"...an impractical muddle...." (Your Opinion, Please)

[H2O Man]

"Some forty years ago G.K. Chesterton wrote that every time the world was in trouble the demand went up for a practical man. Unfortunately, he said, each time the demand went up there was a practical man available. As he pointed out then, usually what was needed to deal with an impractical muddle was a theorist or philosopher."
-- Senator Eugene J. McCarthy, May 9, 1965

As we approach the 2006 campaign season, it seems that the democratic party is beginning to make serious advances nation-wide. Part of this is because the misdeeds of the neoconservatives are catching up with them. DUers who are my age, and who remember Senator Eugene McCarthy fondly, recognize that much of what is coming out of the White House today is very similar to what we heard from the Nixon administration in the Watergate era.

Yet our nation is still caught in an impractical muddle, in many ways, in Iraq. And in our national energy policy. And in dealing with minoritites. In respecting basic human rights.

One of my greatest fears is that the party will put forth practical men in 2006 and 2008, and restrict the opportunity to allow a more radical visionary branch of the party to be heard. Yet I know the the solution is here -- with the grass roots level democrats. It is our job to create the atmosphere that allows for the theorists and philosophers and visionaries to step forward.

My question is therefore: what steps can we take to help build the foundation for the democratic party to reflect our beliefs and values in the upcoming elections? This includes taking into account what difficulties we face, including the corporate media's defining the "reality" for the general public, and the economic influences of those same corporations in selecting acceptable "practical" candidates.

I can think of about a dozen things that I can do. For example:
1- Write letters to the editor on topics of interest.
2- Call/e-mail congressional leaders.
3- Donate money to progressive candidates.
4- Donate time to progressive causes.
5- Register those who do not normally vote.
6- Talk about the price of gas to others at the gas pump.
7- Distribute progressive literature to family & friends.
8- Boycott businesses that are anti-democracy.
9- Educate myself by reading more books on important topics.
10- Attend local/regional democratic party meetings.
11- Do outreach to other progressive political/social groups.
12- Contribute to DU.

What ideas do you have

[ewagner]

1. Thanks sir!

bookmarked and recommended.

[EFerrari]

2. Actively check for progessive activists in my commuinity I can support.

Many hands, light work.

[democrank]

3. Thanks for this.

I`ve taken all the steps you`ve outlined but I know I must do more. Question is....what?

One of the first things that comes to mind is a simple collective action that requires little effort and little money. One of those light-a-candle-in-your-window-tonight kinda things. Maybe drive with our lights on. Maybe hang a paper dove in our car/apartment/house window. Maybe wear a certain-colored arm band. Just for the solidarity. Just for the message.

I like the idea of collective actions, but I always think about people who can`t afford big contributions or don`t have a babysitter so they can attend a meeting. Keep it simple, I say, so more people can participate.

What`s the deal with the bird in your window?
It`s a peace dove. I want the troops to come home.
Me, too. Where do I get one?
I have a couple extra. Here, take them. Pass one on.

[H2O Man]

5. If I'm driving

in a populated area, I will unroll my windows and play "Give Peace a Chance" loudly. It is a little thing, and certainly some people are going to think I'm mildly annoying. But others are going to hear it. We need to advertise for peace.

[JanusAscending]

10. Almost forgot!

Love how your "GUY" ALI told bush he is nuts!!! I hear it made him feel like an ass!!LOL ALI's still got it!:applause:

[KoKo]

4. I'll ignore your "!2 Steps" and go back to your premise of

"One of my greatest fears is that the party will put forth practical men in 2006 and 2008, and restrict the opportunity to allow a more radical visionary branch of the party to be heard. Yet I know the the solution is here -- with the grass roots level democrats. It is our job to create the atmosphere that allows for the theorists and philosophers and visionaries to step forward."

Being, it seems,a contemporary of your "era" give or take a few years...what I've seen is that we end up with the "same old...same old."

If you want my belieff..and not my "hopes" I will tell you that Hillary and Bill Clinton will be FORMIDABLE to OVERCOME no matter what philosophy, or grassroots or other opinions we here "ON THE LEFT" might put forward in the months to come.

Bill Clinton sees the "Implosion of Bush" as an opportunity to vanquish the "Demons of the Right" who "brung him down with fake Impeachment for so much lesser crimes than Bush deserves" and his wife is a POWERHOUSE for New Dems to latch onto thinking that "Bill" comes with the "package," for the New/Reincarnated Dem Party after BUSH!"

I sort of think it goes back to some article from the "Nation" Magazine or wherever...that I read that maybe it's NOT A GOOD THING to be SWITCHING BACK AND FORTH AMONGST DYNASTIES in AMERERICA.

Clinton to Bush...back again to Clinton/Clinton after Bush/Bush.

I have to agree that when America now has Dynasties and Kings ruling it in successive forms...IT JUST ISN'T what the Founding Fathers Envisioned. And, that the "Federalist Society" and their Legal followers can sign onto this DYNASTY...sort of shows that NO ONE on the RIGHT really understand the definition of the word HYPOCRACY.

But...that's just my 2 cents...It's all getting so :crazy: to me, it's hard to distinguish the "Good Guys against the Bad Guys."

I'm just tired and need a break from "politics" so badly,that I couldn't do better for your post...so I said what I said....

[H2O Man]

11. In "American Dynasty,"

Kevin Phillips makes the point that the movement towards "ruling families" is unhealthy for democracy. He points to the possibility of Senator Clinton running in 2008 as evidence we "might well lurch toward some American equivalent of the fifteenth-century Wars of the Roses, during which the English Crown was contested by the houses of York and Lancaster." (page 4)

I have mixed feelings. A number of local democratic activists in my part of the state are not happy with the degree of control the Clinton forces have established within the town & county party leadership. I appreciate that. But I also admire organization, and the Senator Clinton forces are becoming very well organized.

Also, I have met Senator Clinton twice, and found her to be a powerful individual. I have contributed to her in the past, though now I return the envelopes her organization sends with a letter, but no check; I explain that I will probably always vote democrat, but that I will only invest time and money in campaigns where the candidate is strongly anti-(Iraqi) war.

[im10ashus]

18. Good idea.

Regarding returning the non-contribution to those who support the Iraq war. Even now, with all we know, few have admitted they were wrong in voting for the war. It sends a powerful message to those Senator's who are still not willing to admit their mistake.

[Just Me]

22. I think, once she is free from the pressures, she very well could serve,..

,...as the next most powerful and impactful visionary leader this country has known in over half a century. I understand the fears associated with familial lines in leadership. I understand the disappointments associated with Hillary's political compromises in her determination to change from within the (fucked-up) political game/system.

However, given the Clintons' history, I sincerely believe that, once freed from some of the pressures of political survival along with the wisdom she has gained, confronting the right-wing attack machine, Hillary may be the very best first female President. She's tough!!!

[KoKo]

24. The "Dynasty" part is what turns me off...there was an article

maybe it was Ariana on "Huff Post" asking if it was good for America to be shifting dynasties. Bush/Clinton,Bush/Clinton.

I can see that we seem to have a lack of forceful, charismatic leaders coming up from the rank and file of both parties....but, I still can't go with this "Dynasty" swapping thing here.

Now...would Hillary be better than Jeb? If that's what it comes to given how weak the field of candidates are out there for name and family dynasty recognition?

I wonder why the Kennedy Dynasty is mostly dead... It would lead one to believe that something like re-watching the "I, Claudius" miniseries about Rome might be in order for us Democrats thinking about what the next decades might be...and WHY and HOW we've ended up where we are today.

Anyone remember not only the Kennedy's who are gone...but Paul Wellstone? :shrug:

I know "YOU" DO..H20 Man....

[Me.]

6. You've About Covered It

With the possibly of another small point. I'm no great Jackson fan, but what came into my mind is "keep hope alive". Strangely, I feel hopeful, even in the midst of the muddle and confusion that is still so evident. There has been a sea change. If you think about it, you can feel it too. Not full blown, not yet, as we are just at the beginning. It won't do, in time, for those who want to lead us to be poll driven, hopping back and forth between the most popular opinion, afraid to consult their inner voice and find out what they actually think. Or to be guided by the "centrists"* who stand for nothing and will sell us out for practically anything. I've written my senators (Clinton & Schumer) and said that anyone who thinks they would, knowing what they do now, still vote for the war, will never have a dime of my money or my vote.

So I'm keeping my eyes and ears open, for a dark horse to come riding up. Visionaries have always come forth. Our job when he/she does will be to enjoin the cause and help he/she from being beaten back.

*By "centrists" I do not mean real moderates or those who would seek to reach out to others. I refer to the DLC variety, those who, to my mind, are more republican light than democrat, those who think liberal or progressive is synonymous with wacko.

[H2O Man]

12. "I'm no great Jackson fan ...."

I can't speak for other DUers, but I think you are great. And I'm glad to hear that you are a Jackson fan.

There is a book, "Jesse", by Marshall Frady that details some of the amazing work he did at the grass-roots level in the 1980s. I suppose that, as a Jackson fan, you've probably read it. But it would be one of those books the rest of us would benefit from reading.

[Me.]

13. Who Better Than You?

To speak for other DUers? (grin)

[H2O Man]

35. Good question .....

My answer:

[Me.]

39. D'accord

[H2O Man]

40. Are you trying

to confuse me?

[Me.]

41. Is That Possible?

You don't look confused.

7. how about we have giant democratic festivals

with musicians and democratic speakers, and we all hold hands and sing "this land is your land, this land is my land". Revive the spirit of brotherhood that was alive for a short time in the 60s. And form our platform together. Something better than the frenzied canvassing and fund raising one month before the election anyhow. (And skip the mega-stars too like Bruce Springsteen, use local bands to play).

[Poet Lariat]

8. Been working on my own muddle all afternoon...iinteresting how

similar problems produce similar solutions. Think your on the right track...

[JanusAscending]

9. Well, having just accomplished

in my small community, what "they said couldn't be done" we took back our town led buy repubs for the past 20 yrs. and elected the first woman First Select person and her whole slate of Dems. This is what I call grassroots. We go on up the ladder to State,and then on to the '06 elections. Getting involved in every aspect of a small towns' lifeblood and feeling the "pulse" of the people. If your not from a small town, participate in your district. I for one already know who I would support in '08. However my mind could be changed if we could find a Candidate with a mind of his own, and principles of his own who refuses to be molded by "the party bosses"!!! I'm thinking about the character played by Jimmy Smits on West Wing. Those who are fans of the show like I am, will get my drift! I do know that when this person comes along, he will be so Charismatic that we ALL will know "THIS IS THE ONE"!! and will be in accordance' and of one mind on the matter. To this end I am PRAYING and longing!! We'll all know him when we see him!!! Just my 5 cents worth!! DC P.S. (or Her) !!

[Joe Chi Minh]

14. Love that quote! Delicious irony.

[MsAnthropy]

15. Thanks for posting that picture, I hadn't seen that one before

What a classic

[CatWoman]

19. he appears to have an endless supply of "classic" photos

:D

[zippy890]

16. Yes! We need a visionary

Our culture/society is all dissonance, worse than the watergate era because so much dismay by the citizenry is quiet, hidden. In the 60s & 70s it was louder & politicians had to respond.

But its true about the presidency - hearing bush's speech last week it was flashback to nixon days when he was hunkered down with his yes-men, paranoid and in denial, blaming his critics for the war gone bad.

I wonder who the visionary will be to step forward in htese times when our country so needs one.

[H2O Man]

17. Two choices:

{1} Someone from the "usual" group steps up on a personal level, demonstrating an inner evolution; or {2} someone from the margins, that few people would recognize as "presidential" today.

"I myself have no power. It's the people behind me who have the power. Real power comes only from the Creator. It's in His hands. But if you're asking about strength, not power, then I can say that the greatest strength is gentleness."
--Leon Shenandoah, Tadodaho, Haudenosaunee.

[omega minimo]

29. Connecting real power and finding gentle strength on the list yet?

:hi:

[omega minimo]

37. Y not?

[H2O Man]

38. Yes.

"Yes" is almost always a more positive approach than "no."

[omega minimo]

42. O

cool

[rosesaylavee]

20. I've had a yellow ribbon tied around my maple in the front parkway

since March 2003. I have had several people in my neighborhood or people just walking by ask about it. Gives me an oppty to tell them that it symbolizes my personal vigil - that I am waiting for all our soldiers to come home from this awful war... that we are all waiting for them and haven't forgotten them.

Yes, it is the idea that the stupid yellow ribbon magnets was based upon but I think it is something that I can do. It is not expensive to go out and buy a cloth ribbon (a couple of times/year to keep it fresh looking). And as mine is a busy street, it is a reminder that we are at war and our kids are dying every day.

My vote next year goes to the person who has the best plan to get us out of there with the least amount of bloodshed on either side.

[Just Me]

21. Unifying progressives would be at the top of my list.

IMHO we MUST improve effectively advancing our common MORAL-BASED goals to improve the interests and freedoms of EVERY HUMAN BEING.

Once we unite in spreading our common vision, which is shared by every single human being,...once we unite in a more powerful and succinct and pro-active way than the right-wing insane machine,...I believe the foundation necessary for truly progressive change will be possible.

All progressives from just right of center to way left of center require focus. Once we are all focused, on message with the basic hopes every person holds,...we will be so powerful. Moreover, we will no longer be distracted by right-wing bullshit.

Just my perspective.

[H2O Man]

34. Interesting.

There are good reasons for people to unite to combat common enemies. Nature provides this tactic for survival. And we all face a common enemy: we might be black, brown, red, yellow, or white; young or old; moderate, liberal, or radical; Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, or atheist; rich or poor; have any number of sexual identities and tastes; and we may live in a city, town, or in the country-side. But we have common enemies in our culture today, and by no coincidence, this administration unites those common enemies. We should unite to confront and combat that common enemy.

But you raise a fascinating possibility: uniting not just because we have a common enemy, but because we share a common humanity. Unite for more positive, long-term goals.

One hand washes the other.

[omega minimo]

43. What are your ideas for doing this?

"...MUST improve effectively advancing our common MORAL-BASED goals to improve the interests and freedoms of EVERY HUMAN BEING.


"...unite in spreading our common vision, which is shared by every single human being,...in a more powerful and succinct and pro-active way

"..all focused, on message with the basic hopes every person holds...

"...no longer be distracted by right-wing bullshit."

That's a great wish list. How can we get there?

Seems the trick would be identifying (with) the "common MORAL-BASED goals...our common vision, which is shared by every single human being...the basic hopes every person holds..."

What I find "interesting" about H20man's reply is actually puzzling.

"There are good reasons for people to unite to combat common enemies. Nature provides this tactic for survival."

"But you raise a fascinating possibility: uniting not just because we have a common enemy, but because we share a common humanity."

I would think that the motivation toward "progressive" views includes the very real awareness of our common humanity. I don't want to misinterpret what he wrote-- it points out, though, that some of us see the "survival tactics" and the "common humanity" as inextricably intertwined.

"We should unite to confront and combat that common enemy."

There will also be the matter of identifying that common enemy.

:hi: :patriot:

[kohodog]

23. #4 gets my vote

We need to be active in supporting progressive candidates, and if we are the moderates will feel better about speaking out. Action still speaks louder than words.

My brother is a Washington lawyer and is definitely part of the "practical" group of Dem's. He likes Bayh, but I think they only way to effect real change is to set the bar further to the left so we can begin to shift the party. It may well take several cycles, but we need to act to support the progressive candidates that can win now and then act to keep pushing the bar.

[carolinalady]

25. Support that new independent television network that will be

getting off the ground next year, and tell others about it.
The info about this was posted a week or so ago by somebody here.

on edit: Was it called the Independent News Network?

[RazzleDazzle]

26. This doesn't make any sense to me at all -- leaves me bewildered

and depressed. For real.

Are people here not at all familiar with Howard Dean? With how his chairmanship of the Democratic Party happened and what it means? With what his goals are for the Party? Or with Democracy for America, the organization he founded and which continues to this day?

Supporting the Party with Dean at the helm, who is trying very hard to build said Party, seems to me ought to go near the top of anyone's list. But he and the Party aren't even on anyone's list.

I don't get it.

[H2O Man]

31. From your response ....

I'd have guessed that you do "get it." Please continue....

[struggle4progress]

27. Go shopping with a friend. Prepare some short soundbites on ..

.. hot current events first. Then, you and you friend audibly discuss current events in the check-out line.

It's important that other customers can hear what you say, without being assaulted by the decibel level.

It works best if neither of you expresses too much in the way of opinions: you just go back and forth on factual matters, like "Who was that Republican who said that Katrina offered a great opportunity for the GOP to take over Louisiana." "Yeah, that was weird."

If somebody gets angry, do not argue: be pleasant, stick to the news and maybe ask them a few questions. You're not trying to win a debate or prove you're smarter: you're really trying to get some news between their ears (though you don't want to say THAT to them, either).

Remember: when the media won't do its job, it's our responsibility to get the news out!

<edit: clarity>

[H2O Man]

32. Good, good.

Sometimes it can be easy to forget, when another human being responds angrily to our opinions, that their anger can be a wonderful prop for us. Yesterday, on C-SPAN, Ray McGovern was talking about the lies that brought us to war in Iraq. A human being who I suspect was not just a republican, but a Sean Hannity fan as well, called and began a hostile tirade directed at Ray as a person. Ray sat with a tiny grin tugging at the sides of his face, which resulted in the fellow screaming, and he was "cut off" when the swearing began.

No one could watch it and think, "My, that fellow was rational. He made a fool of Ray." No one could. Instead, Ray played him, and allowed the fellow to discredit himself.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

28. "I have in my hand a list of practical men!"

Gene-mentum!

[unkachuck]

30. IMO, here and everywhere....

....we should challenge the moderate Dems and get them off the fence and into the grassroots or corporatist camps....there should be no middle of the road....the middle of the road will allow cover for the corporatists to run, govern and ambush us from....

....the grassroots 'left' of the Party must not appear to be weak, needy or indecisive....to that end, we must make absolutely clear that a large block of us will walk from this Party unless our demands for progressive programs and progressive candidates are met....it must be understood, that without us, winning national elections by the corporatists will no longer be possible....we must return the Party to the people....

....out of Iraq, now....nothing else to talk about....

....we need a list of new progressive programs starting with universal healthcare....we need facts, figures and detailed implementation plans to present to the Party and Nation for their support....the Democratic Party will again stand for and by the average person and the average person will once again be able to count on that....

....we must only rally around candidates who are smart, committed to progressive ideals, motivated by something other than money and are willing to fight....they're out there, maybe the corporatists will help us find them....

....nobody will GIVE us anything, we must take it....you can hang signs and play nice all you want but without an agressive stance all we are going to get is more ABB and the lesser of evils....four more wasted years of repug or repug-lite governance....

[H2O Man]

33. I remember in the 1960s

people used to compare the tactics of Malcolm with Martin. There came a time, late in Malcolm's life, where he went to Selma, to address a crowd of young people. Martin was in jail. Good men like Andrew Young were concerned that Malcolm, who had been invited to speak by the SNCC, might incite the young folk.

At first, they tried to tell Malcolm what they thought he should -- and should not -- say. Malcolm responded with his classic line: "Remember this -- nobody puts words in my mouth." So they had Mrs. King talk to Malcolm, because she was (and is) such a dignified lady, that everyone respected her.

Malcolm listened to her concerns, and then explained that he was there to help, not harm Martin's efforts. Malcolm told Mrs. King that he was convinced when their common enemy heard him talking to the young people in the south, they would say, "Thank God for that Martin Luther King!"

That might be a good model for us.

[mmonk]

36. 3,4,7,11, and 12

are really good. I often wonder as an option, should we put resources and efforts forth of having a progressive run against non-progressive dems in the primaries as well?