By Tim Carpenter, PDA National Director

Well, our good friend and National Board Member Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey made it official Monday–she’s stepping down from Congress, after almost two decades of cutting-edge activism on behalf of peace and humanity. She will be missed, because she never wavered in the fight for a more fair and peaceful nation.

Representative Woolsey founded the Out of Iraq Caucus with Rep. Barbara Lee and Rep. Maxine Waters. She served as Co-Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. No member of Congress has done more to help build PDA from day one and grow the progressive movement.

Congresswoman Woolsey served on the PDA Advisory Board for years. She did events with us, both in California and outside of it. Lynn Woolsey even donated her own money to us, invoking the Woolsey “shoe theory” of higher finance–making the case that everyone should donate to PDA at least as much as they paid for the pair of shoes they were wearing!

Become a PDA Change Makes Change sustaining partner!

We will miss our friend, and her staff members, past and present, Nora Matus, Jennifer Goedke, and Wendy Friefeld, who served with generosity and humility. That’s the sad news. The good news is, another good friend of PDA’s, Norman Solomon, is stepping up to run for her now-open seat, in a Northern California district which can be won by a genuine progressive candidate.

Norman Solomon is a personal friend to many of us in PDA. He is an author, anti-nuclear activist, and an antiwar grassroots organizer for his entire life. With Donna Smith, Norman serves as Co-Chair of our “Healthcare NOT Warfare” campaign, and he has done numerous events for PDA through the years. In addition, PDA members from Norman’s district are playing key roles in his campaign, which has already demonstrated its seriousness by raising more than $100,000 before he has to file his first financial report after June 30th.

If you would like to help PDA elect someone who defines what a “better Democrat” truly is, someone who will carry on in the peace and justice spirit that Lynn Woolsey embodied, please give to our “Change Makes Change” program now.

Become a PDA Change Makes Change sustaining partner!

With your help, we can give Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey the best goodbye present possible: A replacement who carries out his duties with the same high standards for peace and justice that she always demonstrated.

Goodbye, Rep. Woolsey, we love you–thanks for everything!

Hello, Norman Solomon–he’s the real deal!

Teamwork!

Wishing you a great July 4th weekend!

By Randy Parraz, Citizens for a Better Arizona Cofounder and Campaign Director

When Citizens for a Better Arizona set out to recall Senate President Russell Pearce on January 31, 2011, very few organizations cared to get involved. Most viewed our efforts as a symbolic gesture with no real chance of success—EXCEPT PDA. From the very beginning, PDA embraced this historic campaign and engaged its members about why this was the right fight at the right time.

From supporting efforts to end healthcare for poor people, to eliminating funding for patients in need of an organ transplant, to giving a half billion dollar tax cut to corporations while cutting a half billion dollars from education, to refusing to approve the extension of unemployment benefits to some 15,000 Arizonans—Senate President Pearce has demonstrated that he is too extreme for Mesa and too extreme for Arizona.

After 120 days of knocking on doors, talking to voters, collecting signatures and mobilizing hundreds of volunteers to take on the work of recalling the most powerful politician in Arizona, we surpassed the number of valid signatures needed to recall Senate President Russell Pearce.

Our work is far from over. We need to sign up 5,000 voters to be permanent early voters. We need to turn out over 10,000 voters and recall petition signers for the recall election. We need to raise $10,000 over the next 30 days to fund our effort. We need to continue educating and mobilizing voters in LD 18 about Pearce’s record of extreme politics. And we need to win.

Please visit our website to get involved: Citizens for a Better Arizona. Recall the lemon and get a button: Donate here!

When we took on this campaign we knew that never before in the history of the United States of America had a Senate President of any legislature been recalled. And, we also knew that there was no elected official in the country more deserving of being recalled than Senate President Russell Pearce.

Democrats and Republicans, independents and others, Mormons and Catholics, conservatives, moderates and liberals, have fueled our efforts with an enduring commitment to improving the lives of all Arizonans.

Thanks PDA, for standing with us.

By PDA National Director Tim Carpenter

With the July 4th holiday upon us, Congress is hoping we won’t be able to muster our troops against the pending Defense Appropriations bill which is coming up for a vote early next week. Let’s prove them wrong.

Please take the action below from our allies at Foreign Policy in Focus. Please add to the message:  If the Lee amendment should fail, you should oppose the entire bill.

On Tuesday, we’ll deliver a letter to the Congressional Progressive Caucus that expresses our support for the People’s Budget, points out that the Defense Appropriations bill is in direct odds with the People’s Budget, and asks the members of the CPC to support an amendment that strikes all funding for continuing the Afghanistan War. To underscore the message you sent–and the letter–please plan to call your rep first thing Tuesday morning.

Find contact info here. Please pass this along.

Other than this very important action, I hope you have a great holiday and find some time to unwind!

Tell Your Senators: We All Deserve Full Equality!

Help Ratify the Equal Rights Amendment by 2015!

Please join our call for equality! PDA members will be lobbying with our sister United for Equality coalition members in the Senate Wednesday and Thursday this week. We need your support! Your calls will help raise awareness for our visits. Click here for background information, a call-in script, and tips for a successful call.

PDA stood up for equality with several other organizations

National Director Tim Carpenter said, “We strongly endorse Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin’s Resolution [HJ Res 47] to ‘remove the deadline for ratification and clarify that upon ratification by three additional states, the Equal Rights Amendment will be added to the United States Constitution.’”

PDA National Board Member Rep. Woolsey said: “It is with great pride that I stand with this bipartisan group in support of the long-overdue Equal Rights Amendment….. Here’s the text of the proposed Equal Rights Amendment, ‘Section 1: Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.’ Replace the word ‘sex’ with ‘race’, and there would not be a single dissenting vote in the entire United States Congress.”

Please call during working hours Monday through Wednesday. Use our PDA action alert.

Progressive Democrats of America was founded in 2004 to transform the Democratic Party and our country. We seek to build a party and government controlled by citizens, not corporate elites-with policies that serve the broad public interest, not just private interests. As a grassroots PAC operating inside the Democratic Party, and outside in movements for peace and justice, PDA played a key role in the stunning electoral victories of November 2006 and 2008. Our inside/outside strategy is guided by the belief that a lasting majority will require a revitalized Democratic Party built on firm progressive principles.

For over two decades, the party declined as its leadership listened more to the voices of corporations than those of Americans. PDA strives to rebuild the Democratic Party from the bottom up-from every congressional district to statewide party structures to the corridors of power in Washington, where we work arm in arm with the Congressional Progressive Caucus. In just five years, PDA and its allies have shaken up the political status quo-on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, Medicare for all, voter rights, accountability, and economic and environmental justice.

PDA Priorities

PDA Issue Organizing Teams (IOTs) are virtual chapters of self-selected PDA members. Each IOT considers and creates PDA issue positions, and develops action strategies for raising awareness and impacting policy.

Learn more about each IOT:

End War and Occupations, Redirect Funding

• Israel/Palestine Action Group

Healthcare for All/Single-payer

Economic and Social Justice

• Democracy Restoration Action Action Group

Clean, Fair, Transparent Elections

Stop Global Warming/Environmental Issues

Accountability and Justice

PDA won overwhelming passage for all four amendments which are now part of the “Action Agenda” that will serve as the “blueprint for success” heading into the 2012 elections. Tim Carpenter declared, “These resolutions point the way to restoring democracy and balance to Massachusetts and America and reversing the rapid erosion of our quality of life.” These efforts entailed careful drafting of the four resolutions, energetic coalition-building and mobilization to secure the needed signatures, designing and printing leaflets to gain support of convention delegates, and then a mad dash to win the majority of votes. On second thought, PDA’s effort was more like a frenetic inside-the-park home run than a majestic “Big Papi” blast.

Running to First: the “People’s Budget”

PDA led off by mobilizing Massachusetts Democrats to endorse the People’s Budget, authored by Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Raul Grijalva and Rep. Keith Ellison. This resolution put Mass Dems on record accounting for the costs of war, stating: “Congress has appropriated over one-trillion dollars for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001, $33 billion from the taxpayers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.” The resolution identified costs to the “education services, medical care, housing, other essential public services, infrastructure repairs, and family and private sector financing throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts [which] have been substantially reduced [and] diverted from the constructive economy to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Noting that “in 2005 the Massachusetts Democratic Party voted to oppose the continuing occupation of Iraq, and a resolution to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan has been proposed … at the 2011 Massachusetts Democratic Convention,” the resolution asserted that “the People’s Budget of the Congressional Progressive Caucus calls for ‘ending overseas contingency operations emergency supplementals starting in Fiscal Year 2013 (while) providing $170 billion in FY2012 to fund redeployment’, cutting the US military budget, and ending tax subsidies for the very rich and large corporations as a means of funding ‘job creation, education, clean energy and broadband infrastructure, housing, and research and development’.”

PDA’s efforts gained convention support for a resolution insisting “that the Massachusetts Democratic Party Action Agenda, which will serve as our blueprint for success as we head into the 2012 elections, shall include a commitment to the enactment of the People’s Budget.” Pleased with this result, Carpenter said, “The People’s Budget eliminates the major sources of fiscal irresponsibility and closes the budget deficit, producing a budget surplus by 2021. In addition, passage of the resolution provides a focus for the Action Agenda to fulfill core values of Massachusetts Democrats: peace, economic justice and fiscal responsibility.” PDA remains a national leader advocating for the People’s budget as the only sensible approach to fiscal policy which would balance the budget while protecting essential priorities, expand the economy, and create good jobs for Americans.

Rounding Second: “People’s Rights Resolution”

Continuing their efforts championing people’s rights against powerful special interests, PDA pushed convention delegates to approve the “People’s Rights Resolution” which demands Congressional action reversing the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision. That dubious Supreme Court ruling allows unlimited corporate spending to “buy” elections. As part of PDA’s new campaign to check corporate power, activists put the MA Democratic Party on record condemning the Citizens United decision as “a serious and direct threat to our republican democracy.” The  convention resolved that, “the Action Agenda … shall include a recommitment to call upon the United States Congress to pass and send to the states for ratification a constitutional amendment to reverse Citizens United v Federal Election Commission and to restore constitutional rights and fair elections to the people of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the United States.” The MA action supports proposed Constitutional Amendments currently in Congress.

PDA is leading a growing wave on this issue. In May, nine Massachusetts towns–Provincetown, Truro, Wellfleet, Chatham, Brewster, Dennis, Orleans, Great Barrington, and Williamstown–passed resolutions supporting an amendment to reverse Citizens United. Sen. Jamie Eldridge’s S.00772 in the Massachusetts legislature–and similar resolutions in the Vermont, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington legislatures–also support Congressional action to reverse Citizens United. Ratification of such a constitutional amendment would be a first step in reforming the corporate domination of politics responsible for the financial meltdown, the decline of the middle class, the continuing recession, the most expensive–but far from most effective–health care in the world, global warming, and other ills plaguing America.

Corporate contributions to political campaigns overwhelm union contributions by up to 15 to 1, according to the Center for Responsive Politics (www.opensecrets.org). Total spending on federal elections since 1998 exceeded $20 billion! Financial, health insurance, Big Pharma and energy special interests spent more than $23 billion on lobbying during this period. Meanwhile unions spent less than $500 million, also according to the CRP. PDA’s efforts in Mass. and nationally lead the way opposing corpocracy–the rule by corporations. “Unlimited corporate contributions to political campaigns are a dagger pointed at the heart of our democracy,” said Carpenter. “The Citizens United decision will only accelerate the trend we have seen over the past two decades of corporations pouring money into campaigns and lobbyists to secure anti-environmental and anti-worker legislation and huge tax breaks for themselves, even as the middle class is called on to sacrifice Social Security, Medicare and forward-looking jobs and economic development programs for the sake of a ‘fiscal responsibility’ fantasy.”

Touching Third: “Healthcare Resolution”

PDA continued its successful efforts for Healthcare NOT Warfare, leading MA Democrats to pass a “Healthcare Resolution” supporting enhanced Medicare for All. The U.S. spends by far the most per capita on healthcare, but fails to provide care to millions of Americans. Even after the Affordable Care Act takes full effect, millions will remain uninsured and under-insured. People with insurance routinely suffer and even die when denied coverage for necessary medicine and treatment. To address this ongoing tragedy which kills up to 45,000 Americans each year, and bankrupts countless others, PDA worked to put the convention on record acknowledging “health insurance costs are at an all time high” and–despite the implementation of Romney Care–”Massachusetts has the highest rates in the nation.”

PDA led the convention recognizing “the Massachusetts General Court is considering the wrong-headed path of forcing unionized workers to bear the brunt of the excessive insurance costs and has moved to limit the rights of workers to bargain collectively over healthcare” while noting “the Platform of the Massachusetts State Democratic Party supports the establishment of the single payer (enhanced Medicare for all) system in the Commonwealth.” The PDA-led initiative committed Commonwealth Democrats to assert “healthcare should be a human right, not a commodity to be rationed, bought and sold” and resolved that “the Action Agenda … shall include a reaffirmation of our commitment to the passage of single payer (enhanced Medicare for all, H-338, S-501) legislation for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.” Aware of the short-falls and flaws in the Romney/Obama for-profit insurance-based approach, Massachusetts Democrats have long supported a not-for-profit approach: expanded, improved Medicare for All–also known as a “Single Payer” healthcare system.

Tim Carpenter said, “For-profit corporate healthcare spends $billions in overhead–nearly 40 cents of every dollar goes to waste.” He added, “Single-payer systems have overhead as low as two percent, and have been successful here in America (Medicare) and in every other industrial nation.” PDA will join National Nurses United, Healthcare Now! and many others rallying for expanded, improved Medicare for All and other needed reforms Tuesday, June 7th in Washington, D.C.

Crossing Home: the “Clean Energy Resolution”

Not content with three bold progressive initiatives, PDA worked to guarantee a clean, empowered Massachusetts, persuading the convention to adopt a “Clean Energy Resolution” in which Mass Dems warned, “coal-plant pollution causes 38,000 heart attacks, 12,000 hospital admissions and an additional 550,000 asthma attacks nationwide every year” and “nearly 1 out of 10 adults and children in Massachusetts has asthma.” Recognizing these health threats, the convention recognized, “House Bill 2612, the Act to Phase Out Coal-Burning in Massachusetts, sets 2020 as the deadline for either retiring all coal-burning facilities in Massachusetts or repowering them to cleaner energy” and “the bill would establish a Community Repowering Fund to provide resources for the employees and affected communities to help in the transition from coal to clean energy.”

The resolution noted, “if a company chose to repower from coal to natural gas it would be subject to the provisions of the accompanying House Bill 3055, the Act Relative to Hydraulic Fracturing,” and added, “prior to 2005–when the Republican-controlled Congress carved out an exemption–hydraulic fracturing was subject to the provisions of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.” In this resolution, Mass Democrats asserted, “the Act Relative to Hydraulic Fracturing would require companies using natural-gas to generate electricity in Massachusetts to certify that the natural-gas extraction process complied with the pre-2005 federal Safe Drinking Water Act.” This PDA-powered resolution formally committed the Action Agenda to support passage of House Bill 2612 and House Bill 3055.

“The Massachusetts Democratic Party showed its determination to combat global warming and to building a post-carbon economy for Massachusetts,” said Carpenter, “one step forward on the jobs front and another step forward in the struggle against climate change.” PDA’s efforts ensured Mass Democrats will embrace clean 21st century energy policies, and parallels PDA’s national leadership addressing global warming, protecting the environment, and promoting jobs through development of clean, renewable energy sources–rather than dirty, dangerous fossil fuel and nuclear power.

Celebrating Victory: Is this the Start of Something Big?

Thanks to PDA’s efforts, Democrats from the home of Sam, John and Abigail Adams, the Kennedys, and Tip O’Neill reaffirmed their commitment to progressive ideals. Massachusetts Democrats raised the bar for their party, and provided a true “blueprint for success” in their Commonwealth, and nationwide. From the home of the original Tea Party comes a clarion call: Adopt the People’s Budget and reject the “Trickle Down” Ryan Budget. Promote clean energy, phase out coal, and stop “fracking.” Enhance Medicare and extend it to everyone-not kill it as the Republicans are tying to do. Reaffirm the rights of We the People to rule ourselves rather than serve the nearly-omnipotent corporations. Hopefully Democrats across America will take their cue from Massachusetts and PDA, campaign on these sharp distinctions between the Donkey and the Elephant, and win a people’s mandate in the 2012 elections.

Is this “What Progressives Do?”

Just because someone says they are progressive, that doesn’t mean they’re really progressive. The tactics some on left employ betray an elitist, even authoritarian mindset. Refusal to consider what others actually say. Explicitly stating a sense of entitlement and superiority including attacking others with different points of view and ignoring facts which undermine one’s dogma. Arrogating to oneself the authority to rewrite established definitions of terms, and dictating to other people rather than asking them what they think or listening to them. Insistence on a monolithic approach and calling it “dissent” and “democratic.” None of that is progressive. That’s what Pseudo Progressives do.

Coalition building is a long, hard process. It involves finding out what other people want, and not attacking them for not immediately embracing whatever you want. Online coalition building is every bit as difficult as in IRL–perhaps even more so. Flaming people, barging into threads demanding to redefine established terms, and dictating to everyone else is not just rude. It’s anti-social, anti-progressive, and self-defeating. When someone starts demanding unanimity from progressives, that indicates a complete lack of understanding about progressives. Those who do those things are Pseudo Progressives.

Anthony Noel recently posted a blog on FDL accusing me of any number of things I never did. He issued blanket attacks on me, claiming I said a lot of things. Interestingly he did so without bothering to quote me. Why? Because I never said them. This even though he meticulously quoted one post I made in reply to his numerous aggressive and even abusive posts. It started badly with Anthony, and didn’t get much better through dozens and dozens of such posts. This was my introduction to Anthony Noel via his very first comment, posted at the PDA blog, (quoted verbatim and completely–unlike his misquotes and hack jobs against me)

Please don’t take my word for it. Read for yourself:

Mr. Hersh:

If Noam Chomsky knew you were using his words of years ago to try to boost the Democratic Party of today, he might very well sue your a$$. I know, because Chomsky supports the idea of primarying [sic] Obama and supporting an Independent or third-party candidate in 2012.

Trying to head off dissent is the opposite of democracy, sir, and by doing so you are only perpetuating illegal wars and corporate giveaways. Suggesting that the “lesser of two evils” argument is still viable at a time when the evil has already taken over is irresponsible at best, complicit in that evil at worst.

People seeking a real alternative – in other words, real progressives – would do well to visit http://www.newprogs.org. and see what we’re cooking up for Mr. Obama next year.

By Anthony Noel on 2011 06 16

Suggesting lawsuits in response to my accurately quoting someone else. Accusations that posting an opinion–on a blog with open commenting–is “Trying to head off dissent” and “the opposite of democracy.” Attacking a viewpoint as “irresponsible at best, complicit in that evil at worst”–without addressing any of the dozens if not hundred of facts and examples in support. Nice way to say hi. And it only went down-hill from there. Here are some of Anthony Noel’s comments from the same thread:

Are you big enough to get over yourself?

This from someone who refused to read anything on the PDA website, and considered himself too important to honor my requests that he explain what his approach was all about if it didn’t involve supporting spoilers in close elections.

Still afraid of the site, eh, Mike?

In reference to his repeated refusal to explain what he did support, if–as he claimed–he didn’t support spoilers in close races. He kept insisting I read his website, but he refused to even read what I posted in the blog he was supposedly participating in!

More notale [isc] is the fallacy that Al Gore would have been better then GWB. Both are corporatist, elitist stuffed shirts committed first to their parties and second to the people. Not what the constitution declares, just in case you haven’t read it recently, Mike.

I believe people have every right to express their own opinions, but clearly Anthony doesn’t accept that. He declares anything he doesn’t (want to) believe out of bounds. So who really has a penchant for “Trying to head off dissent?” Even given all that, Anthony is welcome to say the huge differences between Al Gore and George W. Bush many people care about don’t matter to him. He cannot say they don’t matter to us. I kept listing all the differences, and Anthony kept refusing to address any of them. After a while, I pointed out that he must not care about things like the environment and global warming, civil rights, LGBT rights, women’s rights especially choice, the US Supreme Court, and on and on. Again, Anthony doesn’t have to care about any of that, but I reject his claims that he can tell us we can’t care about them either.

Anthony refused to address these points. He reacted angrily when I identified the many defects in his grand scheme to remake politics by attacking most progressives, all liberals, and all moderates–people progressives need to support our efforts to reform the system. Rather than engage in anything close to reasoned discussion, Anthony attacked me personally in ways petty and otherwise. He insulted me for asking him to stop making personal attacks, and he claimed all I did was attack him!

Wow, Mike, you sure must like the sound of your own keyboard – and have not very much to do with your days – if both the verbosity and inanity of your responses here are any indication.

This from someone who posted long, repetitive posts on the PDA blog, including as many as three in a row. There’s nothing wrong with posting 3 times in a row, but to do so and then attack someone else for posting is hypocritical and unselfconscious.

This was Anthony’s second “good-bye forever” post:

I’ve got far more pressing matters than talking to a wall. Perhaps you’ll open your mind to what could be, to paraphrase JFK, and ask ‘Why not’?

This was his storm-off post:

Mike, you bring new meaning to the words “pompous ass.”

Does it make you feel good to employ the same diversionary and untrutful [sic] tactics you decry in conservatives? To say something won’t work – after getting the proof that it can, which YOU asked for? Apparently so, because your original post and your comments since would do any cligning [sic]-for-dear-life-to-power corporatist proud.

Enjoy it while you can, its days are numbered. Such tactics didn’t work for Jason Rosenbaum at FDL before he left for a job where he could securely wedge his head up Congressional Democrats’ asses so far that he couldn’t be sure where he stopped and they started, and it won’t work for you, here.

But keep denying the reality outside your door, Mike. It’ll make breaking it down all the easier and more satisfying for the growing crowd that’s gathering outside it.

Goodbye – and good riddance.

By Anthony Noel on 2011 06 20

Even after Anthony declared he was through with the discussion (three times) and left in a huff, he didn’t stay away. He didn’t come to break down my door with his “growing crowd.” He returned, meekly trying to pretend he’d presented nothing but thoughtful, reasonable posts all along. As if he didn’t start out flaming, and quickly devolved into trolling. As if I had nothing better to do than babysit him on the PDA blog all day long.

Then he complained here on FDL when I closed out the thread comments. This even though he left vowing never to return three times. This even though I took pains explaining:

At this point, let’s all admit some of us are not talking about the same things. A few people on this thread are unwilling to agree with the basic premise. As long as those people refuse to accept the terms, this is a waste of time.

At this point, I am closing this thread, and inviting people to learn more about PDA, comment on the other blog posts, and get on with their lives.

By mike.hersh on 2011 06 21

Long story short, Anthony Noel lied to FDL readers. His account of what PDA does is based entirely on active, aggressive and willful ignorance. After refusing to offer a synopsis of what he believed, and repeatedly taunting me to read his website, in an astonishing display of self-indulgence Anthony refused to read anything at the PDA website other than bits of posts in the blog he was supposedly participating. He pointedly ignored all the references, facts, and information I posted in the blog in which I explained what PDA is all about. He was furious I hadn’t immediately dropped everything in my life to study his website, but he was too important to either explain NPA or educate himself about PDA–or even to let me educate him about PDA.

So what can we conclude about anyone who says they plan to attack and undermine progressives, liberals and moderates–and reject the right–but still plans to foment a “a political revolution?” Let’s do the math: About 20% of the electorate identify as liberal, and only a fraction of that consider themselves progressives. Anthony attacks most of that fraction of voters. Look at the polling results for the presidential candidates Anthony says are legitimate. They gain about 1% of the vote. Anthony says he will galvanize that fraction of a faction and prevail. How? Certainly not through any democratic means. Not with 1% vs. 99% and a proclivity for alienating those who agree with his stated views on the issues!

All this adds up to Anthony claiming he and his “growing crowd” of 1% have the authority to impose their singular approach on everyone else. Anthony thinks he knows “The Way” which all the rest of us must follow. Or else! Whether from the left, the right or the center, such attempts to impose the views of a tiny minority on the vast majority is not progressive. Willingness to sacrifice the well-being of the vast majority “for the greater good” (as defined by the select few) is not progressive either. Those are hallmarks of authoritarianism–not progressive in any respect. I don’t see any indication Anthony Noel is a progressive, no matter which policies he (says he) supports. His conduct on the PDA blog and on FDL–especially his artful scrubbing and distorted version of that conduct–indicates he is something very different.

Anthony Noel is hardly a model for ways to appeal to progressives. He did nothing to encourage anyone to support the NPA. His tone and approach were off-putting and haughty–bordering on elitist–and his posts were routinely abusive and packed with inaccuracies great and small. If that’s how the NPA plans to build an alternative movement, count many people out. If not, then NPA should encourage its advocates to avoid alienating allies. Let’s do the math again: 66,882,230 people voted for Obama in 2008. Insulting all or most of those people is a sure way to make no progress on anything. Yet, that’s what Anthony Noel does and it’s what he insists you do. Such arrogance, aggression and authoritarianism may be an exception to the NPA approach. I sure hope so.

Hint for Anthony: You’re starting with 1% and attacking the rest. Your approach isn’t working. I know you feel compelled to threaten people (will lawsuits and crowds breaking down their door–actually or metaphorically), you rely on insults and flaming. Does it occur to you that you’re not winning friends or influencing people? At least not influencing them in any progressive way? I don’t know you. For all I know, in real life you’re a kind and generous person. I don’t know what if any hardships you have in your life. If you’re prone to OCD or bipolarity or anything else. But you’re coming across very, very badly. Try to imagine how you’d feel if someone treated you the way you treat others. Think about that. Try to do better.