Reaching across the Great Divide

Dear Fellow Democrats:

We fought hard this year for the White House. We lost.

I know a lot of you are feeling kind of down.

But this is no time to despair, no time to give up, and no time to stop fighting.

We came damn close to winning the presidency. We lost by just a few thousand votes in Ohio, the state that decided the outcome. And remember, this was against an incumbent president in the middle of a war. Our opponent had massive backing from wealthy special interests, and he had four years in the media spotlight to spread misconceptions about his failed policies at home and abroad.

Example: Polls showed that most Americans continued to believe that Saddam Hussein had WMDs and ties to Al-Qaeda, even after the evidence said otherwise.

Why? The truth is, most Americans just don't have time to investigate the details of foreign policy. And we'd like to think we can trust our President. So when the President says something, Americans tend to believe it. When he told America about the threat of a nuclear attack by Saddam Hussein, people took him seriously.

This means we Democrats have got to do a better job of reaching out to the other side - not just during election season, but all the time. If people disagree with us based on the truth, fine. But I believe many Americans voted Republican this year because they were hoodwinked by a sophisticated political machine that knows how to work the media. We can't afford to let that happen again.

What I'm saying is - the 2008 campaign for the White House starts NOW!

But this campaign must be much more than bumper stickers, sign waving, rallies, 'getting out the base', and meetings with fellow Democrats.

It's time for us to stand up for our values and explain our beliefs to people on the other side.

It's time for us to stop letting the right demonize us and make 'liberal' a bad word.

It's time for progressives and liberals to stop preaching to the choir and start reaching across the Great Divide that is polarizing our country.

Hint: If you find yourself in a conversation about politics where you agree with the other person about everything, YOU ARE PROBABLY WASTING YOUR TIME.

I can't tell you how many hours I've spent in conversations like that.

I can't tell you how many times I heard a Democrat this election season saying "I just don't understand what Bush supporters are thinking!"

Well, frankly, I don't really understand what they're thinking either. But I think it's about time we find out!

Of course, yelling at someone who disagrees with you is just as much of a waste of time as patting someone on the back who does agree with you.

The key to improving our democracy is respectful, critical dialogue.

But this isn't easy. It means listening, not just talking - and listening to a lot of things you really don't want to hear. And it also means being open to changing your own mind - not just trying to change the other person's.

Let me be clear: I am not advocating compromising our basic principles. Democrats must continue to stand against discrimination - whether it is on the basis of race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. And we must continue to stand for the active use of government to protect society's most vulnerable members and to improve quality of life for all. See Paul Krugman's post-election column, "No surrender".

We can't afford to forget abandon our base. But we can't afford to close off communication with those we disagree with, either. Attitudes can and do change in America. Consider gay rights:

"According to a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll last May, the public is evenly split on civil unions, which provide homosexuals the same state rights and benefits as those for heterosexuals. Four years ago, when Vermont became the only state to permit civil unions, 42% favored them. Plus, the public strongly opposes discrimination: 89% of Americans say homosexuals should have equal rights for job opportunities, up from 59% in 1982, the poll found."

I think there's quite a bit that we can learn from conservatives - and I think there's quite a bit that they can learn from us. But to learn from each other, we're going to have to start talking to each other. Research on persuasion tells us that one of the best ways to change people's attitudes is through positive social relationships.

So here's your homework: Make friends with a Bush supporter!

Sincerely,

TallahasseeJoe

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