A hearty good morning to my fellow self identifying Liberals! The day seems to be coming when we can emerge from our caves into the sunlight and be welcomed back into society and perhaps even start to throw our weight around!
First, I think it's appropriate to kick off discussion with a relevant quote from the guy who has a pithy bon mot for every occasion - Bill Shakespeare:
"The smallest worm will turn being trodden on, And doves will peck in safeguard of their brood." Henry VI, Part 3
Please forgive me for indulging in a few self-congratulatory chuckles; after years, nay decades, of demonization and belittlement from both parties and the corporate media, the word "liberal" is experiencing an uptick in popularity. According to the Washington Post,
the liberal label is getting more and more popular
The poll shows a record low number of Americans now identify as "moderates" -- at least going back to 1992. And perhaps more illustrative, a record high number of Americans identify as "liberal."
Upon further reading one discovers that 44% of the Democratic Party self-describes as "Liberal" and that approximately one quarter of all Americans are now liberals.
I would venture to say that the real figures are even higher. Although polling has always shown a propensity for Americans to poll liberally on individual issues, most have shied away from the label itself. A healthy number probably still call and see themselves as moderate even though their personal beliefs skew liberal, not to mention the portion of the Venn diagram intersect between the Libertarian right and the Liberal left on social issues. I would also imagine that a fairly healthy number of younger people don't feel constrained from seeing themselves as Liberals or Populists as their future prospects remain somewhat grim until we get some populist economic policies in place.
Well, well, well. How about that? Perhaps after 40 years of seeing middle class living standards eroding, stagnant wages, and wealth being funneled upwards as a result of the Big Lies of trickle down economics combined with squishy moderate centrism pragmatism incrementalism I got Mine-ism, people are finally ready to dish up some push back.
Here are some Liberal comets streaking across the media sky:
Progressives Are The Future of the Democratic Party
November's results made one thing clear: Democrats win when they're loud and proud about their commitment to justice and equality for all. It's time for the Republican wing of the Democratic Party to step aside. Young people, workers, people of color, women, and people of conscience are taking the helm, and our country will only be better for it.
Even the conservative Washington Times notes
Progressives Push Back On Fast Track Trade Deals
The most liberal House Democrats are breaking with President Obama over trade deals, using a coalition that includes unions, teachers, environmentalists and possibly tea party members to try to kill trade legislation that is one of the few areas of agreement between the White House and the Republican-run Congress.
Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/...
Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter
And check this out, Progressives actually plotting and scheming how to influence policy at the state level a la our evil arch nemesis
SMERSH , oops! ALEC:
Progressives Plot State Level Strategy To Reverse GOP Tide
Criminal justice reform, worker’s rights, environmental protection and campaign finance reform are all issues in which SiX plans to be engaged, according to its website.
Then of course we had an inaugeral Democratic food fight in the caucus cafeteria noted by TPM which has been diaried here already:
Dem moderates, liberals lash out over Dodd-Frank I have to love the Progressives finally starting to stand-up and even do a little name-calling of their own. Previously, we have just kept our heads down and let the centrists shake us down for our lunch money and loyal votes but get a load of this:
Liberal Massachusetts Rep. Mike Capuano incensed the moderates when he said if Democrats support rolling back Dodd-Frank regulations, “you might as well be a Republican.”
Read more: http://www.politico.com/...
In the same vein here from TPM:
Progressives Seek Control of the Democratic Party
"I can tell you, if Democrats try to adopt a Third Way, Democratic Leadership Council-type philosophy where we abandon average working Americans, we're not going to be successful [in 2016] or in general," Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told TPM. "This is a time where people talking about raising wages, fair trade bills that do not offshore our jobs, strengthening the right to organized labor unions. This is that moment to grab those issues in order to be successful. And if we abandon those issues and we sort of become Republican-lite, we're not going to be successful."
Here's more on the Agenda. It's a beginning, and a good beginning, but I think we can do a lot more and provide an even larger vision.
Senate Democrats Are Starting To Set The Progressive Agenda
UPDATE Edited to add the TPM Dodd-Frank story which got left out of my first publish.