Look, here's what happened in Massachusetts: a lot of Republicans voted, a lot of Democrats didn't. Why did this happen? There are myriad reasons, and I'll explore them below the fold. Before you all start accusing me of "circular firing squad" or playing the "blame game", I want to state that nobody is blameless here, but we need to look back and see what the causes are so we can move forward with a plan that addresses these causes and prevents future losses.
To start out with, there is a huge enthusiasm gap right now. The Republican base is spitting fire while the Democratic base is depressed. There are a few causes for this. The right wing media has been stoking the fears of its base, firing them up and getting them primed for battle mostly on imagined victories of the left. The Democratic base on the other hand is seeing a congress that is completely controlled by Democrats do absolutely nothing. President Obama is about as strong as a spaghetti noodle left in a pot of boiling water for an hour, so he's not blameless here. Using the office of the Presidency to rally the public (using the bully pulpit) is what GW Bush and co. did so well. However they used fear, whereas Obama has the opportunity to use hope, change and the force of public opinion to get things done. The fact that the Dems have been so ineffective has shown itself tonight. After all, who wants to bother voting for another Democrat when they're just going to go to Washington to sit on their hands while they talk all day long about justice and equality?
I feel that way every time I look at Ben Nelson, Blanche Lincoln, Joe Lieberman, etc. My wife and I have even left the Democratic party because of it. As an aside, this has resulted in hilarious mail from the Republican Party, RNC, NRA, etc. I just laugh and send them their surveys back filled out all "lefty". Anyhow, the point is that neither party is representing rank and file Democrats and those further to the left. Progressive values ARE American values. When issue opinions are polled, they consistently show overwhelming majorities support positions that are considered "leftist". Why? Because the policies of the right just don't work. So why aren't Democrats, particularly the President, pushing an agenda to stop global warming, pass medicare for all, end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, fund our schools, protect equal rights, etc? Because they are owned by corporations who are opposed to these things. They're almost all bought off by some corporate interest intent on protecting their turf, their wealth and their company interests at the expense of everyone else.
Now I'm not saying "what's the point of it all? We may as well just go roll over." What I'm saying is that it's up to us to take back our party. Ultimately this is not a failure of President Obama (although he needs to stiffen up and whip his colleagues into shape if he wants to win re-election), or the spineless Senate (though they need to grow a set), nor the Blue Dog reps (though they need to be ousted), but a failure of the grassroots. The loss tonight in Mass. is our failure. I'm not talking just about GOTV here (although that was exceptionally weak), but about our failure to infiltrate and take over the party en masse. I know there have been places where local and state parties have voted in progressive leadership, but not many. We need to get busy. Why do you think the right has been so effective at taking over the Republicans? It's because they've infiltrated the party and kicked out the moderates. Before you get all huffy saying that we need a big tent and the like and we don't want to go the way of the purity test, the difference between the right and the left is that if we did, it would make the party stronger, not weaker, because most Americans agree with our stances on the issues.
So run for precinct committee person. Go to the party meetings and raise hell. Get the old ineffective leadership out and install progressives to run the local and state party. Recruit primary challengers for centerist Democrats in EVERY district. The CW says that leftist Democrats can't win in more conservative districts, but this is simply untrue. Remember, our policy priorities are those of the American people, so we can win in EVERY district. F the CW. Take over the establishment and turn it left. We need to fix our party so our party can fix the country.
We also need to get out in the streets and protest. There has been far too little protest of Obama and the Democrats from the left. We felt all proud and hopeful after the election, but that was just the start. We then proceeded to contentedly fall asleep while the right was screaming its head off. Where are the masses protesting the escalation of Afghanistan? Where are the hoards storming the capitol to demand medicare for all? Where are the marches for equality? You know if McCain had won, they'd be all over the place. Politics is not bean bag, we need to get out in the streets and make ourselves heard. FDR was not a progressive champion because of his own ideas, he was a progressive champion because he was forced into it by the people. The people demanded real action by pitching tent cities in the capitol, marching, protesting, and not believing that just because a Democrat was elected, that they'll do the right thing. So let's get a move on here!