On heroes and power

[sheshe2]

SUNDAY, JUNE 30, 2013

“My grandfather...taught me that whatever skills you have should be devoted toward undermining the people who are the strongest and most powerful,” Greenwald said.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jun/07/whistleblowers-and-leak-investigations

Based on what I've seen from Greenwald over the years, that statement is a pretty clear reflection of his approach. But I think it also reflects a key problem for too many on the left...an aversion to power. Anyone with power is automatically suspect (ie, for Greenwald they are always liars). And anyone who attacks them is a hero.



That - in a nutshell - is what sparked the battle that became known in some quarters as the Obamasux vs the Obamarocks groups following the 2008 election. The latter saw Barack Obama's election as an opportunity for progressive change now that an imperfect but dedicated champion had gained power via a broad coalition of the electorate. To the former - he immediately became suspect as the wielder of that power.

The truth is that until the Obamasux crowd can reconcile themselves to the reality that power is needed to actually make the changes they seek, they will be confined to the privilege of cynicism. No matter who has gained political power (or how they got it), their heroes will be those who challenge that power. In doing so, they relegate themselves to perpetual victim status - always the underdogs in a battle against those who have the means to change things.

I've written before about how this reaction to power by many on the left is - at heart - rooted in the notion that power is always about dominance (power over) and a blindness to the power of partnership (power with). As liberals we have no need to fear the power of partnership. As a matter of fact, it is the fuel that has ignited every accomplishment the left has made in this country. My heroes tend to be those who recognize that kind of power and find ways to use it.
http://immasmartypants.blogspot.com/2013/06/oh-heroes-and-power.html

Is President Obama a leader?
WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2013

The argument many of us make about this is the one President Obama made...its time to hold the Republicans accountable! But I think its just as important that we stand back for a minute and ask what it is people mean by "leadership."

snip

Its only natural that when people are so used to the power of dominance that they would dismiss the reality of the power of partnership. Its why we so often hear Obama criticized as weak and naive.

But history tells us that all of the battles won by the left in this country have been based on a partnership model of power...enough people finally spoke up in ways that couldn't be ignored. We see that in the battle for civil rights, unions, women's suffrage, anti-war, etc.

I think its time the left in this country began to recognize that feeding in to the power of dominance is not conducive to our concerns and is an abdication of democracy at its roots. In other words, its time we took Obama up on his offer to lead by partnership with us. As he said so often in the campaign..."we are the one's we've been waiting for."

http://immasmartypants.blogspot.com/2013/05/is-president-obama-leader.html

A House divided against itself
By Steve Benen - Wed May 1, 2013 10:00 AM EDT


The overlooked fiasco was a problem House GOP leaders saw coming.

Less than two weeks ago, House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy walked upstairs to Majority Leader Eric Cantor's Capitol office to discuss a sensitive issue: Why did Cantor schedule a vote before McCarthy had the chance to survey Republican support?

The meeting -- described as "tense" by several people familiar with it -- ended with McCarthy abruptly standing up and storming out of the room. Aides downplayed the exchange. But a week later, it turned out that McCarthy's pique was merited: The health care-related bill was suddenly pulled from the floor in what was the most recent stumble for House Republicans.

We talked a month ago about House Speaker John Boehner's (R-Ohio) "Make the Senate go first" rule that effectively takes the House out of the governing process altogether, but Jake Sherman's report makes it seem as if Boehner doesn't have much of a choice -- this is a House "in chaos." Republican leader are "talking past each other"; the House conference "is split by warring factions"; and influential outside groups are fighting their ostensible allies.

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/05/01/18000724-a-house-divided-against-itself?lite

http://immasmartypants.blogspot.com/2013/05/is-president-obama-leader.html

On Leadership
SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 2011

In our culture, most people think about power in the domains of power over/against (competition and dominance). But there are sparks of partnership power that rise up every now and then to remind us that for those of us without the benefits of money and position, it is where our power generally lies. The people of WI are going to find out in the next few weeks whether or not partnership power is possible and if so, what they can do with it.

I've often talked about the fact that in his days as a community organizer, President Obama studied and taught about power relations. Its clear to me that he has an understanding of the power of partnership and is constantly calling on us to join him in exercising that power.

Practicing leadership from a position of "power with" requires that you have an independently strong ego and don't need to dominate in order to prop it up or feed it. And it also requires trust in the people you set out to lead. These are some of the characteristics I most admire about President Obama and ones that are often most misunderstood by his critics on the left and the right.

http://immasmartypants.blogspot.com/2011/03/on-leadership.html

[Cha]

1. "Power of Partnership"! that's exactly what I

feel is going on here, she. Good on smartypants for recognizing it.

Practicing leadership from a position of "power with" requires that you have an independently strong ego and don't need to dominate in order to prop it up or feed it. And it also requires trust in the people you set out to lead. These are some of the characteristics I most admire about President Obama and ones that are often most misunderstood by his critics on the left and the right.

But, did Greenwald's dad want him to be a "liar" and an all star schemer who throws out creepy insults just because he's a nasty piece of work?

Good find, she! Mahalo Great OP.