# What would be a good strategy for American progressives? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 6, 2011, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-a-good-strategy-for-american-progressives/598818 "2011-10-06T19:59:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-a-good-strategy-for-american-progressives/598818/101 "2011-10-28T01:41:07Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > It’s funny, we’ve been coming up with all these technical strategies for achieving political success and the kids just came up with the best strategy: get out on the street and protest the hell out of what is going down! I tend to agree, but, do we really know, yet, how effective it’s going to be? They protested the Vietnam War, and they protested it, and they made it the most divisive national issue since civil rights, and they protested it some more, and it ended when the Administration was damned good and ready. But protesting worked WRT civil rights. You never know. OWS’ concerns go to the heart of our socioeconomic system, and that’s a **lot** to tackle through protest. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-a-good-strategy-for-american-progressives/598818/102 "2011-10-28T02:09:41Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > If you asked Jefferson whether the first amendment was meant to guarantee a rich person’s right to spend his money to express his own political opinions, he’d look at you like you’re fuckin’ nuts to even ask the question. > > Me putting up a billboard, taking an ad in a newspaper or on tv is the epitome of political speech. If you think that the first amendment was meant to only protect someone saying “I like this candidate” in the privacy of his own bedroom, you’re about as wrong as you can get. Jefferson would not agree that the rich should have control over the message. By being able to put out almost all the messages, because they are expensive, it puts power in the hands of the rich. Money = power. Money is not just a commodity. It confers power on a select group of people. The forefathers would certainly not agree that the rich should have that power. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-a-good-strategy-for-american-progressives/598818/103 "2011-10-28T02:11:12Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Jefferson would not agree that the rich should have control over the message. By being able to put out almost all the messages, because they are expensive, it puts power in the hands of the rich. Money = power. Money is not just a commodity. It confers power on a select group of people. The forefathers would certainly not agree that the rich should have that power. Well, some of them would have, but not Jefferson. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-a-good-strategy-for-american-progressives/598818/104 "2011-10-28T02:18:12Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Jefferson would not agree that the rich should have control over the message. By being able to put out almost all the messages, because they are expensive, it puts power in the hands of the rich. Money = power. Money is not just a commodity. It confers power on a select group of people. The forefathers would certainly not agree that the rich should have that power. Again, I go and put up a billboard “Obama sucks.” a month before the elections. It costs me $500. Do tell me how you can twist the Constitution into not allowing me to do that. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2011, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-a-good-strategy-for-american-progressives/598818/105 "2011-10-29T19:56:19Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > Second, get mean. Jim Cornette [eviscerating](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGp043tHAc8) the Republicans **should have been an anthem**. Frustrating, isn’t it? I’ve watched that awe-inspiring rant be pretty much ignored for over 2 years. It’s still just as potent today as it was back then. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2011, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-a-good-strategy-for-american-progressives/598818/106 "2011-10-30T15:51:14Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Again, I go and put up a billboard “Obama sucks.” a month before the elections. It costs me $500. Do tell me how you can twist the Constitution into not allowing me to do that. Well if we capped ALL candidates’ campaign spending at $5 million, if you spent your $5 million and then went on to put up the $500 billboard because, hey , free speech, then I would say you are being unfair to the other candidates who stay within their caps. MONEY IS NOT SPEECH!!! ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2011, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-a-good-strategy-for-american-progressives/598818/107 "2011-10-30T16:01:20Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Well if we capped ALL candidates’ campaign spending at $5 million, if you spent your $5 million and then went on to put up the $500 billboard because, hey , free speech, then I would say you are being unfair to the other candidates who stay within their caps. MONEY IS NOT SPEECH!!! This isn’t just about candidate’s spending. I, as a private individual, have the right to voice my opinion. If that opinion happens to be unfavorable to a political candidate or party, it’s still protected speech. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2011, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-a-good-strategy-for-american-progressives/598818/108 "2011-10-30T16:07:05Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Well if we capped ALL candidates’ campaign spending at $5 million, if you spent your $5 million and then went on to put up the $500 billboard because, hey , free speech, then I would say you are being unfair to the other candidates who stay within their caps. MONEY IS NOT SPEECH!!! This is not “money”. This is a billboard. SAYING stuff. If that is not speech, I don’t know what is. Hell, you know what? I OWN the billboard company. So I put up billboards, all over town, that say “Obama sucks”. Is this speech or not? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2011, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-a-good-strategy-for-american-progressives/598818/109 "2011-10-30T16:50:04Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > This isn’t just about candidate’s spending. I, as a private individual, have the right to voice my opinion. You have the right to buy a megaphone, too, but you’ll find time, place and manner of use will be lawfully, and constitutionally, restricted. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2011, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-a-good-strategy-for-american-progressives/598818/110 "2011-10-30T17:00:36Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > This is not “money”. This is a billboard. SAYING stuff. If that is not speech, I don’t know what is. I do. It’s a fucking annoying eyesore to everyone who has to look at it, that’s what it is. No matter **what** it says. Even a huge white rectangle hanging there in the air would be nuisance. If I had my way, every billboard in America would come down. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2011, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-a-good-strategy-for-american-progressives/598818/111 "2011-10-30T19:34:37Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > This is not “money”. This is a billboard. SAYING stuff. If that is not speech, I don’t know what is. > > Hell, you know what? I OWN the billboard company. So I put up billboards, all over town, that say “Obama sucks”. Is this speech or not? IT IS MONEY!!! Each candidate gets $5 million to spend on speech of any type they wish. You just want to take the huge advantage that the wealthy have over the poor in the marketplace, and move it to the political arena. You want America to become a wealth-based oligarchy. You have no concept of democracy. None. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2011, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-a-good-strategy-for-american-progressives/598818/112 "2011-10-30T19:39:59Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > You want America to become a wealth-based oligarchy. You misspelled “remain.” And it’s an important distinction to keep in mind when dealing with conservatives. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2011, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-a-good-strategy-for-american-progressives/598818/113 "2011-10-30T21:17:39Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I do. It’s a fucking annoying eyesore to everyone who has to look at it, that’s what it is. No matter **what** it says. Even a huge white rectangle hanging there in the air would be nuisance. If I had my way, every billboard in America would come down. Of course. If you had your way, no speech would be allowed but the one you like. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2011, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-a-good-strategy-for-american-progressives/598818/114 "2011-10-30T21:19:07Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > IT IS MONEY!!! Each candidate gets $5 million to spend on speech of any type they wish. You just want to take the huge advantage that the wealthy have over the poor in the marketplace, and move it to the political arena. You want America to become a wealth-based oligarchy. You have no concept of democracy. None. Each candidate gets $5M. I am not a candidate. I own a few billboards. Instead of selling that space, I put up my own ads. They say “candidate M sucks!”. Is that “speech” or is that “money”? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-a-good-strategy-for-american-progressives/598818.md?page=5)