Rachel Madow is a Progressive of the first rank (and you can take that last word anyway you want) and has a loud large megaphone as an MSNBC host (er, that is, such as a megaphone that MSNBC may have left, given their ratings plunge). I was rather amazed, however, in her rant on Salon about how disorganized and discombobulated the Left is…
Sidenote: I dryly note that each side thinks the other is such a monolith. Go read the article to watch the Left’s cracks grow.
..and WHAT ORGANIZATION she actually admired (even as she has beat on it for years?
My eye danged near popped out of their sockets:
As it is now organized and led, the Democratic Party is a corrupt and empty husk of an institution. But for all its patent defects I believe it offers the most direct path to progressive governance. The obvious model is the Tea Party which in six years scaled Republican walls and gained sway over federal and state government. What progressive does not envy it? And yet there’s been no effort to challenge the worst Wall Street Democrats in primaries or even to withhold support in general elections; no attempt to create an agenda or even the public face of a movement.
“Envy it?” Seriously? No, I’m actually not surprised at all, truth be told.
The TEA Party phenomena has been one of the fastest / most successful political movements ever. It HAS changed the political scene and has changed the political conversation. It has done so, so well, in that it has threatened not only the deeply Progressives on the Left but also those on the Right (also known as Country Club Republicans, Establishment GOP, and Big Government Repubs (who often act no differently than the Democrats and we DO have to worry about how they legislate and vote)). Why? Made up of just common everyday voters, this was a conservative gathering of folks that only wanted three things:
- Fiscal Frugality from their politicians
- Following Constitutional limits from their politicians
- Promoting Free Markets (as opposed to merely “pro-business” aka Crony Capitalism)
Simple message. Absolutely opposed to the ideals of Madow and her comrades – larger / costlier and more intrusive / controlling government. All for the collective and not for the individual. And she has railed against us for having derailed their “FORWARD” motion to “progress” (whatever it is, but only what they want and not us). Yet, Madow et al want what we have for effectiveness.
Rachel? Hint? It is because our ideas are American ones….not born of a foreign collectivist outlook that has a condescending attitude to individuals.
But thanks for the belated accolades – nice to see that someone like you openly and publicly (albeit it, grudgingly and late) that the TEA Party was and still is
successful.
