>At 02:35 PM 2/24/00 , Nathan Newman wrote:
>So if you want to trash their motives, you have to articulate why mindlessly
>pulling the lever for losing third party candidates beats the slightly less
>romantic strategy of strategic endorsements to pull the actually elected
>Democrats to the left.
Not being a paternalistic, elitist, cleverer-than-thou, world-historical figure my votes mean very little instrumentally. So, I mindfully try to vote for ideas and people I think will make a real positive difference for those ideas and people unrepresented by the clever, paternalistic elite. If I lose my conscience (or is it misplaced pride) I've got nothing left.
Specifically, I was a very active New Party member (Progressive Milwaukee) for a little less than two years and while the people and day-to-day nominal leaders of PM were great, I can't say much for the shadow "leadership". It just sets up a really weird disconnect between what you are doing/who you are doing it with and who is "calling the shots". Nothing at all progressive, empowering, liberating, or even "good" about that. It really is sad when progressive leadership bully, threaten, lie to, and manipulate its members and justify it as "strategy".
Peace,
Jim
The fields are half planted & choking on weeds
I've spread my intentions too thinly again
I'll pass one more harvest empty handed
I'll walk through the market with small wilted flowers
And dry yellow clippings
To force on the guilty, the bullied, the weak.
--"Gather Your Own" Caroleen Beatty