The Dems/Left need a "Why We Fight"-style media campaign

[deutsey]

like Capra's old WWII series, especially the one where he contrasts the "free world" with the "slave world" of fascism.

http://www.archive.org/details/PreludeToWar

I think this kind of bare-knuckled approach would help provide a clear vision of who we are, what we stand for, and what we're fighting against.

I like Michael Moore, but I think such a campaign would not have a lot of clownishness in it, but just straight-up, in-your-face "this is what's at stake" type of visuals and narrative. Short and hard-hitting.

The official Dems would probably be frightened of such a raw approach (Rahm would probably stroke out), but I would bet there are many rank-and-file Dems and progressives who would be energized by it and it might just draw the middle-of-the-road types to the Left.

I would also imagine there are people on our side with the talent and resources who could put something like this together.

[Better Believe It]

1. You would need a fighting partisan political party and leadership to go with that media campaign.

That's one problem. People wouldn't take the p.r. media campaign seriously.

[deutsey]

2. That's true...but part of the campaign's purpose would be to inspire

fighting partisans.

Part of what Capra was doing was trying to convince non-interventionists that we needed to get involved in the war.

[msongs]

4. unfortunately current party leadership does not espouse the underlying values in such a campaing IMO

[deutsey]

5. No, this would have to be grassroots.

The official party types would wet themselves over something like this.

[zipplewrath]

3. Multiple fronts

I think various left leaning groups could do a coordinated campaign along that line. Do "what we stand for" kinds of ads, with a common structure.

You could have the unions/labor explaining their positions. The environmentalists could have theirs. You could have an educational one all by itself. You could even have a code pink/pacifist set of commercials. It would reflect the "Big Tent" concept as well as allow people to agree with one portion, without having to buy into all of the positions. And it would have the right darting all over the map trying to keep up.

[deutsey]

6. Nice idea...the old "United Front" thing

:thumbsup:

[gulliver]

7. It's an excellent idea

People forget what the Republicans did and what they will do again if we let them.

[deutsey]

8. That's what's so damned frustrating

There is NO coherent alternative narrative to the one pushed by the Right since Reagan.

Yet it's so easy to look around and see everywhere the corrosive, degenerative impact the Right has had on all facets of made our society strong and beneficial to the majority of Americans.

And so many people are so oblivious to any other reality that they actual cheer the Right on.

:evilfrown:

[gulliver]

9. Great point. Narrative...

...is fundamentally important. The Right's narrative is tantalizingly simple, while ours is interwoven and has characters of more diverse backgrounds and traits.

The Right recently co-opted the narrative of the Revolutionary War with their Tea Party. Very nauseating. Were the founding fathers alive today, they wouldn't get near the Tea Partiers unless it was to spit on them.

The Left hasn't put together a story of America that ends in "happily ever after," is understandable, and is believable. We keep thinking we need to provide people with lists of issue positions and cost/benefit "choices." We do, but we need stories to integrate our positions.