I think that there may be some sense in the point of Mr Matthew Rothschild, the editor of The Progressive. Writing in the Isthmus, he says:
[T]he movement -- a real giant grassroots movement, which flooded the Capitol Square with more than 100,000 people.... began to disintegrate the moment the leaders (and who were they, exactly?) decided to pour everything into the Democratic Party channels rather than explore the full potential of the power that was latent but present in the streets back in February and March of 2011....But, the question remains; then what?
I don't ask because I thought Governor Walker should be turned out, but because the process interests me. Who knows, someday we may have the same kind of protest in Massachusetts.
Regards — Cliff
♠ My question is, what is the destination to which they are progressing? Is it a European form of Government, and if so, more French, Greek or German?
It's an extremely important point to make--pouring money, time and energy into opposing any particular political party, by way of its apparatchiks, is a losing game for all of us. I view the 100,000 people in the public square as an expression of their collective non-partisan frustration that the entire system (i.e. the endless D vs R vs D vs R downward spiral) is broken for them, and their government is not doing its job. That its exploited by a political party as a crude cudgel to be used against another is not so much a surprise. But it is a disappointment for sure.
ReplyDelete"Progressive" is, ultimately, just as useless a label as Republican or Democrat. Unless and until we embrace libertarian ideals (not the Libertarian party) of small government and supreme respect for our Constitution and its Bill of Rights, this sort of thing will, in fits and starts, continue to happen on a larger and larger scale until some demagogue uses it for nefarious purpose. (I will not use the H word). Better that the citizens who mistakenly contribute their efforts to the broken political party system voluntarily opt out and stop their collective madness.
Kad says, 'Tune in! Drop out!'
ReplyDeleteAt what point do the sports fans effect the score?
I don't care about labels. The one I use recently is "Democrat." But maybe tomorrow it will be another that better captures my political muse.
The libertarian streak in me, in no way, diminishes my zeal for partisanship. It does inform me as to whom I will organize with.
The "determined sideliners" can't get out of their own way. It's mastabatory in nature.
Do Something.
ReplyDeleteJack, that's a bad analogy that betrays the fallacy of your own point--it's not a game to be won, or lost. Only partisan D's and R's can't see the forest (the interests of our "we the people" nation) for the trees of their mindless and endless opposition to each other.
ReplyDeleteA better analogy is the futility of trying to be heard in a crowded room while everyone else is shouting at each other. The constructive first step is to stop shouting. The next step, is seek the reasonable conversation, and support it.
At some point, kad, you need to stop lecturing us like you're the smartest guy in the room.
ReplyDeleteWhy could Ted Kennedy and Bob Dole sit down and haggle? They were partisans.
Why can't anything happen now? It's because of the money in politics.
I am bending the arc of the moral universe towards justice. You are self pleasuring to political kiddie porn sold by Ron Paul.
How's that for a superiority complex?
Please point me towards the Ted/Bob cooperative Nexus in today's Washington, and educate me, oh wise oracle of the political circus. Wisconsin politics are a dysfunctional train wreck. Please explain the assistance to their plight contributed by the D and R parties, and correct my blighted vision of what really might be going on.
ReplyDeleteOn another sidetracked train of thought... I can't help but wonder if arrogant insults like "You are self pleasuring to political kiddie porn" aren't consistent with the substantial national backlash against Democrats in so many places.
ReplyDeleteI would posit that I've contributed some reasoned and polite points for discussion, but, then again, what would I know, I'm probably self-pleasuring again. That I'm met with abusive imagery and insults for these opinions would hardly seem to promote others to cotton to the fine Democrat party ideals that are nowhere about this discussion.
I can only conclude the vehement dislike of the lecture is the bitter sting of truth against a closed mind. (Yeah, self-pleasure, I know...)