Why Liberals are Losers.
The above screenshot, with intro, is from a dear Buddhist artist friend of mine. I replied:
I hear you. I like Cynthia, though I know little about her goals or experience.
I don’t think we should fight amongst ourselves and lose again! We’ll never learn [see 2000 with Nader vs. Gore, or 2016 with Bernie voters going for Jill Stein or even Trump vs. Hillary]! We’re fully “shaming,” as you say, if we divide ourselves into “real progressives” vs. ” moderates” or whatever. I’m a moderate–I like to be open to all views if they make sense—and I’m a hippie vegan bicycling Buddhist progressive activist.
We have so much in common–belief in science, equality, as Bernie himself said in endorsing Hillary, let’s get on that page. I’m a Bernie supporter, but those who refused to vote Hillary after he’d lost, barely, fair or no, helped get us our current President.
I’m not an ardent Cuomo supporter (though I’d be happy to vote for him), but I also don’t want to eat our own and put this in the country of folks who don’t believe in addressing climate change or equality like the serious issues they are.
Many activists hate on moderates.
But there’s another meaning of moderate, which is open, civil, kind to all who may disagree. It doesn’t mean we compromise on values of equality or science, but that we bring peace to politics, instead of further aggression.
Like I said, I’m a Portlandia cliche, on some level, politically–but I also like to listen and be respectful with those who I disagree, including Republicans.
The political process, in terms of “when is it time to do the right thing,” is usually that politicians, at best, go one step beyond public support. They’re suppose to represent all of us. There’s a famous story where progressives came to FDR (who did so many radically progressive things that changed American society) and said, we want this! He said–I want this! But I can’t do that. So make me do it! Make noise! Change the conversation!
That’s democracy. Hillary and even Obama didn’t support gay marriage until society’s views changed, and it became safe for them to do the right thing.
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