If I were a progressive candidate, I’d speak most about what I would do, and least about what the other guy didn’t do. No quantity of speeches about how bad things are and how awful the other guy or gal is will advance a progressive agenda or grow progressive values in our society.
If I were a progressive candidate, I’d take positions because they were right, not just because they were safe, and damn the political consequences. If because I did so I lose, well then I lose. Hell, this is no time for caution. This is no time for candidates who are technocratic and careful. This is a time for candidates who are passionate, and bold, and brave.
If I were a progressive candidate, I’d speak to voters’ hopes, their worries, and to what gives them despair late at night. And if I didn’t know, I’d be damn sure to find out by asking them directly, not inferring from polls. Voters ask only that candidates know who they are, what they think, what they need, and what their rights are. They ask that candidates care more about people than about what they think. They need candidates who will say to them: "You and me both, pal."
If I were a progressive candidate, I’d give my best answers to the real questions on voters’ minds. My God, who the hell really cares about gay marriage and flag burning? Folks across America are asking: "How will we prosper? What will make us secure? What will happen if my family loses our health care? How will we afford to send our kids to college? How will we afford to save for our retirement?"
If I were a progressive candidate, I’d meet the American people where they are, not where I think they should be. Meeting them where they are comes before leading them where they ought to be. Belittling them for where they are only drives them further away from where they ought to be.
If I were a progressive candidate, I’d speak not out of hopelessness, but out of hope. Hope is more sustaining than fear. I’d present a clear vision for the future, a fresh agenda of new ideas, rather than a stale litany of old tired ones. I’d help people to imagine more ambitiously what we can do together, and to realize what we can never do apart.
If I were a progressive candidate, I’d criticize without sounding as if I wanted America to fail. I’d describe what I love about America, and then talk about what I want to do to make her better. While Americans are proud of their country, they are not blind to her shortcomings. But tell them how awful she is, or patronize their pride, and you can forget about ever being elected.
If I were a progressive candidate, I’d present big, positive visionary solutions that solve multiple problems simultaneously while strengthening progressive and American values. The American people cannot be won over by presenting them a laundry list of complaints and giving them no end of "I have a nightmare" speeches. No more candidates who frighten people into inaction, and cause them to be pessimistic about the possibility for real change.
If I were a progressive candidate, I’d mobilize and persuade, rather than continue only to mobilize the persuaded. Let’s face it, there is no great untapped reserve of liberals and progressives out there – that well is producing as much as it ever did and ever will. It’s time to explore for new sources of political energy.
If I were a progressive candidate, I’d run on a platform that would Make America Safe, Rebuild America First, Make Work Pay, Strengthen Health Care, Educate Children Well, Provide Tuition Relief, Protect Retirement Security. Create New Energy, and Save Our Environment. Let’s keep it simple, folks. These are the things that matter.
If I were a progressive candidate, I’d champion a just society that doesn’t discriminate based on gender, race, orientation or creed. I’d champion an opportunity society that makes the American dream real for every American who reaches for it. I’d champion a secure society, but one where our security is found most in the health, education, courage, and innovation of the American people.
I’d champion a government of the Have-Nots, not the Haves. I’d champion an America where government doesn’t turn its back on its own people. I’d champion an America whose great strength – its people – work together once again to build a stronger, smarter, healthier and safer nation.
For though America is a great nation, a nation cannot remain great unless it remains good, and prosperous. A nation cannot remain prosperous unless its people work tirelessly together to keep the scales of justice balanced for all, the halls of learning wide enough for all, the advances of science available to all, and the avenues of opportunity open to all.
If I were a progressive candidate, this would be my vision. No more can America withstand candidates who lack this or some other positive vision of opportunity and well-being for all. For as it says in the Scriptures, "where there is no vision, the people perish."
www.strangeanimals.us
Todd Huffman is a pediatrician and writer living in Eugene, Oregon. He is a regular contributor to many newspapers and publications throughout the Pacific Northwest.
The Executive Office....Run for office or Educate the Masses
Oh there are alot of things we want, and need. One is breaking this image of all white men need only apply for the job. From George Washington to George Bush the Presidential Executive office has been a litany of Corporate White America. No ethnic backgrounds, no women have ever been able to break the stereotypical dominance of who walks where and is elected to even now the appointment process the Supreme Court has now made viable. And the image that they live and command from the White House. For once I think the house should be painted blue, or yellow.
We need to tell the wrong things in order to get the right things to play. We need anti war candidates, who will support the idea that going to war is never an option. We need candidates that will end occupations around the world. Iraq is one, Japan is another.
We need legislation that protects religious people from government. How is it that government can wage war and force people who are against war to pay for it? Why don't individuals have a right to say where their tax payments can be spent in government? If I have to pay taxes then give me a say to where it is used. How is that unreasonable? If I support education, then it should go there, no where else.
We need someone who will support the idea that America needs to be out of debt. If the Republican Klondikes can gut bankruptcy laws and change the peoples financial interest, certainly that same principle applies toward the national financial agenda. A law should be passed to require the America government to get out of debt, and establish that it can not go into debt again. We are sick and tired of this crazy flip flop back and forth paradigm of massive debts.
We need someone who will remember those who lived in this country before we did. There should be a National Day of rememberance to Native American Indians. We should correct the injustices in Reservations, and create jobs, so they are not forced to live from gambling casino's and a numbers racket that resembles organized crime syndicates. We should honor our brothers and sisters who were black slaves and supported America in its first 100 years and even today. There needs to be Black America Day. And I don't mean to create one day for two occasions such as Washingtons and Lincolns Birthday celebrated on the same day. I mean two separate days. Let us remember our fellow brothers and sisters whom our forefathers enslaved and freed. We can not forget and we won't forget.
We should do more to strengthen the United Nations. Helping other countries in the world certainly strengthens ours. I do not mean to push the New Order Concept, because I believe in the New World Concept, in which America is not a dominate culture forcing its agenda on the world, but the World is our Agenda in establishing inspiring markets for all people to partake in the feast of economic milk and honey. How wonderful to have foreign foods come to our markets, how wonderful to have International Folk Song Gatherings.
We need a New America. I know Democrats have settled on this new direction plan, but I think the new direction is the New America.
We can not forget about the need for justice and the need for an International World Court. People who have been accused of commiting crimes need to have their day in a World Court allowing them to protect themselves in a standard of law. It should not be looked upon as a planned organization that intends to convict such as the kangaroo court in Baghdad with Saddam Hussein, and the kangaroo court that was in the Hague trying Slobodan Milosovich. We have no right to have courts pass judgement on their guilt as those courts repeatedly imply and implied during their detention.
As far as Gay issues and Abortion, I think War is the worse of the group. Anyone who authorizes war has no business preaching the moral or ethical standards of Gayism or abortionism. Frankly speaking Gays never have to worry about abortions and are contributing to lower population levels in the world. Frankly speaking abortions of babies should not be a law or enforcement issue but strictly a religious issue. Americans have confused abortion with law and its enforcement, pitting legalization against illegalization. Neither are the issue. If God were walking the earth would we put him on trial because of a miscarriage? In a sense his divine power established that abortion. So no...I think abortion should not be ruled in the Supreme Court, and present decisions nullified, neither supporting either side of the issue. It is a Religious concern, and America supports the freedom of religion.
There should also be an investigation into 911 again, even if unable to convict someone. The facts will establish and point to who are the real terror agents. We can not live in fear of terror. We must stand against it without force, because using force against it is terror too.
We need to follow the dictates of Mahatma Ghandi, and Dr. Martin Luther King, and his most reverend Jesus the Lord himself. If we are met with death, we pray it comes swiftly. Do not seek retribution from the accused, because it will not solve the act.
Seek the wisdom in knowing that we do not accept terror or the killing of people, and that we will do our best to educate and make people understand throughout the world that death and killing solves no problems. It does not bring justice, and does not bring closure. All it does is bring more death to an already sad occurance. We seek life and helping people toward happiness.
It is hoped that America will acknowledge its mistakes and take corrective actions to absolve them. We as a nation whom purport infallability is an outlandish lie. And any administration that does surely does not have the true spirit of the american people in mind.
We are human, and we make mistakes. We apologize and seek to better our efforts.
From then we can go forward as we move in progress to helping each other in the world.
In closing,
amen
by
Dom Jermano (20 articles, 0 quicklinks, 40 diaries, 930 comments)
on Friday, June 16, 2006 at 6:58:35 AM
1 comments
How would you rate this?
You must be logged in (if signed up) to do ratings.
It's free to signup! And easy. And takes just a minute or two....
Must Read (
Well Said (
News (
Touching (
Funny (
Supported (
Interesting (
Inspiring (
Valuable (
