Ron Suskind's October 17 article in the NY Times Sunday magazine contained a quote, credited to an unidentified "senior Bush Aide" (anyone know who it is?), that for me, explained in a very simple fashion all that is currently wrong with both the Republican and Democratic parties, and gave clear direction for Democrats on what they need to do regain power. This quote has been discussed many times in numerous blogs with regard to it's arrogance, it's complete lack of consideration of consequences etc. , but not, I think from the standpoint of what critical insight it has to offer us.
http://tinyurl.com/6y5z3
''That's not the way the world really works anymore,'' he continued. ''We're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you're studying that reality -- judiciously, as you will -- we'll act again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that's how things will sort out. We're history's actors . . . and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do.''
Each morning I make my daily blog rounds to Atrios, DKos, Talk Left, Washington Monthly, and others, and it is only after reading this article that a pattern began to emerge for me. The blogs are all REACTING to events. Not to pick on Atrios, but the top link this AM was to a DKOS entry upset over Monica Crowley being given a show at MSNBC. There was an additional link discussing the completely right-wing fabricated "Christmas under attack" issue - (why are any blogs even MENTIONING this? Why can't we take our clue from the way in which the current mass media buries a story that doesn't fit their meme?) There are some things that are not worth defending.
Even when doing our best work, (Sinclair boycott pressure, etc) we are reacting to event that has already occurred, leaping in front of train that is already moving on the tracks. But we are not more powerful than a locomotive. Like in chess, Democrats must learn that the best possible result of playing a defensive game is a draw.
Democrats must find a way to become DemACTORS. To steal a phrase from another "reactionary" website, Media Matters. I think it matters more than anything else in politics right now. It certainly matters more than issues, it matters more than budgets, it matters more than personalities, it matters more than get out the vote efforts. A lot was said about those Democrats who came from the "Anybody but Bush" camp, but seeing Shrub's current approval ratings hovering under 50%, I've come to believe that there was a good 5-10% of the electorate who had been pushed into the "Anybody but Kerry" camp, thanks to the unrelenting publicity given to the Swift Boat Vets, and other invented "issues" that made Kerry an anathema to some "middle of the road" voters.
Right now the only presence of Democrats in the media is to act as foils for the Republican power brokers. It is not enough. Even Air America's programs, which I have listened to extensively, are mostly reacting to events. One of the best segments of Al Franken's show is when he confronts his "ditto head" friend with the propaganda of Rush Limbaugh. But even that segment is reactionary. Yesterday Franken's show had a segment in which they were discussing the Xmas thing, again, playing follow the leader.
We need to learn from the Republicans how to "invent" issues that will resonate with the public, and we need to create the media to disseminate those issues. I've read a little about Lakoff and his "strict parent vs. nurturing parent" models but I think it's more simple than that. I think we all need to STOP CRITICIZING and START ACTING.
My New Year's resolution for 2005: Each time I open my mouth to say something critical of Bush or any other Republican; I'm going to re-focus my thoughts into a question: "Is there anything I can do to change it? If Not, then what else can I do to make the world a little better place today?" Today I will be a DEMACTOR, not a Democrit.
Now how can we direct the blogosphere's fund raising power into creating new visual media outlets?
