Where is a Progressive to Turn?

Let us turn to our "Washingtonian's Manual for Progressive Activism" and examine the chapter on "Identifying the Progressive in the Congress". You know, the one with Jim McDermott's picture at the top of the page. Why is Jim's picture the only one there? Well, in fact Jim McDermott is the only member of the Washington delegation who openly aligns himself with the House Progressive Caucus and has a consistent voting record to match. What about the rest of the crew? How about Patty Murray and Jay Inslee? To find these folks, you need to turn to the chapter called, "Selectively Progressive."

In this chapter we get into the point system where our affections are won or lost depending on a particular vote on a particular issue or just on overall perception. Patty and Jay fall into the latter category perfectly. Because they have advanced a 99% Progressive agenda on such issues as the invasion and occupation of Iraq, Choice, and the environment they get a "pass" when they stray occasionally to vote to confirm Condileeza Rice or vote in favor of so-called Emergency Supplemental Funding requests even though they personally acknowledge, "It is greatly troubling that these funds continued to be requested off-budget so as to hide the true cost of the war and further mask the deficit from the American public, as they were clearly expected funding needs." (Jay Inslee, April 5, 2005)

Further into this chapter we get to the "Can't Shoot (or vote) Straight Gang." In this group we find Maria Cantwell and Rick Larsen. Both of these folks got early praise for their strong stances on Choice and the Environment. Of course, both of these folks made their entries into their current jobs by running to replace two of our state's most conservative legislators in Slade Gorton and Jack Metcalf. Once in office, however, Cantwell and Larsen starting having trouble with being too closely identified with the Progressives in their party. In Maria's case, she appears to be a majority voter. That is, if the clear majority of the Democratic Caucus is voting one way, you will probably find her there. Where she really got off track was with her vote in favor of the Use of Force in Iraq resolution and subsequent supplemental funding requests. Even though she has stood with the Democrats to filibuster radical judicial nominees, she is not forgiven for her votes to confirm Condi Rice or in favor of the Patriot Act (see Patty Murray above) or her vote to move class action lawsuits into federal courts.

In Rep. Larsen's case the tide is just beginning to turn. His vote against the Use of Force Resolution and his sponsorship of the Wild Skies Wilderness legislation set him in high esteem with local Progressives. However his recent votes to permanently repeal the Estate Tax, to pass the so-called Bankruptcy Reform Bill, and to support $82 Billion in off budget funding for Iraq (See Jay Inslee, above) have him in the Progressive Doghouse.

So where are the Progressives to turn? How do we find more McDermotts, Inslees or Murrays? We turn inward. We become the change. We recruit and train from within our own ranks. However, more importantly, we educate and communicate with our neighbors and voting districts. We help other voters to understand why a Progressive agenda is in their better interests. We expand the base. We should run candidates in the primaries who can run effective challenges to the incumbents and be sure that our message is heard. What we do NOT do is quit! While it is critical that we make our disappointments known to legislators with whom we have issues, we must not "let the perfect become the enemy of the good." To be Progressive means to move forward, not become a roadblock to progress. This country has shifted to the right over the past 20 years. We will not shift it back in one election cycle and we certainly will not shift it at all if we quit trying.

Chad (The Left) Shue
Wait, is that a yellow brick road I see?