Thursday, March 10, 2011

Reactive Democrats

I was dismayed to be asked to vote on the next bumper sticker slogan for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. First, I don't have a car and thus no need for a bumper sticker. Second, when I had a car, I still had no need for bumper stickers.

But that's all beside the point. Here are the top five slogans offered up by (one assumes) Democrats:

1. We've got your back, Barack
2. Had enough tea? Repeal Republicans 2012!
3. GOP: not my cup of tea
4. No tea for me, please, I prefer progress.
5. GOPuleeeeeez

#1 has the virtue of rhyme and rhythm, but most liberals I know are kinda disappointed that ol' Barack hasn't shown much back the past two years, even right after the election, when he had abundant popular support.

#s 2-4 are all about the Tea Party, more specifically, standing against it. But the Tea Party is about populism. (At least the parts that aren't directly funded by Koch Industries.) With all that has been going on in Wisconsin—not to mention Egypt, Libya, etc.—don't we want to take that populism and run with it? The current crop of Republicans isn't promoting any policies that are going to help the "other 98%" of us who aren't mega-rich. Why not give voice to the legitimate gripes of the tea party, thereby diminishing their need to maintain paranoid psychological defenses by fixating on birth certificates, death panels, etc.?

#5 I found amusing, but I'm certain that the the GOP would read it as, "GOP, Please!" Too easy for them to appropriate that one.

Instead of just reacting to our perceived opponents and taking an adversarial stance, why don't we start standing up for things like, I dunno, fairness (the justice system)? shared responsibility (corporations can't pollute and run)? respect toward one another (support for early education that is rigorous and assumes the kids will one day be thinking, feeling citizens of a democracy)? sensitivity toward other species, the environment (global warming; this can even be couched in religious terms of stewardship)? job creation (green industries)? not wasting money on corporate subsidies (Big Ag, ethanol, the oil industry)?

"Liberté, egalité, fraternité" is already taken, but it's the right idea for a slogan.


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