Comments on: Team Progressive: Shaky But Still Able To Win

By: Ravan Asteris

Ravan Asteris — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 12:57:31 +0000

Yes, I agree.
1) Support the president, and the Democratic majority for the long haul.
2) Start framing our positions in gut level terms that even the “man on the street” can get.
3) Vote in real progressives at the local and state level, and in the primaries.
4) Advocate “for” our positions with our Congresspeople – constantly, relentlessly. Be plain, keep it simple.
5) Put our money where our mouths are – not just in donations, but when we shop for food and other goods/services.
6) Try not to fight with each other, instead debate politely toward consensus.

By: Sean Crespo

Sean Crespo — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 22:08:27 +0000

Thank you Shoq.

By: Ralph Paine

Ralph Paine — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:31:37 +0000

Well put, the struggle to change the course of the last 30 years will not be won in an election cycle, or a presidential term, or two. The concept of a government of, by and for the PEOPLE is threatened and only the people can do something about it. As long as the media engages politicians as a referee instead of an arbiter of truth. Our fight needs to be with the media and the ridiculous suits their lack of journalistic integrity make possible.

By: Rooker

Rooker — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 07:11:48 +0000

That's a really good point. I'm in a solidly red state (Georgia) with a Blue Dog congressman whose biggest campaign donor is the health industry and of course he voted against HCR. It disgusts me to no end to look at a ballot and see a corporate conservative in Column A and corporate conservative in Column B.

By: VCubed

VCubed — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 05:36:26 +0000

That was awesome Shoq. I'd “only” add: Join your local, district, state Dem Party and work to replace CorpoBlue Dogs with rational progressives. I lived in a more purple than blue district in the Bay Area before returning to WA, and the local Dem club in that formerly-Navy town got the first atheist then-progressive Dem into the House – because they formed their own club in opposition to corpoDems to end the war in Viet Nam. Now their endorsements are sought by the state party – but like so many in politics, they've become enslaved to fundraising for the party, and do little else now

We have to join and try to move our party left, and form our own local Dem clubs if we can't. We have to organize – not only scribble and shout.

By: Rooker

Rooker — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 05:18:26 +0000

I'm all in favor of debating intelligently instead of just whining. Just so long as nobody gives bad policy from our side a pass just to be a "team player" drinking the officially-approved flavor of Kool-Aid. If they don't see push-back from the left when they stray too far to the right, how far to the right might they go?

I'd like to see more of what I saw in the first week right after we lost the Medicare buy-in proposal. People were angry as hell and it was the beginning of the loudest part of the "kill the bill vs pass the bill" debate. I didn't know which side to come down on at first and, shockingly enough, neither did most of the smart people I pay attention to. Even you, Shoq, seemed to not know what to say about it.

Every time someone made a new argument or countered an older one from either side of that question, it made perfect sense and I could agree either way. It was an honest debate by smart people and didn't have any of the hysterical, absurd bullshit we got from the idiots on the right all year. Not one person brought up death panels or health care for people from Foreignistan or any other dishonest rubbish.

When I made my own personal decision about HCR, it was because the logic of passing it made more sense than the logic of not passing it, not because the kool-aid tasted any better.

By: marcy bruno

marcy bruno — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 04:25:36 +0000

I have always been amazed at how little we know and how much we expect. But even worse, is how much energy we spend thinking bitching will solve problems. To abandon Obama is to jump ship, in the middle of a shark filled ocean. Shoq, let's roll.

By: tesibria

tesibria — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 23:37:13 +0000

Bravo Shoq – really great

By: PrincessDing

PrincessDing — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:24:52 +0000

Yes, yes and yes.

By: Inkognegro

Inkognegro — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:06:42 +0000

I read this instead of watching Morning Joe. I'm now Smarter and Less annoyed. Thank you.