This diary came about because of a comment thread with The Marti and Mopshell in my KTK diary on Friday. The Marti expressed sympathy with the challenges we face in red states, together with a desire to help. So, this diary pertains to that. And The Marti’s parallel diary may be found here!
More below the fleur de kos!
Let me say first what I do not want: I do not want blue staters to compromise your political efforts in your own states/areas. I do not want you to spend time/energy on our red state unless the activity promises clear, achievable rewards. I do not want you spending your money on politics here unless there is an important reason for doing so. I do not want national level political events staged here (where lodging would necessarily be in non-Union facilities). Regional level events would be welcome.
(I do understand you are free to engage in any political activity you wish, anywhere you wish, in any way you wish, to any degree you wish. I would never deny you that freedom. I am just stating what I want and do not want. You don’t have to be restricted by that in any way, and I don’t want you to be.)
The first thing I would like to see is for people to stop blaming those of us fighting here for our red statism. I would like to see an end to the idea that we ‘deserve’ red state representation and oppression because we have not (YET!) successfully kicked the bastards out. The entire United States was similarly stuck under abysmal opposition 'leadership,' remember, just a few short years ago. Just about all of us fought our asses off to prevent that, to stop that, to reverse that. Did we 'deserve' Bush-Cheney?! We did not. Were we 'complicit' in the fact of their administrative existence? We were not.
I don't see that blaming us for our political status and representation is valid or productive. (I am WELL aware that 99% of the people on this site, tr0ll or not, do NOT do this, and thank you for that! It illustrates how difficult it can be when that does happen.) I see it as similar to conservatives blaming AIDs victims for their disease, as in they 'got what they deserved.' Disease isn't like that, however much haters would like it to be.
I understand the power of Schadenfreude, of feeling some joy if a red state experiences a negative consequence because of conservative representation, but it is not just conservatives who suffer. I would contend they suffer less than anybody, in such cases, in fact, out of ignorance and obstinance, if nothing else. Further, we Democrats in these states don't 'learn' from such misfortune. We don’t need to. That learning is long since complete and internalized. It cannot motivate us any more powerfully to seek change. That motivation is already at a peak, believe me. At an extremely powerful maximum. (If you doubt, kosmail me. Or take me aside at a meetup and look in my eyes.)
By all means enjoy the Schadenfreude if Scott Walker suffers the consequences, if Nikki Haley does, Rand Paul, Chris Christie or Marco Rubio. Yes, their misfortune may reflect negatively on their states, to some degree. But there are Democrats in those states, too, undeserving of being tarred with the same brush applied to conservatives and those who empower them. Please keep that in mind.
And please remember that we live in a democracy. Not one of us can DETERMINE our state's politics through force of will and intent, no matter what our politics are. Not alone, we can't. Not unilaterally. All of us - in EVERY state, no matter how progressive - have experienced political defeats and setbacks. There may have been things we could have done differently or better or more effectively, but that's true with everything in life. It does not mean we deserve the misfortune we encountered.
So that is the first thing I would mention, as a way in which blue staters can help.
Next, ANY efforts to defeat the scourge of gerrymandering, local, regional, national help us too! Same thing with efforts to eliminate voter suppression. For a party that praises to the heavens the idea of 'free market,' they certainly are cowardly about letting their political ideas stand or fall on 'free market-style' intellectual merit. If their ideas SOLD with the people, they wouldn't need to CHEAT that way, to manipulate that way. Of course, their highest 'god' is political success, so the argument won't resonate with them. That's fine, I'd never rely on THEIR integrity. But it is an argument that SOME of the people voting 'that way' can understand. Gerrymandering/voter suppression have to STOP. And no amount of energy spent ending them is wasted. We need it gone as badly as everyone else does.
Next, all efforts to end Citizens United help us. They help ALL of us, and are critical to success at every level, everywhere. You want to help us? Help YOURSELVES, too! And work to end that! They don't have to spend the same sums of money to win here that they probably do in your state, but many of the obstacles we face in trying to make change here exist because of catastrophic funding from out of state. I do realize it is nothing compared to the cash flowing into swing states.
Despite what I asked initially, if you want to spend money/energy to help us, no matter what, spend those in SWING states! Turn those states fully blue and then watch as the momentum takes us in a purplish direction!
In one of the greatest developments I have seen in this state in many years, our gay brothers and sisters are now free to MARRY here! Yes, even in a RED STATE! That is not because of advancements in the collective consciousness of the citizenry here, it is because irresistible momentum built elsewhere spilled over and carried us (FINALLY!!! On this one score!) into the 21st Century on a fine moral tide. Yes, there are elements and pockets of 'pushback,' but those provide windows into the 'crazy,' that let many more people less progressive than us understand the kinds of battles we have to fight, that we need to fight. 'Their side' realizes a net LOSS from the association, from the examples of hatred and bigotry. The arc of history bends toward justice, as Dr. King said, and progress of that kind creates pathways for other progress, for more progress. It plants seeds. Some will germinate right away, others more slowly, some, of course, not at all. But they are important seeds, and their fruits are coming, even here.
Finally, any developments in Democratic moral argument help us. I have written several diaries on the disconnect between what our conservative adversaries work for relative to what the people want. On the merits of their political ideas, Republicans would NEVER win more than a pitiful minority of voters. (Not 1%, perhaps, but not 20%, either.) It is a politics of fear and blame and jealousy and bigotry and discrimination and hatred. Sadly, they are masters at manipulation, at getting votes they don’t deserve and should never get. Theirs is a party of double standards, of cultivated and reinforced hatreds. It’s a party of Orwellian deception. They validate the darkest elements of our fellow citizens, then hold them in great contempt for allowing themselves to be duped like so many stupid sheep. They don’t show them that contempt, usually (though it is clear to see for anyone willing to consider it), but they feel it. You want to see voters turn on them in a huff?! Shine a light on that contempt. Shine a light on how what they SAY is contradicted by what they do. Shine a light on the double standards, on the hypocrisies, on the deceptions.
But above all, shine the biggest light on the superiority of Democratic morality. Of doing unto others as we would wish to be done unto. Of respecting the challenges others less fortunate face. Of fighting injustices toward women, toward children, toward our armed forces, toward our workers, toward the elderly, toward minorities. Toward VOTERS! Always, ALWAYS talk the morality of our politics, of our humanity. It’s the biggest, best argument we can make, and it resonates - LOUDLY - beyond every boundary drawn on a map.
I am certain I will think of more things. It is a powerful topic. I appreciate more than you can imagine that people living in more progressive states WANT to help. And make no mistake - as engaged as we are by what is happening locally - we care very deeply about progress and advancement in YOUR states, and in the swing states. In many respects, those represent our greatest hope.
Thanks for reading. Please read The Marti’s diary for a parallel perspective! That’s what I am about to do!