On the Movement Encompassing Progressives

Comparisons to the Way Things Used to be Done Need to be Looked at Through a Modern Lens.

This is my response to an article written by Paul Kane of the Washington Post. The article is “A new, liberal tea party is forming. Can it last without turning against Democrats?”. Reading this article made me angry. It’s almost as if Paul is in the same bubble of Washington that so often has left the political leaders short sighted in terms of their constituency. Comparisons to the way things used to be done need to be looked at from a modern age.

Back to the article. The first and foremost issue is that of money and allowing outside groups/corporations to fund the new movements. This is the biggest issue progressives have. This movement is about we the citizens actually making our voices heard about what we think is right. Outside money clouds the judgement and shapes a perception that is not tolerable. What we lack in actual financial funds, we make up for in man/woman power. We contribute less in individual volume but more in overall quantity and we work with one another. This is how it will happen. Not through the old-world ideas of gobs of money being thrown at a problem to solve it.

Perception is reality. The times may be rough for those politicians used to the financial benefits of big money, but those can be overcome with an energized, trusting, and supportive base.

Paul speaks of original sin. That there is no one action that has led to this current level of activism. While you may not be able to pinpoint it, the actions have accumulated. Many of us citizens were not paying enough attention to understand what was happening in our government at large. The most recent happenings have shaken us out of our slumber like throwing a bucket of ice water on our head. The sleepers have awoken! We look upon our leaders’ decisions and in doing so we ask ourselves, WTF?!?

How is it that we have not adopted a Universal Health Care system? Many other advanced nations have done so and are doing well.

How is it we do not have a more affordable education system? Free education through college is an ideal and achievable goal. The education of our people is as integral to the infrastructure of our nation as the roads, bridges, and airports we use to traverse the land.

Why are we still having arguments over the legality of abortions? This is a matter of health care and not religion. Religious values should not be thrust upon people through matters of law. What happened to separation of Church and State?

I am speaking primarily for myself here but I’m sure there are many like me. We didn’t understand that by our negligence we allowed things to result in this country that appall us or that acts carried out in our country’s name would do the same. We didn’t realize that what America was doing was flexing its military muscle and justifying the high cost of American taxpayers’ dollars (how much do we spend compared to other nations?) and for what purpose?

When our elected leaders aren’t standing up for what we believe in, we have to stand up for ourselves. No more thinking “my vote doesn’t matter”. No more thinking that “nothing ever changes”. Things will never change unless we make ourselves heard and we stand together for those ideas that we believe in.

Thanks to technology, we have new tools at our disposal. Social networks, cheap high quality video cameras, and mobile phones with internet access have allowed groups of people to unite both locally and nationally for like-minded causes and purposes. We are able to support one another spiritually and financially. We can create new media outlets and try to hold them to the ideas of yesterday: critical, objective reporting of socially conscious issues.

This movement will last. It may be turned against people who wear the moniker of Democrat as well as anyone else. It depends on who they stand for and for whom do they fight.

I, for one, will never go back to sleep. I can not sit idly by and watch this country continue to erode. The ideas are there, the dream is alive, and we are the ones standing in our own way. I want to make the dream a reality.

Looking to do your part? One way to get involved is to read the Indivisible Guide, which is written by former congressional staffers and is loaded with best practices for making Congress listen. Or follow this publication, connect with us on Twitter, and join us on Facebook.