Progressives have a problem: they’re gun shy. Not in a military sense – in fact World War II was presided over by two Democratic presidents whose domestic policies would appear practically socialist on today’s sliding scale – but in a rhetorical sense. Democrats have decided that they are going to eternally doom themselves to responding to the right, when in fact the only way to get anything done – especially in the press – is by dominating the story, owning it.
Republicans were able to set the media agenda against President Clinton even though he had the bully pulpit of the White House, yes, having the congress to investigate every cockamamie scandal Newt Gingrich could dream up was a heck of a tool, but it didn’t stop there. Right-wing pressure groups overwhelmed the press with a neverending stream of press releases, media availabilities and flooded the zone with information of their own to create an alternate universe where the moderate, popular, Democrat was transformed into a power hungry socialist. Clinton’s only advantage was that he fought fire with fire and the public never fully bought into the whole caricature.
Progressives and progressive groups need to get that they’re not just in place to issue pleas to Republicans. If I get one more email to “request” that so-and-so apologize, or “ask” that so-and-so be removed from his or her job, I’ll scream. Progressives need to learn the language the right has used to great success and turn it up to eleven. It is long past time to demand things of the government and the opposition party. It is long past time to pound your fists on the table and issue press releases and marching orders to media surrogates to tweak the national agenda to do your bidding.
The media has effectively outsourced its research function to the nonprofit sector, rarely is their any original reporting done – and certainly not enough to fill the gaping maw of the 24-7 news cycle. Progressive nonprofits and media organizations must do the press’ legwork for them. Document the excesses (and they are numerous) of the conservative movement, and beat up on the press until they report the story – and beat up on them again if they don’t report the story appropriately. The media is nothing more than an amalgamation of human beings and subject to the same sort of browbeating and persuasion that produces results.
Again, it’s time to cease the supine posture of prostrating yourselves and begging for decency. Instead its time to be aggresive, forceful, and repetitive to the point of numbness if you want to get anything real done.
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So true. We’ve got to, in the term coined in “The Untouchables,” do things the Chicago way: Tough, in front and direct. None of this “demanding” that we’ve been doing. I think even the most active of us suffers, from time to time, from outrage fatigue. The only way to strike back is with our own ideas Iraq, for instance with better ideas built on sound, progressive visions.
Not sure if anyone has seen this yet, but its official. There are no Republicans left with souls: McCain just sold his to Dobson and company-
http://realvalues.blogspot.com/2005/08/mccain-sells-his-soul-to-devil.html
Get more shrill? How?!?
Progressives have already overplayed the ‘Hitler’ card. Where do you go from there? Declare Bush is Satan himself?
About that photo. Was he re-telling Laura’s horse joke?
then link to us little bloggers so that our traffic can surpass theirs!
“get more shrill”
Yes, if only progressives could adopt the measured, even tones of Glenn “everyone who’s against the war is objectively pro-Saddam” Reynolds.
Unsuprisingly, the left-wing spin machine lies again.
Lying huh? Now who’s shrill?
But I read that at the time, Farris. Notice that he also says: “But when your movement is the key tool of a nasty dictator, well, it should give you pause, shouldn’t it?” as in, “you’re not objectively pro-Saddam, you’re just helping Saddam.” Some clarification from Reynolds.
He said it before he didn’t say it.
It absolutely should!!!
Look, just because says Saddam (or Kim Jong Il, or Osama or whoever) says “The Sky is blue” shouldn’t mean you should auto default to “No way, the sky is red!”. But you should pause and examine the situation more closely, which is exactly what Reynolds said.