David Sirota writing in The Nation: "The Resurgence of Movement Politics"

[flpoljunkie]

Excerpt from Sirota's article from The Nation Magazine, August 29th issue: "The Resurgence of Movement Politics"

http://www.thenation.com/docprint.mhtml?i=20050829&s=sirota

The Democratic Party is caught in a downward spiral and is using its supposed "big tent" as an excuse for its weaknesses. Democratic politicians have always said that "ideological diversity is the Democrats strength," but that refrain is now being shamelessly used as a way to obscure the fact that the Democratic Party is ideologically rudderless. The party often permits and even congratulates those within its ranks who sell out America's middle class, whether it be those who voted for the bankruptcy bill or those who consistently vote for corporate-written trade deals like CAFTA or NAFTA.The party elites--many of whom follow the corporate apologism of business-funded groups within its ranks--still believe they can ascend to power on the public's loyalty to a Democratic Party label, even as that party label is almost completely meaningless to much of the public.

The only solution, then, is for progressives to stop solely focusing on partisan politics, and start focusing on movement politics. On every single issue, we must have a clear position that articulates not just a policy stance, but an overarching progressive ideology. Because without a movement, we have no ability to hold politicians' feet to the fire, no ability to develop credibility with voters and no ability to win elections.

Think about it. In the corruption scandal surrounding Tom DeLay, our attacks rightly drive up conservatives' negatives, but those negatives do not translate into support for us because we haven't taken an ideological stand that says we are serious about cleaning up government through initiatives like public financing of elections and lobbying reform.

On the Iraq War, we see progressive candidate Paul Hackett almost win a Congressional seat in the staunchly conservative Cincinnati suburbs by running on a strong antiwar platform. Yet, in its postelection analysis, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee omits that fact, essentially urging Democrats to keep silent on the war, and thus negates any antiwar movement building that could power progressives to future victories.

On economic issues, the list is even longer. Polls show Americans of all parties and geography desperate for a movement that will articulate their concerns that Corporate America has far too much power. The response from Washington? A handful of high-profile Democrats undermine their party by supporting things like the bankruptcy bill and CAFTA, and by genuflecting to misnamed "moderates" who embrace an economic agenda that squeezes America's middle class.