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Thursday, November 04, 2004
Getting Back in the Saddle
After a supportive and even enthusiastic DFA/DFNM Meetup in Albuquerque yesterday that had many new faces, I'm ready to get back in the saddle -- if slowly.
There already has been alot of talk about what may have gone wrong and what we need to do to recalibrate our message. One of the issues that keeps emerging is morality or values, and how we can reframe (ala George Lakoff) the debate on this to include democratic (and Democratic) moral values, not just the Christian right's limited view that morality is almost solely about values surrounding women's choice and the moral aspects of sexuality.
Click for a link to an article today by Robert Reich on The Moral Agenda. He says policy and plans are important -- but they’ll get Democrats nowhere without more conviction.
If you've discovered other good discussions on the morality issue and how we need to incorporate it into our message, please share them here, along with your thoughts. -BW
Late addition: Check out Living Poor, Voting Rich by Nicholas Kristof of the NY Times on this issue. This was the editorial recommended by Howard Dean in last night's conference call at Meetup.
November 4, 2004 at 11:06 AM in Current Affairs | Permalink
Comments
I strongly disagree with the notion that Democrats should incorporate more of the Republican message into their platform. We need Democratic leaders, not Republican followers. That is one of the major failings of this election, Mr. Kerry made an appeal to Mr. Bush's core audience and in so doing, failed to convey an alternative. If a voter wants to vote for religion, they are going to vote republican, no matter how thuroughly a Democrat may wrap themselves in the flag and bible. The Democrats will then cease being an alternative to the Republicans should they choose to pursue that strategy.
Posted by: | Nov 5, 2004 9:17:01 AM
Brian, no-one is saying that Democrats should adopt Republican views. The idea is to reframe the language and content of the debate to argue that Democratic views on such things as environmental protection, justice for all, a safety net to help those in need and good jobs with adequate pay and benefits are moral positions. To talk about right and wrong not in terms of the pick and choose issues that right-wing Chrisitians have selected as wedge issues, but rather in terms of the right and wrong of how we treat our senior citizens, children, those less fortunate, and the planet itself.
In other words, right-wingers seem passionate only about issues they can use politically, while ignoring the genuine moral imperatives to be just, fair and compassionate that should be the primary components of a moral viewpoint, whether religious or secular.
In no way does this mean we would support the distorted views of right-wing pseudo-Christians. Just that we should be passionate and clear that we believe our issues are democratic and moral in the best sense of the words.
Posted by: barb | Nov 5, 2004 11:23:21 AM
I do agree with your points, and we do need to keep our focus on what is important to us. My reaction is largely based on the press I have been hearing regarding the need to inject Christianity into the Democratic party, as it was a winning strategy for the Republicans. We already have one Christian party. The alternative party should remember and respect separation of church and state, and that freedom of religion also includes freedom *from* religion.
Posted by: | Nov 5, 2004 1:21:33 PM
I think a good frame for this is that democratic values like those I mentioned are really moral, human values. Not necessarily religious values, but the right thing to do. Like decreasing poverty.
But I also think it would be very useful to link up with progressive religious folks, not to include their religion formally in our political efforts, but to acknowledge that most people of faith are not the right-wing fundamentalists who support Bush. In fact, it was progressive religious folks from a number of belief systems who had alot to do with securing civil rights for minorities in the 60s and many other things.
I've heard and read alot about how people of faith who are in opposition to most of what fundamentalist Christians preach are very upset to be lumped in with them by the general public. Many of these people are on our side.
Soujourner is an interesting organization that's pursuing progressive positions and recognition and working to oppose the Christian right's crusade. Here's a link to their website:
https://www.sojo.net/
Posted by: barb | Nov 5, 2004 4:55:08 PM
