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Message to the GOP:  Go Slow   by Andy Peth

12/30/2014

3 Comments

 
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There are times in life when bold, fast action is needed. A criminal pulls a knife.  Kohl’s has a One Day Sale. Hundreds of moms pull knives at a Kohl’s One Day Sale. 

The last time my wife and I braved Kohl’s day of wonders, Cori smartly diverted the crowd away from a superb deal by tossing chocolate bars down a separate aisle.  Whoosh!  Our aisle cleared, and dozens of infants sat confused in still-rolling carts as their moms thundered toward the bait—it was like dropping an elk in a pool of piranhas.  The tactic backfired, though—I was first to reach the treats.  What can I say? I thought we were playing fetch, like at home.

I’m not sure what sounded less manly:  My high-pitched screams as the horde converged, or my regrettable choice to point at Cori and yell, “She has more!”   Hey, I panicked.  So would you.

Anyway, not all occasions are One Day sales, right?  For instance, Republicans will soon take over Congress midst high expectations; expectations of fixing everything our America-blaming president has ruined.  Some moves will take speed—like defunding amnesty—but must every action be quick?  Oh no, not everything.  Let’s not waste this opportunity.  

The Buffet

Look at what President Obama has given us.  Lusting for control, he hurried all sorts of nasty legislation, and people resent it.  They don’t like Obamacare.  They don’t like his wife telling kids what to eat.  They don’t like waiting for Keystone.  They don’t like amnesty for illegals when we still need jobs.  Spread out before us, then, is a veritable smorgasbord of chances to be America’s heroes. This isn’t fast food, people.  It’s a buffet.  And looking at all the mouth-watering options, we can feel tempted to rush.

Well, don’t rush, GOP.  Slow down.  People only digest so much at once.  Remember, it’s not enough to undo something; we have to convince the country the thing should be undone.  So frame each step, carefully exposing Obama’s love of Control while touting our love of Choice.  Give the nation time to absorb our message.  Besides, watching the Democrats dread each issue will be much more fun, and I want to enjoy this.  I want to savor every tyranny-exposing dish.

Case in point:  Obamacare.  Sure, we all want it repealed, gone before people get hooked on another entitlement.  But good news!  They’re not!  It’s unpopular as ever, and the worst parts are just starting!  

Suppose we pass legislation repealing it all at once.  Obama would veto it, but there’s a bigger problem.  Rushing ahead, we could transform Obama the control freak into a hero and martyr. Why?   Because people can’t get their minds around 2,700 pages of legislation all at once, so to them we’d be taking something away.  At the very least, we would help the Democrats to run damaging ads.  

Oh, I can see it now:  “Thank goodness my family received health coverage with Obamacare! While walking between my volunteer efforts at the rescue mission and a shelter for abused animals, I had a rough fall, and I can’t imagine where I’d be without the hospital care I received. Couldn’t have made it without coverage.  But now, every time I help disabled children of wounded veterans learn to read from the Bible, I’m so grateful that, thanks to my health plan, I can afford to buy necessities for my family—which supports American jobs.  This sure is better than dying alone outside a hospital…in the cold…without coverage…”

Why help the Democrats?  Why rush?  Revel in the buffet!  Go piece by delectable piece, slowly removing each thing people hate.  Every couple weeks, force Democrats into another suicidal vote, as Obama vetoes his way to a villainous legacy.  Each time, unveil something controlling about Obamacare, and something of ours that expands choice.  Try some of these delicacies:

  1. Eliminate the Medical Device Tax.  Call it something fun, like “No Punishment for Pacemakers.”
  2. Stop the enormous taxes on Cadillac plans.  Call this legislation, “Freedom to Be A Good Boss.”
  3. End the penalty people pay when choosing not to buy coverage.  I’d call this, “Choosing Without Threats”—okay, that’s too harsh, but you get the idea.
  4. Halt the forcing of full-time workers to part-time.  Gee, think that will be popular?
  5. Let people buy coverage across state lines.  Call it, “Health Choice Without Boundaries.”
  6. Unleash medical savings accounts.  Maybe call it, “Your Health Savings, Your Choice.”

The options are endless, but notice we’re undercutting Obamacare’s funding—quickly.  Just pass the first few items, and it all collapses.  Notice also how each bill keeps us focused on one central theme: Choice versus Control.  And this focuses our audience.  Exposing the Left’s Control while touting the Right’s Choice, we leave Democrats squirming in their chairs at every vote.

Never rush a buffet.  Let the public digest each dish, salivating for the next.  Now we’re not power mad Conservatives capitalizing on one election.  We’re liberators.  We’re heroes.  We’re enjoying the feast.

Look at Obama’s executive amnesty.  Sure, kill the funding—and don’t be so terrified of Obama forcing a shutdown.   Things have changed since last time, and all the nasty moves Obama used to vilify us—like shutting down monuments and parks—won’t work a second time.  So relax.  But how about an “America Works First” proposal, tying the number of immigrant work permits to the Labor Participation Rate (which is at a 36 year low)?  Think people would like that? Ummmm…you bet!

Obama’s controlling actions have laid out a wondrous buffet.  Relish it, my friends.  Let’s pass the Keystone Pipeline, so Democrats either help override a veto or sign their political death warrants. Let's bring School Choice back to Washington D.C.  Let’s free states to design their school lunches free of outside influence.  In fact, let’s allow states to design whole school systems meeting their kids’ needs.  We can call it, “No Child is Common.”

Legalizing Political Torture—Of Democrats

In November, Americans said, “Stop Obama’s Actions!”  This was a red light for him, not a green light for some rapid flood of Conservative laws.  We have no instant mandate.  We have something better—a chance to create a lasting mandate.  Rather than rushing everything we want, I hope our new majorities take their time.  I want them to earn the public’s trust.  I want the debate reframed—from a power struggle involving unrelated bills way off in Washington, to a battle of Choice versus Control that inspires Americans.  I don’t want to “get my way.”  I want more Americans convinced this is their way.

Does this mean I’m nice?  On the contrary, I’m mean.  I’m the meanest Conservative around, for I want Democrats to feel every ounce of the pain they’ve inflicted on America.  No short cuts.  No racing ahead of the American People.  Oh no, I want 2015 to be one long, grueling Enhanced Interrogation of the Left. Let’s put them under the bright light of Choice versus Control, then watch them perspire.  After all they’ve done these past six years, they deserve no less. 

Take it slow, Republicans.  This isn’t a One Day Sale.  I want to enjoy every…delicious…bite.

3 Comments

Intellectual Cover   By Andy Peth

12/23/2014

1 Comment

 
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Two innocent New York cops are dead; execution style.

Do I blame “peaceful” liberals?  Well, not for directly provoking murder, as I blame the killer alone.  “Society” isn’t the reason this madman ran amok.  But it’s high time we hold some peaceful liberals accountable for providing a key, enabling component in today’s violent landscape.  I call it, “Intellectual Cover,” and it is a terrible thing.

Intellectual Cover occurs when “smart” liberals lend their voices, debate skills, and credibility to fellow leftist communities from whom crime—especially violent crime—originates.  By the way, do you think I mean “communities of color?”  Think again.  The dividing line for violence is not one of race, but ideology.  Answer this:  When was the last time a bunch of Conservative young people—of any color—started shooting up the city streets?  When was the last time a bunch of young Republicans were caught in a drug war?  How many jihadists like the Boston Bombers or Major Hassan express views favoring the Republican Party over the Democrats?  Ummmm…none.  If we poll prison populations, how many Tea Partiers would we find?  Hmmm??

A Boiling Cauldron

Here’s a dirty secret about the leftist intelligentsia:  They know their side of the political aisle is a boiling cauldron, producing the vast majority of violent crimes.  Seriously.  When these peaceful libs “march for Ferguson,” showing solidarity with their mob, they know full well what pot they’re stirring.  They know what they’re inciting.  They just don’t care.  

Aware that many of their followers are dangerous, they say, “We share your concerns, and we understand you feel helpless and wronged—but don’t be violent—and we wish we could bring justice, but our hands are tied—don’t be violent—so please, protest peacefully, ‘kay?”

Oh sure, that’ll work.  Someone tell shop owners in Ferguson or the families of New York cops to relax, because leftist leaders ask followers not to be violent while they fan the flames of hate. Someone tell the cops who were hit by a car while providing security for “peaceful” protesters marching in Denver.  According to the police union, some of these peace lovers cheered when it happened.  But hey, don’t blame those liberal elites providing them Intellectual Cover!  They’re just calling for peaceful justice, right?

They’re stirring the pot.  A pot of liberalism.  A boiling cauldron of danger.

How about the constant leftist refrain regarding Muslim violence, moaning over a potential “backlash” against the peace-loving Muslim community?  Hey, I’m peace-loving and have nothing against peaceful Muslims, but let me tell you this:  As a Christian, if members of my religion were committing even 1/10th the murders that radical Muslims are committing, all my efforts would be geared toward cleaning house in the church, not protecting it against “backlash.”  But then, as a Conservative, I don’t provide Intellectual Cover for monsters.  

Not that I have to.  While every group with millions of people has some bad elements, there is no burning cauldron of violence on my side.  Case in point:  What is America’s most well-armed group?  The NRA.  Yet, who commits virtually no violent crimes?  The NRA.  Enough said. 

Bad Leaders

“Peaceful,” liberal intellectuals only follow their leaders.  Watch them stir their cauldron:

  • When Trayvon Martin was shot, President Obama commented how if he had a son, he’d look like Trayvon.  Gee, would his son also pummel an armed man?  Stir, Obama, stir.
  • Before the facts emerged over the Cambridge Police arrest of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., Obama rushed to judgment, publicly stating the police had “acted stupidly.”  Turns out, Obama was wrong again, but the cauldron was boiling.
  • After the Ferguson jury reached a correct verdict, Obama gave the obligatory “don’t be violent” plea, but still granted validity to the protests—telling police to “show care and restraint.”  Right.  Like the police were the problem.  Let’s cast them as the dangerous ones, ‘eh Mr. President?  Fan those flames, big fella.  Your cauldron boileth over.
  • In New York, Mayor De Blasio told an interviewer he advises his mixed-race son not to reach for his cellphone around cops because it’s dangerous for “a young man of color.”  Not surprisingly, New York police literally turned their backs on De Blasio as he entered the hospital holding the two dead cops.  He deserved it.
  • Eric Holder pressed a continuing investigation into Ferguson, but what do we hear from him regarding a white girl burned to death in Mississippi?  Crickets.

Following such leaders, “peaceful” liberals give Intellectual Cover to monsters.  They know full well what they’re enabling, but they don’t care--even when they have no case, like in Ferguson. Rarely do they march to stop the overwhelming source of black deaths in America, which is black-on-black crime.  Never do they march to protest when white people are killed by their leftist mob. Never do they protest the millions killed by leftist regimes around the world.

And now, two cops have been executed for the crime of being cops.  Thankfully, their killer paid with his life, but what of those limousine liberals who provide Intellectual Cover?  What becomes of them?  Roving among their fan base are some rabid dogs, and the last thing America needs is “smart” liberals lending their voices, debate skills, and credibility to these monsters.  The only possible leash restraining leftist monsters is a lack of leftist support for their cause—not just their actions, but their cause.  Only this leash can limit them. 

But what do smart, peaceful liberals do?  Simple—they cut the leash.  Giving Intellectual Cover, they say, “Your cause is just!”  Then they look away.  And if this still doesn’t ensure what comes next, they tell the rest of us to stop mistreating their poor, misunderstood, rabid leftists.  They tell cops to be careful and show restraint.  Basically, they tell us off.

But hey, these are nice liberals, right?  They have nice families, nice jobs, nice debate points, nice everything—and lots of nice excuses when cops get shot, run over, attacked by thugs like Michael Brown, etc., etc.

They just stir their burning cauldron.  They just provide Intellectual Cover, free of consequences. 


How nice.


1 Comment

Controlling Charity   by Andy Peth

12/18/2014

0 Comments

 
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If we want a successful 2016 election, the key is to start influencing people NOW.  Look at 2015. Stretched out before us are 12 months for breaking through, surprising those we know with a fresh perspective.  No rushing.  No need to get pushy.  We have all the time in the world.

To maximize that time, we at The Party Of Choice simplify politics into two camps:  Choice versus Control.   Selling Conservatism as Choice (which it is) while exposing Liberalism as Control (which it is), we help people “get it” more easily—all while establishing our side as the good guys. This focuses listeners.  It engages them.  Trust me, it works better than just harping on the latest news stories (though these are fun, too).

For a taste of Choice versus Control, observe a common topic:  Raising taxes on rich people. Arising in various forms, this issue provides openings for many good lines of reasoning.  I share one below. You won’t use all the points—I generally stop with #3, maybe tossing in #5 for good measure—but it’s nice to have a few extras handy: 

  1. Question:  Suppose the rich gave everything they earned to the poor.  Would we still raise their taxes?  Answer:  Of course not.
  2. So, we only raise their taxes because we disapprove of how much they give to charity, or where they give it.  By raising taxes on the rich, we actually control the charity of others.
  3. What can be more power hungry than controlling someone’s charity? Suppose I forced you to triple your charitable giving, and not to charities you currently support.  No, I’ll make you support charities run by people who back my campaign.  Does controlling the charity of others still sound okay?
  4. And remember, the poor in America are wealthy compared to most of the world.  So what if America's poor were told they must give greatly to other nations, but can’t even choose which nations benefit? Does controlling the charity of others still sound okay?
  5. Unless we are willing to enter a church, and at donation time, grab the checkbooks from people next to us and write out their donations to other churches, then we have no right demanding one group ensure the lifestyle of others. 
  6. Worse yet, if we vote for politicians who promise to do this, then we’re controlling the charity of others through the power of government.  We’re actually forcing them to live as we want just because we have more votes.
  7. Suppose a group of men corner a businesswoman and “vote” themselves the contents of her purse.  Is that any different?  Their superior numbers and power allow them to control her charity.  But does renaming stealing “voting” change what it really is?  Would it even matter if they gave her money to someone in need?

Notice the effect of pitting Choice against Control.  “We’re controlling their charity.  We’re controlling them with votes.”  Now the argument is clarified, drawing a simple line between our liberty and the Left’s oppression.  Now they’re the bad guys.  Now we have the upper hand, and we consistently will when using Choice versus Control.

Want a great 2016?  Then let’s change hearts and minds in 2015.  Let’s not wait helplessly for a perfect candidate or party.  Let’s start with a perfect message—liberty—changing the political landscape itself.  Let’s start with Choice.  Expose Control.  Simplify!  Keep in mind, changing one heart can change dozens, as each one we touch will influence many we never could. 

But we mustn’t wait.  Waiting now means panicking and badgering later.  So let’s get equipped, get talking, and get other Conservatives doing the same.  Just imagine if Conservatives everywhere used 2015 for moving the needle of public opinion.  Imagine if schools, workplaces, and communities were flooded with Conservatives drawing lines between Choice and Control.

I imagine 2016 would be a cakewalk.


0 Comments

Desperate Dems    by Andy Peth

12/10/2014

1 Comment

 
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There I was, the last one standing.  How had it come to this? Dropping like flies, my allies were strewn across the battlefield; close friends collapsing into lifeless statistics. “We’re too young for war,” I thought.  “Not ready.”  But I pressed on, as orders must be followed without hesitation in the heat of battle.  Preparing one last charge, I muttered beneath my breath: 

“Dodgeball sucks.”

Lining the gym walls were my fallen comrades.  Would they lift my spirits with loyal cheers? Sadly, no.  Perhaps they questioned my leadership, as it was I who convinced them to charge ahead without me, drawing enemy fire in the first wave.  For each one’s sacrifice, I promised a reward of 72 virgins in paradise, which my fellow 8-year-olds heard as, “I get 72 of something!”  But now? Now they just seemed bitter.  

“Ingrates.”

Near as I recall, my body lurched back several feet when struck by that wall of spheres. I laid motionless (except for the twitching), wondering if having the entire front half of my body bruised was actually “bruising” at all…it seemed more like a tan…  

I smiled.  Barbaric though it was, Dodgeball was fun.  Little did I know that, one day, public schools would replace this pastime with “Reparations”—a joyless game where children hit their own heads with a ball while reciting apologies to mistreated demographics.  

Admittedly, my memory of that time is sketchy, but I'll never forget the loneliness.  Few things are more difficult than watching one’s numbers dwindle before an emboldened enemy.  It’s disheartening.  It’s crippling.  It’s…it’s…the state of today’s Democratic Party.

Our Desperate Opponent

President Obama promised great things to Democrats who stormed ahead with Obamacare. America would embrace a new entitlement.  Democrats would be rewarded by grateful voters, keeping them in power until their 90’s.  No, the DNC couldn’t find 72 like-minded virgins, but this would still be paradise.

Then came the 2014 midterms, where paradise became slaughter at the hands of delighted Republicans.  So things have changed.  Sure, the Dems’ prospects look rosier in 2016, when 24 out of 34 Senate elections are for Republican held seats—and Democrat turnout should be up as well. But down 54-46, the Dems are in a bad spot.  For them, 2016 must be huge.

Why?  Because after 2016 comes 2018.  Look below, and you’ll see I’ve detailed vulnerable Senate seats in both years.  Some Democrat seats could turn red, while some GOP seats could turn blue.  Starting with 2016, I noted four factors indicating danger:

  1.   Did the voters of that state elect a governor from the other party?
  2.   Did Obama lose that state in 2012 (bad for Dems) or win it (bad for Repubs)?
  3.   Does the GOP hold the other Senate seat in that state (bad for Dems), or do the Dems (bad for Repubs)?
  4.   Did the incumbent win his/her previous race by 5% or less?

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Though circumstances shift, answering “Yes” in two or three categories makes the candidate more vulnerable.  A couple “Yesses” are qualified (*), as GOP losses in Indiana and Missouri involved disastrous candidates (Akin and Mourdoch).

Along with these factors, I predict two major items will favor Republicans:  Obama fatigue and Obamacare.  Add it up, and I see four GOP senators in real danger, a couple more in light danger, and two Democrat senators in medium danger.

My prediction:  The Dems gain 2-3 Senate seats in 2016.  This would wreck Democrats, since retaking Senate control requires 4 seats gained and holding the White House, or 5 seats gained outright.  That’s very unlikely.

And then comes 2018.  Oh my.  You’ll see I apply the same factors less Obama’s election (he’ll be long gone).  Out of 30 seats in play (two others are independent), the Dems hold 22, while the GOP holds 8.  But with all the “Yesses” facing Democrats, I see 7 of their seats at risk, and only 1 vulnerable GOP seat.  


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My prediction:  The GOP gains 5-6 seats in 2018.  So between the 2014 and 2018 routs, 2016 represents the Democrats’ lone hope.  They are desperate.  Cornered.  In this game, there are too many balls to dodge.

What Should We Do?

Our task is simple:  Now that Obama has sacrificed his teammates, we need only limit our 2016 losses to seal their fate.  In my article, “What Should We Do If We Win?” I counter the Democrats’ “Control” agenda with our “Choice” agenda, drawing a clear line between us and the Left.  Read it over.  Should we apply it—or anything close—I believe Democrats will fall well short of their 2016 needs. 

Beyond that, just expect a frantic Democratic Party this election cycle.  They are angry at their leader. They’re teetering.  Desperate.  If Democrats lose the White House in 2016 (very possible), the 2018 bloodbath will bring great opportunity, and America could finally begin a long overdue course correction.

So let’s get focused.  Where we are divided, let’s aggressively find common ground.  Where our messaging struggles, let’s collaborate to strengthen it.  No excuses, no power trips, no whining.  No more acting like losers.  Just pick up those dodgeballs, turn as one toward that shivering Democratic Party, and give them the full body tan they so richly deserve.

1 Comment

Lessons In Protesting    by Andy Peth

12/4/2014

2 Comments

 
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The Ferguson protests will make a huge, positive impact…for the Republican Party.  

Surprised?  Don’t be.  Whether using peaceful dissent, raised hands by professional athletes, or outright violence, these protestors boost public approval for those they most despise.

And who do they despise?  Cops?  Too limited.  White people?  Too broad.  Look closely at who is protesting.  Not all are black, and one black group is conspicuously absent—black Conservatives.  The sole commonality among these protesters isn’t race, but ideology, for they are all Liberal.  And that means they oppose Conservatives—or to be politically exact, Republicans.  Virtually all these protesters, either in St. Louis or nationally, hate Republicans.  

And that is precisely who they’re helping.

Recalling Wisconsin…

To see why, think back to Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s recall election.  At issue was his decision to remove collective bargaining rights for public teacher unions, and for much of the campaign, Walker’s opposition appeared to be winning.  But something changed.  Abandoning their classrooms and taking to the streets, the teachers protested…loudly.  Closing schools, shouting obscenities, and marching with vicious signs, mobs of Wisconsin’s teachers seemed ready to dethrone their hated nemesis.   Walker was on the ropes.  Walker was doomed.  Walker was…rebounding nicely in the polls, en route to a solid victory.

Huh?

The protesting teachers erred.  Big time.  You see, Wisconsin parents knew their kids’ teachers were union members, but they never made the connection.  Teachers were seen as highly educated, friends to children, heroes to communities—nothing like those scary unions.  But that changed.  Watching angry mobs shout like thugs, parents saw their tax dollars at work.  They saw power.  They saw rage.  They saw what had been educating their kids.
   
Conservative Uprisings

We Conservatives protest, too.  We protest President Obama’s actions.  We protest our party leadership.  Is this bad?  On the contrary, it’s crucial.  Conservatives must never silence themselves, as this would render America and the GOP rudderless, anchorless, and worthless.  So don’t sit back.  But to make the highest impact, we should apply the lessons of Wisconsin and Ferguson, lest we help our opponents. 

So, what are those lessons?


  • Don’t burn your audience.  “Burn it down!  Burn it all down!”  This battle cry works fine when aimed away from the people you hope to win.  

But when Ferguson protesters started burning businesses—or even just stopping traffic and interrupting an NFL game—they crossed a line.  Those businesses, the highways, and the game weren’t just used by twelve hated jurors.  Everyone was affected.  Either literally or figuratively, the Ferguson protesters “burned” those they hoped to persuade.  


Likewise, when Wisconsin teachers closed classes to march, they stopped affecting Scott Walker and started affecting families.  This torched education itself.  So, when they stormed the voting booths screaming, “Who’s with me?!” they came up short.  

  • Be the good guys.  I’ll never forget those enraged Wisconsin teachers.  Same with Ferguson.  For a protest to gain support, people must see it as building, not destroying, for many won’t follow petty wrath.  People want to follow good guys. 

  • Listen.   The Ferguson protesters hurt their cause by not believing evidence or hearing opposing logic.  Bathed in a victim mentality, they insisted the real truth was hidden by powerful forces.  They just knew it.  This conspiracy mindset wrecked their credibility. 

  • Offer reasonable alternatives.   Wisconsin’s union teachers offered no empowerment for taxpayers and parents.  And in Ferguson, liberals wanted the police either out of their communities or on a leash.  How unrealistic.  Can cops protect us against violent threats while measuring every tactic and showing restraint toward preferred groups?  Ridiculous.  As in Wisconsin, no sensible options were proposed.

Doing it Right

The Ferguson riots rallied a community, but unlike Martin Luther King, they won’t win a nation. Quite the opposite, actually.  In fact, if Republicans respond by pushing free market job creation for inner cities (think “Enterprise Zones” or my “Back in Business” plan), we’ll make a sizable dent in urban voting.  We’ll deepen our national support.  It’s a win-win, if we seize the opportunity—and we have these riots to thank for it.

But just as importantly, let’s apply the lessons of Ferguson and Wisconsin to our own protests.  

  • In fighting Obama, let’s make it crystal clear we want to burn down his harmful policies, not the programs people feel they need.  

Should we therefore run from government shutdowns?  Not at all!  In fact, I believe a shutdown over Obama’s immigration actions would be much better received than last year’s attempt.  But don’t forget Ferguson and Wisconsin!  Read the audience.  Make sure they know it is Obama burning down their city, not us.  Hear their concerns.  Be their heroes.  And always offer better, simple alternatives they can grasp.  


We thought we did this last year, but we miscalculated—even though that shutdown was completely valid and good.  This time and going forward, let’s get it right.

  • Don’t burn down 3rd parties or the Tea Party or the Republican Party.  Be the good guys, not elitist insiders or angry outsiders always looking for fault.  Propose realistic, workable coalitions.  Have you already tried this?  Try harder.  Quit reveling in hopelessness.  Provide realistic paths to victory.  Don’t destroy.  Create.

Yes, I’m going light on details.  Since every situation is different, one-size-fits-all won’t cut it.  But the next time we protest—whether in closed-door “power meetings” or on Facebook—let’s think about those failed protests in Wisconsin and Ferguson.  Learn from them!  Think about whose city we’re about to burn.  Listen with compassion.  Quit assuming every election loss, grassroots defection, or leadership failure is someone else’s fault.  Look at the one place where Ferguson and Wisconsin protesters never even glance:  Into a mirror.

Here at Christmas time, the Ferguson protesters are giving us amazing gifts.  They’re giving us broad approval we haven’t earned.  They’re giving us opportunities to reach urban voters with positive ideas.  But most of all, they’re giving us protest lessons we should never forget.

These are great gifts.  Let’s not return them.


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