I was in college in 1968, when Hubert Humphrey ran against Nixon. Though it was a presidential election year, there were similarities to this one. We had a president with a great record on social issues, bogged down in a quagmire war, with sinking popularity, a slow economy, and impatient liberals.
In fact, the liberals were so impatient that it became fashionable to say that there was not "a dime's worth of difference" between Humphrey and Nixon, so Democrats shouldn't even bother to vote.
Those 1968 liberals were mistaken -- not only about the difference between Humphrey & Nixon -- but about the need for Democrats to vote and to work for the Democratic candidates.
This year, progressives and liberals must not make the same mistake.
As a life-long liberal, I've learned that the Democratic party has a talent for shooting itself in the foot. Frequently, the gun was in the party's left hand. The "shooters" were people of good intent who were deeply committed to progressive causes; but they were often impatient and frustrated that the politicians they supported had not managed to do as much as fast as these supporters wanted.
However, when impatient progressives turn against the leaders they helped elect, it opens the way for the Republicans to win. And in recent elections, that has lead to disaster. For example, if Ralph Nader had not run in 2000, Al Gore would have won in Florida and become president. Maybe we'd be in Afghanistan, but we certainly would not be in Iraq and we wouldn't be fighting to stop giving tax cuts to billionaires.
I think that this year's elections are probably the most important ones in my life. The number of House races "in play" is at a historical high; and almost all the Senate races are too close to call. Moreover, the Republican party has become so ideologically narrow and rigid that many of its candidates would be downright dangerous legislators.
So I'm asking all the disappointed,impatient progressive dailyKosers: please, please think about some historic movements and how much time and work went into them. The end of slavery; the end of Jim Crow; equal pay for women; the 40 hour work week -- take your pick of these or other progressive achievements; every one took many years of patient struggle.
By historical standards, Obama and the Congressional Democrats have accomplished a lot in two years. Of course it's not as much as you wanted; we all wanted more. But that is not a reason for you to drop out of the process; if anything, it is a reason to stay involved and work harder.
The Republicans and their super rich buddies have lots of money to spend on TV commercials. What the Democrats have -- and can use more of -- is feet on the ground and voices on the phone. That is how Obama won in 2008; and that is how we can keep control of Congress this year. Organizing for America will take all the volunteers it can get.
As Garrison Keillor says, "Life is difficult, and not for the faint of heart". Less-than-perfect leaders and frustrating political failures are among life's difficulties; but that is no reason for you to become faint of heart.
Thanks for reading my diary. And should you decide to work in a progressive candidate's campaign, thanks for that too.