|
A Blueprint
for Taking Back the Democratic Party
May
2001
by TygrBright
Part
Six: Inspiration and Perspiration
Margaret Mead said, "Never believe that a few caring
people can't change the world. For, indeed, that's all who
ever have."
There is always an avant-garde. Long before the swell of
numbers makes the world sit up and take notice, small corps
of visionaries begin the process by battering at the stone
walls of injustice, folly, and indifference with nothing more
than their unprotected fists and skulls. (Occupational hazard:
Loss of peripheral vision and depth perception, slight concussion...
extreme cases end up being avoided at parties except by fellow-sufferers.)
The avant-garde includes the martyrs, philosophers, gadflies,
muckrakers and organizers who develop the ideological and
strategic framework for change. It's a thankless task with
a high casualty rate, but no major change can happen without
them. Our first task is to create a network of this avant-garde,
and to facilitate communication amongst them and with the
greater populist constituency.
Caveat: Exchange of ideas and lively debate is critical—but
there is a difference between purposeful communication, and
the stultifying repetition of grievance. One involves the
careful, almost scientific, exploitation of discontent, which
eventually produces action. The other, by providing the harmless
"safety valve" of expression, or by using poorly-calculated
hyperbole that produces too much cognitive dissonance, can
actually delay or derail action.
When the rough framework for change is laid out, the next
task of the avant-garde is to identify those who will have
a vested self-interest in change, and to begin the marketing
process that will refine the concept and produce strong investment
among these constituencies. This is roughly the stage we are
currently at—we have some rough idea of what we want, whom
it will benefit, and how. We must now identify those constituencies
and begin to foster their investment in change.
Who's invited to the (P)arty?
This is no easy task. The "segments" described
earlier (Workers, The Marginalized, Classic Liberals, Post-Modern
Liberals) constitute the core groups that receive the clearest
primary benefit from a revitalized, populist-controlled Democratic
Part. But in the long run, the benefits of a more equitable
democracy will affect virtually all Americans.
In order to be effective we must build a base broad enough
to reach all our core constituencies, but sufficiently focused
to mobilize efficiently. We need participation from each segment,
without allowing any one segment to co-opt the entire change
process (which would result in the alienation of the other
segments and the subsequent loss of effectiveness.)
Unfortunately, our Party doesn't have the best history of
welcoming the traditionally disenfranchised into our decision-making
councils. We've often been happier working "for"
them than "with" them. (And many of us still refer
to "them" rather than "us.") Oh, we're
alright with "them" showing up to phone-bank or
doorknock. But "they" often get a distinctly chilly
reception if they start thinking they're entitled to do any
agenda-setting. While we are exponentially better than the
GOP at inclusivity, we have a lot of room for improvement.
The first concerted effort must be to market the idea to
all of our traditional constituencies. We must pass
the word. Success requires all of us.
Spread the word in the cities—churches, community centers,
neighborhood gathering places. Make a friend or two, find
a place, bring a carton of coffee and start having discussions.
Spread the word through organizations that already serve
our constituencies—get involved with them if you can. Talk
with unions, farmers' co-ops, migrant workers' organizations,
advocacy groups. Reach out to them and make them feel the
possibilities. They need to know three things:
1. Their only hope for empowerment in American politics rests
in the re-taking of the Democratic Party;
2. They will not be alone in their efforts—there is strength
in numbers, and with a common vision we can prevail; and
3. There will be help and support in the difficult process
of restoring democracy to the Democratic Party. It won't be
a "quick fix," but it is possible—especially
with their help.
ON
TO PART SEVEN »
Laying
Foundations
|
