Having an impact on electoral politics

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Wednesday February 03, 2010 · 8:22 AM PST

2010/02/03 · 08:22

For most of us who consider ourselves activists, electoral politics can be a frustrating business. That's because too often we go into the voting both having to decide whether to vote for the lesser of two evils and know that, no matter how informed we are...the wingers, teabaggers, and idjit voters (video) get just as much of a voice in the process as we do.

Of course, on that last one, those of us in Minnesota got a wake-up call this past year when 312 of the over 2.8 million votes cast meant the different between another term for Norm Coleman and freshman Senator Al Franken. Boy, am I glad that I didn't sit that one out!

NLinStPaul

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Monday February 01, 2010 · 9:11 AM PST

2010/02/01 · 09:11

Many people have written extraordinary articles and diaries about Obama's performance last Friday at the House Republican Retreat. But for me, none have captured what I saw better than Melissa Harris-Lacewell in an article she wrote titled "The Obama I Remember" for The Nation.

NLinStPaul

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Sunday January 24, 2010 · 7:21 AM PST

2010/01/24 · 07:21

These are the words of 47 national health care experts to Speaker Pelosi and Chairmen Rangel, Waxman, and Miller in a letter dated Friday. The group of experts includes Jacob Hacker, Jon Gruber, and Celia Wcislo (United Health Care Workers, SEIU).

NLinStPaul

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Thursday January 21, 2010 · 4:39 PM PST

2010/01/21 · 16:39

Tonight we'll be discussing Chapter 1 of Moral Man and Immoral Society by Rheinhold Niebuhr. If you'd like to catch up on FrankCornish's kick-off diary for this series and discussion of the Introduction, please follow the links.

NLinStPaul

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Tuesday January 05, 2010 · 1:39 PM PST

2010/01/05 · 13:39

Perhaps a few quotes will tell the tale.

NLinStPaul

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Saturday January 02, 2010 · 8:47 AM PST

2010/01/02 · 08:47

As progressives, I am comfortable assuming that we are all opposed to racism and would like to see it abolished. But I also think most of you will agree with me when I say that having a conversation about the topic and coming up with HOW to get rid of it is often frustrating. I would expect that most of you, like me, have entered those kinds of conversations only to see them end with anger, misunderstandings, accusations, and defensiveness that only seem to make the problem worse instead of better.

I think there are many reasons why this happens - not the least of which is that talking about racism requires self-reflection...something that is very difficult for us to do. But I also think that its partly a result of a lack of common understanding about the words we use and how we use them. While I claim no expertise on this issue, I'd like to write about some of the things I've learned from people along my journey to have this conversation and then hopefully learn from some of your reactions.

NLinStPaul

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Friday January 01, 2010 · 7:43 AM PST

2010/01/01 · 07:43

Yeah, I said it. And I'll say it again...I hate New Year's resolutions!!!

Most of all, I hate what they've become in our culture...a way to mostly look at the superficial qualities of our lives and think that somehow we'll be happier if we change them. Oh, and there are usually tons of products we can buy that will "help" us achieve them, so now is the time to pony up.

But there is something even more insidious about how we approach resolutions. For some people (not all), this becomes a time to unleash all of the "shoulds" that have been rolling around in our heads. Most often, these are the shoulds that others in our lives or culture have laid on us as baggage. To resolve to meet those shoulds is usually not only doomed to fail, but negates our own true desires for ourselves.

NLinStPaul

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Wednesday December 30, 2009 · 3:45 PM PST

2009/12/30 · 15:45

As we debate strategies and tactics for many of the common goals we share, I've been thinking about passion, rage, and other emotions that inevitably become part of the process when we all care this deeply about something. I am one that believes that emotions are a necessary part of the mix. Those that seek to avoid them make me suspicious. That's because they are part of our make-up as human beings and tend to fester in ugly ways if we don't acknowledge them.

But emotions can also cloud our thinking if we let them lead us or if we try to deny them completely. I believe that this is part of the blindness referred to when Merriam Webster defines ideologue this way.

an often blindly partisan advocate or adherent of a particular ideology

NLinStPaul

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Saturday December 26, 2009 · 9:41 AM PST

2009/12/26 · 09:41

As we debate strategies for how to advance our progressive goals, I can't help but reflect on this past year and one sure-fire way to get that done.

NLinStPaul

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Monday December 21, 2009 · 12:01 PM PST

2009/12/21 · 12:01

Dionne has a great column up today titled Progressives - don't scream: organize.

NLinStPaul

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Sunday December 20, 2009 · 9:22 AM PST

2009/12/20 · 09:22

I don't suppose this diary will speak to many of you here. I'm only writing it on the off-chance that some might find it useful in putting things into context. Its not about health care reform, Afghanistan, climate change, or even elected officials so much as its about all of us and where we stand at this historic moment.

Years ago I was introduced to a poet by the name of David Whyte. Since then, I have only half-jokingly referred to him as my "spiritual guru."

NLinStPaul

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Friday December 18, 2009 · 1:22 PM PST

2009/12/18 · 13:22

In the current tug-of-war going on about health care reform between those who are advocating for incrementalism and those pushing to "kill the bill," I have been reminded of something Pete Seeger said a while ago.

To give his words a little background, they came in a video produced by This Brave Nation. The link takes you to a series of conversations between young and veteran activists in this country. For example, you'll find the following twosomes in conversation about their experiences of the past and their hopes for the future.

Carl Pope and Van Jones
Bonnie Raitt and Delores Huerta
Anthony Romero and Ava Lowery
Tom Hayden and Naomi Klein

But it was the conversation between Pete Seeger and Majora Carter where this particular lesson was taught.

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Having an impact on electoral politics

Good Crazy

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DK Niebuhr Book Club

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Having the conversation about racism

I Hate New Year's Resolutions

On the potential danger of progressive ideologues

How do you change DC? A photo/video diary

E. J. Dionne gets it!!!

The narrative of disappearance

On Incrementalism: Learning from history