As electioneering winds up, and yard signs are beginning to spring forth, I would like to put forth one hypothesis: We (that is the progressive base) have already lost this election. IN fact, I dont think we will see a return to reasoned (liberal) politics for another 30 yeas or so.
Disagree? Follow me across the squiggle...
OK lets say that reason prevails and that Obama wins another term. I certainly hope so, but what do we really achieve in this? We can plug a few holes in the sinking ship of state: We can hold the losses of civil rights to a minimum and maybe keep the current tax structure in place. We might be able to maintain our foreign policy and prevent a war with Iran. We may prevent another corporate/GOP voice on the supreme court. All of those things are worth the fight to get out there and vote: but they do not really advance our nation - they basically keep the status quo.
Lets say that we maintain control of the senate - doubtful, and regain control of the house - even more doubtful. We had these a couple of years ago, and the best we could do was stopgap measures of the ACA (no single payer option) and concessions to the wingnuts that left the Bush tax cuts in place, thereby providing no real federal income for an honest sized stimulus and dampening growth. All this because we have one party that is willing to destroy the union to gain power and their inevitable payday.
But keep in mind, when we controlled both houses of congress, we had a slate of "not so bad" republicans that at some time in their past actually did try to govern. Many of these have been replaced. So without that super majority - we will not be able to pass much.
Lets say, for the sake of argument that we get rid of the filibuster. We may be able to do some good, but it will be short lived. I think no one can deny that the U.S. has become a low information voting society which is now strongly susceptible to monied interests. Each law that might be progressive in any way, or for that matter anything passed by an (OMG DEMOCRAT) will be challenged at the state level with forthcoming refusals to enact, etc. etc.
And that is my main point. With control of so many state houses and governorships falling to the GOP, the "divide and rule" strategy of the GOP has been amazingly effective at getting people to vote against the best interests of themselves and of a strong and centralized federal government (which we used to call the United States). More than this, the "branding" of all things government, liberal, progressive, or community based, has been unbelievably complete. Make no mistake about it. This is not by accident, and not because of Obama. It is because very expensive experts in group control and marketing, have been used to determine what works best on us and to implement those strategies. Just look at what many Americans "believe"...
1) death panels. Yes this one is still out there.
2) Obama is a Muslim and born in Kenya.
3) Obama is the most divisive figure in U.S. politics.
4) Pelosi and Reid are running our country into the ground. (I honestly cant find much that the two of them have done in the last few years).
5) 50% of the population actually think that Romney and the GOP should run things! After what has happened wouldnt you expect this number to be closer to 20%? Particularly when you realize that removing the labels and names - most Americans agree with Democratic policies!
6) Democrats are all going to burn in hell and therefore shouldnt be in government. This is far an away one of the most troubling. This mixing of religion and politics that America said it would never do... in its constitution... is now argued to be American. And to what end... A one party system that we used to refer to as fascism.
I live in the South. I am afraid to put an Obama sticker on my car. There have been just too many cases of vandalism and threats. Yet, what has Obama done to bring this about? Well as far as I can see about the same things Reagan or Eisenhower would have done. We are not talking about a socialist here. We are talking about a middle of the road politician, with an agenda that is rather more cooperative than deliberate. I am not saying that he hasnt accomplished some good things, but in all, he stands for a somewhat mild shift back to the middle. This isnt so bad really, and certainly shouldnt seem to illicit the keying of my car because I support him! The fact is, being a Democrat here is dangerous. It can get you fired, or worse.
You bet I would love to have a sticker that said; "freedom isnt free, so stop whining and pay your taxes." But I cant. It is as simple as that. Our heros are now tax dogers and free wheeling businesses that have no loyalties to their communities or their workers. Even those that teach our children for next to nothing are heralded as "evil." Girl Scouts are bad. Women that work outside of the home are bad. Charities are bad. But short changing the economy and the government is "good." The bankruptcy of hospitals and local governments is "good." Lack of medical care is a right that is earned.
No matter what happens in november, this is the election that we have lost. Half of our population has become puppets of corporate greed and contrived ignorance. I believe that the democratic party needs to start realizing that this was never a short term battle for the WH or control of the senate. It has always been about winning on the ground. Getting good and hard working Americans to turn off their brains and to follow blindly. Getting old white bigots to act upon the worst of their natures and call it freedom.
This has been done. Yeah they win... inheriting a dysfunctional democracy that will generate profits for their masters far into the future. We have focused on governance and the realization of social justice. They have focussed on the destruction of neighborhoods, of school systems, of county governments and PTAs. Their intention has never been to govern through leadership, but to rule through deception. We have simply been wrong as to what we thought the point was.
So how do we take the fight back? I dont know. But I believe we start on the ground. We start in Churches by realizing that they do play an active role in politics. We start with veteran groups and police and fire unions. And we start by realizing that we will not hold power for a very long time in this battle. The last time this happened, the U.S. had to endure a depression with the pain that was endured by millions. For us to avoid this fate, the progressive agenda will again need to become the agenda of the populace. But it is important to realize that the cards are now stacked against us in a big way. It is important to realize that we may be stronger embracing the Occupy movement than distancing ourselves from it. We need community leaders and people that are willing to run in local elections for change. We need to focus on state houses and governors. We need to remind people of why they are Americans and what we have been through collectively. Of the bargains we have struck together to make sure all of our population benefits in our growth as a nation. That we do not put civil rights up for votes like with gay marriage, because we have been so terribly wrong in the past when we did this.
Oh well, just a late Sunday night ramble. I hope you will excuse the self - indulgent rant. At this point I have little faith that this empire will survive. Maybe that is a good thing. But what is left behind will require a lot of pieces to be picked up. I hope the Democratic party is prepared.