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Feature
The Sad State of Progressivism
At the annual Netroots Nation conference, liberals reflected on where Democrats came up short.
(Page 3 of 4)
Another panel titled, “Can Unconscious Bias Derail the Progressive Agenda?” explored how even people who were not explicitly racist still harbor unconscious racial anxieties that savvy political operatives tap into for partisan gain. McCain ‘08 ads fed into this sort of unconscious racism, according to one panelist, who argued that McCain’s ads attacking Obama’s inexperience exploited white fears of the “uppity” black man. Democrats are generally too afraid to talk about race, the panelists argued, but combating such unconscious bias would require identifying it publicly to bring it to the surface.
John Powell, a professor of civil rights at the University of Minnesota Law School, argued that Obama in particular has run away from anything having to do with race, for fear of being seen as the president for black people.
THROUGHOUT THE CONFERENCE, speakers mocked and attacked the most hated figures and institutions on the right: Fox News, Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, Andrew Breitbart, Michelle Bachmann, and Glenn Beck.
“I’m really sorry that Glenn Beck is going blind,” Schultz remarked, eliciting laughter in some parts of the audience. “Because I think it’s a travesty he’s not going to see the country he’s trying to destroy.”
But the most popular target for progressives wasn’t a specific individual or institution, but a nascent political movement — the dreaded “teabaggers.”
While there was general agreement with the sentiment that the Tea Party movement represented the tantrum of a racist, paranoid fringe that now finds itself out of power, there were conflicting views as to whether the movement posed a political threat. Some expect the Tea Partiers to damage the Republican Party by moving it too far to the right, yet one could also sense a concern that the movement could exploit economic anxiety to advance conservatism and undermine progressive policies, especially those that rely heavily on deficit spending.
Moulitsas called Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid the “luckiest sonavabitch in politics” for drawing Tea Party favorite Sharron Angle as his Republican opponent.
“Thank you, teabaggers,” he taunted, imploring the audience to repeat the barb. He went on to mention Rand Paul of Kentucky and Linda McMahon of Connecticut as two other examples of Tea Party activists forcing Republicans to nominate extreme candidates who hurt the GOP’s chances. “Thank you, teabaggers,” the audience shouted back at him each time.
“They are the best thing to happen to us this year, I swear to God.” he said. “If you want motivation for November, it ain’t the Democrats. I’ll say it right now, they’re not motivating me. What’s motivating me is breaking the teabaggers.”
He went on to explain what it would mean to “break” them.
“What’s going to happen is that they’re not going to win the victories they think they’re going to win,” he predicted. “It’s going to break them, because it’s going to be all out civil war. They’re going to claim that the Republicans weren’t conservative enough. And Republicans are going to say, “You guys are bat s*** insane, you f***ed us this year.’”
Yet behind all of the triumphalism, one could sense a growing fear that the Tea Party movement would be a way for Republicans to benefit from the populist backlash against Washington. One panel examined “Right Wing Populism and the Tea Parties” while another looked at “2010 Elections: Channeling the Power of Jobs, Populism & Angry Voters.” The latter panel looked at ways that the weak economy could be used to the benefit of progressives, and the answers were heavy on protectionism. The idea was to convince Democrats to talk about bringing manufacturing jobs back to America as a cultural issue, while attacking Republicans for supporting tax cuts and trade policies that ship jobs overseas. Scott Paul, the executive director for the Alliance for American Manufacturing spoke about his group’s “Keep It Made in America” initiative.
During the question-and-answer session, one audience member asked, “Can anything turn around the economy other than massive government spending?” (Consensus answer: no.) Another member of the audience followed up by emphasizing that Democrats needed to create more projects like Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration. “When are we going to stop worrying about what the Tea Party is going to say, and just do what we need to do?” he shouted with frustration.
THE SPEECHES FROM the top elected Democrats at the conference made it clear that there is at least some concern that a demoralized base could cost them in November. Obama himself felt compelled to address the audience through a video message.
He conceded that “Change has not come fast enough for too many Americans, I know that,” and continued: “It hasn’t come fast enough for me either. And I know it hasn’t come fast enough for many of you who fought so hard during the election. The fact is, it took years to get here. It’ll take time to get us out. We’ve known that since the beginning of our campaign. But I hope you take a moment to consider all that we’ve accomplished.”
About the Author
Philip Klein is The American Spectator’s Washington correspondent. You can follow him on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/Philipaklein
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drudge ette obama| 9.27.10 @ 6:38AM
"Sissy Room"? Isn't that harboring unconscious homophobia, Ed Schultz?
Van Jones will be pity-partying hard, again, following November 2, 2010. I think I will send $100 to Sharron Angle.
Eric Cartman| 9.27.10 @ 9:02AM
If they're this pathetic as sore winners, what will they be like when they're sore losers?
emo| 9.27.10 @ 7:22PM
Violent
Good Deed Doer| 9.27.10 @ 8:31PM
Aim small, miss small.
PolishKnight| 9.28.10 @ 11:46AM
Nah. I really don't think so.
The typical liberal is someone who enjoys the thrill of the hunt more than the feast because, at a subconscious level, they know their policies don't work and are merely "destruction" or demolition of the evil capitalist society. They haven't through through at what they'll do after they tear everything down. Like schoolkids who vandalize a neighborhood and spraypaint their names on a wall, that's the BEST they can do and that also seems to be what they enjoy doing.
SIRJASON | 9.27.10 @ 7:27PM
HAPPY 2008!
Far from addressing entitlements and getting the government out of the health-care business, the pledge would leave the welfare state largely intact, content — once you flip past the preamble — to “rein in” but not stop the government’s growth. How? By vowing to roll out-of-control federal spending all the way back to . . . the out-of-control levels of 2008.
PLAYING SCARED
They’re still petrified. The pledge is living proof. It is manifest in the GOP’s fear of grappling with the viability of the welfare state…
But count me more frustrated than inspired by the Republicans’ Pledge to America.
http://www.nationalreview.com/.....c-mccarthy
davelnaf| 9.27.10 @ 7:58AM
Obama’s socialist policies go south on ‘progressives’ and their solution is to throw more good money after a ton of bad down the Obama rat hole? Have any of these people ever done any kind of real work in their lives? I seriously doubt it. Progressives are becoming a form of entertainment. Whenever they show up in Vegas the locals probably think the circus is in town. Where will they take their road show next?
Petronius| 9.27.10 @ 8:05AM
When Ed Schultz arrives in Hell, he will be locked in the lounge with a 60 inch flat screen. The only thing on will be reruns of Glenn Beck. And I'll keep the remote.
Phill| 9.27.10 @ 9:12AM
I will strap him in a chair facing the screen and prop his eye lids open with toothpicks so he can't close his eyes or turn his head. :)
Petronius| 9.27.10 @ 6:05PM
I'd really like to force him to watch the late Bishop Sheen. But EWTN holds the rights and won't do business with my boss, Ole Scratch.
By the by; if you're interested Utgaard Loki has an opening in Logistics.
Bob S| 9.28.10 @ 12:18PM
Shades of "A Clockwork Orange"?
Lullabys, Legends and Lies| 9.27.10 @ 8:16AM
It looks like this screwed up crowd will get its chance to make some noise again, this Saturday, with its One Nation march in Washington. I've got my popcorn ready, and plan to watch ever single hilarious minute of it on TV & the Internet. I could play Golf this Saturday, but watching a bunch of Liberals destroy the Washington Mall, while crying about everything that they love crying about, well, that's better than Golf (dare I say, it's priceless). And what a group they have put together for this event, the Unions, the ACLU, environmental groups, anti War protesters, Gay groups, the 99'rs (as if 99 weeks of unemployment isn't enough), the Homeless coalition, La Raza, Woman's Groups, Stupid College students who just want to get high, and then of course, because it couldn't be a party without them, the Communist & Socialist Groups too. What could possibly go wrong with this idea? This is going to be great!!
Angry AmeriKaner| 9.27.10 @ 5:42PM
Don't let them forget to invite the black panthers and nation of sh1tslam.
my email: eat.sh!t.jokebama@whitehouse.not.my.gov
Brian Mc| 9.27.10 @ 8:22AM
The liberal worrymongers aren't happy? Imagine that!
Come on November, get here before these whiners find any traction whatsoever.
Joe Sixpack| 9.27.10 @ 5:43PM
Hard to gain traction when you're standing in a PILE OF SHlT.
rainmaker1145| 9.27.10 @ 8:37AM
The reality is that they are seeing for themselves the impossibility of making liberal-progressive "economic policies" work. To make them work is the real challenge as the track record over the past 100 years is perfect - every single one of their policies has failed to live up to the promises the progressives made to get the legislation passed. Social Security, health care, education, housing, welfare, Medicaid, AMTRAK, GM bailout, the Post Office, NASA, public education... The list goes on and on and after spending all the money we have and having committed us to spending an amount equal to twice the wealth of the entire planet, the only conclusion that can be reached is that liberal-progressives are completely irresponsible and their agenda is even worse than allowing a crowd of drunken sailors to control spending. Liberal-progressives aren't smart, they don't have "new ideas" and they don't make anything they do have work; they just spend the money and scream that someone else is to blame.
On November 2nd, we can send them a terse, one-word answer: NO.
Jack Bauer| 9.27.10 @ 8:52AM
It's not enough for people who are essentially "socialists" to eff up their own sad and pathetic loser lives with their reactionary, failed ideology. They just have to eff up the lives of everyone else, as well.
Jack Bauer| 9.27.10 @ 8:57AM
"We're not done. We're working to repeal 'Don't Ask Don't Tell.' We're working to close Guantanamo in a responsible way. Thanks to the heroism of our troops, we are poised to end our combat mission in Iraq by the end of August."
And as soon as the Democrats get a majority in both houses of Congress I will do so.
George| 9.27.10 @ 9:53AM
If anything indicates a need for a monumental effort to increase the stockpile of rabies vaccine by 2 November, this is it. Such vitriol!
Purple Lips| 9.27.10 @ 10:50AM
They are all neo-fascists. If they were born in an earlier era and in a different country, they'd all be wearing brown shirts and saluting Der Furher with ecstatic Sieg Heils. The Koz Kidz Moonbats would hav no problem goose stepping down Main Street. Listen to thier rhetoric; murder, castration, and rape litter thier sentences when they speak about thier opponents.
Brian| 9.27.10 @ 12:47PM
This has all the character and ambiance of those Beer Hall rallies of the 20's. Just what do these people want? Just what are they expecting to accomplish?
whoframedrudy | 9.28.10 @ 12:56AM
"Just what do these people want?"
They want the power to commit genocide. But they'd never be content with herding the Tea Party into gas ovens -- that's too clean for Daily Kommunist:
One by one,
Up to the guillotine,
Pull the string!
Drop the blade!
You're next!
Hooray!
The Reign of Terror!
(Hooray!)
The Reign of Terror!
(Hooray!)
Blood red,
Blood red,
Take the rednecks' bloody head,
Pull the rope!
Kill the mope!
You're next!
Hooray!
Kill the hicks!
Hooray!
Kill the people from the sticks!
The Killing fields!
(Hooray!)
The Killing fields!
(Hooray!)
Nunya| 9.27.10 @ 11:50AM
Any thinking person with an IQ over 75 knows that "progressive"-ism has been a failure everywhere its been tried--unless of course, you consider the murder of 150 million in the past century as "success". The only way to continue this flawed theory is by demonizing those who disagree with you.
It's really kind of sad, except that the lunatics have actually gained control of this great country. That's mostly due to the majority of us in "flyover country" who haven't been paying attention for the past 100 years, preferring to spend our time with family instead of protesting--and making jokes about those who did. Now, it's we who are making the protests, because our bloated government has been taken over by fanaticists and morons (aka "Communists").
Leftists can only be successful if they lie, and demonize those who oppose them. Their rhetoric reflects the basis of their theory--i.e., they must control the debate, or they lose. Every time. They cannot be honest and tell the people that the eventual end of their belief is the enslavement of the populace--or the murder of those who oppose them.
emo| 9.27.10 @ 7:24PM
""Any thinking person with an IQ over 75 knows that "progressive"-ism has been a failure everywhere its been tried""
Correction anyone with an IQ BETWEEN 75 and 200. For those with IQs over 200, they cant wait to "try socialism the right way this time".
TR| 9.27.10 @ 12:22PM
What a group of foul mouthed ill mannered morons. I pray their 15 minutes is over soon.
Tankfurdig| 9.27.10 @ 12:33PM
Yeah, why is it that every liberal I either personally know or know of is very foul mouthed? Do they know what a dictionary is? Thousands of more intelligent, educated words could be used- if they could read or speak properly.
ABNCP| 9.27.10 @ 1:54PM
The progressives have failed wherever they have been in control. Take a look:
What do these cities (over 250,000 population) have in common?
1. Detroit MI- Hasn't elected a Republican mayor since since 1961.
2. Buffalo NY - Hasn't elected a Republican as Mayor since 1954.
3. Cincinnati OH - Hasn't elected a Republican as Mayor since 1984.
4. Cleveland OH - Hasn't elected a Republican as Mayor since 1989.
5. Miami FL - Has NEVER had a Republican as Mayor.
6. St. Louis MO - Hasn't elected a Republican as Mayor since 1949.
7. El Paso TX - Has NEVER had a Republican Mayor.
8. Milwaukee WI - Hasn't elected a Republican as Mayor since 1908.
9. Philadelphia PA - Hasn't elected a Republican as Mayor since 1952.
10. Newark NJ - Hasn't elected a Republican as Mayor since 1907.
Folks, these are the 10 poorest cities in the United States listed by the highest rates of poverty. (U.S.
Census Bureau, Aug. 2007)
Now let's take a look at some States:
California - Democrats have been in control of the Senate and the House in California for the over thirty years. The State is bankrupt! Yeah I know Arnold is the Governor, so what, the California Congress controls the purse strings and since Arnold has turned into a RINO were not counting him anyway!
New York. The Democrats have been in control for ever. New York is bankrupt! Are we seeing a pattern here??
How about, oh I don't know, say Texas. Conservatives and Republicans in power for some time now.
Low poverity rates, one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, good business climate, the State is in better shape than most. Hmmm, how about that. Maybe we should have a major change in the way our country is run come November???
DRed| 9.27.10 @ 2:42PM
Texas has the 6th highest rate of poverty in the country.
Steve A| 9.27.10 @ 3:05PM
Just make the minnimum wage 100K & that should fix it all. Oh, also decree mandatory 100% employment.
TR| 9.27.10 @ 2:24PM
Do you notice that the entire existence of the democrat party is premised on the sin of actively working opposite of the tenth commandment?
"Thou shalt not covet anything that is thy neighbor's"
Without their covetous actions, the democrats cease to exist. Obama and his congressional lapdogs live to push envy of success and to take away from the successful by force and give it to his envious followers. A party founded on sin. Shameful.
ABNCP| 9.27.10 @ 3:07PM
DRed.... 27 Sep 2010..
States with highes rates of poverty:
1. Alabama
2. Mississippi
3. Kentucky
4. W. Virgina
5. D.C. (I know not a State but..)
6. Wyoming
7. Pennsylvania
8. Florida
9. Indiana
10.Michigan
Cylar| 10.3.10 @ 5:35AM
Of course, you'll be happy to source this and define "poverty" (income level, per-capita, what??), instead of admitting you pulled it out of your ass.
Edwin | 9.27.10 @ 5:25PM
Why there are still progressives that believe they will be able to maintain control over their leaders once put in power and that despite all of the failed progressivism throughout history, that this time, these people, won't screw it up again, is beyond all logic and reason.
Click my link to see a vision of what America is TODAY under progressivism
Cylar| 10.3.10 @ 5:36AM
Yeah, Germany's elites thought they could control Hitler, too. How'd that turn out?
Colossus| 9.27.10 @ 7:15PM
Ah yes Bishop Fulton Sheen. I'd make Schultz read Sheen's "A Plea for Intolerance" essay. Especially the part about "tolerance is an attitude of reasoned patience toward evil...."
emo| 9.27.10 @ 7:19PM
Progressives are prennially unhappy. Reason is they are utopians and utopia is impossible to achieve. Attempts usually end in failure and in some societies tyranny.
Cylar| 10.3.10 @ 5:37AM
...don't forget the concentration camps for those who refuse to participate in the Grand Vision or otherwise don't fit in with the brave new world the progressives are trying to build.
Tyranny is the only possible result, when you worship The State instead of God.
dw| 9.27.10 @ 7:33PM
It's scary how far these idiots want to take this country into the dark. It would never be leftist enough for them.
It would be fun to give them their own island and watch them descend into poverty.
Kenneth E. MacAlister Jr.| 9.27.10 @ 8:08PM
dw, I thought they did have their own island. I believe it's called the Island Of Misfit Toys.
albert constantine jr.| 9.27.10 @ 8:22PM
I believe Mssrs. Castro proved your point in Cuba over the last 60 years.
dw| 9.27.10 @ 10:15PM
True that...
Cylar| 10.3.10 @ 5:37AM
You mean like Cuba?
Dick Simmons| 9.27.10 @ 9:26PM
Very appropriate if you think about it. A tiny loud meeting for tiny loud people.
Get Off This Site| 9.28.10 @ 12:48AM
Do you think anyone would buy from you when you invade a political site to advertise? Get off of AS.
Christopher Holland| 9.28.10 @ 12:24AM
How on earth did the big tent, moderate, bipartisan Republicans convince themselves that they had to co-operate with these foul mouth losers - or else? It is bizarre that sane people would want to be in the same room with these lunatics, let alone co-operate with them. Thank God that the tea party is dragging the Arlen Specters and the Mike Castles to the exits as fast as they can.
Yosemeti Sam| 9.28.10 @ 12:50AM
" ... thousands of activists who had flocked to the
Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas for the conference...."
" ... THROUGHOUT THE CONFERENCE, speakers mocked and attacked the most hated figures and institutions on the right: Fox News, Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, Andrew Breitbart, Michelle Bachmann, and Glenn Beck.
"I'm really sorry that Glenn Beck is going blind,"
Schultz remarked, eliciting laughter in some
parts of the audience. "Because I think it's
a travesty he's not going to see the country
he's trying to destroy."
What starry-eyed HATRED!
Now then, was this great tangential - to TRUE
American values - gathering of Leftoid
runabout mutual admiration species held in some
catacombs beneath the Rio Hotel?
Or in some proximate sewer system?
Mark Sofman| 9.28.10 @ 10:35AM
Malcolm Gladwell might have an explanation for their weaknesses: http://nyr.kr/aiGLWV
Oldefarte| 9.29.10 @ 11:37AM
Being 64, I've witnessed this 'progressivism' [or IMO, domestic terrorism] most of my adult life. Its one purpose is the destruction of this country by STEALING [wealth-redistribution, collectivism, or whatever excrement description you wish to label it with]. These people [or animals more precisely] are nothing but SUB-HUMANS whose only retort to what is now happening across America is to asininely attempt to distort/destroy/ridicule/shame/murder,etc it. In the 1960's, these low lifes attempted to blow up buildings/symbols of power/authority/wealth,etc in the disguised name of revolution; but what they were actually doing was nothing different than what Muslim terrorists are now doing worldwide. They will stop at nothing in order to accompolish their liberalistic goals/agendas; and if that means killing/maiming innocents in the process, then so be it. Whether they throw/plant bombs/paint cans/missles/grenades or WORDS, it doesn't matter. They are still TERRORISTS, and need to be prevented/voted against/stopped/defeated,etc; since their intented purposes is again THE DESTRUCTION OF THIS COUNTRY!!!!!!!!!!
Cylar| 10.3.10 @ 5:23AM
"We'll do anything we can to get a Senate that has more Democrats who are real Democrats, and are not bulls**t Democrats," Moulitsas pledged." Funny, a lot of us on the Right feel the same way - substitute Republicans for Democrats in that sentence. Funny how they're apparently having the same problem - if you believe that Obama, Reid, and Pelosi aren't far enough to the left, that is.
Cylar| 10.3.10 @ 5:25AM
Oh, the Democrat-run Congress isn't sufficiently communist for the Nutroots brats. Obama yanks this country wildly to the left and they think he hasn't gone far enough.
Boo freakin hoo.
harley| 12.9.10 @ 7:00PM
Do you people ever listen to the crap your throwing?
both parties had better wake up. America is going to hell in a handbasket and it is the responsibility of BOTH parties, not just Obama, The Dems or The GOP. America needs all of Congress to find a way to get something done or God help us all.