Session Topic: Building our own progressive political future

Panelists: Jim Hightower with Jon Elliott and Richard Greene
We were to sit in sections on the basis of who we’re voting for – Clinton, Obama and other. After discussion we can change our seats for the next session.

Mark talks about how the conservatives went back to organize at the grass roots level and came back to win Congress.

Introduces Jon and Richard.

Jim’s talk

He was damn near a lawyer – spent a week in law school once. Trial lawyers steal from the rich and give approx. half to the poor. ;-)

We don’t have to create a progressive movement. It is out there already. Not what you hear from the pundits or the media. Bumper sticker he saw in Austin TX a few years ago “Where are we going and what am I doing in this hand basket?” J People know we’re headed in the wrong direction. Hand basket is more than what Bush and Buckshot have done over the past 7 years. 90% of us have lost income over the past 30 years. (“tinkle down economics”). Issue is not jobs (slaves had jobs, after all – applause!). The issue is WAGES! People are looking to restore the middle class.

77% want US out of Iraq – 66% of military families disapprove of how Bush has handled Iraq.
76% say too much power in the hands of corporations.
69% want more fuel concentration.
68% say labor unions are necessary today.

Oregon story about how people got swing districts to go Dem to change the Oregon Senate back to Dem control (yes!). These were ordinary kids who took some action. Same kind of story with the “Fighting BobFest” in Wisconsin.

People are taking action, not just in polls. The Obama phenomenon. So many people are excited, especially young people. People are shouting louder than ever – we want change!
Progressive values: Equal opportunity, Economic Fairness

Don’t be kneejerk as to who your allies might be. Like evangelicals. Not the liberals, the conservatives. They are now teamed up with Nobel laureates on the issue of global warming. They don’t want to call it environmental, they call it creation issues, but so what?
All this will take time. Won’t win on the first try. Early bird may get the worm, but it’s the second mouse that gets the cheese. (Willie Nelson)


Jon Elliot
There are more progressives than conservatives in this country. Don’t we want peace and prosperity and a living wage? Not left or right issues, these are right and wrong issues.
We have all different groups – labor, gays, women, minorities. We need to bring everyone together. Yea for John Dean with his 50-state strategy. That’s why “What’s the Matter with Kansas?” Kansas turned out thousands and thousands of voters recently.
Labor unions are what keeps the middle class in existence in this country.
He’s for Obama.

Richard
Air America is doing important work because until and unless we have a balanced press we can’t have a democracy.

Very strong for public financing of elections. We have to get people educated to have a truly progressive country.

Motto of LA station: “Progressive – the new mainstream”. That’s great!

Listed poll results that indicate that this is the case. Anti-war, pro-Constitution, they care about civil rights, etc. Lots of people still think something funny happened on 9/11 and we need a new, INDEPENDENT investigation of what happened.

Mark

Polls show people really want the things progressives propose because “laissez” isn’t always “faire”.
Now we can use the internet to reach out to people – cost effective, quicker. Yes!
How to organize. We need issue discipline. Not every group can demand that their issues get addressed at every rally, etc.

Questions
Discussion spanned Nader (who just announced this morning) to 9/11 to public funding of elections, etc. fairness, security… I see someone is videotaping. I hope it isn’t just a personal camera!