How Progressives Can Move Obama to the Left | 22 comments (22 topical, 0 hidden)
Ok, Cenk. How? (none / 0)

As you mentioned, the polls are already in our favor, and that doesn't do a thing.  When a Progressive with huge media exposure (like Dean) warns Obama, he doesn't listen--he dismisses the argument angrily.  Even if TYT gets super strong and is accepted by everyone as a media giant, there is no reason to believe it will affect Obama (he isn't affected by the primetime Liberals on MSNBC).  I cannot imagine that you feel that calls and letters to the White House are going to suddenly be treated with more weight than Obama's advisors and cabinet are.  Coming elections (and media analysis of them) are just as likely than not to send Obama the wrong message.  And if you are writing this to the politicians (hoping they will grow a spine), it certainly seems like every one of them who would listen to you has already seen you come out against this bill (you and a host of other Progressive pundits), has seen you make rational, detailed arguments against the bill, and has decided to vote "yes" on it anyway.

  So how do we move the island?  I wish I had a billion dollars to spend buying elections for Liberals in Red and Purple states, but I don't.   I wish I could have enough children that the balance would be tipped 18 years from now, but I can't, and it would be too late anyway.  I wish I could knock on doors in Kentucky and persuade people with facts, stats, reason, principle or historical context, but nobody on the other side of the island is coming to our side regardless of what we say. 

  I have already turned against Obama and the Democrats.  You don't need to convince me any further.  So, rather than goals, what is your advice for us to do _now_?
 

by Milltycoon on 12/24/2009 08:17:34 AM EST

Remember when we used to march in the streets? (none / 0)
I know it was a long time ago, but we also burned down a few buildings.  No, I'm not advocating violence.  Anyone who uses violence should lose this battle.

But a lot of that former violence was due to frustration that we weren't being listened to.  And that perception was correct.  The establishment is not willing to listen to us, and will do anything it can to ignore us.

In order to get their attention, we have to make a big stink.

We could have made a big stink with a Sanders filibuster of the Senate's health care pseudo-reform legislation, but it's too late for that now.

We have to convince progressives in Congress that if they do the right thing then we've got their backs.  They have to know that they can count on us not merely with our letters and phone calls, but also with our dollars and with our bodies.  We've got to give them money, and we've got to get our pictures on TV.

Unfortunately, in order to accomplish that, we also need a unifying organization that we don't have now.  During Vietnam, there were three or five primary organizations, even if they were loosely formed, which diseminated information and around which people could rally.  Right now, all we have is MoveOn.org, and it's not much more than a marketing firm.  It's not built for action.

If I knew some others who were similarly inclined, I'd move to California, and hook up with some people who were willing to be poor for a while as they spent all of their time forming an organization around which progressives could rally for action.

I admit that motivating progressives in that way would be difficult.  We've become very comfortable in our Lazy-Boys and have forgotten what it's like to march in the streets.  But it's time that we thought about the welfare of our country again.  And, unlike during Vietnam, we have more to worry about than our lives.

We have to think about our children's futures.

It's time for action and organization.  And like you, Milltycoon, I'm willing to listen to ideas.

So far, there's you and me.  What ideas do you have?

I'm going to try to speak about this at the next meeting that our local leftie/progressive group has.  I want to see what kind of reaction I get.  The problem is that I'll only get two minutes to say what I've got to say, so I've got to make it good.

If we're going to change things, we've got to be out in the streets every day.  I suggest we start with that idea and go from there.

by EveningStarNM on 12/24/2009 08:59:34 AM EST

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When the Media is against you (none / 0)
The People are Powerless

As Churchill said. "There is no Public opinion. Only Published opinion".

"The best lack all conviction, while the worst are filled with passionate intensity."Yeats

by kkdragonlord on 12/02/2010 09:18:27 AM EST

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nice quotation (none / 0)

"There is no Public opinion. Only Published opinion"

 I couldn't agree more with this statement.

John,
silver sandals guide.

by johngiaccardi on 09/27/2011 08:31:16 AM EST

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How Progressives Can Move Obama to the Left | 22 comments (22 topical, 0 hidden)