home

Earth to Netroots, Move On, You Are Not Up For Reelection

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Blog Related
Posted on Mon Mar 19, 2007 at 06:10:56 PM EST
Tags: (all tags)
Share This: Digg! StumbleUpon del.icio.us reddit reddit

A reminder, on all my Iraq defunding posts, indeed all my posts, I speak ONLY for me

One of the most maddening things about the reaction of Move On and much of the Netroots to the disastrous House bill on Iraq funding is the newfound belief that it is now their role to be the "pragmatic conciliators" who need to cut deals.

What delusion. What hubris. A dkos commenter, Eugene, captures what is wrong with this mindset:

You say, at one point:
Just the numbers aren't on the side of those who wish to end the war.

That's your problem right there. You see that as a conclusion instead of as a starting point. You see it as an answer, not a question.

That the votes aren't there right now is not relevant to the conversation. What matters is how we get those votes. How do we twist arms to make these "Democrats" who have sabotaged even a proviso to stop an attack on Iran come around and change their minds?

When did activists and Netroots People Power come to believe that they will be portrayed as reasonable compromisers in this? Do they not realize their role in all this? And how they will be portrayed no matter what?

Eugene continues:

That is what is so utterly maddening about the approach you and a small minority take here - you're not engaging in smart politics. You need to be seeking how to make people change their mind. The conversation must be about "what should be done" - because really, anything can be done. It's wrong to start from a premise that is inherently self-limiting.

Whatever comes out of the House, and what is looking like will come out is simply awful even if untouched afterwards, will be watered down even more. This is the beginning of the compromises, NOT the end.

At TPM, a commenter thinks he makes a joke:

Ladies and gentlemen, start your stopwatches NOW! How long will it be before an "unnamed Congressional Republican aide" comments that it's just the crazy, radical left, like MoveOn, that is planning for defeat, rather than victory, in Iraq?

That is no joke. That is PRECISELY what is going to happen. The foolishness on this is astounding.

< Move On Supports Funding Iraq Debacle | Lieberman's Desperate Drive for Attention >

  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


    • Display: Sort:
    Earth to Netroots, Move On, You Are Not Up For Reelection | 12 comments (12 topical)

    Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment

    i think you're right (5.00 / 3) (#1)
    by profmarcus on Mon Mar 19, 2007 at 06:15:38 PM EST
    the only sane person i am seeing in congress is russ feingold...

    And, yes, I DO take it personally

    That's the irony (5.00 / 2) (#3)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Mon Mar 19, 2007 at 06:20:08 PM EST
    Feingold is the pragmatist here.

    Parent
    He's always been the pragmatist. (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by Ben Masel on Mon Mar 19, 2007 at 07:29:52 PM EST
    As I've told you before, I was the Blutarski of Sellery Hall, not Russ.

    Parent
    Actually (5.00 / 2) (#2)
    by roboleftalk on Mon Mar 19, 2007 at 06:19:46 PM EST
    I think you do speak for me on this issue.

    That makes 2 (5.00 / 2) (#4)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Mon Mar 19, 2007 at 06:20:35 PM EST
    Hopefully others join us.

    Parent
    Well (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by roboleftalk on Mon Mar 19, 2007 at 06:22:20 PM EST
    that's the start of all sorts of good things ;).

    Parent
    Yeah... (none / 0) (#12)
    by The Boy on Tue Mar 20, 2007 at 05:31:58 PM EST
    ...you're definitely not alone.


    Parent
    Making the votes (5.00 / 4) (#6)
    by buhdydharma on Mon Mar 19, 2007 at 06:39:50 PM EST
    is the job of leadership.

    Did Delay ever say...we don't have the votes?

    I'm trying out some new phrasing tonight....Dkos in about half an hour from now

    Go get em! (5.00 / 2) (#7)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Mon Mar 19, 2007 at 06:42:25 PM EST


    Parent
    This is mostly Hoyer's job (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by andgarden on Mon Mar 19, 2007 at 07:20:24 PM EST
    Q.E.D.

    Parent
    different roles... (5.00 / 2) (#8)
    by selise on Mon Mar 19, 2007 at 07:11:46 PM EST
    our job (moveon and bloggers) is to push the edges of the conversation... make the progressive congresscritters look moderate.

    if we adopt the position pelosi has taken then that has become the extremist position.

    this is so very stupid.

    "Watered down" (none / 0) (#11)
    by Ben Masel on Mon Mar 19, 2007 at 07:35:05 PM EST
    Boils down to who Pelosi and Reid appoint to the Conference Committee. OIbey and who else?

    Earth to Netroots, Move On, You Are Not Up For Reelection | 12 comments (12 topical)

    Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment