A long time ago in a galaxy far far away I was a political insurgent.
Specifically, I was a conservative. More specifically I was in Young Americans for Freedom, an early right-wing front group created on William F. Buckley’s front lawn in Sharon, Conn. in 1960.
Groups like YAF were the Netroots of their day. They were ideological, idealistic, and so thoroughly out of power they didn’t have to care. Ironically, many of the right-wing hacks we now see as extremely powerful — Roger Stone, David Keene, the Delgaudio brothers — started out in YAF. The point is, their tactics did turn to power, and so can those of the Netroots, if the people involved understand their role.
Which is to hold peoples’ feet to the fire. To agitate, To worry more about being right than winning.
The Netroots helped win a great victory for Democrats in 2006, but the Democratic establishment is now busy co-opting them, and their membership has plateaued. Many in the Netroots now like their party leaders. It’s a dangerous time.
Back in the day, when I was a kid, we didn’t make that mistake. I well remember a YAF convention back in 1971, at the (late, lamented) Houston Shamrock Hotel (above), just a mile from where I would eventually go to college and begin my political conversion. Several thousand of us (including many under-age drinkers) held a booze-fueled convention down there, around Labor Day. As part of the festivities, our convention was asked to select a "dream ticket" for 1972.
Well, we didn’t back Nixon. Instead, we asked for a ticket of Ronald Reagan and Sen. James Buckley of New York. Nixon compromised. Nixon waffled. Nixon couldn’t be trusted. That wasn’t just what the left thought of him — the right agreed.
There is a lesson here for the Netroots, which is that you can’t be
satisfied with crumbs, or even half a loaf. You have to agitate, you
have to go for more, if you’re to be successful, in 2008 and beyond. If
you’re to create a permanent political revolution, as the Right did,
you have to be revolutionary.
This is particularly true in relation to the Iraq War.
Yesterday, you may note, I attacked those who wanted Democrats to split from other Democrats, refusing to endorse the namby-pamby Warner-Levin resolution against the surge.
In terms of the Senate debate, in terms of the short-term, I stand by
that 100%. Getting to 60 on something is essential, as even Minority
Leader Mitch McConnell admitted during the debate on whether to have a
debate. He held his caucus for the day, but that is subject to change.
My point is the Netroots isn’t the Senate, and it shouldn’t pretend to that.
It is not the job of the Netroots to be practical. It is the job of the
Netroots to agitate, and to bring arguments to the table calling out
everyone, speaking truth to power.
Which is why sites like MyDD and DailyKos and all the rest need to
change their strategy regarding Presidential straw polls. That is,
include everyone. And don’t be shy in talking about what you really
want.
Don’t be satisfied "walking back" John Edwards on Iran. Don’t consider the half measures offered by Hillary Clinton. Demand we do the right thing.
Draft Russ Feingold for President.
I don’t care that he’s not running. That’s not the point. You push
to draft Feingold, you agitate for him in 2007, to demonstrate there is
a huge constituency out there for the kind of stands he’s taking, for
his demand that we get out now, admit failure and go.
It doesn’t matter what the Democratic Establishment thinks about
this. It doesn’t matter what the media thinks about this. You’re not
them. What matters is what you can do to grow your constituency, what
you can do to expand your audience.
And when 70% of Americans want their soldiers home safely, when Russ
Feingold is the only politician of note demanding that, you back him to
the hilt. Remember, you’re not running for anything.
Except audience.
Good post. I was also a member of YAF back in the day (although I came to it far later–when I was in we were engaged in the quixotic Howard Phillips for President campaign (Howie, you might remember, was also once a member of YAF, and he ran a third-party opposition to Bush 41’s reelection). I’ve gone leftward since then as well. I’m glad to see I’m not the only one.
Good post. I was also a member of YAF back in the day (although I came to it far later–when I was in we were engaged in the quixotic Howard Phillips for President campaign (Howie, you might remember, was also once a member of YAF, and he ran a third-party opposition to Bush 41’s reelection). I’ve gone leftward since then as well. I’m glad to see I’m not the only one.