- 12/Nov/2011 07:48:17 AM PSTliberal reality compromise progressive ows democracy +
Democracy isn't Pretty
If you expect that 300 million people living in 435 districts and 50 states will EVER come up with policies that are fully progressive, you might as well expect a unicorn that farts glitter. There will always be compromise.
by MiltShook1 fav 575 view
Chirpstories
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Politics is about moving in the right direction, it's rarely about going all the way in one step. -
One thing that fascinates me about many "political junkies" is how many of them expect a "progressive" result from the democratic process.
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There are 300 mil ppl in 435 districts, 50 states, all w/different needs. Everything you get from the process will be somewhat "centrist."
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This idea that you can just "fight" for something by demanding it loudly means you don't understand the dynamic.
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Fighting for something is good and noble. But the way you "fight" is by selling your idea to as many ppl as possible.
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The reason the RW has had so much power last 32 yrs is NOT because they're better at "messaging." It's because we don't offer msg at all.
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Instead, we tend to offer up a list of "demands," and express pride in having been so clever. No attempt is made to sell ideas to the masses
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Instead, we tend to offer up a list of "demands," and express pride in having been so clever. No attempt is made to sell ideas to the masses
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There is and always will be a diff between what should be and what is. That phrase "more perfect union" refers to moving in right direction
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Our union will never be perfect BECAUSE we are a nation that makes its decisions through compromise. And that's a good thing.
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Think about this; if you think one thing, RWers think something else, and there was no compromise, can you imagine the policy swings?
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Wait; you don't have to imagine them. The RWers don't care what anyone thinks, they don't care about compromise. Look at results.
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Is the RW way any way to run a gov't? Yet, there are some elements of the left who think we should emulate them. Um, no. We shouldn't.
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The way to move this country in the right direction is to stop focusing on the RW, always "fighting" them. Instead, offer alternatives.
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If we offer an alternative vision in an articulate way that most ppl will understand, we can drown out the bozos, move them to the margins.
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But a democracy will never be 100% full-on far left or far right. Policies will always come out somewhere in the center.
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Our strategy should be to inch the country more left of center than right of center. That means no longer using "centrist" as a pejorative.
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The people in the center, (at least 2/3 of populace), are our friends, allies, not enemies. They'd like us if we weren't screaming at them.
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Instead of decrying "low information voters" understand that most voters always have, always will be "low-info." Low info ≠ "stupid."
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People are struggling these days, and they have a lot to deal with. To expect ALL of them to spend all spare time on politics is unrealistic
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We progs would do very well to understand that the avg person is our ally. They have to be; they're part of the 99% we supposedly care about
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Work WITH people, not agst them. They're not stupid, they're alive. They experience things we can't always understand.
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If you're not poor, thank your deity. But also, stop pretending you know more about what poor ppl need than they do.
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If you're Caucasian-American, understand that you were born lucky, and you do NOT know more than minorities do about their experience..
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Having a college degree doesn't make you smarter. It makes you more educated. Understand, there's a difference.
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