Miller: "What Do We Do?"

In response to comments about a recent post on this blog, Michael Miller of PDP wrote:

I don't WANT to vote for Kerry. Nor will I argue that anyone should vote for Kerry. My whole point was that as I see it today, I will end up feeling like I have no choice but to vote for Kerry come November. In the meantime, I'm supporting Kucinich, sending him money, and working hard to get the progressive view (as in reality) pushed into the mainstream. At this point, I don't know what more to do except keep peddling uphill as hard as I can go... I too wish Dean and Edwards had stuck it out. I would have liked every one of them to still be on their soapboxes, duking it out on the issues. Sharpton, Kucinich, Dean, Gephardt, Edwards, Clark, Braun were all in there raising the points that needed to be raised over and over again. Who'd I miss? And no, I didn't miss Joe. I left him out on purpose. It almost looked like America for a while there. SO what do we do?

I honestly don't know what I can do to make a difference. I value my family too much to engage in non-violent protest against our current dictatorial administration and run the risk of imprisonment (does that make me a coward?). I attended peace marches in San Francisco and Los Angeles. I blog to air my opinions and reference those of others who seem to make sense to help perpetuate the Progressive platform. I send $ to Kucinich, Move-On and other progressive causes. I engage in non-confrontational political discussions with friends, family and coworkers.

I seem to be doing what hundreds of thousands of other Americans are also spending a significant amount of their personal time doing.

Are we making a difference? I hope so, but I have yet to see a major effect. Sure, there have been some otherwise unwinnable congressional seats secured due maybe to fundraising by several of the most popular liberal blogs. MoveOn has done more than any other single entity, including the Democratic Party, to mobilize liberals and educate the public about the failings of the Bush Administration. Will it all make the necessary difference? Bush and his group are responsible for more immoral, unethical and illegal acts than any federalist government in recent memory (and possibly all of history), and yet he is in a virtual dead-heat with his opponent in the upcoming election. How can this be?

The entire neoconservative religious Right is concerned about only one thing: doing whatever it takes to get into "Heaven", at any expense. These expenses include the rights of individuals, the inherent value of life for all non-neocons, and emotional and financial compassion for those unfortunate enough to be unable to care for themselves.

I know it's a broad stroke to paint, and when each policy and act of the Right is examined on it's own merit, a case could be made to justify it's moral validity. When you combine all of it, all the beliefs, acts, policies and laws of the Right, you form the most atrocious political/religious segment of society imaginable.

When you occasionally smack your spouse playfully on the behind and talk dirty, it enhances the relationship and tightens the loving bond. If you were to do it incessantly without acknowledging the spouse's pleas to stop, then you've crossed the line into evil. The Clinton Administration gently smacked our butts, encouraging us to move our civilization forward; the Bush Administration is shamelessly smacking us senseless and is on the verge of killing us all.