*Progressives need a long-term strategy, like the conservatives have had since Goldwater lost in 1964.
I just got back from listening to Markos Moulitsas (of Daily Kos) and Jerome Armstrong (of MyDD and Forward Together) speak about their new book, "Crashing the Gate: Netroots, Grassroots, and the Rise of People-Powered Politics." The book, which I'm reading now, is described as "a shot across the bow at the political establishment in Washington, DC and a call to re-democratize politics in America" by "two of the most popular political bloggers in America." Here are a few highlights from Markos and Jerome, who spoke almost interchangeably throughout their appearance at "Politics and Prose" bookstore in Northwest Washington, DC this afternoon:
*Markos commented on how he's "tired of being ashamed of being a Democrat." Also, how Democrats need a "10-step program" as well as a "machine to find the best and the brightest progressives" out there, just as the Republicans do so effectively.
*Markos observed that "everyone knows what the Republicans stand for," but if you ask 10 Democrats what THEIR party stands for, "you'll get 10 different answers."
*Right now, Democrats have "no infastructure, no idea branding, no leadership institutes, no noise machine, and no party machinery to sell the brand."
*Democrats need to "be the party that represents people everywhere," not just in certain "swing districts." Democrats need to field candidates everywhere, including "in hard-to-win races," in part to "drain resources from the Republicans" and in part to spread the Democratic message.
*Jerome noted that the book is "not about technology or blogging," which are simply "tools in a toolset." Instead, it's about "technology allowing people to organize together" and helping to "get the message out.
*Jerome and Markos also pointed out that "Republicans are very skilled" at using the internet to organize their grassroots, and they're getting better. Rupert Murdoch, for instance, just bought up MySpace.com, a great way to connect with young people - the future, in other words. According to Jerome (or was it Markos?), "Republican are always 30 years ahead," while Democrats are always focused on "the next election cycle." Eventually, Democrats will win "because we have the ideas," but it could take "12-15 years to achieve parity." (boy, I sure hope they're wrong about that; the environment, for example, can't AFFORD to wait another 12-15 years!).
*Montana as a model for Democrats. In that state, Democrats "spread Republicans thin and forced them to compete everywhere." Brian Schweitzer ran as "a proud, unapologetic Democrat," drew "clear distinictions between Republicans and Democrats," and didn't bog down in interest group politics and questionnaires. In contrast, Democrats in Texas did the usual, political consultant-tested "targeting" of districts, and got crushed. Hmmmm....
*A key point was that the Washington, DC political insider crowd is insular, incompetent, and out of touch, still thinking that "what worked in1987" will still work today. Not. The sad thing is that, "with a competent Democratic Party, we could win big this November." Instead, Democratic party hacks sit back and just "assume that people will vote Democratic because they're sick of the Republicans," and that Democrats don't "need to offer something" of their own. How do we spell L-O-S-E-R M-E-N-T-A-L-I-T-Y. Personally, I say that anyone who thinks that way should get an attitude adjustment real fast, or step aside for those who "get it" - people like Markos and Jerome, for example.
*Another key point, and one that I see over and over again in politics: For the most part, candidates and campaign staffs "don't understand how the netroots work." What they SHOULD be doing is "blog ads," writing "diaries" on popular blogs, and doing "interviews with the bloggers, just as they would do with the traditional media."
*Why on earth do candidates "keep hiring these guys" (consultants, etc.) who lose time and time again? According to Jerome (or was it Markos?), "it's really bizarre." What do we need to do? "Challenge the candidates to change," and this challenge "needs to come from the bottom."
*Kos pointed out that a year ago, he was "laughed at for [pushing] a 50-state strategy." Now, according to Markos, "it's conventional wisdom" with political analysts like Charlie Cook, while "consultants are keeping their mouths shut" and hoping the netroots will simply go away.
*Unfortunately for the consultants, their business model is dead. According to Markos, "campaign finance reform has forced the parties to rely on small donors." Also, "every year more people are donating online," which means "less power for the establishment." Time for a career change for these guys who've been at it since the 1970s?
*According to Jerome, "we need to break the whole paradigm" of polarized, wedge-issue, battleground politics in this country. We "need to change the whole mentality of how we see elections." We need to "invest in technology to allow people to reach out to their neighbors." We need to fight the Republican "churchroots" with a progressive "netroots."
*Markos pointed out that if the consultants and party hacks...er, professionals had had their way, Paul Hackett would have been "neutered." For instance, Hackett said about gay marriage that "if they want to get married, good for them," and slammed critics by asserting that "it's un-American to oppose gay marriage." If the consultants had been in charge, Hackett never would have said this. Luckly, they weren't in charge in Hackett's case (we won't get into how Hackett was pressured out of the race....don't get me started!), and Hackett's response was pretty much "end of story," according to Markos.
*On bringing young people into the party, Markos and Jerome commented that "our side treats [kids] as cheap interns," while the Republicans "build dorms for these kids" and generally treat them great. We need to put money and energy into recruiting young people - not just "trust fund kids," either - at least as much as the Republicans do, or we will continue to "lose our best and brightest to the private sector."
*Right now, the Democrats are in an "ideological crisis," with "leaders who don't even understand there's a problem." (Markos noted that "this town is so insular" and that "I avoid this city like the plague.")
*Progressives need a long-term strategy, like the conservatives have had since Goldwater lost in 1964.
*Progressives also need to "start working together," as opposed to being a disjointed collection of interest groups - environmental, abortion rights, gay rights, etc. Progressives need to "work together as a movement independent of the party," just as conservatives have done so successfully. Right now, "all our issues across the board are under attack," and "at this point, what do we have to lose" by working together?
*The bottom line difference between Democrats and Republicans, according to Markos, is that Democrats may be "incompetent," but Republicans are "incompetent AND evil."
*The key to changing this situation is to "talk to people," to "influence people in your social circle." For starters, "get 2 people to be just as passionate about politics as you are," and we can start changing things.
*Along these lines, Markos noted that "a year ago, [former New Republic editor] Peter Beinart called for people like Jerome and me to be banned from the party." Now, Beinart actually has reviewed "Crashing the Gate" and given it "faint praise." Apparently, Markos and Jerome are "no longer those crazy bloggers." Instead, there's a realization that what the "crazy bloggers" are saying isn't so crazy after all, but "makes a lot of sense."
*Finally, Jerome pointed out that the "written word is not something candidates are into," which is an argument for using more video on blogs. I personally will keep that in mind as Raising Kaine moves forward.
P.S. It was great finally meeting people like "teacherken," who's just as smart in person as he is in his writings on Daily Kos and elsewhere. No wonder this guy's a teacher!