Complaining and being cynical is not the solution

[ProSense]

This is Yves Smith of Naked Capitalism criticizing Adam Green of Progressive Change Campaign Committee.

Why Liberals Are Lame (Part 2)

It may seem churlish to pick on a specific, well intentioned liberal organization to illustrate a rampant pathology within what passes for the left in the US. Nevertheless, examples serve as important case studies and hopefully will help both the object of presumably unwanted attention and its broader constituency understand that many of their campaigns actually undermine the causes they purport to represent.

Let’s look at an example, an e-mail from the Progressive Change Campaign Committee to constituents of Alabama’s Spencer Bachus, the Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and self-proclaimed Best Friend of Banks (”My view is that Washington and the regulators are there to serve the banks”):

<...>

This mini-campaign is hopelessly misguided. Is Bachus going to stop calling Warren bad names, or serving the doings of his banking paymasters based on a few phone calls? Does it even matter than Bachus is calling Warren bad names when there is an orchestrated cacaphony of similar noise, starting with the vastly more off base attacks emanating from the Wall Street Journal’s op-ed page? One set of calls to one right wing noise maker, even one who happens to head an influential Congressional committee, will not make an iota of difference. Congress is not a party to the settlement negotiations.

And the other reason for caring about these attacks is equally questionable: it’s based on the fantasy that Warren might get a recess appointment to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, circumventing the need for Congressional approval. I have one answer to that: over Geithner’s dead body. No matter what his public stance on her might be, he and she are philosophically at odds. Geithner has an unusually close relationship with the President and has managed to enlarge his scope of authority beyond that of a past Treasury secretaries. And if that answer isn’t good enough, consider a second: Obama needs to raise an estimated $1 billion to win the 2012 election. He’s moved further and further to the right over the course of his Presidency. Why is he going to change gears and alienate one of his biggest donor groups by appointing Warren?

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One thing is certain: A progressive movement to effect change can't be built on complaining alone.

[Name removed]

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[Doctor_J]

2. Change we're now believing in

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=103&topic_id=595619&mesg_id=595619

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x796717

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x794664

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x794668

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x797516

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x796823

[ProSense]

3. Thanks. That was

mighty lame, someone complaining about the word "we"?

[Doctor_J]

10. Yes. The president refusing to fight back against people out to destroy him

It was a major reason for the ass-kicking he took in November. That, and his reliance on people like Rhee, Duncan, Geitner, Bernanke, and Daley.

[ProSense]

12. "The president refusing to fight back against people out to destroy him" Yeah,

and they're not all on the right.

So there is that!

[whatchamacallit]

4. Step 1: don't get suckered into voting for a closet conservative (nt)

[Name removed]

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[ProSense]

6. And being

repetitive is progressive, right?

"Oh, and little blue links! They really effect change! "

A really strong argument!!!!

[Name removed]

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[ProSense]

8. It's

clear that you don't understand the OP title or the point. It was not directed at PCCC.

[zalinda]

9. If people didn't complain

how would the politicians know the majority aren't happy? They live in their little bubbles, where everything is all hunky dory. And it's the same for those who are not in the poverty ditch, they are fine, so the less 'fortunate' are fine too.

If someone comes along and gives you spoiled food, instead of the wholesome food that was promised, and they heard no complaint, it would be assumed by the giver, that spoiled food is fine to give. If after a year of spoiled food, still no complaint was given, others would notice and think that spoiled food is also acceptable to others, who had been promised wholesome food. And, after two years, and still no complaint was given, even by the others, it would become the acceptable thing to do for all, who had been promised wholesome food. We had been promised wholesome food, and were given spoiled food, and we are told not to complain. For if we complain, it is said that we could be in a worse position, and given rotten food, instead of the spoiled food we are given now, by those in power. Still, if some complain, those complaints are falling on deaf ears. We are not heard, no matter what we say. Is it better to receive spoiled food, or rotten food, those are our only choices, say those in charge. I say that it's not acceptable, we should be given what we were promised, and if not we should all complain until we are heard.

zalinda

[ProSense]

11. There's nothing

wrong with complaining. That still doesn't mean it's the solution.

To use the spoiled food analogy: Complaining about the food, but continuing to eat it doesn't solve the problem.

The food needs to be thrown out.

Same with politicians. Complaining only works if those who it's directed at are receptive. Even Republicans are likely to bend if they hear complaints from constituents.

Still, not all are receptive to complaints, and the only way to rectify the problem is to replace them with better representatives.

There is absolutely no pressure being applied to members of Congress right now. There are Democrats introducing bills to weaken the EPA and not a single campaign is targeting them.

The elections are about 18 months away. Is there an effort to identify progressive candidates to challenge Republicans?

[zalinda]

13. Obama is one of the deaf ones

It is no solution to re-elect him, and continue to eat spoiled food. Sorry, but he heads not only the government, but the dem party. The buck stops with him. And, to keep telling us to STFU and support him, isn't cutting it. I'm happy that you are doing so well that you can ignore the rest of us stuck down here in the food chain, but don't expect us to like it, and keep quiet.

zalinda

[ProSense]

14. Hmmm?

It is no solution to re-elect him, and continue to eat spoiled food. Sorry, but he heads not only the government, but the dem party. The buck stops with him. And, to keep telling us to STFU and support him, isn't cutting it. I'm happy that you are doing so well that you can ignore the rest of us stuck down here in the food chain, but don't expect us to like it, and keep quiet.

Who told you to "STFU" and support Obama? The OP isn't about Obama. The comment wasn't about Obama.

That's part of the problem: Complaining that others are making everything about Obama while making everything about Obama.

" I'm happy that you are doing so well that you can ignore the rest of us stuck down here in the food chain, but don't expect us to like it, and keep quiet."

WTF?

Clearly, you're not serious about anything but complaining and making assumptions about other people.

[Name removed]

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