I consider myself a mainstream liberal. I was part of the euphoria that accompanied the wave that swept President Obama to the oval office. I believed in the change he could bring. Now I'm watching a lot of progressives jump off the bus because the driver "isn't progressive enough." Pardon my french but.. What the holy freaking fuck people????? (yeah I drop the f-bomb in casual conversation, apologies if it bothers you but I aint going to not be me for an anonymous internet reader, ok?) Read on for my thoughts on how those of us that believe in a liberal and progressive society can so easily shoot ourselves in the foot if we lose sight of fundamental facts...
Ok, first things first - I would have been much happier if President Obama had pushed a much more progressive agenda. Single payer health care would have been nice, so would punitive taxes on financial institutions based on a disparity between their executives remuneration and the returns gained by their customers. Same for other corporations - if the CEOs pay increases by a greater percentage than that of any worker in the organization, by all means tax the excess into oblivion. But lets be 100% honest with ourselves... THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN (at least, not yet.)
I am an immigrant. Maybe its the old cliche about the patriotism of immigrants but I do love this country. It's my home. I hate to see my fellow liberals and progressives losing sight of the goals we all share, cutting off their noses to spite their faces.
I've seen folks rave about how Obama let them down. I've seen folks yell about primary challenges to moderate democrats. I've seen people going "oh wtf, whatever" about the midterm elections when they were among the most energized for the presidential election. Well, shame on the lot of you! Step back from your disillusionment for a moment and ask yourself how much worse this would have been with a republican - ANY republican - in the oval office, or if the "party of no" had managed to gain control of either house of congress, even if they had done so by fielding their most moderate and centrist candidates. The most wimpy and wussy blue dog is better than any republican for the cause you believe in, isn't it? Sure you wont get everything you want in any given election cycle, but isn't that the way the system is SUPPOSED to work?
Swallow your objections, hold your nose if required, but no matter what if you believe in a progressive, tolerant, inclusive and liberal future for this country GET YOUR ASS TO THE POLLS. If theres no candidate that matches your beliefs completely, vote for the one closest to your ideal, but dont you DARE stay away. If you do, and the result is that the opposition strengthens their position then you have only yourself to blame. "I cant have perfect, so I dont want better" is childish and stupid and it gives up everything your efforts have earned this far. If you want to part of that, if you want to be the REASON the right wing manages to take away more freedoms in the guise of "protecting" them, then I hope you like what you see in the mirror each morning. When pragmatism is the only game in town, play it. Just play it better than the opposition do.