We're Angry At The President, What Now?

by: Bill Egnor AKA Something The Dog Said

Wed Dec 08, 2010 at 07:12:37 AM MST

True, no one has any experience being president before they land that job, but President Obama was a little less experienced than others. He was in the odd position of being good enough to get the job, but perhaps not good enough to do the job that needed to be done. In any case that is all in the past, we can't change it.  

Corporatists Try To Set Post-Election Narrative

by: WeatherDem

Tue Nov 02, 2010 at 16:17:11 PM MST

Count me among the Democrats who thinks that there is too much corporate control over policy and elections - both in the Democratic Party and in politics in general.  Third Way, as Markos wrote earlier today, is more corporate-friendly than the DLC.  The narrative Third Way wants to establish is that Democrats, especially those elected in the 2008 cycle, went too far to the left.  They're advocating a "return to the center":

it "is crucial for Democrats to return to the center with bold and bipartisan policy solutions that are realistic in the next Congress and resonate with moderates and Independents."

The Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) has fired back a response, based on their efforts in one Congressional District, already (good for them):

"If the corporate-funded Third Way candidate had won this primary [NH-02], Democrats would have lost this seat," said Stephanie Taylor, PCCC co-founder. "But because Ann Kuster won this primary and campaigned hard on popular progressive issues, voters were inspired -- and Democrats stand on the verge of winning this race in a typically Republican district in a typically Republican year.

I don't think I can emphasize the following enough times: much of our politics is no longer about left vs. right; it's about people vs. corporations.  Democrats didn't lunge to the left in the past two years; if they did, more Democratic registered voters would be likely voters this year.  Democrats, in my opinion, did lunge too far toward corporations during the past two years.

You Want Better Choices? Better Start Working Now

by: Bill Egnor AKA Something The Dog Said

Mon Sep 27, 2010 at 06:09:26 AM MST

Whether it is your intent to support Democrats or not, the time to get involved in the process is now. If you just can't stomach your particular Democratic candidate, then find a way to work for the ones that you can. Nothing is more important than protecting the liberal and progressive members of Congress, if the long term goal is to move the nation to the left politically.  

What Is The Purpose Of Government?

by: Bill Egnor AKA Something The Dog Said

Tue Jun 29, 2010 at 06:31:12 AM MST

Conservatives have a pretty clear, if sadly simplistic, view of what the role of government is. They will talk (endlessly and in an ever rising register) about how the federal government is only for the defense of the nation and that nothing else should really be in its purview. The problem with their assertion of States Rights (aside from the racist history behind this idea) is that they don't really want their state government's to do a lot either. It is this kind of thinking that gets us into the situation where Republicans want, as David Corn of Mother Jones said, "Small government and Big Oil".