Causing Progress

While considering a speech by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) promoting a Constitutional Amendment elevating banner worship above the principles of democracy, I thought I could hear the familiar dismissal; “There’s no difference between Republicans and Democrats.” Too often the similarities obscure the differences. Often, I suspect Feinstein and even Howard Dean of being Rockefeller Democrats, refugees from an intolerant, theocratic Christian-Republican party.

But, then, I consider Warren Buffet’s decision to give well over $30 billion to the Gates Foundation to fight diseases worldwide and improve education in America. And, compare Larry Ellison’s decision to welsh on a $115 million pledge to Harvard for medical research. Two billionaires dispensing their wealth as personal, not community, property. Is there a discernable difference between them? Yes. While anyone would reasonably consider Bill Gates a monopolist and plutocrat, Buffet’s decision demonstrated a committment to wider concerns than Ellison could envision. One demonstrates a global vision, the other focuses on petty personal cronyism.

I also hope the White House and members of Congress listened carefully to Buffet’s arguments to maintain the aristocracy tax (a.k.a. the estate tax). He displayed a concern for his country and the world that extended beyond the privileges of his class and heirs.

While I have your attention, go make an online contribution…now.

An editorial in today’s Cincinnatti Enquirer, Top 10 Reasons to Vote Today, highlights a problem across the country; extremely low voter turnout in non-Presidential primary elections. As the editorial points out, primaries contested within only one party or in jurisdictions where registrations heavily favor one party become de facto general elections. In some places, turnout for primary elections may drop to the teens or single digits.

Here are three simple, cost-effective ways to increase voter turnout:

• Make it possible and preferable for everyone to vote by mail.
• Set the election deadline (or voting day) on Saturday.
• Hold all primaries on the same day across the country.

Of course, the traditionalists of the Christian-Republican Party oppose general efforts to increase voter turnout, so election reform will attract opposition. Notice that the Enquirer only endorsed candidates in the Republican primary and did not propose any reforms intended to increase voter participation. So, was the Enquirer’s intention to increase voter turnout, or GOTV (Get Out The Vote) for their favored Republicans?

…so, why isn’t any Democrat running for Commonwealth Attorney in Kenton County, Kentucky? Too scared to lose?

Read the recent American Prospect special report on election reform; The New Ballot Box.

A few years ago MoveOn.org published 50 Ways to Love Your Country. 50 Ways consisted of brief first-person accounts by progressive activists about how each became an activist. Each ‘way’ also included a few, brief MoveOn Tips of guidance. Recently, the less high-profile Earth*Works Action Network released 50 Simple Things You Can Do to Fight the Right. This is the latest in their 50 Simple Things book series. Between Ways and Things, I recommend 50 Simple Things. What it lacks in inspirational witness, it makes up for with some Background, several Things You Can Do, and lists of Resources for each ‘thing.’

Despite the title, the book does not simply focus on opposition to the rightist movement. It provides ideas about positive activities for progressives and liberals to address political, social and economic issues.

The suggested Things You Can Do are grouped under three headings; Simple Steps, It Takes an Effort, and For the Committed. These headings give the reader some sense of the level of commitment, in time and resources, that may be necessary to successfully complete an activity.

Each of the fifty activities usually begins with a fact or quotation, a Background section, some general information, Simple Things You Can Do, and a Resources section. If your attention wanders at the description of familiar ‘things-to-do,’ the authors provide red-meat quotations from some of the nastiest rightists; James Dobson, Ann Coulter, and Tom DeLay.

Thus instructed and inspired, I got involved in ‘thing-to-do’ #32, Volunteer for a campaign. So, Saturday I spent two hours waving a laser wand across call sheets to digitize the results of campaign phone banking earlier in the week

For ten bucks 50 Simple Things You Can Do to Fight the Right provides motivation and activities worthy of your time and energy. Buy it today…and do something new tomorrow.