I know I am, but what are you?

[Joan Ruaiz]

I am a progressive who took a long view at the unevenness of the playing field in United States politics very early on.

What I saw got me off the Internet long enough to try and make a difference in a way that would be constructive to the values I hold dear, not destructive to the only ones remaining in power who are willing to listen to my views and hold some of the same, even if we don't see eye-to-eye on every single issue.  I wrote to many publications, called a whole lot of media, donated until it hurt, telephoned and faxed Congressional Republicans and Democrats (as well as writing to the White House), canvassed for the 2010 election (since my district is solidly blue, I helped a Democratic Rep in a nearby district retain a seat that until 2006  had been held by a Republican for years), called talk shows, and discussed with neighbors, family and friends what we could do together that was positive, instead of wallowing  in the negative and spreading doom'n'gloom.

Let me make it very clear as to what I believe is going wrong in this country currently. It isn't this President, but rather:

The extreme rigid and unyielding opposition who demonstrate plain hatred for this country and the working folks who made it a great place by any standard;

Media conglomerates and their bought-and-paid-for polling companies, who appear bent on manipulating public opinion to have us be as uninformed as possible when we go to the polls, even to the point of hacking phones and spreading outright lies;

The Citizens United decision that allows large corporate monied interests the very real opportunity to  buy American elections;

GOP redistricting that is aimed at fucking us up further on the political playing field by tilting a country that is generally rather moderate to be represented by GOP loonies;

Republican Governors and legislatures in various states, gutting whatever in our history has been helpful to regular working folks, and doing so as quickly as they can;

A Supreme Court which (usually by a majority of one) favors and rules for giant corporations and  is full of shit when it comes to the rights of ordinary people;

and  30 years of Free Market "pull up your bootstrap" policies that got us where we are.

To believe that one man was supposed to do by himself what we as a nation have obviously not been able to do for those 30 years was a ridiculous notion to begin with, and one that should have never been a point of contention. And yet it has been. Barack Obama requested of Americans long ago to help him get things done, not just pull the lever and sit back and point our fingers. But what most did was to decide that their time would be better spent singling him out for not saying exactly what they had determined he should say as the only important thing to do. We haven't done near enough to speak out against the ones who are willing to really screw us up forever, and too many have done the easy thing: criticized this President for every fucking thing, no matter what it was.

I'm starting to have great doubts that many who claim to be progressives really are. I'm also beginning to believe that those who call themselves conservatives have serious self-loathing  issues; how else could they support policies which seek their destruction?

As a progressive, I want positive progress, not perfection in every way, which is an  impossible quest anyway.  Those advocating that we turn this nation upside down obviously have nothing to lose, while those who are waiting for a revolution obviously don't want to understand unintended consequences, as I don't believe a revolution would bring about a liberal utopia or a teeny-tiny government that does nothing to help its citizens, but everything to help mega-corporations.

Too many Democrats voted for President Obama looking for a liberal George W. Bush, a leader who would be mean-spirited, incompetent, manipulative and petty all at the same time.   Too many Republicans are trying to say about President Obama what Democrats were saying about George Bush.  They don't want to see that he has not earned in his 2.6 years what George Bush wrought upon this country for the longest-ass 8 years I have ever experienced!

Personally, considering the immaturity of many who speak with the loudest voices, I'm surprised that this nation has been able to progress positively as much as it has to date under this President's administration.

I won't say this again, but hear me now; I'm tired of the amount of negativity and wasted time spent on defining President Barack Obama or his "base" by those who measure progress by how loud they can moan and groan. I encourage  instead that folks who claim "disappointment" become better informed as to the unevenness of our political playing field, and think a bit more realistically as to what this nation has done to itself for the past 30 years, and what it will take to get us out of the large mess that we made for ourselves.

I believe that the time has come for true progressives to become more effective - and don't get me wrong, many are - at defining the opposition for who it is (i.e., corporations, their lobbyists and their ruthless paid-for politicians) and attacking them in every way, all day, every day, as relentlessly as some who purport to being progressives have gone after one man, our current President.

One positive thing that can be said about conservatives is that they have their eye on the prize, and they aren't ashamed by their lack of facts or their willingness to repeat the lies that form their talking points.  It is now the turn of progressives to  clearly see the playing field for what it is, and do all that they can to turn the tide on the irrational crazies.  I know that is what I will be working to do, and I would like all  "real" progressives to join me in that just cause.

[SeattleGirl]

"Too many Democrats voted for President Obama looking for a liberal George W. Bush, a leader who would be mean-spirited, incompetent, manipulative and petty all at the same time."

I have been saying that too, Joan. And you are also correct that many people just pulled the lever on election day and then sat back waiting for Obama to do everything. Or as I like to put it, sat on their thrones and expect Obama to deliver their ponies to them toot sweet.

I think the debt ceiling talks have really brought into focus the fucked-upedness that is the US right now. Assholes on the left and right, constantly bashing Obama for this, that, and the other thing. Doing so without any facts, just based on rumor, innuendo, and their own stubborn, partisan blindness. I expect it from the right (though I think they have gone farther than they have before); from the left, well, like you, I don't think a lot of those folks are Democrats or progressives.

Thanks for this piece, Joan. You said it so well!

[firedupdem]

Excellent job. The amount of ignorance about how government works boggles my mind. People really act as if we elected a dictator and one with a magic wand! They don't bother making a phone call to their local representatives or even keeping up with what's happening in the country and then sit back and complain that "nothing changed." Some of those that do consider themselves "informed" take the word of any pundit on the tube instead of researching information and making their own decisions as to whether a policy is a step in the right direction or not. It gets me down sometimes but I plan to work for change, and shoot down the lies and distortion when I can.

[nofurylike]

hear, hear!! joining! i am with you!

excellent statement, and superb clarifying of issues willfully misunderstood - by people who can't be bothered educating themselves when they so get off on, yes, moaning and groaning!

thank you for doing the work of that and for posting it for us, Joan Ruaiz!!

and thank you for all your work for our future!! that is a great example for others who wish to make a difference!

[NJMaverick]

Outstanding work! Well done!

[janedrake]

Excellent post, Joan. Excellent.

[jaxx]

Joan Ruaiz you said it very well. I too think many expected President Obama to be GWB to the left and to use that freakin bully pulpit to act up like an idiot and be loud about it. All that does is give credence to the ignorance of cowboy diplomacy...either here or abroad.

Thankfully PBO is nothing like bush. And that has made him enemies of the far left. It makes no sense, but then, neither do they.