Eastern Elites and Culture Wars

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Thursday September 18, 2008 · 10:39 AM PDT

2008/09/18 · 10:39

The attacks are so familiar, virtually every Republican repeats them with ease. They are so simple, even the least effective can use them and the best communicators can make them stick. The basic principle is: those rich, educated people living on the coasts know nothing about you; they want to run your life; they're the reason for your problems. Of course the attack is not really about regions; it's one of the Republicans' best class warfare weapons, pitting struggling workers against the party that wants to help them. Simply, it's how you hold together a coalition of business leaders and the workers and consumers they often exploit. You give the money to the businesses and spurn resentment among the masses. Resentment, I would argue, is about as effective as fear, which is to say very.

fitz2

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Tuesday September 16, 2008 · 1:04 PM PDT

2008/09/16 · 13:04

Amid the absurdity of the past month, I feel like it's time to take a step back and talk about some realities of the politics of this election going forward. Despite the pace of the day to day news cycle, there is still plenty of time left in this campaign and a number of significant events to come. Given that, I'm not going to talk about lipstick on a pig or Bridge to Nowhere politics here. The simple reality is that that type of politics depends solely on the ability to go in front of the American people and defend the exact opposite position you know to be true. With that ability, you can drive Hardball, the Situation Room and O'Reilly. Given that fact, it is easy to see why the Republican Party, in its current form, will always be more successful in that environment.

Over a long period, the political structure of this campaign, I would argue, is a completely different story for four reasons: 1) the McCain/Palin ticket has few strengths, 2) the Obama campaign has out-played the McCain campaign in financing, 3) the Obama campaign has steadily muted the McCain campaigns messaging ability, 4) this campaign is no longer defined by the question of whether Obama is ready to be president.

Here's why I think this:

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Sunday September 07, 2008 · 2:44 PM PDT

2008/09/07 · 14:44

I'm not one for short diaries, but this point seems relatively obvious to me and I haven't seen it documented to this point. If it has been discussed, I will happily delete.

As I see it, here's the current situation:

The McCain/Palin ticket has gained a bounce out of their convention.

Much of this bounce is likely a result of increased Republican enthusiasm and support for the McCain/Palin ticket

It is too early to determine the size and extent of the bounce.

No good post-convention state polling has been published.

we continue to elect presidents by state and not by national referendum.

fitz2

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Saturday September 06, 2008 · 11:11 AM PDT

2008/09/06 · 11:11

My one major take-away from the Republican Convention was simple: the Republican Party hates me. I know for many of you this seems has seemed obvious for eight to 30 years, but as a former Republican, and a long time McCain supporter (prior to the beginning of this election season), it came as a surprise to me. It came as a surprise because I expected the Republican Party would be trying to court my vote, rather than piss me off.

Don't get me wrong, there's nothing they could have said that would have changed my mind during this convention. Yet, it is surprising how well they know this. My profile would be an educated white male, whose main issue is foreign policy and doesn't really think either side has it exactly right. I'm pro-choice, but abortion isn't an issue that I'm likely to vote on (although after this convention, you can just add it to the list).

More importantly though, I'm willing to listen. I've switched parties in the past four years and am not totally comfortable with all Democratic positions. I agree with the Republicans on stressing nuclear power, on the idea that teacher's unions are holding back progress in education, on most issues of free trade and am skeptical of both sides' plans to get us out of Iraq.

fitz2

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Friday August 01, 2008 · 12:12 PM PDT

2008/08/01 · 12:12

Talking about celebrities and politics, negative ads and the "low road" benefits no one; it seeks to discourage voters confidence in the system and, in the long run, depress voter turn out. It sparks anger on both sides, perpetuating the partisan divide and helping maintain the status quo. With that in mind, I got to thinking about the substantive questions that I want John McCain to answer; questions that would force McCain to make policy statements that would redirect the media cycle.

Although CW wisdom says that McCain is open to all questions and has actually been asked some tough ones, the reality is that his answers to an even marginally well thought question have provided some of the best examples in this entire campaign of the disaster that would be a McCain presidency, and the horrific risk involved in electing him.

fitz2

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Sunday July 20, 2008 · 4:05 AM PDT

2008/07/20 · 04:05

For many Americans Colin Powell's trip to the UN solidified their support for the Iraq war. I needed no such reassurance. John McCain supported the war and so I felt comfortable and confident. In 2002, it seemed unimaginable that John McCain would follow President Bush blindly. Those of us who campaigned for McCain in 2000 fought on the front lines of the first battle to stop the Bush regime.

I don't want to get into the details of the decision to support the war: the influence of September 11th and politics, the capitulation of Democratic critics, or the silencing of dissent by the media. I was a victim of and accomplice to all of that.

What I do want to talk about is the tragedy of post-2000 John McCain. This is not to say that the reality of pre-2000 McCain is as impressive or positive as I felt it was when I supported him, but instead to show how cold heartedly and cynically he betrayed those who eight years ago looked to him for leadership.

fitz2

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Friday July 11, 2008 · 10:20 AM PDT

2008/07/11 · 10:20

For it isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it.
-Eleanor Roosevelt

The inauguration of a new president in January 2009 will provide a singular moment in international relations, a point in time where it is more likely than ever that thoughtful, fair and direct diplomacy can have a dramatic and positive impact throughout the Middle East. Currently, most of the debate in the presidential election surrounds diplomacy with Iran and withdrawing from Iraq. While these issues should be top priority, for progress in either area a larger context must inform policy makers' perspective and a plan must be put in place for the future.

Below I give the central themes of what I think a successful Middle East Peace Plan for the 21st Century would look like.

fitz2

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Thursday July 10, 2008 · 12:25 PM PDT

2008/07/10 · 12:25

If you're like me and you watch and read the "news" every day, it's quite possible to lose all perspective on what issues, statements and 'controversies' matter in this presidential election cycle. One of the main reasons for this is that while many may try to compare this election to those of the past, in reality, our current campaign and its coverage resemble very little anything from previous American elections. We have a longer campaign, more coverage, more sources of information, more polls, more pundits, more money and more partisan media sources. To make this system work, there needs to be continuous 'news' to cover, even when there is little in day to day politics that is important to a voter looking to make a truly informed choice.

For this reason, it is easy to see one comment or position by Senators McCain or Obama that will make or break the election. It is easy to be disheartened or overly confident by one or a series of polls. It is easy to think that the "corporate media" is controlling the ability of voters to see the truth about each candidate. And it is easy to be constantly outraged by the day to day actions of the candidate you oppose (and sometimes the candidate you support).

fitz2

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Tuesday July 01, 2008 · 12:25 PM PDT

2008/07/01 · 12:25

For those who find themselves turned off or "deceived" by Senator Obama's faith-based initiatives proposal today, I would direct you, once again, to his second book, "The Audacity of Hope," page 221 in the hard copy version:

And one can envision certain faith based programs -- targeting ex-offenders or substance abusers -- that offer a uniquely powerful way of solving problems and hence merit carefully tailored support

Perhaps Senator Obama's view of the separation of church and state is different from yours, but make no mistake about it, he has a very clear and thought out position from which he has never strayed: government can work with religious organizations on targeted secular programs; government can not discriminate between religious and non-religious organizations in administering these programs; and any money allocated to religious organizations can not be used to proselytize or fund religious activities.

fitz2

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Sunday June 29, 2008 · 12:40 PM PDT

2008/06/29 · 12:40

For many, this past week was likely just like any other during the 2008 campaign, full of useless political stories, media bias, lack of attention to actual news events in our country and around the world, campaigns pandering, and horse race stories backed up by misleading polls. Yet, beneath all of this, I have found a number of personal lessons that I believe will help me in better understanding politics, discussing this election and becoming a more informed voter. Often, it's hard to step outside of the day to day back and forth of this campaign and reflect on one's over all feelings about politics, the media, politicians and our fellow voters. Yet, in order to craft a successful campaign, this is a necessary perspective.

Below, I run through a number of lessons I've learned this week.

fitz2

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Thursday June 26, 2008 · 10:43 AM PDT

2008/06/26 · 10:43

Undoubtedly, some of these views will get me in trouble. I am new enough on the national political scene that I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views. As such, I am bound to disappoint some, if not all, of them.
-"The Audacity of Hope" by Barack Obama

There is no clearer insight into Senator Obama's political and personal views than his two books. While "The Audacity of Hope" is most definitely a political book, it also has a level of honesty that speaks to the reader. The question is, did people listen?

Obama's not a left winger, centrist, liberal Democrat, conservative Democrat, progressive or any of the other generalizations that we try to use to group us together in defiance of "them." He has always rejected such ideological rigidity in favor of a more pragmatic politics. This is just reality.

fitz2

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Wednesday June 25, 2008 · 12:23 PM PDT

2008/06/25 · 12:23

I imagine many of you, like me, are a bit tired of the ridiculousness of day to day politics, and might like a short music break. Well, one of my favorite groups combines great music with an enlightened and progressive anti-war message that I thought many of you would enjoy (you may know him already)

I present for your enjoyment "Michael Franti and Spearhead," below:

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Eastern Elites and Culture Wars

Politics

Interpreting the McCain/Palin Bounce

The Republican Party Hates Me

Questions for John McCain

The John McCain I Knew

A Middle East Peace Plan for the 21st Century

An Acorn, a Tree and the Forest

Obama's Consistent Position on Faith

A Week of Lessons About Politics

Obama's Been Trying to Tell You

A Bit of Inspired Progressive Music