It's hard to tell who's more despairing for our political party, me or Bob Ellis. I see a South Dakota Democratic Party unable to win on policy and competence and reduced to loyal opposition and radical witness. Bob Ellis sees his Republican Party impotent against my party's all-out "assaults on the American way of life."
But here's the key difference between Ellis and me... and the main reason the ascent of Ellis and his ilk is the best hope for strengthening the Democratic Party:
We also clean up the Republican Party. Starting a third party is still a loser’s proposition unless things radically change in the near future. Our best hope is to get rid of all the pretenders and fake Republicans who are infesting our party with their corrosive liberalism. To do that, we’re going to have to be busy about that education effort–not just about American principles and history in general, but educating the public about the liberal record of the RINOs infesting our party [Bob Ellis, "The American Decline," Right Side, November 12, 2012].
There it is: the purge mentality. Like Stalin, Ellis sees enemies everywhere, even among his allies. He wants to cleanse his party of the infestation. He wants a party that only has room for "real" Republicans, "real" Americans.
Meanwhile, we Democrats recognize that the real Americans include every American. We know you can't get the unum without the pluribus. Ellis kicks people out; we Democrats invite people in.
Therein lies the road to victory. My fellow Dems, let us continue to embrace folks who don't look like us, who don't agree with us on every point, but who share the dream of a beautiful America with strength built on diversity. Let us offer home and hope to all whom Bob Ellis and his Leave It to Beaver fantasists would exclude from the American dream.
As a longtime promoter of change in the Episcopal Church, the term "radical witness" reminds me how far TEC has come.
"Radical witnesses" matter, even when it seems they are not heard. The main weapon of those that are against positive change is to turn away and pretend not to hear. Problem with that strategy is that there are often those with ears to hear, and they can move forward while your head is firmly stuck in the sand.
Bob Ellis's dangerous mentality sounds alot like the political perspectives of Stalin and all dictators: "purge the masses of those people who don't think like us." That is very scary. It is this very mindset that is literally helping to push people out of South Dakota and the negative impact is that the state is becomming more and more politically isolated from the rest of the country. In time, South Dakota will not only become more isolated, but, politically weaker...unless, the anti-diversity crowd eventually fizzles out. It's like I said before, 2014 is a huge opportunity for Democrats to comeback in big ways and even win the governorship. However, the clock for that election is already ticking away and the Democrats do not have the luxury of time to wait. Cory is correct, keep embracing those who disagree and find where you can agree with them. Once you find that agreement, then work on those common core issues. In time, Mr. Ellis's crowd will either adapt and come to work with others or South Dakota will eventually move on with or without them.
I don't think Ellis has had any real credibility in SD political circles for quite some time. Even his own Tea Party group kicked him out.
His brand of politics occupies a very narrow margin at the extreme right margin of SD's far right margin.
His only saving grace is that, like Sibby, people like making fun of how nuts he goes sometimes.
As Nick Nemec famously noted once on Mt. Blogmore, something in the kid in us enjoys poking an angry sow through the fence with a sharpened stick just to listen to the squeals.
Jack up the price on your property and put it on the market, Bill.
Can't do it, Larry. I like where I live. Black Hills wood rat syndrome.
Secession movement would improve US students' test scores.
Secessionists welcome in Nunavit:
http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/12726-attention-conservatives-canada-has-a-home-for-you
Three comments:
1) I am a Republican. Nobody can purge me. I can only "self-deport." I will not do so even though this "group" considers me a RINO which is goofy in and of itself. And, when you look at both national and state trends, the opposite is occurring.
2) Considering the fringe in the party can't even find it within themselves to castigage Ford's goofy (I'm trying to be charitable) ramblings, they have no relevance. And, it takes relevance to "educate."
3) Bill/Nick's poking a pig analogy loses its luster after a bit. Most Republicans are moving on. Like all noises in our life, it ultimately ceases to be noticed.
Bob Ellis is a journalist like Hitler was a humanitarian.