Progressives fight among themselves. Let's admit this. Otherwise, we are no better than the movement conservatives who line up to all spout the same line of BS. I like to believe that is because we progressives might be free thinkers that we disagree with one another from time to time. Unfortunatetly, I am reading and hearing some complain that progressives shouldn't criticize Democrats because, somehow, we are being divise or giving aid and comfort to Republicans.
I'm all for giving credit where credit is due to any Democrat who fights for principles that benefit the country. However, I'm not checking my opinions at the door when I believe a Democratic politician is wrong, misinformed, or just plain corrupt. And I especially won't do it because I am afraid of what Republicans will do or make of my criticisms of Democrats.
In fact, it's my duty to speak up as a citizen. Yes, I have been wrong about some things in the past, and I'm sure to be wrong about some public policies or political strategies in the future. But progressives have also been right lately about more than a few issues with regards to public policies and politics.
One good example of this is Obamacare. I have written that I have benefited from the ACA, but now, we have the Supreme Court taking another whack at doing away with the law. And most believe the Court will rule against the ACA this time.
Progressives pushed for Medicare for all, but we were dismissed from the get go. The use of the ACA would be a way to get everyone to buy into healthcare reform, and only the most retrograde conservatives would be against this conservative idea. However, this has NOT happened. Does anyone think that if Medicare for all had been achieved that the Supreme Court would be stupid enough to take up a challenge to Medicare?
However, progressives were told to shut up and be good soldiers on this and many other issues. We had a Democratic Senate and House at the time. Now, look at where we are.
Being quiet only helps Blue Dogs and Conservadems who are bought by corporate interests. They got to dominate Democratic politics because Republicans were lock step in opposing anything that Obama proposed, including conservative ideas like the ACA. So, no, I'm not going to be quiet when a Conservadem appears on a news show to say how we need to work across the aisle or be more centrists. Frankly, Blue Dogs and Conservadems have held the floor for far too long, and we progressives need to tell them so.