So like a fool

So like a fool I am over at Matt's place again trying to impart minimal wisdom to the leftys. I cant't tell whose resistance is futile theirs or mine.

Any way here is my advice [edited and ammended] to a lefty who thinks that Christian fundamentalists are taking over America and witch burnings can't be far behind:

If you would see your opposition as people with the same ideals as you but with a different set of methods to achieve them you would go a lot farther towards convincing people to change their minds.

On the left there are the hard core communists, immune to reason, on the right you have the hard core religious fanatics, immune to reason.

Assume the rest are more or less open to reason. Such a view gives you a lot more elbow room to manuver.

The left does not have a goals problem with respect to its target population. I think we all (the 70%) agree on:

Peace and Prosperity for All People of the Earth

The differences come in how we believe that best can be achieved.

The people voted for:

War With Despots
A Growing Capitalist Economy

You got a better idea? Develop it and then sell it. In fact I must say that I thought the Democrats got out their message well. I think you have to accept that it was the message that was narrowly rejected.

So what is your answer to despotism?

What is the best way to see every one has a piece of the pie?

BTW 50% of the bottom 20% in America own their own homes. Socialism is going to be a hard sell in such an environment.

50% of Americans now own stocks.

You are going to have to tailor your message to the actual environment. The have nots are a shrinking demographic in America.

What can the Democrats do to add to actual American wealth?

Would it be a good idea or a bad idea to attract rich people to America?

Any way forget about all this religion crazyness. It doesn't help you at all. To go down that road is an admission of utter total and irrevocable defeat because you cannot compete. No way. It is not your style. It would be inauthentic. You know like......

We need a thoughtful hedonist party in America as much as we need a thoughtful religious party. Other wise it would not be my America.

That still leaves a lot of room in the middle. The Hollywood guys didn't do you in. At least not directly. It was their message. War is bad. OK. Yeah. War is very bad. Lots of innocents get killed. It hurts to see it. But please, please, please, tell me what is the alternative to despotism? Didn't taking down despots used to be a liberal value? It was when I was a youth, but perhaps my Democrat parents mislead me on the foundations of liberalism.

What are you going to do about despots?

What are you going to do to see that every American has a capital nest egg?

Let me know when you have some ideas because those two ideas are front and center for the next 4 years.