Reply #206: "Our message"

[Pseudofool]

progessoid stated earlier that "Our 'message' is not clear."

I think this is a particulary important point--not that we simply lack of message; but rather, why we lack a message.

Conversatives have a very clear agenda--no questions asked--there is rather very little dispute between between leading Rebuplicans (save for McCain/Rumsfield, but this too is a small quibble over strategy, not values or ideology).

Liberals, on the other hand, have different and discrete values, heirarchy of priorities, etc than each other. Liberalism as a concept signifies 'free thinking'--this inevitibly muddles any comprehensive message we could have. We use our heads and our hearts; we reason; we empathize; we draw on our experience--in fact, we typically would reject any notion of a singular message.

Conservatives on the other hand have preprescribed values, lifestyles, opinions. Typically, they tend to keep each other in line through patriotism or religion etc., working to streamline their agenda and stay on the same page as everyother Republican.

Liberals only hope, I fear, for a unified message, is one of the anti-message. We can rally around what we oppose more than what we'd fight for. (i.e some prefer enviromentalism, some civil rights, some education, some social programs, etc. although generally we are all for these things, we have preferences, and asking us to rally around any signular message ultimately marginalizes others we'd be counting on.).