A Message To Progressives

The comments made by Michael Moore during his interview with Amy Goodman on the March 23, 2010 edition of Democracy Now! cannot be allowed to stand without comment.


You can watch and read the entire interview here.



In this interview Moore makes the argument that left-oriented people (presumedly including Progressives) need to stick with the Democratic Party as the only hope for effecting systemic social change.

Apparently Moore believes that only Democrats will be able to overthrow Capitalism and lead the nation into the glorious Liberal future.

Right!

He says in the interview that Ralph Nader is somone who likes only the sound of his own voice and belittles him as out of touch with "the grassroots or the people." He ridicules Nader's runs for the presidency and quips, "What has that ever gotten us?".

Now Ralph Nader is not a Green of course, but he has spent what, the last 40 years of his life working for, advocating for, and implementing programs and policies that have saved millions of lives and had an impact on millions more? He has spent his life speaking out about the essential, basic issues of our lives: corporate fraud, waste, and abuse and for systemic, fundamental electoral and social reform.

He was and is a great man not only with understanding of the issues of our lives but in touch with the people.

But Moore unbelievably persists, "the game is rigged in America when it comes to third parties." he says. Therefore, it's a waste of time to be involved with them and the only option is to work within the One-Party system. The best way to effect change, he tells us is to join the Democratic Party and work within it to drive it to the left.

Where have we heard that before?

Right, we hear it over and over from liberal Democrats like Dennis Kucinich, who by the way is funded by the Democrats to run for president every 4 years just to draw left-leaning voters to the Democrats.

He takes principled stands on war, military occupations, health care ... until it comes to a vote.

Bloggers, talking heads, Daily Kos all say the same thing: want change? Vote Democrat.

Progressives know better however and we need to let everyone know that we know. We don't fall for the line. We didn't fall for False Hope in 1992 nor in 2009.

Progressives - Greens need to speak forcefully and publically when liberal lies are spread.

Greens will continue to fight and advocate for universal, single-payer health care.

Greens will continue to speak out against illegal, immoral wars and military occupations and for Peace.

Greens will continue to speak out against torture, Patriot Acts, and all assaults on our rights and liberty.

Moore says the game is rigged against us, that we can't win, that we shouldn't try, that we should just give up.

That we should just shut up!

Does he really believe Democrats will deliver us from the scourges of Capitalism?

He doesn't understand; the game is rigged against him as well.

It's clear that Moore and the people like him have an agenda; the Democrat agenda, to make sure we remain marginalized within a corrupt political system.

We must counter the plans of the anti-democratic corporate party at every turn; object to, and refute every False Claim and False Hope.

Every time.

As Greens we will continue to work for fair, open, publically financed campaigns. We will fight for equal recognition as a force in the political arena. And we will advocate for fair, democratic representation through the implementation of IRV, Rank Choice voting, and Proportional Representation voting systems.

Michael Moore does not speak for Progressives in this country nor offer any viable alternative or possibility for change.

The lie of the False Hope of Liberalism must be constantly and consistently exposed.

The time has come.

Spread the word.