[quote=“crashproof, post:215, topic:70876”]
Increasingly the choice between the GOP or a “centrist” Democratic candidate looks like a choice between Chaotic Evil and Lawful Evil. Choosing either of the two major parties means that short-term corporate interests take precedence over the health of our environment, our bodies, our minds and our economy.
[/quote]And, that’s exactly why we must put into place the strategically weaker of the two evils. That is the Democrats. With Democrats in office, we can and DO move forward towards reform (despite them). I can tell you this with some certainty because I’m not a Democrat. I’m very much at odds with that party and who they often represent.
I am a progressive, independent activist who has been in the trenches working with other activists to change this country for the better. This isn’t a point of view from an ivory tower. Others and myself are the people that got marijuana decriminalized here in Colorado (which is now spreading across this nation) and never going back.
Do you have any idea how many so-called progressives continued to tell us that was an impossible feat right up until we did it? Fucking frustrating, unhelpful naysayers that told us how wrong we were to even TRY, yet didn’t lift a goddam finger themselves? Well, fuck them sideways, WE DID IT ANYWAY.
(and, yes, I’m still bitter about that)
After that stepping stone, we’re now working on getting non-violent drug offenders out of prison as well. We’re slowly (but surely) moving this nation forward despite being faced with some of the most well-funded lobbying groups in the nation that very much tried everything to stop us (personally and otherwise). We worked locally, statewide and nationally against powerful forces and we fucking won.
How did we do it?
Without first getting Obama into office, there’d be no way in hell we would have gotten this far. As bad as Obama has been on the drug war, there’d still be no way in hell we’d have marijuana finally getting decriminalized with Romney or McCain in executive office. Strides with gay marriage? Forget it. Empowering progressive parties by attacking gerrymandering? Forget it! Those kind of openings ONLY happen with “weaker” Democrats in power.
See Sun Tzu - The Art of War: http://www.puppetpress.com/classics/ArtofWarbySunTzu.pdf
The only reason I want Democrats in power is to be able to reform and dismantle them. I want to create pathways for progressive third parties to take hold in the near future. With Republicans in power, there is only one insurmountable brick wall after another against progressive reforms like this. With Republicans in power, we simply go backwards.
Provocative, friendly thread on EVIL - #29 by Cowicide
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