More Hope and less Nope -- Moving beyond The Politics of Nope

[Armstead]

Obama, IMO, represents something that transcends himself or this particular primary and general Election.

He gets slammed for his Politics of Hope, and for being optimistic and generating enthusiasm among his supporters.

But I believe Obama represents a backlash against The Politics of Nope.

The Democrats have been guided for too long by the Politics of Nope. It's more often called "realism" or "pragmatism" or "real world politics" or "electability" and other such terms.

But it always seems to boil down to "Nope we can't do that."

That's a kind of politics that assumes we CAN'T do anything positive. "The Republicans will cream us." "We'll be labeled as anti-businesss." "The swing voters will thinks we're too far left." "We'll be branded as too liberal." "We'll look unpatriotic."

It's the politics that have enabled the GOP to steamroll the liberal/progressive agenda for 20 years and longer. It's why the Democrats are always in a defensive posture. It's ultimately why Bush got Congressional support for his war, why the Democrats became conservative "free marketeers," and why GW Bush has gotten away with so much.

It's also why so many average people have given up on politics and public affairs as being irrelevant gamesmanship between remnote insiders with no real impact of daily life.

In this primary it's why enthusiasm for Obama is mislabeled as "cultlike."

Say what you will about Obama's policies. Agree or disagree with him. I disagree with him on many points.

But please don't disregard the opportunity that he does represent to replace The Politics of Nope with a more forward-looking, pro-active and optimistically constructive form of politics that actually engages people in the process, and may actually improve the image and behavior of the Democratic Party and the US as a nation.

Hope is not a dirty word. We need more Hope and less Nope.

[babylonsister]

1. Amen! nt

[Bluebear]

2. Why isn't he inspiring the image & behavior of DU?

This is a serious question. Obama nation is decidedly partisan and often vicious here. Where is all the Hope talk?

[Armstead]

4. The population is very diverse

In any group of people you will find really great folks, mediocre ones and absolute jerks, and all combinations thereof.

That goes for supporters of Obama, Hillary and any other candidate.

[saltpoint]

3. I second babylonsister's 'amen.'

[PurityOfEssence]

5. Great, more rhyming grandiloquence from the pulpit

The ambient "feel" of this campaign is that of an old-time revival show, and that puts off many believers and others alike.

Why is it slagged as a cult? Look, feel, sound, giddy joy, vicious defensiveness, sanctimony, smugness, dismissal of specifics and use of exclusionary tactics are just a few of the traits of this frenzied hope-in. The Pied Piper is a scary story, and it's an image that keeps returning.

[Armstead]

7. I guess you're in the Nope camp then

Sure it's a cheap rhyme.

But my tackiness is hardly worth your vitriolic response. :)

[Tatiana]

8. Do you notice the vehement anger?

It is so very telling. And so very sad.

[Bluebear]

10. You sound like a right-wing shill, just sayin'. "They're so ANGRY!"

That's a cliche right out of the book.

[Armstead]

12. Right-wing shill is straight of of the book

[Armstead]

16. ....and you do sound angry in your post..

[Tatiana]

13. Two words for you: ZELL MILLER.

That's angry. And that's what *some* (not all) but *some* of these Clinton supporters remind me of.

[Armstead]

17. "Ah wish we still lived in the days when you could challenge someone to a duel"

That was a great outburst of Zell Miller on Hardball back in 04

[PurityOfEssence]

19. Ah, the sweet, oozing sanctimony of the found

Messianic appeals disgust some of us and smug dismissals of dissent reek of presumed moral superiority. Buck up; it's your lot to suffer fools.

[Coexist]

6. More hope! Less nope!

I can hear the rally chant now.
That is catchy - nice post.

[Straight Shooter]

9. Newt is sitting somewhere, laughing his a** off because Barack appropriated the word "hope"

"Hope" is a dirty word when it's preceded by the unspoken word "false."

As for average people not being involved in politics, the average person watches Survivor and American Idol and thinks Brittany Spears is more important than the Downing Street Memos, so this adulation of Barack is not in the least surprising. Yet he has the gall to criticize the excesses of the '60s and '70s. What a joke. The '90s and 2000s are all about excess. It's almost obscene how we wallow in materialism, and there on his web site are ringtones for cell phones and all sorts of "brand Obama" material goods.

Dorothy had a lot of hope, too, as she danced down the Yellow Brick Road.

[Armstead]

11. I think Newt borrowed it from "The Man from A Place Called Hope"

[Straight Shooter]

14. Newt had that nasty little list of conservative and liberal associative words.

He marred the civil discourse in this country forever by making "liberal" a bad word and turning F'ing Republicans into the "party of family values."

Let's see how "hope" fares against "patriotism."

[Armstead]

15. They don't have to be mutually eclusive

Frank Luntz is already probably working overtime creating new buzzwords for the right.

It's up to us to not let them steal the language.

[Armstead]

18. one nitetime kick

[mondo joe]

20. Almost as good as "if it doesn't fit you must acquit".

If it rhymes it's much more likely to be true, apparently.