She who defines it, owns it.
In light of today’s announcement from Bart Gordon, yet another Congressional Democrat to announce he will not seek re-election, here’s the QOTD from Aunt B:
“As for us, we could try to be Democrats, actual Democrats, who stand for something other than being like the Republicans, but not.”
Why is this important? Aunt B’s answer is almost right:
“Because here’s the question Democrats have to answer: You’ve been running ever-increasingly conservative candidates. You’ve been supporting ever-increasingly conservative legislation. If the Republicans do gain control of the legislature and redistrict you out of Tennessee politics for the next generation, will we be able to tell the difference?”
Well, yeah, we will. There is a big difference between someone who votes with the Democratic Caucus 90% and someone who votes with the Democratic Caucus 0% of the time. But I digress.
Why is it really important for us to try and be “Democrats, actual Democrats, who stand for something other than being like the Republicans, but not?”
Because Democrats have been running ever-increasingly conservative candidates strictly on the social issues that divide Democrats. Because they’ve been supporting ever-increasingly conservative legislation on social issues that divide Democrats. And they’ve been losing.
The rational is that Tennessee is a “conservative” state. But whose definition of conservative are they using here? They’re using the extreme right-wing talk radio Conservative definition of conservative. And not only that, but they’re using the the extreme right-wing talk radio definition of the word and applying to every Tennessean instead of the 25-30% to whom it actually applies.
And, dude, let me tell ya, those twenty-five percenters ain’t never gonna vote for a candidate with a “D” beside their name anyhow. So what are you doing?
Tennessee is a populist state. Tennessee is a rational state. Tennessee has a centuries-old tradition of championing the rights of boot-strap pulling working people who want to earn an honest day’s pay and provide for their families. And if that isn’t enough, these hard-working people also want to lend a helping hand to their neighbor along the way. Tennesseans are a pro-family, responsible, freedom-loving people. They want things to be fair, equal, just and safe.
What part of that screams “conservative” to you?! Zero.
Progressives aren’t in the minority in Tennessee. Progressive values are the values that matter most to Tennesseans. Progressive priorities are the priorities of Tennesseans.
It’s funny to read the thread underneath the “Bart Gordon Resigns” post at Post Politics. Not funny “ha-ha” funny but funny as in the transparency of what certain “anonymous” commenters are trying to accomplish. “Blame the liberals! They wanted the blue dogs out!,” they’re yelling, as if, as Eleanor A. astutely observes, “EVERY candidate who hadn’t come out increasingly rightward on social issues – and who had nothing to offer on jobs, finances, education – hadn’t had his hat handed to him.”
Tennessee Republicans want nothing better than for Tennessee Democrats to continue to run to the right using the extremist positions on social issues. And they think they can bully us into doing so. Let’s hope not.
[...] good jobs. It’s a no brainer but for some reason Democrats refuse to go there. Instead, they go somewhere else to appeal to the people who would never vote for anyone with a “D” beside their name [...]
[...] the open working for the values, principles, and policy directions important to all Tennesseans and not just a select few. Tagged with: Betsy Phillips • Democratic Party • Kleinheider • Newscoma • [...]
[...] You think you can scare away Tennessee’s new breed of progressives? Go ahead, try. Sling your best mud and your best lies, you cowards. While you hide behind your anonymous troll pseudonyms, we’ll all be here (well, except for Kleinheider – he’s just right) out in the open working for the values, principles, and policy directions important to all Tennesseans and not just a select few. [...]
And conservatives are?
How do you get behind a pro-gun, anti-abortion candidate? Just because he has a (D) after his name?
You liberals really aren’t worth your salt.
Don’t know for sure. Maybe he’ll call the show tomorrow and announce. Or maybe someone will. 615-322-7625 between 7 and 9 am Central.
is Fincher in…yet?
You might be right. … From The AP:
On the Democratic side, state Rep. Henry Fincher, a Harvard-educated attorney from Cookeville, said he is considering joining the race.
“I’m sure I have a lot of company in mulling it over,” he said.
Fincher, who has been a vocal supporter of gun rights and an opponent of abortion rights in the state legislature, said he expects a Democrat with “rural values” to have a strong showing.
“A pro-life, pro-gun Democrat can go toe-to-toe with anybody the GOP has to offer,” he said.
I heard that the likely Democrat was for responsible gun ownership and was very pro-family.
By the way, I’m hearing that the likely Democrat to run is very pro-gun and very anti-abortion.
Certainly, progressives need to stand their ground and not stray to the right.
Tennessee is a red state, but it’s not ruby-red the way, say, Oklahoma is or South Carolina is. East Tennessee might be ruby-red, but not Memphis or Nashville or even Chattanooga or Murfreesboro. If Republicans want to cede control of their party to extremists like Palin, Inhofe, DeMint and others, let ‘em.
I actually think the tipping point will be when some of the Tea Party crowd gets in office, and they figure out governing is a hell of a lot harder than it looks. Any crackpot can say “no”; it takes actual leadership to … well, you know … lead.
By the way, I work in the Sixth District — the smart money is on Jim Tracy, a Republican from Shelbyville. His biggest challenger will be Lou Ann Zelenik (think Sarah Palin with even less charisma and common sense), who has a lot of ca$h. If Tracy wins the primary, we probably won’t have much of a chance. But if Zelenik wins it, we’ll keep it blue.
Hot DAMN Mary! You have really been paying attention to G.L. This is exactly how we need to be framing our message! It’s time to come together and trust that we have MANY people in Tennessee who really believe in what we hold dear.
[...] » My Thoughts on Bart Gordon. And Progressives in Tennessee.Posted 25 minutes [...]
Righteous rant.