We on the Left Can Focus on the Crazies of the Right, or

[Demeter]

we can go to the grassroots and get things done while they bloviate on the public stages. See which one of the two starts getting some positive attention: Them or Us?

And when We are the center of local attention, watch that Tea Party dry up and blow away.

It's going to take time. It's going to take effort. It's going to take dedication to the proposition that this nation is OURS and we know what it's supposed to look like and be like.

And we are not going to get there by supporting fools just because they call themselves Democrats. So it's going to take an evolution.

Because the alternatives are not worth pursuing.

[elocs]

1. You change the fools who call themselves Democrats in the primaries, not in the general election.

It is also good to remember that the opposing side considers this nation to be "ours" as well. Unless you are talking about a dictatorship it is necessary to get more voters to support your "ours" than support their "ours".

Not supporting fools who call themselves Democrats in the general election which may result in the Republicans and Teahadists gaining control of either or both houses of Congress will only hurt those truly progressive Democrats from having any chance of getting what they want done.

Primaries are the time to replace DINOs, not the general election.

[gophates]

2. Part of me would be good with forcing their silence.

I know I should do better, but when I see what's going on and what passes for discourse in this country, it's harder every day to support their right to speak or be heard.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

5. If you get rid of freedom of speech what are you fighting for

to win? to rule?

Freedom IS the thing we are fighting for.

If this is your goal you have already lost.

[gophates]

7. Like I said, I know I should do better.

But they aren't going to play by the rules. It's folly to think we should.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

10. Careful. Sentiments like that have been used to justify

much of the so-called "War on Terror".

If we do that to them then we can't complain when they do it to people they call unlawful combatants.

I don't know if you're advocating suspension of habeas corpus or wiretapping or what but I feel the devil is in the details as to how you would practically implement suspending the fundamental right to free speech.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

4. Say what one will about the Tea Party

At least they are having more success getting rid of their politically unreliables then we are getting rid of ours.

I suspect this time next election cycle the TPers will be on their second round of house cleaning and we will be on our first.

Of course that means the country will be more polarized.

[vi5]

8. "Our first round of house cleaning"

That's just not going to happen. When the DNC and the DLC and Obama put their efforts towards making sure people like Blanche Lincoln, and Arlen Specter, and Charlie Crist get elected then it's going to be a long time before anyone even thinks about getting to our first round. The other difference is that the Republican Party goes through great pains to if not outwardly support the Tea Party, to not dismiss or insult them like our side does and would any equivalent on the left.

[Demeter]

11. The Tea Party Is Not Inclusive

Their "ours" Does NOT include, you, me, or 80% of the people in this nation.

[bread_and_roses]

12. er...I don't think the point is "primarily" about elections

Grassroots work is about a lot more than elections - in fact, I'd say it's "primarily" about issues, framing, and creating a zeitgeist. Focusing on elections has not gotten us very far in terms of the biggies - money and militarism. Unless we change something besides the names in office, we'll have pretty speeches and watch the drapes being changed while the earth burns - we sure won't be saving it.

It is in shaping the zeitgeist that the Rs are so good at. They took the tools that our side developed and put a lot of money behind them. I don't know where we lost our way, but we've been singularly ineffective at it for the past 30+ years. We've either been co-opted (much of the environmental movement) or shrunk into a narrowly-focused fearful self-protectiveness (much of the Labor movement)- for just two examples.

Unless we change the narrative out here on the ground, we may be in for some very ugly times.

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/09/04-6 Glenn Beck and the Yearning for Fascism, by Matthew Rothschild

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/09/02-6 Can You Say, Fascism? The Political Consequences of Stagnation, by Walden Bello

[Nuclear Unicorn]

3. It strikes me as curious that many here spend so much time attacking the RW

then turn right around and claim our side is propagating illegal wars, conducting assassinations, stealing trillions for corporatists etc etc etc and then they demand I vote this November for this very same crew.

ANGRIES: Don't vote for the GOP! They use gasoline bombs to kill you!

ME: Okay, so who should I vote for?

ANGRIES: The democrats!

ME: Why should I vote for democrats?

ANGRIES: They will use renewable corn-based ethanol bombs to kill!

ME: What?

ANGRIES: At least it's environmentally friendly!

ME: It's not very me-friendly.

ANGRIES: We must take what we can get!

ME: *sigh*

[vi5]

6. You just summed it up so well....

You could have picked any number of subjects: Education, Social Security, Unions/Labor, Gay Rights, Civil Liberties....

[NuttyFluffers]

9. investing in yourself has always been a good investment...

i think you are right and would like it if we just ignored the insane theatrics from the RW.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

13. ...We Can Focus on the Crazies in the "Center*"...

*Formerly known as center-right

[Demeter]

14. We Need to Focus on Purpose

and make it our central touchstone.

If something or someone doesn't serve our purpose to fulfill the promise of a nation conceived by our Founding Fathers AND Mothers, then we shouldn't waste any effort on it, unless it is to bend it to that purpose.

A government of, for and by the People. All the people. That is the purpose behind all that has come before Reagan. It must be the purpose of all that comes after today.