I love Cenk.  I listen to him every day that I can.  I subscribe to his show.  I want him to have a much bigger audience, and I'm willing to help him to achieve that.  I like most of his views on the issues, and I agree with him much more often than I don't.  I think he's an important voice.  What's more, I respect him, and I would like to be his friend.

But if we do develop a viable progressive party, I don't want it to be based on one person.  I am uninterested in a cult of personality.  Besides, I don't think Cenk is the person for the job: I don't think he's abandoned his preference for free trade over fair trade, which, for me, is one of the mandatory qualifications for being considered progressive.

And, finally, I'm not sure Cenk is qualified to manage the political relationships involved in pulling together progressives.  They're complex relationships.  A lot of so-called "progressives" are very weak-kneed.  Others are simply completely unskilled politicians.

A progressive party might need a strong central figure, a leader.  But progressives need education before an Progressive Party will do them any good.  They need to learn how to get what they want, and right now there is absolutely no issue on which they are willing to fight for what they want.

Until they're willing to fight, a Progressive Party will be nothing but an embarrassment, and a waste of time.

by EveningStarNM on 03/18/2010 07:35:49 PM EST