Here I go again, heading off into territory where I am not welcome. Progressives will not listen to a conservative, so this post could be considered futile.
However, it is important to point out when the opposing party is screwing up.
Let’s look at some current news, and consider what progressives should do.
Thank God that the Christmas Bomber was NOT successful. I am so proud that people on these planes are taking action today. No longer will people sit like sheep and allow al Qaeda to kill thousands.
23 year old Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab, who said he was directed by al Qaeda, tried to blow up an airliner landing in Detroit on Christmas.
Passengers snatched Abdul; either while he was igniting an explosive device, or after he lit it, (or the device malfunctioned, fact not known while I was writing this) and passengers dragged Abdul away from other passengers.
One of the passengers who saved this plane was Jasper Schuringa.
I am looking forward to hearing more stories from the passengers of this flight, because we have some heros created on Christmas Day.
President Obama is keeping inform of the situation from a safe distance in Hawaii. If anything else were to happen, President Obama is ready to act.
Now, if I were a progressive, AND I WAS BEING CONSISTENT, I would report this airliner story like this:
Because YOU KNOW that if President Obama were a republican, progressives would report this story like this:
“..That dam President Obama is making us LESS SAFE. Look, we were almost attacked. Obama is letting the US military HELP the Yemen government, which is pissing off al Qaeda, and now we have MORE terrorists. We now have terrorists coming from Nigeria. Obama is creating MORE terrorists with his actions.
Yemen didn’t attack us on 9/11.
So why is Obama screwing around with Yemen. President Obama is making us LESS safe and creating MORE terrorists..”
If progressives were being consistent. If everything that they say wasn’t for political gain, that is how they would report this story.
However, (you and I both know) because Obama is a democrat, progressives will sit quietly about any US military actions in Yemen.
Or, the progressive will claim that Obama is being proactive in fighting the terrorists- in Yemen. (Which translates: Progressives being proactive is GOOD; Conservatives being proactive is BAD.)
Which is the point of this editorial. We are taking a look at what progressives SHOULD do to correct the problems that they currently have.
To fix the political problems, progressives should vote for republican candidates in 2010 to send a message to the democrats that the progressives are NOT happy. Vote republican..!!
(OK, that was a little joke, there. Let’s continue...)
If I were a progressive, I would:
Ask: If people on my side are unhappy with this health bill because it doesn’t contain a public option, because it will only cover 12 million people and leave 17 million people uninsured and paying a $750 dollar fine / tax. If this bill doesn’t stop insurance companies from raising their fees...
WHY THE HELL ARE WE PASSING THIS BILL..??
We know that the republicans will beat us over the head, in 2010, with aspects of this health bill. (A bill that many of us do not care for, anyway.) So why are we putting our leadership and power on the line for a bill that we do not care for..??
“..Well, it’s a start..” is the reply from some progressives.
It is..??
From my understanding, written into the bill by Harry Reid, (in the middle of the night, of course) is a provision that no future congress can change, alter, or drop aspects of sections of this bill.
So how can this be “a start” if no future congress can “change it”..??
This bill is the whole ball of wax, my friends. And it is one- very: waxy ball.
If I were a progressive I would drop this health bill and have my congress write up a NEW health bill that better fits what Americans want. This bill would NOT take effect until 2014, so what is the freaking rush..??
If I were a progressive, I would:
Listen to the Chairman of Al Gore’s presidential campaign who warns:
“..Either we plot a more moderate, centrist course or risk electoral disaster not just in the upcoming midterms but in many elections to come..”
Bill Daley, a lifelong democrat who Chaired Al Gore’s campaign; reminds progressives that FIVE democrats are either switching sides and becoming republicans, or dropping out of politics.
President Obama’s approval rating is at 49%. However, more important; only 41% of independents say they approve of the president, and these people got Obama elected.
A recent Gallup generic congressional ballot shows republicans leading democrats in almost EVERY race, across the country.
If I were a progressive, I would heed this advice. If the democrats do not reconnect with the American people, AND FAST; they risk losing all power in congress. They will never pass any of the other ideas that they cherish, and the only accomplishment achieved will be a crappy health bill that many progressives do not care for.
If I were a progressive, I would:
Heed the advice coming from the Black Community.
A recent poll on AOL’s “Black Voices” states that 55% of Black people believe that President Obama and Attorney General Holder do a LOT OF TALKING, but not much acting.
Progressives LOVE to claim that they represent minorities. However, that “claim” might be slipping away, FAST.
Dr. Boyce Watkins, founder of “Your Black World Coalition” gives President Obama some advice:
“...(President Obama), please stop giving us the same answers: That "rising tide will raise all ships" argument is played out, Mr. President. Intelligent black folks with a critical eye on politics know when they've heard the same thing multiple times. You can't come off like a broken record.
If you can't make policies for any particular group, why does it seem that you are doing it for everyone else? I've seen special committees/task forces for the automobile industry, the protection of Israel, the gay/lesbian/bi-sexual community, the environment, bankers, immigrants, etc. Perhaps mentioning a task force to deal with the black unemployment gap or mass incarceration of African Americans might at least appease some of your Black critics..”
Progressives are quickly losing their ability to say that “they care” for the minorities if 55% of the Black Community is not happy.
If I were a progressive, I would ask myself if Global Warming laws, and a badly written health care bill, are what the American people want?
Maybe the American people are concerned about JOBS..??
Just maybe..??
Why would a conservative like myself take the time to write an editorial like this..??
Simple...
(In reality) Progressives will never listen to a conservative. If they read this editorial, they will scoff at it. (Which makes for a very rewarding: “I told you so” in about 10 months from now.)
(Psychologically speaking) An editorial like this could cause progressives to become MORE determined to stick to their current agenda.
(The obvious) If Americans are moving away from President Obama and the progressives, it would be nice to have these people moving towards conservatives.
It is far, FAR too early for conservative / republicans to list our parties ideas for the 2010 elections. Why would we EVER give the democrats extra months to attack these ideas? We all know that democrats are very good at attacking. But democrats are not very good at leading. (As proof, the democrats are passing a health bill that many democrats do not care for.)
If it is too early to cover our plans for 2010, we can however, connect with the American people who are leaving the progressive democrat party, by pointing out why we all are unhappy with this president and this congress.
Written by AR Babonie for The Angry Republic
