Dump Obama? Not in my precinct!

by: Paul Rosenberg

Mon Oct 18, 2010 at 12:00

Back in 2003 or so, when I first wore my anti-Bush t-shirt with the slogan "A hard reign's a gonna fall", I got a fair amount of smiles from my mostly Democratic neighbors.   But even though I'm painfully aware of how much more continuity Obama's brought than change, I definitely would not expect a similar response if I were to don a "Dump Obama" t-shirt.

Can anyone tell why?

Here's the block I live on (2000 census, but the overall racial/ethnic mix hasn't changed that much):

And here's the 8-block census tract:

Of course there's no way to tell, but I generally get the impression that most of those pushing to "Dump Obama" are not only white, but travel in mostly-white circles.  Well, the faces I see everyday when I step outside are not.  About 1/4 white, tops.  That's what I see. And that's a pretty fundamental reason that I think all this "dump Obama" talk is pure poppycock--or worse.

In one of the earliest diaries at Open Left, "Toward A Pluralist Strategy" Chris wrote:

Starting with a series of three posts back in early April 2005, The Future of the Electorate, The Future of the Electorate, Part Two [page missing, alas!], and Maybe It Is A Battle Of Civilizations, for a little over two years now I have argued that a pluralistic vs. monoculture vision of identity politics, specifically based largely in ethnicity and religion, is the fundamental difference between the Democratic and Republican coalitions both now, and probably for the foreseeable future.

This is something that Democratic strategists sort of half-realize, but really don't want to.  Like zombies, they just can't help themselves, they've got to chase after the brains of white people. But the more sophisticated strategy is what might be called--hearking back to the 1990s--the "Benetton Strategy", in which a basically bland universalist marketing strategy is accessorized with a broad pallet e of different skin tones.  Obama represents the latest incarnation of this--but he still has that old zombie hankering that he just can't quit, which caused him to pre-compromise everything he started.  

While it's pretty much obvious to all of us by now what a sure loser that is, this realization has not penetrated the core of the pluralistic identity culture that Chris wrote about. Disappointment and frustration have certainly touched many in that core, but that's about it.

Herding cats: Some thoughts on the quest for a functional progressive coalition

by: Paul Rosenberg

Mon Jul 19, 2010 at 13:00

Frankly

this doesn't help me.  I think it intentionally evades some key issues.

Are Progressives socialists, or perhaps more accurately social democrats?  If so, why are these terms being avoided?

This made me realize that I haven't done a good enough job of articulating what I'm trying to do.  And if I want to be successful--particularly since I see this as necessarily a group process that I'm organizing and initiating--then making the purpose clear is of utmost importance.   So let me give you a quick description, and then try to flesh it out enough to have a meaningful discussion about it.

Basically, what I'm trying to do here is not to arbitrarily include some people out and some people in.  I'm trying to herd cats, as it were.  (The secret to herding cats? Fish!) I want to find a rational way to include as many people as possible not by resolving all our differences, but by finding a good enough (not perfect) principled framework that allows us to continue working together even as we disagree with one another in various different ways. (Our differences, properly dealt with, are a productive resource rather than an impediment.) I do have particularly strong problems with certain groups and tendencies--the neo-liberal third "Third Way" most particularly--but it's my intention that by getting to fundamental principles we can discern a framework through which those in that group--as well as any others--can choose individually and collectively if they are with us or against us, rather than issuing a blank edict.

In Don't Think of An Elephant, George Lakoff wrote:

From the point of view of a cognitive scientist, who looks at modes of thought, there are six basic types of progressives, each with a distinct mode of thought. They share all the progressive values, but are distinguished by some differences.

1. Socioeconomic progressives think that everything is a matter of money and class and that all solutions are ultimately economic and social class solutions.
2. Identity politics progressives say it is time for their oppressed group to get its share now.
3. Environmentalists think in terms of sustainability of the earth, the sacredness of the earth, and the protection of native peoples.
4. Civil liberties progressives want to maintain freedoms against threats to freedom.
5. Spiritual progressives have a nurturant form of religion or spirituality, their spiritual experience has to do with their connection to other people and the world, and their spiritual practice has to do with service to other people and to their community. Spiritual progressives span the full range from Catholics and Protestants to Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Goddess worshippers, and pagan members of Wicca.
6. Anti-authoritarians say there are all sorts of illegitimate forms of authority out there and we have to fight them, whether they are big corporations or anyone else.

All six types are examples of nurturant parent morality. The problem is that many of the people who have one of these modes of thought do not recognize that theirs is just one special case of something more general, and do not see the unity in all the types of progressives. They often think that theirs is the only way to be a true progressive. That is sad. It keeps people who share progressive values from coming together. We have to get past that harmful idea. The other side did.

Back in the 1950s conservatives hated each other. The financial conservatives hated the social conservatives. The libertarians did not get along with the social conservatives or the religious conservatives.

And many social conservatives were not religious.

I'll return to the conservatives briefly later on.  For now, I want to look at what Lakoff said about progressives.  

Action Agenda for the Establishment of the National Progressive Alliance

by: boldhawk

Thu May 07, 2009 at 01:51

Since I originally published this diary, I've come to discover that "Third Party" is a bad word; and I've also come to understand why.

At the same time, I think I have written what in fact most people prefer, for which "alliance" is an ever-better term, because, as one may see in my explanations and suggestions, an alliance can more easily act as a movement, and cooperate on issues, and in numbers. In the original article I talk about "fusion" voting, where a candidate can be endorsed by multiple parties. As an alliance, we would have to structure ourselves in such a way that we do have the power of a movement, without having to undertake the burdens of a party. I let the rest of the article stand because the thrust of it talks about issues for an alliance, which is how this movement was conceived.

The Calendar is the principal guiding tool for Action for the NPP. Each participating Organization may register an issue, which can be added to a list of issues. When a new issue is added, members are invited to vote a priority for the issue.

New participants will be invited to vote priorities on all existing issues, when he first joins (when the system is available).

Issues are voted in a scale of 1-10; if the votes indicate a excessive number of high priority, a revote for a narrower group of issues may be done.

The whole of activities of the party can be

1)    defensive actions to halt the onslaught of attacks on citizen rights and benefits; or
2)    proactive actions to implement important rights and benefits.

Each participating Key Organization or Key Entity will also tilt the priority based on "time sensitive" status. An issue is given a "time sensitive" status, when public action is about to be taken on it within the next 30 to 60 days, depending on the time necessary to organize counteraction. "Public Action" status is given when the President, Congress, an Agency of government, a State Governor or state legislature or agency, and other official agencies are expected to issue legislation or ruling or  in some way take action on the issue. It is also given a Time sensitive status when a NGO, Corporation, Party, Nation, or any entity is expected to take action on an issue of import to the NPP. I Time sensitive stamp on an issue may bring it to the top of the list temporarily, until the critical elements of the issue are handled.

Action Notices: The membership will receive notice of the next weeks or month's upcoming actions by email. The email will explain several types of actions being considered by Key Organization or entity in charge of the issue. The Key Organization or entity is the one who advanced the issue, and has been watching and working on the issue, and has the best perspective and database on the issue. The notice or email should give the appropriate links to that information.

It is hopeful and desirable that member will contribute in any of various possible ways, including a) answer mail surveys on action to be taken, b) pledge to participate in whatever action is selected, if at all physically possible.

Any one person extremely familiar with an issue, can present him/herself as the Key person to an issue, or seek association with a Key Organization, as the Coordinator. A key organization may want to appoint its own coordinator. The Coordinator ensures that all important information is linked to the NPP calendar and general reference database.

The NPP will take responsibility for the communication of issues to the body memberships. Key organizations and allied organizations may add their membership lists to NPP's list, or in some way coordinate to have Key progressive issue main sent to their own members. It is probably feasible for allied and key organizations to ask their member for permission to have their contact information sent to NPP, or to urge their members to register with NPP. The NPP will promote and urge all said members to participate in the action planned. The NPP will also conduct membership drives for the NPP and its allied organizations, and key entities.

The functions set herewith for the NPP is intended to assist allied and key organizations and individuals free to focus their resources on research, issue preparation and presentation, and selection of action to be carried out. They should still safeguard their membership lists as promised to its members, as in the stated in their own privacy statements to their members.  The NPP will focus on the faithful execution of the action presented by the key organization or key entity, understanding that advancing progressive issues on all fronts, from a united front will benefit all members of all allied groups and key groups.

The word "key" used as an adjective to the terms:  organization, entity, or group, indicates that such is directly connected to an issue. It is possible, but probably rare, that there will be organizations or entities with immediate action no issues.

Coordinator is a person who interfaces between NPP and a key organization or entity. When addressing communication to others, it would be advisable that the signature be accompanied with the tile, Issue and Organization, and a web site link: Example:  Coordinator-Voting Rights-Americans For Clean Elections-http://www.afce.net.

A coordinator also has the responsibility to seek out and reach out to other organizations or entities which are working on similar or related issues and help coordinate the sub-organization or sub-entities therein. A coordinator is further responsible for establishing contacts with governing entities and coordinating with National Progressive Committee who oversees and guides lobbying activities on a national and local level. NPC has its regional network for lobby work at all levels or government, as necessary. A coordinator interfaces with an NPP Regional coordinator, or General Coordinator, both of which are members of the NPC.

Here is a typical conversation of lobby work that might take place between a lobbyist working for NPP and a senator, representative, other official: "Senator, we are really not interested in party politics, as you know it. We are issue driven; we are not party nor candidate driven; We have formed as the NPP to gain recognition as a valid progressive constituency.  In our election ticket we will have people who believe in an issue, and will support it. Such a person may well have a Democrat, Republican, Green, Independent, or Libertarian, or NPP if it suits the issues.  We have 500,000 well organized people in your state that want this legislation to go through. If you will support it, those 500,000 people will not only vote for you, but also campaign in your behalf to ensure your re-election. If on the contrary, you oppose the people, they will find another candidate and vote and campaign for that candidate."

Issue Administrator: All issues should have an issue administrator, ideally a person with or without supporting team, who understands the issue thoroughly, and who sets up debates and discussions for general participation. Key issues should remain active until resolve or legislated on.

Membership:

General Member: Anyone who has an affinity to the principles express in the platform, and wants to be kept informed, and in tune.

Party Registered Member: folks who want to be registered as party members and will so register in their states, when such registration is possible.

Other Registered Members: These are folks who have an affinity for the platform and agenda, but prefer to retain their registration with other parties. In such cases, they would be called, "Progressive Democrat," "Progressive Independent," Progressive Green," and so forth.

Staff Members: These are folks who have a job or function within the activities of the party as described in the various agendas and policies on activities. There will be appointment issues and directories for these members, so the general membership can find the right person with whom to discuss issues, and other party or progressive information.

Dues: A member at any level can contribute anything they want to contribute, and limited, if so, by any laws affecting contributions to political parties, or political associations.

Watch Dog Committee: As the NPP becomes effective it will be subject to its own internal corruption (Ah! Human nature and power struggles!), but even more insidious, it will be subject of infiltration and provocateurs. The WDC stays alert to bogus issues (plausible titles and beautiful rhetoric, but with effectively opposite intentions and results). Such issues maybe introduced by people posing or appearing genuine. Vocal opponents will also initiate lies and attacks to distract from issues. The Watch Dog Committee will investigate and report the facts in its own web site and any other publication necessary. One of the most important objectives in such investigations is to find and expose the source of the lie, with who, what, when how. Normally, exposing the source and its motivations debunks most lies. As necessary or advisable the WDC can take legal action as part of achieving its objectives.

The WDC also keeps tabs and seeks out potential danger which undermine issues that have already been won, but where attempts to undermine their application or validity maybe taking place. For example, common area of recent activity is voting rights which have been gained, are frequently target of special interests; to wit, RNC (Republican National Committee) wants out of the "Consent Decree Prohibiting Them from Voter Caging. (Read details here: http://www.openleft.com/diary/...

Committee of Last Recourse: When any member or citizen has exhausted all possible recourse to air and make right a grievance, they can come to the Committee of Last Recourse. This committee keeps a current database of (government, NGO, corporation, or entity) who, what, and where a person should go with their problem to in order to right a wrong. When a member or citizen sends an issue to the committee, he's provided a list from its database of people that should have been talked to. If all those have already been exhausted (as shown by any type of reasonable documentation, such as letters, phone calls, and other contacts with their results), the committee shall to take up the issue, and seek some resolution in behalf of the complainant. A member or citizen must never be turned away or told that an issue is dead. Only the complainant can kill his own complaint. It must be born in mind that these issues that nobody wants to deal with will try every one's patience, and hit lots of raw nerves; thus such issues can linger for long periods of time without resolution. The committee will continue to try its best to help resolve the matter. This committee is a public service to the community, available to members and non-members alike. Such complaints could represent further issues that the NPP may want to add to its agenda if the CLR presents a case which merits consideration.

Summary:

We believe the above outline will need to be set up, to become a really functioning team. In order to do it effectively, people to man the various activities and support activities are required.

As you read this outline you will be able to see what's needed and where you can fit in, if you want to do something. You can write us to the effect.

There are some immediate needs involving the following support activities:

Web Master to hone in the programs to handle the activities, particularly the Action calendar, and items related to action and allied organization communication systems. Initially, a way of organizing the information to easy access by anyone, so people don't have to spend hours to get key information.

We need a reasonable method of soliciting financial contributions; at present, before being formally organized as a political organization, any contributions would necessarily have to be sent to me. As soon as there are people who can manage funds, it will go to the finance committee.

Some internal actions have to be sorted out:

Registration in Party

Name of the party

Formal organization of the party

These are all items open for discussion; readers can contribute or suggest other issues which should be put on the table for discussion.

At present, I will make administrative decision on all issues, since I'm the only member now, and hopefully, as new folks join, I will be accepted as a "benevolent patriarch." As soon as there are enough people to accommodate a steering committee, it will be established. You can always revolt against me if you think I'm going the wrong way.