From Chapter 18 of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams
Curiously enough, the only thing that went through the mind of the bowl of petunias as it fell was Oh no, not again. Many people have speculated that if we knew exactly why the bowl of petunias had thought that we would know a lot more about the nature of the universe than we do now.
If you’re not familiar with the book, you probably need to read the rest of the chapter to get the context. But it’s amazing how there seems to be an appropriate Douglas Adams quote to fit any occasion. At least, that’s what Demetrius and I think. (Happy Valentine’s Day, Sweetie!)
But last night’s news of Paul Hackett yielding to party pressure to drop out of the race felt all to familiar to many of us.
This is utterly recognizable and all too familiar to those of us who supported Howard Dean–it’s the 2003-4 primary season all over again. And just when I would like to be celebrating what Howard Dean has accomplished in his first year as Chair, and maybe doing a fun post for Valentine’s Day, party insiders go and make me feel like this again. Once again, I feel like we’re being told, “That’s cute all the stuff you’re doing. You’ve got such spunk. But you don’t count–we make the calls. Now, fall in line, and start writing checks.”
Equally predictable is the scolding some fellow bloggers immediately offer when we balk at that “fall in line” part.
There is nothing official on the Hackett blog yet, but if you scroll to “Recent Entries”, there are some similar sentiments to what was expressed above in the community blogs.
At least the post Low Turnout Reported at BuckeyeSenate gave me a chuckle.
But, just as fair warning, any fellow Democrats who start today, while this injury is still raw, A) extolling Brown’s virtues, B) saying it’s a good thing that we can “unite” now, or, worst of all, C) chastising us and asking incredulously “Don’t you know what’s at stake here?”, can bite me. And I suspect I’m far from being the only person who feels that way.
They can bite me too. It’s hard to muster any optimism or prepare yourself to give them another chance when they turn on you again. I wonder sometimes if they realize just how thin of a rope they are holding us progressives by and how close so many of us are to leaving this abusive relationship.
Buckeye Senate has provided this thread to leave your comments for Paul Hackett
http://www.buckeyesenateblog.com/2006/02/write_your_mess.html
Alright, here’s hoping I don’t piss you off, but that I can provide some insight into why bloggy folks are at each other’s throats over this.
There are two fights going on right now that we are participating in, within the Democratic Party.
Ideology: Progressive/Liberal vs. Centrist/Conservative
Power: Grassroots Activists vs. Beltway Insiders
The ideology question is about what the party stands for. The power question is about who controls the party. Quite often, Beltway Insiders are Centrist/Conservatives and Grassroots Activists are Progressive/Liberal.
This is why you see people who don’t know anything about Sherrod Brown assuming he is a Centrist/Conservative, when he is anything but. Because they perceive him as a Beltway Insider, and assume that the two always go hand in hand.
This is also why people assume Paul Hackett is a True Progressive. Because they see his campaign as having been grassroots-driven, and assume the two always go together.
But they don’t. So the question, once you understand that, becomes, which battle trumps the other?
Maybe it will help to realize that in a primary battle between Progressive Insider Sherrod Brown and Centrist Grassroots Paul Hackett, we Grassroots Progressives were going to half-win and half-lose regardless of the outcome.
Then again maybe not. I don’t live in Ohio right now so it’s easy for me to run my mouth. I do know how it feels to be shat on as an activist and have the Insiders trying to squelch your power for their own purposes. Even if, in one individual case, their purposes might line up with your own, it still doesn’t feel good at all. So I’m sorry.
I think the most disturbing part of this is the pattern of behavior on the part of Reid and Schumer with regard to eliminating voter choice in the primaries from the election process. PA, OH, shall we start a pool on which state is next?
It’s not a new strategy. But yes, it can be bad for the Grassroots.
You have it cabin girl! Why is this so damn hard for the “power dems” to get? Seems to me, whether Hackett is centrist or progressive or neither, that he speaks to the people of BOTH parties. . .and anyone that has spine and is willing to stand behind his beliefs is the BIG winner! It really can’t be that hard to get, can it?
I have a hand in glove equal concern. . .Will it make any doggone difference who the dems run when the Repubs have Diebold and all the repub election supervisors to COUNT THE VOTES?
How can there be an election of any kind in Ohio, in Florida, In Arizona, in many, many other states when the stealing of election 2004 has not and apparently will not be addressed?
Look for “miraculous” Republican wins everywhere even though it “seemed” the Dems were ahead! It will happen again, and again, and again. . .
42
Pisses me off that party “leaders” forced this situation. I don’t care if people think that one candidate was/is better than the other, they can decide that at the polls. A couple people in a smoke filled room should not be making that decision. Democracy is eroding quicker now thanks to Chuck Schumer and Harry Reid. They’ve tried the same thing here in PA, but we’re fighting and so is our candidate.
You go, girl!
Hackett, Penachhio, Cegelis. I’m sure their are others. Those big boys in DC just know so much better than the rest of us don’t they. They’ve been doing a great job of both winning elections and keeping our country from sliding in a sewer. ARRRRRGH.
Anyway, happy valentine’s day to you and Demitrius and the kids.