Progressive Disengagement And The Movie "Glory"

[RBInMaine]

When I see "progressives" saying they want to drop out and disengage from the political process, it reminds me of the scene in the Civil War film "Glory" when Denzel Washington's character, a member of the African American unit and one hell of a fighter, very calmly and philosophically asks commander Matthew Broderick just what the point in fighting is even if the Union was to win the war. He asks, "What are we going to get?" Broderick responds, "Well, you have a point. But you certainly aren't going to get anything if we lose." (Of course the African American unit fought and fought like hell, even if it was a tragic Civil War era outcome.)

We can understand frustration, but THAT is the time when you ORGANIZE and FIGHT the MOST. How is disengagement any kind of a "strategy"? The TeaHaters are horrid, but they DO organize. Progressives aren't happy? The TeaHaters got 70,000 people, loony as they were, to march on Washington. Progressives clammering FOR healthcare and other progressive initatives should have been able to put a MILLION there. Where was it? Not happy with Dems? Are they fielding primary candidates? Are they fielding candidates to run in red and purple districts? Are they WORKING LIKE HELL AND GOING DOOR TO DOOR TO WIN SUPPORT FOR THEM??? Where are they?

With Dems in power, you may not get as much as you'd like, but do you stand to gain more with Republicans? Yes, there still ARE some differences? To say Obama and Biden are twins to McCain and FailinPalin simply defies all truth and logic. Would McSAME be doing green initiatives? Would we have Lilly Leadbetter, SCHIP, more stem cells, more choice,....?

Not happy? Then as Jesse Jackson says, stop complaining and start sweating. There are great opportunities here: insurance reforms such as stopping pre-existing conditions exemptions in the near term with more reform to come later on; new campaign finance reforms after that horrid SCOTUS decision; new bank regulations; a new jobs package; more green initiatives; there is SO much that CAN be done, would be VERY popular with liberals and independents, and a lot of this is already on the Congressional plate.

No. No god damn way. This is NOT the time to disengage. It is the time to go after the right wing like there was no tomorrow, and to push Dems to pass those progressive items that even their more diverse caucus CAN pass and which would knock the PUKES on their asses. George Washington sure as hell never gave up as hopeless as things looked. He crossed that river and kicked ass. Big Ed sure as hell isn't disengaging. Ted Kennedy sure as hell would not have disengaged. No. Opportunity abounds. Get it together. Get ORGANIZED. And go after it.

[rug]

1. Elmer Gantry is a good movie too.

[depakid]

2. You might get a better response if you took the condescending quotes off of progressive

Denigrating the base is the best cheer leading tactic, though it seems to remain a popular one.

[RBInMaine]

3. Oh c'mon. Must it always be like that? Can the sensitivity party please stop.

Many "progressives" have no problem "denigrating" Obama and Dems, so let's not go into that childish arena, please. I am NOT denigrating progressives. I am just making some points. Please. Enough with that. Get past it.