Slamming the Overton Window On Your Own Head by John Cole In another thread, someone asked <http://www.balloon-juice.com/?p=32767&cpage=3#comment-1537529> : Yeah, this blog is starting to rub me the wrong way a little with its knee-jerk anti-activist stink. Are you thinking of switching again, John? No. Not at all. I'm not anti-activist, but I'm against doing self-defeating things, and what I see lately is a lot of magical thinking and self-defeating tactics at work. In fact, a couple months ago, when we were all working towards a worthwhile goal, I was linking to, quoting, and high-fiving the same activists I am now looking at like they are a freak show.
I understand a lot of what is going on predates my entrance into the Democratic party- progressives and gay right activists have a long history of being shat on by the DLC crowd, Clinton took them for a ride, and now they think Rahm an Obama are doing the same thing. Republicans didn't pass DOMA, DADT, welfare reform, etc., after all. So I understand it to some extent. At the same time, let me tell you a story about what I see: I'm walking down the street with my Obama/Biden button on, when up ahead of me on the right, I see a large protest. They are carrying signs, and yelling and ranting about Obama. "Kill the bill! Obamacare sucks!" "That's not change you can believe in!" "Obama's Adopting Bush's Terror policies! But He's Still Weak on Terror!" "No taxes on healthcare!" "Just words." I pay no attention to them, then look to the left, and see a progressive counter-protest. They are all amped up, too, and they are yelling their own slogans: "Kill the bill! No to Obama's Insurance Sell Out!" "That's not the change I voted for!" "Obama's just like Bush on National Security/Gitmo!" "No taxes on healthcare!" "Just words!" I recognize a lot of people in the crowd, so I walk up to them and ask them what the hell they are doing. They look back at me and tell me, "Oh. We're just moving the Overton Window to the left." Now do you understand why I am wondering what the hell people are thinking? I don't understand the logic of adopting the same frames as the right. I don't understand the idea of killing HCR because there will be something better down the road. I don't understand why everything has to be done immediately, the way the loudest want it done, or Obama is a sell out. Maybe I am just an authoritarian at heart, and I know I am much more comfortable supporting a movement than I am attempting to lead one, but it just seems like the Democrats worst enemy right now is other Democrats. http://www.balloon-juice.com/?p=32772
