Shockingly, progressives actually all seem to agree on something for once. They agree that for the most part, corporate Democrats in Congress are complicit with Bush administration policies ranging from war in Iraq, to torture. They have let us, and the constitution, down. So what is our course of action for the next election?
We work to unite the left behind the most progressive candidates possible.
The fact that so many young people who are totally fed up with the Republicans and the Democrats are flocking to a candidate who is as non-progressive as Ron Paul clearly shows that the Democrats have not put forward a compelling message to voters. Wishy-washy vows about getting the troops out of Iraq someday, while simultaneously passing Iraq spending bill after Iraq spending bill doesn't seem to be creating much of a political groundswell behind Democrats.
Declaring emphatically that impeachment was off the table, and not even holding hearings, didn't help much either.
So this brings us to one single, inevitable conclusion. If we don't do something right now to change the course of this election, and counter the corporate media’s conservative spin, we will most likely end up with something very much like the status quo in 2009.
The primary reason for needing to unite and do something right now is obvious. The primaries are fast approaching. The candidates chosen via the primaries at all levels of government will drastically limit our voting options for 2008. If you want to have any choice at all on who those candidates for the general elections are going to be on the Progressive side, you need to do something now, and not wait until November 2008.
Now, while all of us who are not right-wing conservatives still have the opportunity, we need to work together to get the most progressive, non-corporate candidates nominated for the next election. This country can’t take another round of corporate owned politicians running the White House and Congress.
I’ll take a stab at an approximate ranking of the current Democratic Presidential candidates from conservative (first) to liberal (last), with corporate indebtedness/friendliness being a major categorizer. The order is very fuzzy, of course, because the issues and opinions are numerous, and very diverse.
If you count Mike Gravel, he would be the most liberal of the bunch, but he is an even longer shot for the Presidency than Al Gore.
For Ron Paul fanatics… Ron Paul is not a liberal or a progressive, he is a right-wing, anti-government conservative. If you’re a progressive who thinks that government is (or is supposed to be) a critical and beneficial part of our society, you don’t want to have anything to do with Ron Paul.
If you want a sure bet, highly-qualified and honest progressive as president, just work your ass off to draft Al Gore and help get him elected. The deadline to get him to commit is fast approaching.
Short of that, work for and vote for your favorite progressive Democratic candidate, keeping in mind that the Joe Lieberman (DLC) wing of the Democratic party is very much like the George Bush (Neocon) wing of the Republican party as regards corporate ties and proclivities, and tendencies toward wars both foreign and domestic.
I think that any of the more progressive Democrats in the presidential election (Obama > Richardson > Edwards > Gore > Kucinich) would make a good, or maybe even a great president. I’m not so sure about the other, more corporate/defense industry friendly Democrats. They would be a lot better than Bush, but then again, that’s setting the bar really, really low.
Beyond the presidential race, all of us also need to research, and work to nominate the most progressive candidates in our state and local governments. It is critical that we all do the necessary research on our local candidates online, and in local papers, early in the process (read now), so that we can work to make a difference in the upcoming primaries. Do your homework on the people running for office where you live, and then work hard for the most progressive candidates available. Websites like www.ActBlue.com and www.democrats.com are great places to get started with your homework. All local candidates are in great need of volunteers, so if you have any spare time, contact their offices immediately. Waiting for the general election, and then just checking boxes or pressing buttons isn’t going to get you the government you want. You’ll need to put in some effort now, before your choices are both limited, and undesirable.
Dr. John Moffett is an active research neuroscientist in the Washington, DC area, who has published articles on the nervous and immune systems. Dr. Moffett is also the author and webmaster of the political opinion website www.Factinista.org, and is a Managing Editor at OpEdNews.com.
The most critical thing here is that the progressive Democrat win in a landslide, and poll after poll tells us that head-to-head against the every Republican, John Edwards will do just that. He opposes the war, he wants universal healthcare as an immediate priority, and green infrastructure as a WPA -like domestic agenda. He can be our FDR. And he can win. Remember this at the ballot box in Jan/Feb!
-Michael Fox
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Michael Fox (39 articles, 0 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 21 comments)
on Sunday, December 16, 2007 at 4:25:43 PM
The Ron Paul rEVOLution is the peace movemtent. I have not met one Ron Paul supporter (and I've met allot) who is for the war or funding the war. This is a rEVOLution because we are being educated on the internet. Major political shift is happening. I suggest you start Googling everything Ron Paul and get in the game because Ron Paul IS the Peace Movement, he just broke a second consecutive campaign fund record for the Tea party, as in Boston Tea Party, by we rEVOLutionaries. Wake up. It's a new day dawning. Ron Paul cured my apathy!
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Jeanette Doney (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 304 comments)
on Sunday, December 16, 2007 at 5:28:51 PM
What I am having a hard time understanding is why everyone who I talk to, who calls themselves "progressive" or "liberal", are not actively supporting Kucinich? He has been consistent and has stuck to his progressive principles. If you don' go to the caucuses run as a delegate and campaign for him then he will never win. None of the Democractic Presidential nominees has consistently voted against the war, stood up for the Constitution and none are backing universal, single payer healthcare for all. Stop blogging and start organizing! Fight for what you believe in. Stop compromising and settling for the least common denominator, or then one with the most money and highest poll numbers. Remember only about 5% of the general population backed the Revolution. If we unite, we can be the tipping point. Don't just blog, organize!
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Trainer12 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 41 comments)
on Tuesday, December 18, 2007 at 10:25:56 AM
I support Kucinich, but I think Al Gore is a much more viable candidate for the general election. Dennis is great, but he is probably not as electable with the general public as Al Gore. Plus Al Gore already won once, and deserves it.
But I am fully behind Kucinich, and that's why he is listed in my article as the most progressive candidate.
John
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John R Moffett (78 articles, 14 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 588 comments)
on Tuesday, December 18, 2007 at 11:28:43 AM
There is little time left to come together to regain the ground that has been lost in the battle for America. Once the Flame of Liberty is strong again feel free to factionalize.
America is being undermined on many fronts. The one most eminent is our Bankruptcy. Fueled by War, Empire Maintenance, and Fallacious Spending of congress; The economic Overtaking of America will not be far off. The effects are just now becoming evident. We will be sold to our enemies rather than forced into submission.
Ron Paul is the only candidate running for president that has the vision of the founding fathers of this country ingrained in his heart. Core Character Counts. He is the only one in the field that I would trust my money and my family's safety with.
The Re-Education Of America Has Begun. It is exemplified in the Ron Paul Revolution. The message is more important than the man.
Research him for yourself, but be wary of the Mainstream Medias Bias.
Why would any Progressive want to vote for someone who doesn't believe in Government? Paul doesn’t believe in Social Security, Medicaid, Foodstamps or anything else that Progressives believe in.
I am amazed that Ron Paul fanatics think Progressives are dumb enough to vote for a hard core government hater to run the government.
We may be fractionalized, but we’re not dumb. Please stop assuming we are mindless drones.
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John R Moffett (78 articles, 14 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 588 comments)
on Tuesday, December 18, 2007 at 12:17:01 PM
