By W.B. Dunne
Arising from his obscure existence and coming again into the light … this is the News Pauper signing in to wish the readers a blessed holiday season. There has been little chance to think, let alone write. Tis the season for video of people experiencing narrow escapes from trains, and frankly, its difficult to stop watching once you start.
As our educated and erudite readership clearly demonstrates, merely belonging to this site makes one prone to accusations of left-leaning politics. Those of us on the actual left of the politics available in the American spectrum chafe at this reality. What the main crux of the discussion on this and other liberal sites has been lately is that Obama has left liberals out in the cold.
I hate to be rude, but we liberals occupy territory well to the right of what once was the center. This is why I am so encouraged by the meme we have heard of late, every word in every byline about POd libs is another skitch towards the realignment this countrys discourse sorely needs. I dont know that this is happening organically or if I can credit the boss, but whatever it is I can see good coming from it.
I most likely dont need to remind anyone how the conservatives spent the past thirty years playing the oppressed victim while wielding a huge majority. Wasnt it great when the Moral Majority got abortion banned just the way they promised they would?
From the wars to the economy to the environment, those ‘cons showed us how the people are ruled best that are ruled least. We must be extremely blessed indeed to have had no leadership at all for the past eight years.
The so-called liberal media is being suckered into this meme about the collapse of the left by the editors. The right needs to portray that miracle recovery after hitting the killing floor to remain relevant, the press needs the match to escalate to remain relevant. That red meat of telling the tale that the libs are being abandoned fills all the bills. In the law of unintended consequences, however, we have this same meme animating the base it hopes to neutralizethe left.
We hear again and again about the world being a kabuki play, or that only the big powers tug the strings that brings the puppet to life. I call on each of us to seek out the proofs of the things that trickle up in our own way, if only to prove they do not. I also call on us to do one thing each day that improves the ability to solve problems from the ground up like signing a petition, or talking to a friend, or as I do, supporting President Obama in spite of the chatter from the folks that created this mess.
Lets not forget who the left really is: Its Haymarket Square, its labor unions it is the DFH progressives that challenged the status quo. If it happens in slow motion, it isnt a revolution. We should be grateful for the mention and capitalize appropriately.
Have a wonderful 2010!
Contact the author at WBDunne@ltsaloon.org
2009 W.B. Dunne. All Rights Reserved.