One Reason Progressives Have So Little Patience Left When It Comes To Change

[Me.]

It isn't two years we've been waiting for palpable change, it's ten (and longer). Before Obama we had to endure the agony of Bush. Eight agonizing years that produced all the damage and misery we predicted it would. So it's no wonder that after ten years we feel like our last nerve has been stepped on.

[mmonk]

1. The right never has to wait.

[Jamastiene]

5. That's right.

They make sweeping changes right away. They always get what they want and they always do it fast. They ignore what the media or anyone else says and just do whatever they want, whenever they want.

[mmonk]

9. They have core beliefs and manufacture consent.

[WonderGrunion]

16. That is such a crap argument

If the right got everything they wanted, we'd have privatized social security, constitutionally banned abortion and permanent tax cuts for the rich instead of relying on reconciliation. Even under stupid W, the minority has enough power to prevent the majority from getting everything they want.

[ProgressiveVictory]

2. couldnt agree more!

We have waited a looooong time!

[stray cat]

3. Republicans win elections because they convince more people they have their interests in common

If you want change you have to convince your neighbors that the change is in their best interests - not that you will destroy everything they believe in.

[mmonk]

4. Republicans win through fear and hate.

[Me.]

6. Win Is Debatable

But this thread isn't about winning elections as last I looked we did win. It's about running out of patience for the change we voted for to come.

[H2O Man]

7. Good point.

Under "normal" circumstances, patience is a good thing. But these are not normal circumstances.

[leftstreet]

8. I thought the Republicans lost the last two elections?

:shrug:

[IOKIYAL]

10. Ten years? Is that All?

That's like 5 minutes in activist time. How many oppressed groups have we read about that had to wait and suffer for decades or centuries before they even got started? Notice the word started. Since bush never promised (to my knowledge) progressives anything and didn't owe you guys anything, I would say that your time started when Obama took office. Change is slow and difficult and if ten years or two years is too long of a wait, then I don't think progressives are ready for power.

[JoeyT]

11. Ten years?

I was thinking more along the lines of 30.

[Individualist]

19. You're right.

[Bonobo]

12. Here's another reason

Before Obama, none of us could conceive or imagine that a black man would ever be elected to the office of POTUS.
And so, understandably, after working so hard to elect him, we imagined that this impossible dream would be the signal of an equally massive break with the past -that we were going to be effecting real change.
To me anyway, it has left an incredibly bad taste in my mouth to see that it wasn't the case.

What kills me, and others I suspect, is the deep, inner-felt notion that if this didn't do the trick, then nothing will. It is the deep suspicion that real change will not happen in our lifetimes.

With Bush, we had been able to believe that it was all his fault. He was our enemy and we thought that without him, much would be solved.

To me, this is why we are so heartbroken and disappointed.

[tbyg52]

13. Yep, he didn't run as a corporatist - not based on what he said to the regular people, anyway. nt

[WonderGrunion]

17. You should have realized he would be Jackie Robinson

He can't be full of bluster and aggression without dooming the chances of any other minority candidate that runs after him.

[tbyg52]

20. "Bluster and aggression" is a style issue - I have no problem with his style.

It's the substance I often object to.

[asdjrocky]

14. When Dems got the Congress in 06, they were going ot end the war in Iraq.

How's that working out for us?

[SlipperySlope]

15. Expectations were so high...

Fair or not, expectations were very high, so the disappointment is even greater. Hard to be patient especially when realizing that Obama will likely be more politically bound as time goes on.

[Brickbat]

18. I think it's because "progressives" spend so much time trying to persuade the other side of their

rightness instead of just fucking DOING it. It infuriates me that we spend so much time trying to show people how our actions will make their lives better, instead of just doing it.