I think I know what to expect over the next 4 (at least) years. Continued assaults on civil liberties, despoilation of the environment, fiscal irresponsibility, frivolous (and hurtful) attachments to the constitution, and armed foreign adventurism.
It’s my duty as an American to resist these things in the most effective way possible. Obviously, that means none of my money goes to the Democrats, as they haven’t been effective in quite a while.
So who should I support? Who gets that portion of my hard-earned middle-class dollars that I’ve earmarked for advocacy? What organizations will most effectively resist the coming neocon/Right-wing Fundamentalist assault on what I always thought were American values?
You want to fight Bush’s anti-enviromentalism? Here’s how: Trade in your SUV for a fuel efficient car, recycle, reduce your consumption (electricity, gas, water, etc…), get outside and pick up litter. Be an example and show others that you care enough to get off your ass and fix your immediate surroundings.
In short, don’t just support others to do it for you. Do it yourself. Better to spend time and effort than money.
To be sure, the typical American would most likely see the lower gas prices as a result of some people choosing to conserve fuel as enabling their dream of owning the new Hummer (hey, they’re doing their part too - it’s 10% more efficient than the old one!).
While it is detestable, I think one would necessarily have to wave their frugality/conscientiesness (if that’s even a word or anywhere near spelled correctly) in other people’s faces, elsewise it’s simply a cry in the dark. However, there is a line between responsible/vocal and holier-than-thou.
Act like reeder, only do it to your representatives in government. Let them know how you feel. Encourage others to do the same. If enough of us harass the hell out of them, they may listen (or have us arrested, either or )
Harass the media about just letting the sides speak and not really doing any sort of fact checking or debate about politics. Jon Stewart was right. The journalists have been hurting us. It’s time to let them know.
Most important of all, be intelligent and reasonable. There are enough idiots on all sides of the spectrum. Be open minded. Think. Be well informed.
It also helps to grow some stubble, smoke, and speak with a half assed french accent if South Park is any clue.
I’m thinking civil disobedience. I’m not sure how, though, besides “hold phony marriages that will definitely be thrown out by the court.” Marching on Washington is good, but its demoralizing when the media reports half the number of people who actually showed up. Not to mention those pesky secret service agents following you around. Assassination is DEFINITELY not an option. Not paying taxes? Well, its really easy if you’re rich, but for those of us living under the “filthy rich” level, it gets a bit more difficult. Boycott the color red? Probably not so effective. Boycott products made by the red states? Not a bad idea really…we could use a break from corn syrup in everything.
Hmmm…I’m thinking “beer bonging for peace” or maybe pledging without the “under God”. How about lobbying to send congressmen to the front lines in Iraq, led by our president and trusty veep or maybe sending a bunch of message in bottles, for example “Dear France, please help. You really came through for us last time, how about it?”
Howzabout emailing our politicians every day relentlessly for the next four years straight. Maybe someone could write a little code so that we can do it automatically?
Or we (the west coast) could just secede. How about it? The red states don’t want us around, they don’t like us liberals, why not let us split off? They can have the war, we’ll get San Francisco. They can grow corn, we’ll grow pot. They can have their Christianity in schools, we’ll have actual freedom of (or from) religion. They can have Alaska, we get Hawaii. Hell, I’ll even throw in L.A.!
Howsaboutit?
I made a point to list only things that I already do, so as to avoid hypocrisy (SP?). Actually, I never owned a SUV. I owned a fuel-efficient honda and kept it for 13 years. I also made a point of living only 10 minutes from my job to reduce transit time and consumption. I’m also active in beachside cleanup and other environmental activities. In short, I practice what I preach. If that’s holier than thou, then it must be a virtue.
Yeah, I’m smug. Got plenty of reasons to be.
I’d prefer to think of my previous mini-rant as a call to action rather than a boast about myself. But if that gets people cleaning and recycling, then I’ll gladly annoy y’all. Results matter more to me than feelings.
To start with, check out the following organizations, join and get involved:
The Center for Voting and Democracy: http://www.fairvote.org It’s America’s leading action group for voting reforms, particularly instant-runoff voting and proportional representation (aka full representation). The links page (http://www.fairvote.org/links.htm) will direct you to PR and IRV advocacy groups in your own state, if there are any. (At present there are such groups in California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Utah, Washington – and, most recently, Florida, although the link for Citizens for Instant Runoff Voting in Florida – http://www.cirv.org – has not yet been added to the CV&D links page.)
The New Majority Education Fund – http://www.nmef.org This organization works for “ballot fusion” or “cross-endorsement” – the practice of allowing a single candidate to run as the nominee of more than one party. This was a tactic used by minor parties (e.g., the Populists, the Grangers, the Prohibitionists) with some effect in the late 19th Century to pool their strength or to pull the major parties in their directions. However, in that period such “combination tickets” were outlawed by Republicrat legislatures in many states for the express purpose of crushing third parties (you can read the shameful story in Chapter 9 of Spoiling for a Fight: Third-Party Politics in America, by Micah L. Sifry (New York: Routledge, 2002)). At present, fusion is legal in 10 states and illegal in the other 40. But that’s not enshrined in any state constitution, and could be changed by ordinary legislation.
Despite my previous posts, I do believe in contacting your Congressman and Senators. Even the most hardened right-winger pays attention to environmental and social issues when he or she is bombarded by emails and letters on those subjects. This is most effective when the letters are about specific issues/bills/actions and are thoughtful and polite. And if there are a lot of people writing about it. A whole string of letters ranting wildly will just get you branded as a kook and dismissed from serious consideration.
Already do those things. Already off my ass and involved.
I’m already spending time and effort. I also have money, and want to know where best to spend it.
Thanks for not being all condescending and smug.
Loopydude: is the ACLU an effective organization? I know they get headlines, but I had heard/read/dreamed that they operate on a state-by-state basis. Does that mean they don’t take on “big” issues (whatever the hell that means?). Do they have a consistent national strategy, or do they simply act as local gadflys? (I know, I should do my own homework, and I will - thanks for the tip. But anything you can tell me now will be appreciated).
BrainGlutton, thanks - I’ll follow the links. That’s an idea I can get behind.
I should say so, having written influential amicus curae briefs for Brown vs. Board of Education, Topeka, KS, as well as Roe vs. Wade, no to mention having argued more cases before the SCOTUS than any other entity in the history of the country.
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