via Open Left - Front Page by Paul Rosenberg on 7/27/10 I've never been one to think that unity was a realistic political goal. We should strive for greater unity, of course. But as Chris has noted repeatedly over the years, the large mass of people vote similarly to others in their demographic cohorts, reflecting the fact that they have similar life-experiences, interests, and values, as well as similar ways of interpreting the world. The flip side of this is that there are equally basic reasons why unity across groups will be limited. However, this doesn't rule out a convergence of interests, values and ways of interpreting the world--not to mention an increased understanding of how seemingly different life-experiences share certain elements in common. Convergence is a far more realistic goal to aim for, and it's also realistic in another sense, since it recognizes and respects differences that can be a source of strength, if properly appreciated.
With that said, I was truly surprised at how much convergence of views I witnessed at Netroots Nation. This is a subjective view on my account, of course. But I was impressed that there seemed to be fairly broad agreement--even from Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid--that (a) Democratic governance had not brought about the kind profound change that we had been hoping for, and that (b) the reason for this was that the progressive movement is not yet strong enough to overcome the obstacles it faces.
When the Speaker of the House tells the FDR "make me do it" story (with Frances Perkins in the role usually given to A. Philip Randolph), and then directly encourages people to increase pressure on Congress, there is very tangibly much more unity of purpose than normally appears in our day-to-day struggles.
There are all sorts of differences over how this plays out, of course--as witnessed in our recent debates over trying to understand what motivates Obama. But Mike's point about the need for such speculation to have a positive practical result was very much reflected in the repeated overlap of views that I witnessed. Yes, the mid-terms are going to be tough. And I believe it's important to be clear about why this is: A failure not just to deliver "change we can believe in", but even to actually consider it, much less fight for it. But even more important than that is to keep moving forward in battling against the accumulated power and influence of the right.
This is a battle for the long haul, and we need to understand what that means and act accordingly. As one speaker pointed out, it was 30 years from Goldwater's defeat in 1964 to the GOP takeover of Congress in 1994. We've gone from the nadir of 2002-2004 to the triumphs of 2006 and 2008 in lightening speed by comparison, which is a big part of why those triumphs have not paid off in terms of fundamental change the way that want them to. It takes time to change deep-seated assumptions, habits and calculations--not to mention institutions. It doesn't need to take 30 years. But historically speaking it's hardly surprising that less than half a decade isn't enough.
I am, by nature, on the impatient side of things, even as I write this. I'm not asking anyone to lower their level of expectation. But what I saw at Netroots Nation was the potential power that comes when disappointment is channeled into raising the level of effective and transformative effort, rather than lowering expectations or abandoning the fight altogether.
Arguably the most important, most overlooked aspect of the upcoming elections is the control of state legislatures, who play a crucial role in redistricting for next decades. I'll be writing more about this in the days and weeks ahead. But for now, I'll just say that it's typical of the broader need to focus on institutional forms of power. We can tell if we're making real progress when we stop being obsessively focused on the shiny surface of things, and instead find ourselves naturally at home with the deeper structures that shape the moment-by-moment flow, even if they do not determine the exact nature of moment-by-moment events.
Maybe it was just me. But I don't think so. At Netroots Nation, I saw the signs of that shift taking place. I saw the shape of things to come--if we are wise and patient and persevering enough to "make it so," as Jean-Luc Picard would say.
No comments:
Post a Comment