It looks like it took two years but our side finally learned to play the Tea Partiers’ game of going to town hall meetings in an organized mass and strongly expressing displeasure with the performance of Congress. I can’t say this is raising the level of discourse, but I hope it is at least somewhat effective. It certainly worked for the Tea Party. What I have not seen, and it may be largely a result of the uncertainty created by redistricting, is a bunch of insurgent candidates to go along with the protestors.
About The Author
BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
Unfortunately, protestors on the left historically have had a habit of going after Democrats when they realize Republicans are ignoring them. Let’s hope it’s different this time.
It might well be. The motivations of these protests are often different than the traditional “can we get/force them to change their minds?” For the new crop of Republicans, the audience isn’t the Congresscreature, it’s trying to remind the media & general public that the Congresscreatures now are beyond the pale.
You know, I’ve recently started to wonder if we should stop using that phrase. It’s origin is decidedly racist against the Irish after all, and it seems like there might be better sayings out there.
Anyhow, the Democrat party also has a very VERY good track record of crushing people who move left or are more left. Most of the insurgent candidates probably wouldn’t be able to bring in any money.
I think that bears repeating as often as necessary. If they can’t get a left-leaning member out one way, they’ll find another way. As long as the party remains aligned with the neoliberal world order, don’t expect any support from the party’s machine – expect them to bring down the iron boot.
Things were starting to look under Dean, but that ended as soon as Obama took charge.
And I’m sure these people confronting the GOP reps will get the same high volume, non-stop national media coverage that the Tea Party gang did, right????
Riiiiiggghht!!
Since they’re not necessarily part of some corporate astroturf group doing corporations’ bidding, the answer is an obvious no.
They may not get the national coverage but they will get some local coverage. And who doesn’t watch the local news and hear about what their virtually-unknown-nationally congressperson is doing?
Maybe it’s just that I live in a smaller media market where less goes on worth reporting but anytime there is a protest of any kind here, it gets pretty comprehensive coverage. Of course it helps that local reporters aren’t millionaires living in the DC and NYC media bubbles, so they actually seem to understand the plight of the people they’re covering.
The Teabaggers (a bunch of ANGRY old people who weren’t clear about what they were protesting about) were hilarious. Students protesting higher tuition and budget cuts is always compelling. Let’s see how the DFH crowd do. Since Wisconsin’s showdown, the local liberals have gotten a real energy boost. Hopefully they have a message so consistent that the media can’t screw up the story and make it about such nonsense as deficits or tax cuts.
Yes, and their most important audience is the other voters at the town halls – where they are asking “where are the jobs?”. iirc Romney’s delightful “corporations are people too” was in response to a progressive attendee’s question.
OT:
The Battle of Tripoli began with insurgents in the capital rising last night as French attack helicopters attacked Gaddafi checkpoints in town. Estimates of one to two weeks before Gaddafi leaves. A flotilla of ships is arriving in Tripoli to evacuate foreign workers. There are unconfirmed rumors of an insurgency beginning in Sirte.
And for those who didn’t understand what the ICC indictments of Gaddafi, Saif al Islam Gaddafi, and Senussi were about, here is what the regime was using on peaceful and unarmed protesters in Tripoli exactly six months ago:
KPV Heavy Machine Gun
The picture toward the bottom shows a single barrel version of this weapon. These were mounted on pickup trucks as “technicals” that could move fast. It uses a 14.5mmx114mm cartridge with a weight of 60 grams. Muzzle velocity is 976 m/s.
so Ben Smith over at politico has a link up that say that Karl Rove is saying that Palin in gonna run…i don’t know if this is good news for Romney, Perry, Bachmann, or John McCain.
Actually, now that I think about it, a Palin entry would probably be good for Obama.
Take it with a grain of salt. Could just be Rove trying to undercut the media attention now being given Rick Perry.
I saw that bit from Rove. I think Think Progress was the place. He was only speculating based on her video release of her visit to the Iowa State Fair that looked really professional, like it’s for a real presidential run, and also the fact that her schedule seems to be filled up after Sept 3 when she does her big appearance at the Koch-whore event in Iowa.
He didn’t have any inside information but I can’t help but agree with him. If she doesn’t announce a run at that appearance, she’s just a cock-tease and will be written off by her fans because she’s built this up to a crescendo.
Of course, the liberals go run to the media and tell them these things are orchestrated, whereas the tea party pretense to this day, respected by the media at the time and somewhat retrospectively, is that the protests were spontaneous, a huge part of their credibility. No, we haven’t learned yet.
For starters, we should all just wear our regular clothes and the union organizers need to stop giving out T-shirts. Then we won’t be reported as a bunch of “union members” but as a bunch of “citizens.”
Interesting post, to say the least, coming from you.
Hey Brendan. Despite our past arguments which are really just rhetorical shit, I really hope you’re doing okay. I read something from you recently that sounded like you’ve just given up. Been there before. Done that.
It really does get better, I hope. You’ve got someone here who respects you anyway. Don’t forget that.
Yes, Brendan. Even when I don’t agree with you, I really appreciate your presence here.