Independence from the big two political machines, that is.
Every independent should be rooting for Charlie Crist. The irony that Crist couldn’t be a viable independent candidate without first being a player in one of the major two parties is the significant jumping off point, but it also provides a model that goes beyond Joe Lieberman splitting only after he lost. By ditching the Republican party early, Crist has a chance to change the political scenario for himself and Floridians, while reclaiming his own political integrity by being his own man and not beholden to ideology of any particular party.
Some call this personal expedience, because he can’t win as a Republican in the primary. That’s true to an extent, but Crist can’t win in a primary environment where the right-wing base represented by the Tea Party activists are swinging the primary off the cliff.
When your passion and life’s calling is political service, what’s a person to do, give up?
The reality is that politicians are egotists by the very nature of their profession. It takes a lot of self-confidence, mixed with self-absorption and the belief that you can change the world and lead the people, along with purpose and passion about your own ideas and intelligence when juxtaposed against the next person, to throw yourself into the arena in the first place. Why anyone is surprised that someone would then separate himself out from the pack to become “independent,” when your life’s calling is disappearing before your eyes, is beyond me.
If you believe you have the right ideas, initially attaching yourself to one of the only two vehicles available, either Republican or Democrat, once you’ve claimed a spot in the limelight, which was predicated on the belief that you and you alone can lead the people in the right direction, it’s a small step these days to declare you want to go it on your own path, with only the people to back you up.
The two national parties are bankrupt of ideas, purpose and passion, not to mention competence. They are owned by corporations, banks and special interests, with few politicians willing to step out to challenge their leadership.
Then there is the complete collapse of Congress as an institution of checks and balances. Both parties propping up the executive branch when their side is in power, with no one in Congress willing to stand up to the party bosses when they are wrong.
A while back I wrote that we are at a historic moment in politics. Independent minded voters have been growing steadily for years. What they’ve needed are candidates, especially on the national level. The Tea Party is also representative of dissatisfaction of their side of the political machine, though they are tiny fraction compared with Independent voters.
The only group not breaking out and standing up is the “progressive” wing of the political universe, the “liberal” heart of the Democratic party. That’s because they have been revealed to have no courage when it comes to standing up and telling political truth to power, allowing their message to be destroyed in the name of Democratic conservatism.
Just listen to the Democratic party leader on “judicial activism,” implying that the great courts of the 1960s and 1970s weren’t so great, while using right wing talking points to attack the greatest liberal justices in our history.
“It used to be that the notion of an activist judge was somebody who ignored the will of Congress, ignored democratic processes, and tried to impose judicial solutions on problems instead of letting the process work itself through politically,” Mr. Obama said.
“And in the ’60s and ’70s, the feeling was — is that liberals were guilty of that kind of approach. What you’re now seeing, I think, is a conservative jurisprudence that oftentimes makes the same error.”
He added, “The concept of judicial restraint cuts both ways.”
Mr. Obama’s comments, which came as he prepares to make a Supreme Court nomination, amounted to the most sympathetic statement by a sitting Democratic president about the conservative view that the Warren and Burger courts — which expanded criminal defendant rights, required busing to desegregate schools and declared a right to abortion — were dominated by “liberal judicial activists” whose rulings were dubious. [...]
This is the most chilling statement a supposed Democratic president has ever made about the greatest liberal jurists in Supreme Court history. Glenn Greenwald does a masterful job today on Obama’s “imperial decree” on the subject, something he will not clarify by actually identifying the rulings he believes to be “judicial activism,” which no doubt will bring the Obama choir out in his defense, as dispatched from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
It is not a mistake that the ranks of Independents are being filled in part by disaffected Democrats, many of them women.
This democratic republic was founded by individuals with ideas, not people beholden and driven by ideology alone, with the bedrock being foundational individual freedoms and self-determination for us all. It is not “judicial activism” to assure these foundational principles of our country are protected.
More and more, because of the unending failures and sell out of the big two, people have become discouraged, giving root to Tea Party people, with the largest disaffected group of voters going independent for obvious reasons.
People are looking for politicians who represent their views, which change depending on the issue, though we do expect some things to be inviolable.
Getting back to Florida, this is nothing against Mr. Kendrick Meek, the Democrat running in the Florida race.
And just to make it even more interesting, there is also a billionaire named Greene, who had Mike Tyson as a best man, and Heidi Fleiss as a guest at his home, who has also jumped in. Greene reportedly has Joe Trippi and Doug Shoen by his side. I couldn’t get through the first minute of his YouTube announcement, though maybe you can.
We simply need to shake up the big two political machines, which are ill serving we the people. I think independent challenges from former establishment politicians are the only way, no matter how long it will take, and Charlie Crist just may be the guy to provide the model to get it done.
I’d say I’m looking forward to a liberal going that route, but there is currently no evidence a politician of such courage and independent thinking even exists to break away from the conservative Democratic engine that is sucking the energy out of the progressive movement.
and perhaps an opening for “Independents.”
That’s the bottom line of the entire essay, djjl.
Absolutely.
I’m finding this moment in political history very interesting.
It is a very interesting moment. A great deal is happening — health care to financial reform to immigration to environmental / petroleum industry. And, of course, Obama’s really very disturbing, though not surprising, words about “judicial activists,” and his continued dismissal / demeaning of the liberals of the “’60s and ’70s” — all add to the legacy / corporate parties reality.
The necessity of indendents, of parties / movements other than the Entrenched Two, becomes more and more clear. You’re probably right, Taylor, that it will take someone leaving the Reps or the Dems, though I hope that changes. It doesn’t seem possible either party can be “shaken up” from within. But if enough step into the Independent status …
When I read that NYT piece in which you reference Mr. Obama’s “chilling statement,” I was dumbfounded. Although I was already deeply disheartened by Mr. O’s performance, this really is the last straw.
He is making a dangerous fetish of his desire to be all things to both sides. It will not work.
As you say, the people he attacks, while cowardly not naming those whom we all know he must mean, were some of “the greatest liberal justices in our history.”
This is too low. I cannot abide it. It feels like betrayal.
Yes, I too hope Charlie Crist does well.
Charlie Crist is an independent solely because he has been repudiated by his own party. If he was 20 points up on Marc rubio right now, he’d be spouting the same bullshit all the rest of them do. He is an independent solely out of the necessity of trying to revive his political career.
The gist of your essay seems to be that neither party works for people anymore, I agree. Apparently tea party sympathizers in Florida agree with you as well which is why they are dumping Charlie Crist.
There simply isn’t room in the FL primary for a moderate, because the base drives it, with the GOP base so far right they’re off the flippin’ cliff.
It’s part of the general discontent w establishment. However, with Crist he never had a big part of the GOP base so it’s an easier walk out.
““It used to be that the notion of an activist judge was somebody who ignored the will of Congress, ignored democratic processes, and tried to impose judicial solutions on problems instead of letting the process work itself through politically,” Mr. Obama said.”
“And in the ’60s and ’70s, the feeling was — is that liberals were guilty of that kind of approach. What you’re now seeing, I think, is a conservative jurisprudence that oftentimes makes the same error.”
He added, “The concept of judicial restraint cuts both ways.”
________
Not commenting on anyone else’s voting strategy in 2008 when I say the following–the above is a prime example of why I couldn’t hold my nose to vote for him. Obama’s false equivalencies pervert the liberal brand, turning it into something that has no shape or form and is hard to recognize. If he has such a problem with the activism of the 60s and 70s (not just the courts, but in general as he’s alluded to before), let him once and for all come forward and give Another Big Speech where he explains specifically what part of extending rights to more people he has a problem with. If he qualified these types of statements with the particulars that he finds problematic, that would be one thing, but making broad strokes about the liberal legacy the way he does and further equating it with conservative overreach just leaves a very bad aftertaste.
me too, Wonk, me too
You say it so well: “Obama’s false equivalencies pervert the liberal brand, turning it into something that has no shape or form and is hard to recognize.”
“leaves very bad aftertaste” I feel I need what Taylor aptly termed a “political palate cleanser”
Obama’s comments /attitude about the activism of the 60s and 70s was one of the reasons I would not vote for him. It was one of multiple pieces. I think / hope that if he did give Another Big Speech, more people would listen critically. But I’ll admit, I really don’t want to hear Another Big Speech
.
I got a lot of emails like yours, WtV, even if their reasons were different.
It was easy for me to vote for Obama-Biden in 2008 and I don’t regret it at all.
That said, I’m not surprised about any statement or lack of vision of Obama domestically. I did way too much digging not to know where we would head. His comments during the election scoffing at the “culture war” he found so silly. As some friends emailed me, talking about the fight for serious rights seems almost quaint for Obama.
I held my nose in ’84 and ’88, so I know what you’re saying.
In this very cynical period, it is hard to believe that a career politician; no matter what party, will become an Independent for purely altruistic reasons. If a group of politicians (10+), en masse became Independent that might be more believable. But, Crist, Bloomberg, or whoever, they become Independent for their own self-interest, first and foremost.
Well, he pissed off the Bushes…that’s always a good thing! Crist impresses me as a moderate repub. He has gone against his party and for the people when he accepted and talked about the need for an economic stimulus.Don’t forget the famous photo hugging Obama which gave Rubio his opening. He also just recently vetoed an educational bill meant to break the FL teacher’s union.People say that was for political expediency but maybe it came from knowledge, he was FL educational commissioner at one time.
If he gets to congress maybe he and Brown and Saunders can work on some things together.The party still has him by the throat because he has to decide who to caucus with in order to get any committee assignments.
As for Obama’s recent comments on the court it does not surprise me but it saddens me a great deal.
This senate race in Florida is getting very interesting. I do like that the candidates are diverse. It reflects the country. I have to say I like what Charlie Crist has done. I just turned independent myself and so have many others and its nice that there are more like Crist in this country that will follow. I know that is going to be a tough race !! Marco Rubio might actually cut into the hispanic vote from the democrats. He might actually add some diversity to the republican party which is needed. I don’t agree with his views, but I think this race between the three candidates is going to be close, which all elections should be !! It gives energy and lets people decide options which is always good.
In an off year election, which is being driven by the extreme right, pushing moderate Crist out, what else is he to do?
In the end the voters still get to choose, but now they’ll have 3 candidates. So, even if it’s self- preservation the people still win.
WJC is reportedly helping Meek. We’ll see if the Greene’s money, with Trippi and Schoen can best him.
Dems are fortunate Crist is anti women’s rights, or they’d be in even bigger trouble.
wjc has been fundraising and campaigning with meek for months. meek posts about it on dkos. dean is slated to stump with him too its been announced.
the billionaire dude will have to answer to dems about his yrs of gop primary votes and donations.as well as his work doing trading activities.
the gop is really frightening- ive never been more concerned than now about the gop than now. folks like crist, specter etc have no future in this fright fest of a party. they are moderate republicans at best. headlines about crist being pushed out are no good for the gop. and the behavior of many repubs about immi reform is abhorrent. some of it pure racism. like that hunter guy running for congress calling for microchipping mexican ilegals. how long can the right call upon violence and not terrible things happen god forbid? words matter. scary times.
ive been watching the docu eyes on the prize, the allaimed film on the civil rts movement. what happened to that spirit of the fighters? these folks had real courage to stand up and fight. mlk fought. rfk jr became a tenacious fighter for the poor. lbj twisted every damned arm to get equal rts laws passed. jfk battling on the phones with southern governors esp in ms. why has our country lost this fighter spirit?
our grandparents were of the great geenration and truly believe most of that generation were great. they had courage. had a leader in fdr and truman.
the founders felt if america was uneducated it could not fend off the forces ravaging europe. education would fend off the worst. but most int hsi country i feel are not edcuated well enough. esp on govt. so maybe its lost for america. with most not getting a proper education in civics, a culture centered on money and looks and what u can buy, and thus no one willing to jump into the streets and fight and lead i think more and more its over. wow that was cynical.
i read in wapo that recent polling showed how badly uneducated americans have become. 83pct in a wide ranging poll did NOT know basic facts about the founders. didnt know what lexington was. 98pct in the smae poll knew who snoop dog was. now how can a major nation survive as such with such poor knowledge that they cannot act as checks against the pols when they abuse or fail their duties given by the constitution?
The depth of both your comments is appreciated, t4h.
I think what’s happening right now in politics, the anger (see Arizona law), is the fundamental frustration that the US is out of control and no one seems to know how to right this great nation. It’s a gut sense.
The economics of the US’s challenges makes things even harder.
For the first time in over 50 years our superpower status is in question.
American identity is at a crossroads. It’s a real issue for politicians to solvea, with the current crop clearly not up to it.
yep. I will tell u taylor and group i have friends ive lost- many. why? some are acting in nutty ways that i never knew they could do! like saying “obama only cares about blacks and doesnt want whites to work.” or “well we won the mexican american war but the mexicans won today. look how many there are taking over OUR country.” i have relatives angry at the unemplyed and furious that unemployment benefits are being given to them. mad at people who get medicaid or food stamps- oh u know people like me!
then there is the other side- my african american friends have gotten really angry at my criticisms of obama. i can understand their emotions about obama and perhaps i need to be more cautious and not underestimate the powerful symbol to aas this president it.
Final example of a nation “out of control.” I got an email from a friend who is intellegent and a die hard democrat. the email he sends me reads ” BARAK HUSSEIN OBAMA is stealing my social security and giving it away so people can sit on their ass and get welfare. I just know HUSSEIN OBAMA is bleeding America for his Muslim saudi friends…”
ACK! its to the point im afraid to talk anything poltical with anyone anymore. people u think u know are suddenly becoming strangers to me.
I had not seen Obama’s remarks about judicial activism before.
And I felt that tingle or whatever Chris Matthews felt, in my bad right leg. Not a pleasant sensation.
Repeated “tingles” telling me I was right in my primary assessment of the president are getting tiresome, in fact. “I told you so” can bring little satisfaction when so much is riding on his performance.
All this wishfull thinking that somehow the “INDEPENDENTS” are going to form a party and SAVE the republic are so tiresome. Independents are just the fringe of BOTH parties. So you have “independent” teabaggers and independent leftists. Both upset because the two parties aren’t EXTREME enough for them. THEY’RE GOING TO JOIN TOGETHER and back a single candidate?! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
That’s utter nonsense, secularh. Seriously, it’s a rant unworthy of your best screeds.
To name just one, my brother has been an independent for YEARS. He’s none of what you ascribe to independents.
It’s a preposterous notion to equate all independents with Tea Party people and, to name one, the unhinged puma fringe on the left.
You are simply incorrect.
How do you suppose these “corporations, banks and special interests” get to “own the two political parties?” Probably by holding outrageously ostentatious events of conspicuous consumption attended by unsuspecting and naive future leaders of the world. Peace
heh-heh… Yeah, a young woman from Ghana or Rwanda is going to become a US citizen and hijack one of the big two parties all because she had a salad of goat cheese one night in Washington, DC.
Oh Lord, hilarious. You are so clueless, but I so appreciate your commitment to reducing wonderful acts of kindness to Rush-like sci-fi scenarios.
Seriously, you should really back off the alcohol this early in the morning. You sound like the village idiot.
So now you’ve taken to insulting those who disagree with you? How intellectual of you. I never said anything about anybody becoming an American citizen and hijacking anything. What you see as “wonderful acts of kindness” some of us see in a quite different light. IMHO, the money spent on this event could have been used in a less corrupt and more meaningful way. Do you know how much money was spent putting this shindig on? I’ll also venture a guess and say that thousands of folks, many of them children, right here in the good old US of A, didn’t get to taste a salad of goat cheese that night, but went to bed hungry instead. Peace
Again, you make me laugh. Your miserly outlook at what events like this mean lost on your smallness of heart and lack of graciousness.
It was a wonderful event celebrating young women from around the world, with every cent well spent. Particularly since many of the mentors who dined with their mentees are footing the bill for these young woman for a month of learning and apprenticeship with dedicated women “paying it forward.”
You simply don’t understand the larger impact from what was given and received this night, but also the importance of this program. It was glorious.
I feel sorry for you, Imhotep. Your outlook is very, very sad.
As the great modern day philosopher Dr. Wayne Dyer has said, to paraphrase, because there is a war on somewhere doesn’t mean we can’t all take a moment to enjoy the great gifts life offers and the wondrous beauty that is living.
Your apologies for this outrageously ostentatious display of conspicuous consumption makes me sad. Next time take all of these future movers and shakers to the nearest soup kitchen and let them pass out meals to the poor. Peace
Very odd isn’t it that some one who says he wants world peace does not see such things as a positive way to get there?
I’m not only proud of the evening, but will enjoy participating in other events of this nature when my schedule permits.
There is no guilt in enjoying life, because someone is less fortunate. You can serve the poor, then have a glass of champagne, without feeling guilty for celebrating your life.
Expand your mind, Imhotep. Life is meant to be joyful and happy! No apologies required for living it well.
I think you are doing a good job and I hope you keep it up.
I agree with Pilgrim.