I was heartened to read a diary today from someone who visited Free Republic. On that site they reported reading comments from conservative Christians disgusted with Pat Robertson.
On a different subject, I have never understood how "Teabaggers" don't seem as disgusted with Wall Street as we progressives are. They really should be - even by their own mantras. How can they not see that? And with Pat Robertson's latest insanity, this is a second commonality progressives have with the right.
Is it time for progressives to reach out?
I'm not sure actually how to reach out to them. As a techie, I'm inclined to think some sort of new web site needs to be created. Some place with rules for civil engagement by invite only.
I really believe there is an opportunity in it. There may be disagreement on abortion (etc...), but clearly everyone wants to help the poor and disadvantaged this week. The week before was all talk of million $ bonuses, this week abject poverty (hello? anyone out there notice that dichotomy?). Surely, with the right, we can agree to ignore the issues that divide us, and work to take care of the poor. Strike while the iron is hot.
Put some pressure on the right for their "common-sense" solutions. I want them to stop talking about these solutions and I want to hear what they actually are. We can tell them what our solutions would be. I bet their solutions when forced to face reality and practicality are startlingly similar to those of progressives.
How hard would it be to convince them that taxing the Wall Street bonuses that we mutually hate, would help the poor in America? Does their political ideology trump their religious beliefs? I think not. (It is interesting to me that their religious beliefs (re: help the poor) are our political beliefs).
I believe there is opportunity here for someone (please Obama) to seize it. We are all pissed. I think the only difference is that the right wing populist movement still has not said what it would do any differently. And if they thought about it, they'd come to the same conclusions as the left.