Bush has renewed his call to drill in ANWR. Over at Atrios there's a thread on it -- and reading the comments I had an epiphany about why we (the left) set ourselves up to lose.

Our politics have primarily become one of reaction, not action. The GOP proposes drilling in ANWR, and all we offer are reasons it is a really bad idea. Don't get me wrong -- it's a really bad idea, or at best, one of questionable benefit for the cost. And then we get enough votes in the Senate to block it or filibuster it, if we're lucky, and we consider it a victory and pat ourselves on the back.

This is a pyrrhic victory. Let me explain why I think this is so...

The "elitist liberal" meme has really got me down lately. Now I'm seeing it popping up in kos diaries.

This has to stop. This is a prime example of what George Lakoff talks about -- using Republican frames to talk about issues. They use this phrase to demonize progressives and progressive policy.

Am I elitist because I believe in the separation of Church and State? Because I believe this is not just about protecting the State from religion, but protecting religion from the State? Because I believe that every American has the right to worship as they see fit, even if that means not worshiping at all?

Am I elitist because I think abortions should be safe, legal, and rare?

Am I elitist because I believe no man or woman should be discriminated against due to their race, gender, or sexual orientation?

I was watching the Fahrenheit 9/11 dvd and I noticed something odd. When Bush delivered his "bring them on" remark, he issued another one of his  spontaneous "let me finish" eruptions in the middle of a sentence. More below.