LIBERADIO(!)

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.