 to rally? Is engaging in a shouting match with the right to assign blame really an effective strategy for influencing these intelligent, undecided people?
We don't need the Tea Party in order to win in November but we do need those disillusioned independents and young people who put Obama over the finish line in 2008. Those are the people who are threatening not to vote; those are the people who feel betrayed. They are disillusioned and tired.
Long time liberals will snarl and complain but we will still vote, but without these disillusioned folks, our votes won't be enough and the TP will triumph. So how do we rev up the independents, the "this is the first time I've ever voted in 30 years crowd," the idealistic young, how do we get them to replicate the dedication that they displayed in 2008? Somehow, I don't think that a lot of whining and complaining because unrealistic expectations have not been met will get them to come back to the fold.
All of this leftist carping isn't a minor thing. We have to get these people back. We can't afford for them to sit out the upcoming elections. We have to help them see a reason to have hope. 2008 was alll about hope; now progressives have turned into a whining, bitter bunch out for blood. I don't object to this solely because I personally find such behavior childish but because it is not only useless, it's counterproductive. It only confirms for the disillusioned that there's nothing worth fighting for because hope is a myth and change is impossible. If I believed that, I'd stay home on election day too.
We cannot afford to suck the life out of the progressive movement with sour attitudes and a sullen sense of defeat before the battle is even fought. The next time that someone challenges Obama's effectiveness in his less than two years as president, give them this link to 244 things that Obama has accomplished thus far. Then direct them over to his recent interview in Rolling Stone Magazine. If you need a fact sheet explaining why the repeal of DADT is not within the president's power, let me know. I've generated one and will be happy to send it to you. Don't waste your efforts on TP members but do remind those who voted for Obama in 2008 that change has always been incremental and that the president is moving us in the right direction. Most of all, pick yourself up, stop whining, and remember that at the bottom of Pandora's box, when all the evils of the world had been released was a bright and shining creature called "Hope."
I would hate it if the President pimp slapped McCain; I want to be the one to do that.
ReplyDeleteThis is eloquent and wonderful, Sheria. And it's a roadmap for the next month. If I am fortunate enough to be asked by a young voter, I will pass along your recommendations. And, if you don't mind, I will also send them to this post.
On DADT, when leaders like Pelosi make promises about repealing that law, it oversimplifies the issue in the minds of the public. When a senator who has assumed the role of Mr. DOD filibusters a Defense Authorization Act in war time to block the repeal of DADT, the issue is further confused. While I think I basically understand what has to happen next, I would welcome your fact sheet. It may be helpful, come December, when the issue has a hope of reconsideration. Could you publish it here?
I always learn so much from your posts.
Wait just a minute -- y'all have to get in line to pimp slap McCain. I'm first!!! LOL
ReplyDeleteI'm not disillusioned with Obama. I'm just tired of the idiots who expected him to perform miracles (or did someone see him walking on the White House pool?) and fix everything 10 minutes after he took office. I think he's on task and hopefully be able to accomplish more after the mid-term elections and that's why I'm working for my Congressman's re-election.
Excellent post, Sheria, and it couldn't come at a better time. IMHO, many Democrats are showing their asses, as well as their ignorance about how politics works in the real world. And the process is no different now than it was back in the "good ole days." In short, too many Demos are acting like spoiled little brats.
ReplyDeleteThis country has survived many attacks from right-wing extremist groups but not by staying home on election day.
I do not even try to convince a tea bugger of the errors of their ways, but I think it's important not to ignore their lies and it is imperative that we call attention to them. The extremists won't get it but the "undecideds" might.
I am STILL 110% behind Obama...
ReplyDeleteBut, I do think that we need to listen to the anger from both the right and the left and we need to understand that the anger is real.
Besides unemployment we also have wage stagnation then we turn around and bailout Wall Street and we do a Stimulus program that is approximately 70% tax cuts and the reality is nothing has changed.
Americans are frustrated at Government because it seems that everything it does benefits a few at the expense of the rest.
The Wall Street Bailout, Financial Reform, and Health Care Reform and all of them seem to benefit everyone except for us individual citizens.
THATS the real problem...and thats the whole basis of the Tea Baggers...they are tired of paying for benefits for other people...
Sheria,
ReplyDeleteI think it's fair to say that President Obama has accomplished more in a few years than he had any business accomplishing, given the advanced state of republic-rot in which these United States stand. How is one even supposed to govern when one of the two major parties is completely given over to insanity, nihilism, and extreme authoritarianism all in one unpalatable package? I mean, really! – the administration suggests that Medicare should pay for one's consulting in advance with lawyers about end-of-life care, and the foolish, goaded on by sinister politicians who stand to gain from their paranoia, start screaming about death-panels. That's just one example, but it will do. Bottom line: the aforesaid foolish folk just plain can't distinguish between feelings and facts, between arguments based on reason and blubbering driven by fear, rage, bigotry, you name it.
As for the tactics of the right, I would agree that adopting their unintelligent manner and practices isn't the way to go. But I also opine that the so-called Left has forgotten the power of good-old-fashioned humiliation. When people talk stupid in areas of life where stupidity might actually hurt others, there's really no shame or dishonesty in telling them (loudly and not too politely) to sit down and STFU because they don't know what they're talking about. We have reached a sorry pass – there isn't even an expectation of rationality in our political discourse, let alone a close approximation of that quality. So I'm all for the Barney Franks of the Democratic Party telling the 'Baggery that they're about as engaging to talk to as a dining room table. That's what the right honorable Representative from Massachusetts did to one citizen during all the hubbub over health-insurance reform, and it seemed pretty effective to me. You can't negotiate with Mammonists over the welfare of the nation, and you can't speak reason to people who don't recognize it when they hear it. You can, of course, speak reason to and with your own side, and we should, as you say, be doing that as often as possible.
I am delighted that I found y'all here. The discourse is wonderful! And yeah, I'd love that DADT fact sheet!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI certainly intend to vote, wrote letters, sign petitions, and do everything that can be done to forestall bigots and idiots from taking over Congress; but I would be less than candid if I failed to say: I grow weary and dispirited. I am not blaming Obama or the Democrats; I am tired of standing up to demagogues who treat politics as an act of war. I feel abused by the system. Part of me wants to lash out in anger; and part of me wants expatriate, the latter winning out.
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