An idea whose time has come.
Robert W. Fuller has written a brilliant article which lines out what one word, one simple key word -- Dignity -- can do for Democrats.
What basic, compelling idea can do for Democrats today what "The New Deal" did for FDR; what "The Great Society" did for LBJ? Can progressives create a slogan to match the conservatives: "lower taxes", "less government", "strong defense", "family values"?
They can do so with a word. That word is "Dignity."
From that word comes a unifying slogan: "Dignity For All."
I don't write a lot of diaries, but this strikes me as right on the money. Interestingly, Fuller quotes "Crashing the Gate" twice in his article, working it into his case for the use of "Dignity".
Here's more of his case for Dignity.
The idea of a universal right to dignity seems too simple to pull together the disparate elements of this divided nation, but it's not. Dignity is what people want, on the left, on the right, and most importantly, in the vast, non-ideological middle.
Dignity is not negotiable. People will stand up for their dignity and once they're on their feet, they'll insist on justice.
Rings true to me. When I imagine myself going door to door, or talking to the person beside me on the bus, and saying, "Democrats are the party of dignity, the party that wants to restore dignity to the average American," the response impresses me as positive.
Fuller again:
What is the source of indignity? The precise and universal cause of indignity is the abuse of power.
Make a list of the most distressing issues of recent years: corporate corruption, the Katrina catastrophe, sexual abuse by clergy, Abu Ghraib, domestic spying, persistent poverty, etc. Every one of them can be traced to an abuse of power by individuals entrusted with high rank.
What do you think? Should we begin to use this word as we reach out to others?
What are your views?
Fuller's essay here