Well it looks like the "offer" to compromise on far-right activist judges by the
Vichy Dems was more than just a trial balloon, as
georgia10 highlighted in her diary:
Why, why, why? Why when SIXTY-SIX percent oppose the GOP moves here? There is no reason to compromise. There is no public relations fight to win. We're WINNING it already.
I can only join
georgia in her sense of dismay, and I'm long past hoping for the best from these appeasers.
That symbol up above is the Cross of Lorraine, the symbol adopted by the French Resistance after the Vichy Government sullied the Tricolor with their shameless appeasement.
The left has done it's best to try to work with the party, working hard in the last campaign, despite frequent attacks from some in the party who would blame the left for their failures. The centrist have run continuing fruitless campaigns. I say NO MORE. It is time to resist. There are real fighting Dems in office at the national and local level, and it is up to the progressive resistance to help them from the roots.
It isn't only those of us who are growing frustrated with the constant willingness to appease the Neo-Confederates. Some of our most admirable leaders are sick of being
stabbed in the back by fellow Dems. As Sam Rosenfeld relays from the subscription only
Roll Call:
A major rift has developed within the House Democratic Caucus, as moderates and liberals wage a war over influence and questions mount over the leadership’s direction for the minority party.
While allegations of ethical abuse on the other side of the aisle have helped mask Democrats’ divisions, the split burst into public view last week at a whip meeting. Tensions flared at the gathering over recent defections by moderate Democrats on key votes, most particularly the recent bankruptcy bill, in which 73 Members including House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (Md.) sided with the GOP. The meeting left Hoyer defending the moderates’ votes and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) siding with progressives and criticizing centrists.
As Rosenfeld observes about the rift:
It’s hard to say how pervasive or growing this rift is, since a large majority of the article concerns disagreement over the bankruptcy bill alone. On that particular score, however, it’s very hard to countenance the moderates’ argument. Can anybody make a convincing case that getting behind this bill was a requirement for red-district Democrats? That when Democrats are hobbled by a public perception of being too left-wing and out of the mainstream, the party’s opposition to legislation like this is what people are thinking about?
The party abandoned the left many years ago, and we've got successfully less and less to show for it. To be fair, however, the left gave up fighting for the party's attention. We decided to give up on politics as both parties moved more and more to the right, relying on regulatory agencies and the courts to try to preserve and expand the gains made by the New Deal up through the Johnson Administration.
The Dean Campaign, MoveON and other oganizations have finally started to stir and fight. My compatriots at unbossed include several hard working progressives who know what it is to organize at the roots, and they are trying to develop new tools for organizers and activists to use, as em dash highlighted in her unjustly overlooked diary open source activist wishlist.
Chris Bowers is right on the money when he reminds us that An Opposition Party Opposes:
This is not a time for policy. Not only will it not work, it is not our job right now. The mission of Demcorats in Congress must be to oppose and prevent the enactment of as much of the theocon agenda as possible. We are the opposition party, and our job is to oppose this current agenda. The time for offering an attractive, alternative governing philosophy is not close. The time for discussing policy on a national stage has not been around for decades. And besides, we are really scoring points by being the party of "just say no to conservatism."
As the minority party it is our job to hold firm for basic principles that define our party, to slow down a belligerant majority from steamrolling over the right to privacy, a woman's medical decisions and the enfrancisement of minorities and poor voters.
There are probably cells of resistance all over these country. dKossian folkbum has been contributing to the blog Fighting Bob, a new progressive voice here in WI that has been organizing the upcoming People's Legislature.
In addition to unbossed, I'm lucky to also be one of the voices at Liberal Street Fight where some other fine folks raise their voices for change. Where do you raise yours?
If you have ideas or similar groups and developments at your local level, post them in comments below. Let us know how you organize, or about an organizer who inspires you. The resistance has been building slowly over the last few years, as cells strengthen and fight back. If you have a local insurgent who is planning to challenge one of the Vichy Dems in your area, please bring them to our attention as well.
We are the resistance and the alternative to a soulless party of appeasers. We need to either make them pay attention to our voices, or replace them.
Join the resistance.