Richard Sherman, the man who brought the world the "It's a Small World" song, recently told a story about Walt Disney. Walt was screening the dailies of a film the studio was working on one day, and watched as a gag fell flat. Another studio exec complained, but Walt turned on him:
'I don't care if you don't like it,' Walt said. 'Tell me what we can do to make it better.'
Who knew that Walt Disney, not exactly Mr. Progressive in his political beliefs, had something to teach today's Democrats?
Yes, health care reform seems to be dying in the Senate, as "purple" Democrats and not-so-far-right-as-to-be-insane Republicans work together to sink everything from the public option to a Medicare buy-in to outlawing recision abuse. And it looks like self-employed people like me are going to be legally required to buy overpriced policies from monopolistic insurers, with no private option or even federal regulation on premiums.
Our soldiers haven't come home yet from Iraq and more are on their way to Afghanistan.
Wall Street continues to enjoy bailouts and tax deals, as homeowners are left with the bill for the housing bubble.
Administration sources are talking about cutting the deficit when the country needs more federal spending to create jobs.
'Don't ask, don't tell' continues.
We're getting more restrictions on women have the choice of an abortion, not fewer.
And Democrats, understandably frustrated by all this, are planning to stay home in 2010.
Well, to quote Walt:
"I don't care if you don't like it. Tell me what we can do to make it better!"
You think today's Congress is bad? Wait 'til you see the Republican controlled House and Senate in 2011.
Think President Obama isn't getting the job done? Imagine what you'll think about President Palin.
People who stay home never get what they want from the political system. Staying home in 2010, or any year in the future, isn't an option for true progressives who want to work to make America better, instead of merely wishing for someone else to do that difficult work.
That doesn't mean we have to turn out for these jokers - the DINOs and wishy-washy wheeler-dealers who couldn't pass anything, even if you loaned 'em a Ferrari and radar detector.
But we do have to turn out for someone. Our challenge over these next months is to find out whom that will be.
Some of us are lucky to live in communities represented by strong progressive voices, who aren't backing down in these debates. Others live in communities where progressive challengers have announce primary campaigns to unseat reluctant Democrats.
But others of us live in communities without any high-profile progressive leaders. It's for those folks that I repeat Walt's admonishment.
"I don't care if you don't like it. Tell me what we can do to make it better!"
If you can't find a local progressive candidate to support, settle at least for finding some other local progressives. I'll bet you can. Maybe you'll find them volunteering to help needy neighbors. Maybe they're attending a local progressive church, book club or pub night. Or maybe they're just hanging out here on DailyKos.
In my community, local progressives are organizing to pass a parcel tax to provide much-needed revenue so our school district won't have to fire one-fourth of its teachers next year, due to California's broken system for school funding. Campaigns such as that one are where any progressive can find the community that will motivate her or him to turn out in 2010, and beyond.
And that's also where we'll find the next generation of progressive candidates whom we can send to our city halls, our school boards, our legislatures and, eventually, to Washington.
Yeah, our Democratic caucuses in Washington aren't delivering for us, or for our country. But I'm not gonna whine "goodbye, cruel world!" about it.
Cue Walt, instead:
"I don't care if you don't like it. Tell me what we can do to make it better!"
Hello, cruel world. We're gonna make you better.