How to Campaign in 2006 (letter to John Murphy)

I agree with Steve Greenfield. The wrath I incurred from so-called liberals while petitioning for Nader in 2004 convinces me that it is a waste of time to approach DFA or PDA (progressive Democrat) groups for support. Let them know who you are and what you are doing. Perhaps a few may join you, but for the most part you should expect hostility. Too many of these people still hold some kind of nostalgic hope for a revival of a progressive Democratic party-- a party that in many ways never really did exist. People who hold hope for a significant change in the Democrats are in their own way as hopeless as those who still support Bush.

Both wings of the duopoly are increasingly unpopular. Have no mercy on them.

You will get more help in the long run from the politically diverse: the kind of people who came out for Perot. You especially, John, have the ability to schmooze with conservative types, and this is your swing vote: fiscal conservatives, former Perotistas, Clean Sweepers, libertarians, etc.

You have the issues, all of which revolve around Green values and sustainability. Joe Magid says that "issue purity" and getting elected are at cross purposes. That's old headed thinking. We are not hairy footed metaphysicians. Green values are now clearly synonymous with survival, and the time is ripe for people to see that. It's not a matter of "issue purity" or idealism; it's smart; it's patriotic; it's the only way to a survivable/sustainable future.

Teach people, too, that we are not on the left. The relevant political spectrum is no longer left (government control) vs. right (market control). Both the traditional left and right wind up as authoritarian systems of concentrated power. The real political spectrum today is authoritarian vs. egalitarian, or centralized control vs. grass roots decentralization. This message should even appeal to militia types. Not that you want to actively recruit PA militia-- but these people do need to be shown positive directions for action, so that the economic hard times we are entering don't turn into a replay of the Wild West.