When I started Popular Progressive in 2006, it began with these words:
"Mainly, I wanted to create a blog that is open to disagreement, even within the friendly confines of "progressives"--because I don't think we all agree what that means.
I believe "Progressive" is making conscious choices that improve the lives of people and considers both the intended consequences (and the unintended consequences) of decisions that affect us now and our children down the road. I define these choices in terms of social, economic, and personal. Specifically, I define progressive issues around sustainable policy, that is fair to those affected by it, and results in fiscal and moral/ethical responsible outcomes."
After a significant hiatus and moving on to social media platforms that I found to be limiting, I discovered that I had a desire to fire up the old Victrola and go at it again. In these divisive times, I wanted to offer this platform for thoughtful posting and commentary.
As I said back then, "Progressive Politics has a ways to go to become "mainstream", but it will only happen if we can present our ideas and plans to people in ways they can understand. In other words, we have to make our case AND learn what the needs are of people that are not being met in today's political environment." Clearly, we have a Conservative Populist in office, in part because he promised things that enough voters agreed with that he won the Electoral College. I think it is fair to say that we could have done better.
When I started this blog, I voiced what I thought was wrong "about how political parties work:
1) People are not valued for what they can contribute to political discourse, but for what they CONTRIBUTE $.
2) Political parties do not reach out to constituencies that REALLY need political clout (e.g., the poor)
3.) Political parties build leadership through attrition--Darwinian "survival of the fittest" mentality.
4.) Political parties do not know how to "play nice"--that is make your point versus the opposition, but don't go to the lowest common denominator to do it.
5.) They mostly work by instilling fear about the alternatives.
6.) Political parties do not generally match people to their talents effectively.
I know I left some other things out and now would add:
- Political Party upper-tier leaders are in it to win it, no matter what and are no more democratic than crime families. Rulemakers run the show.
- Political parties are always using the grassroots to shore up the ruling class. You need bodies to run campaigns and therefore it is in a party's best interest to have a lot of competition at the primary level and rally the troops at the general election, as long as the grassroots go along.
Now, more than ever, we need to be aware of how poisonous politics can become on the electoral side and how much it can be changed on the advocacy side. I am hopeful in attaching the jumper cables to this blog, that I can resume a dialogue that I started 12 years ago. Because I think the true patriot is not the one who solely waves the flag and declares his or her pledge of allegiance, but calls out B.S. and doesn't lose faith in the prospect that we can continually form a more perfect Union. I don't disagree with the idea that we can make (or continue to make) America great, but need to improve the methods and mechanisms that can make it so.
I'd love to know what you are thinking about these days. In the mean time, thanks for reading this and welcome to (or back to) Popular Progressive - Redux.
"Mainly, I wanted to create a blog that is open to disagreement, even within the friendly confines of "progressives"--because I don't think we all agree what that means.
I believe "Progressive" is making conscious choices that improve the lives of people and considers both the intended consequences (and the unintended consequences) of decisions that affect us now and our children down the road. I define these choices in terms of social, economic, and personal. Specifically, I define progressive issues around sustainable policy, that is fair to those affected by it, and results in fiscal and moral/ethical responsible outcomes."
After a significant hiatus and moving on to social media platforms that I found to be limiting, I discovered that I had a desire to fire up the old Victrola and go at it again. In these divisive times, I wanted to offer this platform for thoughtful posting and commentary.
As I said back then, "Progressive Politics has a ways to go to become "mainstream", but it will only happen if we can present our ideas and plans to people in ways they can understand. In other words, we have to make our case AND learn what the needs are of people that are not being met in today's political environment." Clearly, we have a Conservative Populist in office, in part because he promised things that enough voters agreed with that he won the Electoral College. I think it is fair to say that we could have done better.
When I started this blog, I voiced what I thought was wrong "about how political parties work:
1) People are not valued for what they can contribute to political discourse, but for what they CONTRIBUTE $.
2) Political parties do not reach out to constituencies that REALLY need political clout (e.g., the poor)
3.) Political parties build leadership through attrition--Darwinian "survival of the fittest" mentality.
4.) Political parties do not know how to "play nice"--that is make your point versus the opposition, but don't go to the lowest common denominator to do it.
5.) They mostly work by instilling fear about the alternatives.
6.) Political parties do not generally match people to their talents effectively.
I know I left some other things out and now would add:
- Political Party upper-tier leaders are in it to win it, no matter what and are no more democratic than crime families. Rulemakers run the show.
- Political parties are always using the grassroots to shore up the ruling class. You need bodies to run campaigns and therefore it is in a party's best interest to have a lot of competition at the primary level and rally the troops at the general election, as long as the grassroots go along.
Now, more than ever, we need to be aware of how poisonous politics can become on the electoral side and how much it can be changed on the advocacy side. I am hopeful in attaching the jumper cables to this blog, that I can resume a dialogue that I started 12 years ago. Because I think the true patriot is not the one who solely waves the flag and declares his or her pledge of allegiance, but calls out B.S. and doesn't lose faith in the prospect that we can continually form a more perfect Union. I don't disagree with the idea that we can make (or continue to make) America great, but need to improve the methods and mechanisms that can make it so.
I'd love to know what you are thinking about these days. In the mean time, thanks for reading this and welcome to (or back to) Popular Progressive - Redux.
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