The Party Of The Common Good

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Other Politics
Posted on Thu Nov 22, 2007 at 08:35:24 PM EST
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A front page post at Daily Kos declares:

we should honor our vision of a people not acting as selfish individuals, but pursuing individual goals in a broader society bound with a sense of solidarity, a sense of shared benefits and shared sacrifice, the sense that "we’re all in this together" that Michael Tomasky evoked last year when he succinctly declared "The Democrats need to become the party of the common good."

It is true that Tomasky wrote that. But it was at Daily Kos, in my interview with Rep. Jim McDermott, that I first heard the phrase "Common Good." Of course, McDermott has used this phrase prior to that, for example, in this 2004 speech.

Credit for Tomasky for running with McDermott's phrase, but it bothers me no end that he continues to be credited for an articulation that was originated by Jim McDermott. Daily Kos especially should not be furthering that injustice. Give Jim McDermott his due please.

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The Party Of The Common Good | 11 comments (11 topical)

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"Common Good" is pretty common (none / 0) (#1)
by Rich on Thu Nov 22, 2007 at 08:50:48 PM EST

BTD--where have you been? I have a lot of respect for Jim McDermott (I live all the way across the country, but I've very familiar with him), but "common good" has been a concept of faith for generations of liberals (and some thoughtful conservatives, too).

It certainly was (none / 0) (#2)
by Big Tent Democrat on Thu Nov 22, 2007 at 08:57:02 PM EST

a long time ago.

Can you cite and link to anyone using that phrase before McDermott in the last 10 years?

BTW, if what you say is true, then why the big whoop about Tomasky's formulation?

I do not agree with you but if I didi, I wonder that you do not wonder at all the fuss over Tomasky's use of the phrase. He has gotten alot of press for it.


i hate to bust your bubble (none / 0) (#3)
by cpinva on Thu Nov 22, 2007 at 09:40:49 PM EST

(ok, no i don't, i enjoy busting your chops! lol),

but where do you think the term "commonwealth" originated? geez, you think this was some unique articulation of a never before advocated principal of societal formulation?

quick history lesson: jamestown, va, 1607, capt. john smith, placed in charge of the venture by its investors, decrees that "he who does not work, does not eat". further, every able-bodied man was expected to take his turn at watch, along the triangular fort's corner posts, for the "common good".

hey, it's a great concept, just nothing new under the sun.


: Of courdse it is not new (none / 0) (#8)
by Big Tent Democrat on Fri Nov 23, 2007 at 06:49:48 AM EST

But articulating that the Dem Party needs to make it a centerpiece again was new and McDermott did it.
I do not think you folks are following me here.
My bad. I should have made it clearer.

It's owned by the Tobacco Lobby (none / 0) (#4)
by MarkL on Thu Nov 22, 2007 at 09:46:07 PM EST

Google "Common good" and "Phillip k. howard"
and you'll see what I mean.
Sorry, any effort to promote the common good spearheaded by a former tobacco lobbyist is not one I want to be associated with.
Howard is pretty influential; it's possible McDermott was alluding to his movement.

: No (none / 0) (#10)
by Big Tent Democrat on Fri Nov 23, 2007 at 06:51:48 AM EST

McDermott was not. He alluded to FDR.
Does anyone click links?

seriously? (none / 0) (#5)
by mindfulmission on Thu Nov 22, 2007 at 11:06:51 PM EST

you never heard the phrase "common good" before a few years ago?

The phrase really came out of Catholic social teaching. According to Wikipedia that first started in the late 1800's.

more... (none / 0) (#6)
by mindfulmission on Thu Nov 22, 2007 at 11:09:05 PM EST

Organizations like Protestants for the Common Good have been around since at least 1995.


: FDR was around in the 30s (none / 0) (#11)
by Big Tent Democrat on Fri Nov 23, 2007 at 06:52:22 AM EST

No (none / 0) (#9)
by Big Tent Democrat on Fri Nov 23, 2007 at 06:51:08 AM EST

That is not what I meant.

As McDermott said, the Democratic Party had LOST its ability to articulate itself as the PArty of the Common Good. He mentions FDR expressly.

The fault is mine. I did not write this post properly.


common good (none / 0) (#7)
by alapip on Fri Nov 23, 2007 at 03:00:08 AM EST

"common good" is the newly articulated old term which epitomizes the necessary direction for all of humanity in a world coming to a critical point in human history.

either we relearn and newly apply this old term or prepare for the worst of human nature to re-arise as it was in the dark ages. we must prove that we have evolved beyond that. humankind has two choices, prove that we have earned the right to a better world, or prove that we have not. i fear the latter, but hope and work for the former.

two key things for us to learn:

1 - the definition of ourselves, which would allow an emphasis on self honesty and personal evolution.

2 - that there are no others, only brothers.

we are all in this together.