"The Progressive Movement (or lack thereof)"

Our good friend Garland Nixon wrote:

Hi all,

This is the topic and subject for Tuesday Night's Radio show live at
"Ben's Next Door"

"Come Join the RAUCOUS CAUCUS (Mark, Terry, and Garland) RADIO SHOW @
Ben's Next Door (next to Ben's Chili Bowl) in Washington DC Tuesday
February 16th @ 7 PM for a live show! or listen live on 89.3 FM @ 7pm or
streaming live at WPFW.org:
http://www.wpfw.org/index.php?db=content/WPFW_Radio&tbl=WPFW_Radio&id=1

Be a part of the fun and madness and present your questions with the
LIVE AUDIENCE.....See you there!
http://www.bensnextdoor.com/ordereze/default.aspx

I am giving a background/summary of the topic and a number of specific
questions that we can kick around. We may not get to all of them but it
will give us some structure to work around. I plan to read the
introduction to start off the conversation. The topic for Tuesday's show
is: "The Progressive Movement (or lack thereof)"

INTRO - I contend that the current problems getting progressive
legislature enacted lies with the people who complain the most about the
lack of progressive policies. While those in the progressive community
are zealous complainers, few are willing to act. One of the biggest hold
ups to real health care reform is the fact that the right wing
opposition calls, marches, rallies, forms organizations, and takes
direct action to prevent reform. Meanwhile, the progressives spend their
time doing little more than complaining about what Congress and the
President aren't doing to bring about the legislation they want. Whether
its taking action outside the system such as "taking to the streets" in
protest, or taking action within the system such as forming an effective
alliance of progressive organizations and taking the fight to capitol
hill, the only thing that will produce health care or any other
progressive legislation is action and right now the progressive
community is producing nothing more than complaints. If nothing else,
the Tea Party conference proved that even if your platform is an
amorphous mish mosh of fraudulent issues and your leader has the IQ of a
head of lettuce, if you make enough noise the media, and ultimately
elected officials, will take you seriously. I argue that if we don't get
health care reform, it's not the fault of The President, Harry Reid,
Nancy Pelosi, or the Republicans. If we don't get healthcare reform it's
because we "the progressive community" were unwilling to take the
actions necessary to get it. Everyone on earth wants "something", but
few are willing to make the sacrifices necessary to get what they want.

Terry says, "TAKE IT TO THE STREETS" Mark and Garland both say "ORGANIZE
AND TAKE IT TO CAPITOL HILL" - both are needed if we are to get any
progressive legislation through Congress. The Republicans have declared
their intransigent position of obstinacy. The corporations have shown
that they are willing to form "Astroturf" fake grass roots movements,
the only question that remains is "WHERE THE ARE THE PROGRESSIVES, and
WHY WON'T THEY JOIN THE FIGHT"? They are driving around in their Toyota
Prius's (or whatever the Plural of Prius is), drinking their shots of
wheat grass juice, calling radio talk shows to complain, and believing
that they have taken part in the political process...WRONG!

END OF INTRO

Lets Call Out the Progressives To GET GOING!!!!! Even if we have to drag
their sorry lazy butts kicking and screaming into action!

Some Questions to talk about.

1. Why is it that progressives are so good at whining at so unwilling to
take action?

2. What should they be doing?

3. How should they be doing it?

4. What kind of platform would a coalition of progressive organizations
have that would allow all of them to comfortably coexist under one
umbrella and get something done?

5. Is it reasonable to believe that this can happen? Are the majority of
the progressives lazy whiners or just leaderless in the movement? (I am
talking about leaders and organizers who are non-politicians and not on
Capitol Hill...or is it something else?

6. What can the Raucous Caucus do? Can we really do anything?

7. The issues with middle class and upper middle class progressives who
want to "help" the poor and disenfranchised yet they have no idea about
the circumstances of those they want to help, They support or oppose
legislation that could help the poor and disenfranchised without input
from those who are suffering.

"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other
time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we
seek" - Barack Obama

OK GANG, LETS HAVE SOME FUN TUESDAY!!!

Garland