Is MoveOn sitting out the 2010 election?

[rhombus]

MoveOn seems to have moved on to other activist related activities this election cycle. For instance, they have been hitting Google for selling out on net neutrality, hitting Target for anti-gay marriage donations, etc.

In 2006, MoveOn produced some great campaign ads. Anyone remember their 'Caught Red-Handed' tv ads? They were instrumental in bringing down some GOP candidates. Eg. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qopqN65NUI&feature=related

In 2010, MoveOn has gone silent. Nothing from their emails to indicate any major move to get involved this campaign season. I don't understand.

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. See Gibbs professional Left comment

and you might understand it.That is the latest of a series of insults

So... since we are not the base...

[rhombus]

2. A lot of progressive angst should be aimed at the senate

I know the easy way out is to look for a scapegoat, and the obvious target is the White House. But the WH's agenda is largely constrained by the abusive filibuster.

As for MoveOn, they have been pretty silent since last year.

[eleny]

5. gibbs hung a bullseye on his ass all by himself

scapegoat my big toe.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. When that is the objective

you do not go out of your way to insult the base.

That is so basic in poli sci I am astounded that people are missing that.

[eleny]

4. "since we are not the base..." we know our place

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. Well I know mine

I told the senate what have you where to stuff it yesterday and to kindly stop calling for money. If I am not the base, stop acting as if I am during silly season.

[FrenchieCat]

8. The Professional Lefties are the base, and you're one?

Didn't know this!

Look, you're even capitalizing from it in your sig!
What a professional you are! :rofl:

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. You can laugh all you want but

in a country where off years have low voting rates, a few thousand people staying home per precinct might not be good.

This is very much basic poli sci...

We finally realize that the only place for the "left,"whatever that is in this country, as far as the neo-liberals are concerned, is only to vote, give money and shut up.

I recommend you crack a book and read what happened the last time that left staid home.

Santayanna once wrote something about those who don't learn from history... and they haven't...

[FrenchieCat]

14. So in otherwords, it's ok to twist the meaning of the specific to mean the general

so then we can get mad?

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. If five people got mad

you'd have a point

But so far here are the slew of constituencies ranging from angry to pissed off.

Teachers
Unions
Gays
Progressives

You'd think the WH would realize that Gibbs going off, (part of a pattern) would just make sure some, if not more than just some, of these folks would close wallets, and chiefly stay home.

Tone deaf comes to mind.

[FrenchieCat]

16. I'm a progressive and I'm not mad....so you must be speaking of a subgroup, hey?

Same about Teachers and Unions.

oh...and you forgot TeaBaggers, and TreeBaggers!
Might as well pile it on while you're at it...... :shrug:

[nadinbrzezinski]

18. So you are denying that these groups are angry?

What do you that promise to vote was all about? I am willing to bet their internal polls are lousy right now and they are trying to fire up the base. Gibbs don't help one bit.

And if you are a progressive and are happy the more power to you. You are one. I am talking about polls here. Teachers are not happy, see NCLB and Arne Duncan's little gem.

Labor ain't happy, why do you think they ran a primary contender against Blanche Lincoln? It is called EFCA among others.

LGBT is not happy, or have you missed the DADT brouhaha?

I could go on.

Tone deaf indeed.

[eleny]

13. Hey, they keep telling me the check is in the mail!

[CakeGrrl]

9. ...we'll give the Republicans a better shot!

More comprehension problems with voter arithmetic.

And "We"? Are you one of the Professional Left? Which media?

I wonder if those who have praised Dennis Kucinich to the skies suddenly think he's sold them out?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x408075

[Uzybone]

3. MoveOn has been largely quiet since the Betrayus bomb

[xultar]

10. Weren't they also on the Obama Administration Message Dicipline team...

or something like that and some how it got out that they were on it?

I think that had an impact on them being quiet too. If you can't say anything nice don't say anything @ all...i think that is where they are. Do No Harm...and all that jazz.

[zeemike]

12. Just like anything that gets big it can, and almost always will,

be co-oped by the aw of big money and rubbing shoulders with the powerful.
Besides fund raising is easier when the GOP is in power.

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name
But what is puzzling you is the nature of my game.

[IndianaGreen]

17. MoveOn took a poll of its members, and one of the things that got votes was Social Security

Dear MoveOn member,

The threat to Social Security is growing. This weekend, Rep. John Boehner—who's hoping to become Speaker of the House—said he wanted to raise the retirement age, while advocating to extend the Bush tax cuts for the super-rich.1 And Dick Armey, who's leading the Tea Party movement, wrote an op-ed pushing Social Security privatization.2

What's worse, even some Democrats are jumping on board. Steny Hoyer—the second ranking Democrat in the House—recently said, "We could and should consider a higher retirement age."3 And he's not alone—other Democrats are lining up on the side of cuts.4

Benefit cuts could come up for a vote this fall. All of this adds up to the biggest threat to Social Security since George Bush's privatization scheme in 2005.

Congress can stop the drive to cut Social Security, but they need to know that voters won't tolerate benefit cuts. So we're working with our allies at the Campaign for America's future to get every member of Congress on the record about Social Security.

This fall, Social Security opponents are going to get a vote in Congress when the conservative-stacked Deficit Commission makes its recommendations on fixing the budget.5 Social Security is its biggest target, and they just might get their way.

Voters won't stand for politicians who want to cut Social Security. In fact, a new poll released today by the leading research firm, Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research shows that 65% of voters reject raising the retirement age to 70, 52% of them strongly.

But right now, conservatives are gaining momentum in their fight to cut benefits, and Congress needs to hear from voters to make sure they do the right thing.

The people who want to cut it are spreading lots of myths meant to make you think there is a looming crisis. Well, it's not true—there is no Social Security crisis. The program's trust fund will have a $4.3 trillion surplus by 2023, and can pay all of its obligations for decades to come.6 Also, legally it can't contribute to the deficit—it only ever gives out benefits it can pay for.

Strengthening Social Security is easy—making the rich pay their fair share by lifting the cap on contributions by the wealthy would allow Social Security to pay all its obligations indefinitely.7

If we show Congress that voters won't stand for cuts to our benefits, we can make sure cuts stay off the table and instead focus on real solutions. Can you send a free fax to Congress today and ask them to stand up for Social Security?

http://pol.moveon.org/fax/oneoffs/index_1424.html?id=22525-1779395-caEc7vx&t=4

Thanks for all you do.

–-Nita, Daniel, Duncan, Marika, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Boehner, Pence: Raising Social Security Retirement Age An Option" Huffington Post, August 8, 2010

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89931&id=22525-1779395-caEc7vx&t=5

2. "Opposing view on retirement income: Let's upend Social Security," USA Today, August 9, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89939&id=22525-1779395-caEc7vx&t=6

3. "John Boehner: Raise Social Security Retirement Age to 70," CBS News, June 29, 2010

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20009192-503544.html

4. Republicans And Democrats Lining Up Behind Major Changes To Social Security," Talking Points Memo, July 7, 2010

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89838&id=22525-1779395-caEc7vx&t=7

5. "Groups line up against fiscal commission," The Hill, July 21, 2010

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89839&id=22525-1779395-caEc7vx&t=8

6."To Deficit Hawks: We the People Know Best on Social Security," New Deal 2.0, June 14, 2010

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89703&id=22525-1779395-caEc7vx&t=9

7. "Social Security is sustainable," Economic and Policy Institute, May 27, 2010

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89707&id=22525-1779395-caEc7vx&t=10