Call them "Regressives" -- I wish this would happen

[InformedSource]

What's In A Name? Everything.
How Progressives Can Start Winning Again By Renaming Their Opponents and Reframing The Debate
by David Michael Green


"Progressives are losing the war for America. At every level nationally - and, via disastrous foreign policies, across much of the world as well - we are in retreat. The country lurches further to the right every day, and every election cycle, because we on the left sorely lack ideas, the outlets to express them, quality candidates, compelling leaders, conviction, message and strategy... the simple act of calling these folk conservatives foolishly cedes to them legitimacy and trust among those whom we seek to persuade in political debates...

... calling these folk conservatives foolishly cedes to them legitimacy and trust among those whom we seek to persuade in political debates ...

... But what are the alternatives? "Tories"? Probably too European. "Reactionaries"? Absolutely, but too ideological for Americans. "Dirty Rotten Bastards"? Accurate, to be sure, but perhaps a bit off-putting. How about "Evildoers"? Um, nah - but thanks just the same. One label which many of us have no doubt found tempting to apply over the last four years is 'fascist'.

more here:

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0208-21.htm

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. Definitely a good idea

I was thinking this myself a few days ago. "Regressive Republican" is nicely alliterative, and might start sowing some divisions in their party ("oh, so you're not personally regressive - I guess that means you must favour gay marriage, then?") And yet there's almost no use of it on the web.