PROCÈS-VERBAL

I just have to share this.

If anything, the discussion there is a perfect illustration of the maxim that leaving things unsaid, of just assuming that some things are understood, is about the worst thing one can do.

No matter how trivial, Some Things Need To Be Said.

Inscribe this on your foreheads (or write it on the palm of your hand).

Update: In rereading the thread I linked to above, it occurs to me that the commenter may have not referred to me at all about the “common knowledge” phrase, but to the well-known fact that president Obama is black. I don’t really know, but it’s such a good title that I thought I’d let it stand for now. When I get clarification, I’ll change it.

First of all, I want to give a shout out to LarsThorwald for his fine diary, I am a pragmatist, but there is a limit to compromise. I thought that eventually this would happen. Democrats would reach out to the right enough until they reached the breaking point and find out where the line is where compromise becomes betrayal.

Because we all have something we cherish, be it a guaranteed income for retirees who have paid into Social Security throughout their working lives, affordable access to medical treatment, justice for our LGBT brothers and sisters, or whatever.
Read the rest of this entry »

Calling it a colloquy is really being too kind. It’s really one of a series of heated exchanges that I’ve had with this person over the past few months, but to her credit, she managed to overcome our mutual antagonism and toss some mojo my way. To be honest, I don’t even know it she’s a she, but there it is, we’re trapped by language.

From The Daily Kos here’s her question:

“real progressives”? (82+ / 0-)
Recommended by:
nolalily, taylormattd, bumblebums, missLotus, KMc, Miss Blue, itskevin, MadEye, sviscusi, American Zapatista, Lawrence, Nina, joemcginnissjr, cato, rockhound, Curt Matlock, Mikecan1978, murrayewv, blueyedace2, Lying eyes, Fury, xanthippe2, begone, Malachite, Wary, blueintheface, sephius1, Mithridates, malharden, second gen, yella dawg, dotster, Lawnguylander, Its any one guess, pamelabrown, Jake Williams, Gemina13, HamdenRice, snackdoodle, BoiseBlue, lilsky, lookit, Bonsai66, TKLTKL94, MKSinSA, Tortmaster, destiny1, marabout40, KroneckerD, TFinSF, stegro, amk for obama, indepenocrat, juturna, abrauer, theschit, wwjjd, not4morewars, mallyroyal, Onomastic, Front Toward Enemy, Inkin, Eclectablog, soothsayer99, durrati, ViralDem, Imhotepsings, JL, StepLeftStepForward, moonpal, Jerry056, AgentOfProgress, YaNevaNo, AnnetteK, matrix, Wilber, buzzybodhi, TheLizardKing, Driver 8, Bensonola, flhiii88, teabaggerssuckbalz

is there a test or something? secret treehouse club? is a purchase necessary for participation?

Die with your boots on. Gonna try? Well stick around. Gonna cry? Just move along. The truth of all predictions is always in your hands. – Iron Maiden

by Cedwyn on Wed Sep 29, 2010 at 06:30:04 AM EDT
[ Parent | Reply to This | RecommendHide ]

and my reply:

Yes there is, in fact…. (6+ / 0-)
Recommended by:
Cedwyn, Wamsutta, Eric Blair, neroden, Uberbah, m00finsan

Broadly speaking, some premises should be accepted as basic: that government is the only solution in some situations, that government needs to act on behalf of the people, whether it is in standing up to ensure that the civil rights of all are maintained or restraining the negative externalities of business, that other societal and global issues are addressed effectively (ie: climate change, human trafficking, coordinated economic activity and tax policy among nations, etc.), and more. Liberals/progressives believe in the capacities of human agency as expressed collectively through participatory governance, as opposed to the anarchy of markets. In short, economic and social justice for everybody, citizen or immigrant, in America.

Just being anti-republican doesn’t make you a progressive. Being afraid of government of the tea baggers, by the tea baggers and for the tea baggers, doesn’t make you a progressive. That’s about as progressive a position as being against the plague.

If you don’t believe in what I said above, you’re not a progressive. If you do, in fact, believe in what I said above THEN JUST DO IT.

BE STRONG

by papicek on Wed Sep 29, 2010 at 09:55:50 AM EDT
[ Parent | Reply to This ]

I hardly ever actually hit the nail right on the head like this.