Why do X percent of Dems do Y?… Those people are forever doing thus-and-such… “Count me out of..."

[ClassWarrior]

"... your ‘we.'"

As you browse DU in the new year, be on the lookout for the language of division. There has been an alarming rise in comments here that pit Dem against Dem, liberal against liberal, progressive against progressive. I posit that any such conversation is dangerous to our progressive values.

No, I’m not advocating censorship. I am cautioning DUers of good will to be on the lookout for divisive language, and to question its premise whenever it arises. Judge in your own heart whether the post and the poster are well intentioned, or are attempting to sow dissent.

But please, whatever you do, do not make an assumption that the progressive movement is in any way divided.

Our diversity is our strength.

NGU.

[Vincardog]

1. Ok the Progressive movement is solid. What about us Liberals?

[FreakinDJ]

2. We all have a "Cause" or we wouldn't be here

and just who defines "Progressive"

Not to distract from your statements and beliefs some of which I share with you, but we are as varied as there are voters out there. Many of us are shaped by our own personal experiences which have shaped our ideas and therefore our Ideals on what government should be.

Personally - I find my views Very Conservative, but the current form of RATpubliCON politics has little or nothing to do with Conservative Politics. I deplore "The Good Ol' Boy" form of politics and the abhorrent corruption that so often follows. I am devoutly religious but deplore religion in my politics. Nearly almost as much as I deplore the "Creationist Cork Soakers" who are "Feverishly Bastardizing the Bible with their Dumpster Diving approach to Biblical Interpretation"

You got room for me too

[ClassWarrior]

3. Exactly. Our diversity is our strength. And no amount of obfuscation, embodied...

...by statements like "and just who defines 'Progressive'," can blur our progressive vision.

But, just in case you really don't know, here you go:

I believe that progressive values are traditional American values, that progressive principles are fundamental American principles, and that progressive policy directions point the way to where most Americans really want our country to go. The job of unifying progressives is really the job of bringing our country together around its finest traditional values.

CONSERVATIVES believe in...
STRONG DEFENSE
FREE MARKETS
LOWER TAXES
SMALLER GOVERNMENT
FAMILY VALUES

PROGRESSIVES believe in...
STRONGER AMERICA
BROAD PROSPERITY
BETTER FUTURE
EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT
MUTUAL RESPONSIBILITY

» A stronger America is not just about defense, but about every dimension of strength: our effectiveness in the world, our economy, our educational system, our health care system, our families, our communities, our environment, and so forth.

» Broad prosperity is the effect that markets are supposed to bring about. But all markets are constructed for someone's benefit; no markets are completely free. Markets should be constructed for the broadest possible prosperity, and they haven't been.

» Americans want and deserve a better future — economically, educationally, environmentally, and in all other areas of life — for themselves and their children. Lowering taxes, primarily for the super-rich elite, has had the effect of defunding programs that would make a better future possible in all these areas. The proper goal is a better future for all Americans.

» Smaller government is, in conservative propaganda, supposed to eliminate waste. It is really about eliminating social programs. Effective government is what we need our government to accomplish to create a better future.

» Conservative family values are those of a strict father family — authoritarian, hierarchical, every man for himself, based around discipline and punishment. Progressives live by the best values of both families and communities: mutual responsibility, which is authoritative, equal, two-way, and based around caring, responsibility (both individual and social), and strength.

The remarkable thing is just how much progressives do agree on. These are just the things that voters tend to care about most: our values, our principles, and the direction in which we want to take the nation.

http://www.infoamerica.org/teoria_textos/manifiesto_lakoff.pdf

NGU.

[Capn Sunshine]

4. You do realize much of this is astroturfers

Paid to be disruptive ( On the right) and dedicated to bringing down the Democratic Party ( on the left) But net net, they want everyone to be fighting because it advances their cause.

[ClassWarrior]

5. Of course it is. Paid and not. I just hope others realize...

...this as well.

NGU.

[TexasProgresive]

6. Didn't we already discuss this????

We have no use for algebra!!!!!

K&R

[boppers]

7. So, "be on the lookout for" division?

With no sense of irony?

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

8. You got that right! And I am happy to unrecommend every time I see this bullshit

Division is what the wingnuts want! It strengthens them.

Don't let them win, folks!!

Disclaimer: Ain't nothing wrong with disagreements when their healthy, but there's been a lot of bullshit rhetoric, bordering on the utterly ridiculous 'round these parts in the last few months or so.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ClassWarrior]

10. You mean like ones calling people "haters?"

Where have I seen that before?

NGU.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

11. "Hater" is a word that has lost all significance. I hope that word is retired in 2011.

[ClassWarrior]

14. Words have no meaning, right?

Let's all be confused about what words like "hater" and "progressive" mean, right?

:eyes:

NGU.

[ZombieHorde]

12. Recommended, but people who use the word, "literally," when they mean the word, "figuratively," are

still assholes.

[JoePhilly]

13. We have a tendency to act like yippee dogs ...

There is a bone on the floor, and we on the left bark at it, chasing each other around around the bone. But we can't pick it up.

Meanwhile, the GOP dobermans sit off to the side and lick their chops waiting for us to exhaust ourselves.

And when we get tired and give up, the walk up and take the bone.

And laugh in our faces.

[ClassWarrior]

15. No we don't. But there are people who'd like to maintain the illusion...

...that we're like that.

And laugh in our faces.

NGU.

[JoePhilly]

16. We absolutely do.

We almost never close ranks.

The GOP always does.

And, we seem to be unable to celebrate any success. Everything is "Yes, but..."

[JTFrog]

17. +1

[ClassWarrior]

18. Speak for yourself.

NGU.

[JoePhilly]

19. Group dynamics is one of my specialities.

And given that, I'll stick with my assessment of the Democratic party. And I will characterize its behavior as I see fit.

We were only able to unite when Bush was President because he took partisan government to a whole new level. The minute he left office, the infighting on the left started, and really has not ebbed since.

My hope is that the new bat shit crazy GOP House majority unites us again ... much like the insane GOP congressional majority united us to re-elect Clinton.

Our disunity in 2000 is what ultimately allowed Bush to beat Gore. A set back of epic proportions.

Can we do that again?? I hope our collective memory is strong enough to prevent that.

[ClassWarrior]

20. So you're down for advancing the meme of a divided Dem Party. Gotcha.

'Nuff said.

NGU.

[JoePhilly]

21. Actually no. And why do you need to misrepresent my position????????

I do not advocate for a divided party. I simply describe what we tend to be.

I think acting as such, is our largest mistake.

You seem to be unable to grasp that.

Now ... enough has been said.

[ClassWarrior]

22. Why do you need to misrepresent my position? I send out a call for unity, and...

...your initial post reinforces the disunity meme. Who's the one having problems grasping things?

NGU.