Revitalizing Democracy
To Bring Change, Insiders and Outsiders Need Each Other
January 17th, 2008
Activists need advocates in the White House and Congress to voice their concerns and pass legislation. But even with such allies, activists have to keep the heat on, be visible, and make enough noise so that policy makers and the media can't ignore them. To advance a progressive agenda, a widespread grassroots movement -- which provides ordinary Americans with opportunities to engage in a variety of activities, from emailing their legislators, to participating in protest -- is essential.
The Voices
Republicans Are On A Different Planet
News outlets talk about Bush's approval levels approaching "Nixonian" levels, but they shy away from acknowledging the obvious — that the GOP has become marginalized from the American mainstream.more »
The Bipartisanship Scam
The road to victory in 2008 doesn't run through a mythical middle that has been dragged far to the right over the past 7-plus years; it runs through the center that opposes the war, favors economic fairness, knows that climate change is real and a crisis, wants to take care of our veterans, and believes in the right to universal health care. In other words, the actual mainstream — the place the majority of Americans inhabit.more »
The News
Latest from our Bloggers
apr
8
2008
Hard Questions for Clinton and Obama
At the upcoming Clinton-Obama debate in Philadelphia, there is only one thing the American public wants to hear less than another policy wonk discussion—that would be more personal sniping over race, patriotism or honesty. So, instead, here are a few things for Katie, Hillary and Barack to kick around. more »
feb
7
2008
What Should the Next President Read?
Our friend Bill Moyers is asking an interesting question: “What’s the one book you wish the winning presidential candidate would take to the White House?”more »
jan
4
2008
Iowa Reflections on NPR
Earlier this morning, I was on NPR's Bryant Park Project discussing the meaning of the Iowa results, along with Erick Erickson of Red State. Erick acknowledged the deep dislike of Huckabee among conservative bloggers, and general disappointment with the GOP field. While I observed the broad agreement on economic populist policy and change in foreign policy among Democrats, independents and some Republican voters shown in the Iowa results.
You can listen to the segment here.
dec
21
2007
COLUMN: Fear, Loathing & the Crisis of Confidence
In my new nationally syndicated column out today, I explore the root cause of America's anger at our federal government and the growing embrace of conspiracy theories - trends displayed in recent Scripps Howard/Ohio University studies. It is not just a reaction to fear in the age of terrorism, but is a more fundamental crisis of confidence in our public institutions.
Certainly, some of the conspiracy theories out there are offensive, inaccurate and should be ignored. However, the growth of conspiracy theories as a phenomenon should not be ignored, because they represent something deeper - a distrust of a government. This distrust, though it can go in crazy directions, is not crazy unto itself. In fact, it is quite rational. After all, everywhere we look, we see proof that our government actively conspires against the public.
The most pristine example, as I say in the column, was the recent behavior by the Federal Communications Commission. more »
nov
30
2007
Heartland Presidential Forum Tomorrow
As I blogged earlier, tomorrow offers a rare event: The Heartland Presidential Forum, featuring real people asking candidates questions about real issues that affect working families and impoverished Americans.
If you can't be in Des Moines at 1:30 PM CT, you can watch the live webcast at movementvisionlab.org, and cablecast on C-Span.
nov
27
2007
Warning: Real Questions For Candidates Ahead
Normally, having lots of candidate debates is good for democracy, giving voters ample opportunity to see ideas tested, assertions fact-checked, and proposals detailed.
But while this presidential primary season has offered plenty of debates, all too often media moderators ignored pressing issues, lobbed vapid questions, and ginned up superficial conflicts. Democracy has not been well served.
Fortunately, a refreshing change is on tap this Saturday afternoon. The Center for Community Change is hosting the Heartland Presidential Forum in Des Monies, where real people will ask real questions to Sen. Hillary Clinton, Sen. Chris Dodd, former Sen. John Edwards, Rep. Dennis Kucinich and Sen. Barack Obama. Questions like these:
About 5,000 people are expected to attend. For details on how you can join them, click here. TV coverage is also anticipated on C-Span. read more » more »
oct
22
2007
All According to Plan
Conservative movement favorite Bobby Jindal cruised to victory in Saturday's Louisiana gubernatorial election, winning 53% of the vote in a multi-person race, far ahead of the pack and avoiding a runoff election against a single opponent.
But Jindal got roughly the same amount of votes as four years ago, when he won only 48% of the vote and lost the governor's race.
There were multiple factors at play. The Democratic leadership in the state suffered their share of the blame for Katrina and its aftermath, potentially strong opponents did not join the election, and the race was never close.
But we cannot ignore the new demographics of Louisiana, as conservative policies made it extremely difficult for African-American voters to come home.
The Politico's report on Jindal's victory notes:
Jindal’s victory heralds the GOP’s further ascendancy in Louisiana, particularly in the face of sweeping demographic changes after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Massive flooding sent many black Louisianans, who often vote Democratic, fleeing from the state to Texas, Utah and elsewhere. While the full political impact of the population shifts from the 2005 storms are still being revealed, it’s clear that Republicans are stronger than before.
Just before the election, conservative columnist Robert Novak observed (via Political Wire):
One underlying reason for bright Republican prospects in Louisiana's statewide elections Oct. 20 is the departure from the state of an estimated 173,000 African Americans, dependable Democratic voters, after Hurricane Katrina.
New Orleans is still 58 percent African American, according to a Brookings Institution survey, compared with 67 percent before the storm. But migration of blacks, mainly to Houston and Atlanta, lost the recent Democratic hard core in Louisiana.
The Institute for America's Future August 2007 report, "Compounding Conservative Failure: Hurricane Katrina Two Years Later," explained how conservative policies have intentionally displaced Katrina's victims and distorted democracy. Here's a flashback: more »
sep
3
2007
Weekend Watchdog Wrap-Up
The Sunday shows break their three-week losing streak, and actually ask a Watchdog question.
On ABC's This Week, George Stephanopoulos asked Sen. John Ensign if the GOP had a double standard by pressuring Sen. Larry Craig to resign but rallying around Sen. David Vitter:
...Vitter openly admits he broke the law and solicited prostitutes. Others serving in Congress have at the moment have pleaded guilty to misdemeanors of more import than disorderly conduct without being forced to resign. If morality and credibility are at issue, why isn't Vitter being held to that standard? What's the answer?
Ensign held on to the slim reed that Craig entered a guilty plea and Vitter had not. Talking Points Memo's Steven Benen notes that Vitter "would have been subject to criminal charges, but the statute of limitations ran out" and "the whole argument seems premised on strained legalisms."
In contrast, CBS' Face The Nation was horrible in its treatment of Iraq. more »
