"Dealing with legitimate Conservative concerns"

[Armstead]

This is a DU post and Journal entry I wrote in 2006, before all the current folderol was underway. I came across it and decided to repost it because it relates to what I believe is the basic challenge that Democrats have to address in this election.

Although he was far from my mind at the time, it also explains why I support Obama. IMO his goal and strategy reflects how I see things as reflected in this post.

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IMO, one of the biggest screw ups of the left side of the spectrum over the last 30 years is our failure to find the best way to address the very real concerns and problems that average Americans have about liberalism and progressive policies. Failing to deal with that honestly has driven many people into the deceptive arms of conservatives and the GOP.

Most Americans (of most political stripes) have a basic division in their souls. They are liberal in some respects but they are libertarian and conservative in other respects. The political ideology one gravitates to is generally how the balance tips on an individual basis -- whether the liberal/progressive or libertarian/conservative side is strongest.

Let's face it. The goals of liberalism nd progressive populism are necessary, and desirable. But the means to achieve them can be burdensome on an individual basis.

For example, most Americans are in favor of protecting the environment. They don't want pollution. And it's easy to say "Crack down on the polluters" when it's a big remote corporation.....

However, the regulations that have been put into place to protect the environment are often a pain in the ass for individuals and for non-polluting businesses. When you have to go through a lot of rigermarole just get a permit to build an addition onto your house,it can seem like burdensome, meddlesome bureaucracy....Or well-intentioned businesses often still find that simple things can become much more complicated and expensive because of environmental restrictions and requirements.

Same thing with workers rights. Most people are in favor of workers getting paid fairly, having a safe workplace, etc....However, on an individual basis, regulations to enforce these things can be backbreakers for businesses, even businesses that are well-intentioned.

A backlash against the perceived burdens of liberal policies had a large part in driving the country to the right in the last 30 years. It's not just that people were brainwashed by the right-wing or are more selfish and greedy....Rather,the individual balances within people was tipped to the right because they felt their freedom was being impinged upon excessively.

That's also part of what gave rise to "centrism" in the Democratic Party. The desire to acknowledge the perceived downsides of liberalism, and minimize them.

However, the result of that was that we threw the baby out with the bathwater. The DLC and "centrists" became so obsessed with distancing themselves from the drawbacks of liberalism that they also abandoned the benefits and advantages and necessities of liberalism.

IMO, if our side is going to regain political power -- and if the national pendulum is to moved back from the right wing extremes -- we have to figure out ways to deal with this. Both in terms of "framing" and message, and in terms of substantial policies and governing philosophy.

I don't have a surefire solution to that dilemma, but I think it's both possible and necessary.

What's your thoughts on this?