Two Progressive Forums, Two Purposes(MoveOn.org Crucial to Progressive Movement '08 Success)

Democratic presidential candidates, progressive political action committees, labor coalitions and filmmakers gathered with more than 3,000 activists in Washington this week for the fifth annual (My added link) Take Back America (TBA) Conference. Next week, activists will attend the first U.S. Social Forum (USSF), an offshoot of the World Social Forum, in Atlanta, Ga. Although the events might appear redundant, or even competitive, they reach different niches in the larger progressive movement -- and their outcomes will determine the degree of cohesion with which the Democratic Party's liberal wing enters the 2008 election season.

The two events are not jointly organized, have no shared apparent strategy and -- except for several labor groups -- are attended by few of the same participants. While the larger progressive movement has quite successfully incorporated labor groups (those who support TBA), it has long seen the need to embrace a broader range of potential supporters, such as the fringe and minority groups represented by the USSF. If the opportunity is seized, events such as the USSF and TBA conferences could see more overlap in the future. The extent to which the two constituencies supporting each conference begin to work together will determine whether the emerging progressive movement becomes a driving, unifying force behind the Democratic Party.

MoveOn.org deemed necessary. Efforts to silence Conservative Talk/Media Outlets, however, excite Progressives:

Trent Lott:
"Talk radio is running the country. We're going to have to deal with that problem."

Talkers magazine, Boortz was asked if there is a danger the Fairness Doctrine would be reinstituted:
"Absolutely,”... "It’s drop dead. If Hillary Clinton or a Democrat of her type becomes President of the United States and the Democrats control the House and the Senate, the Fairness Doctrine will pass." (..stopping it would be the lack of a filibuster-proof majority in the U.S. Senate)

Poster in ThinkProgress #33:
"It is my fervent hope that, as progressives suffered under the Patriot Act, the McCarty Era and during the Mitchell-Palmer raids, right wing talk radio hosts will have the chance to experience being perp walked into court. The day I see Inannity, Limpballs, Scarebourough, Rev. Dogson and O’Liely held responsible for the damage they’ve done to discourse, I plan on contact the others in my Communist cell and having a party."

"Radio station WIOD, AM 610, has been the official channel for emergency information from Broward County government for the past year. The County Commission, all Democrats, balked at renewing the deal. Commissioner Stacy Ritter said she 'did not want to support a station that's out of step with area politics'. Ritter, a Democratic stalwart in the state Legislature before being elected to county office, cited talk shows hosted by Limbaugh and Sean Hannity and WIOD's partnership with Fox News."--The South Florida Sun-Sentinel, June 13, 2007

" Ken Charles, WIOD's director of AM programming, said, "the station's talk show lineup has no relationship with its news coverage and that the county should focus on the benefits of teaming with the station..."It's a shame that people would let politics get in the way of saving lives in a hurricane. The contract with WIOD was on the verge of being rejected when commissioners instead delayed a decision until next week."

For Big Business Hating Progressives to seriously believe they can successfully silence all Conservative talk/media outlets and swing dance conservative listeners over into their Progessive Socialist dancehalls weighs up there in reality with the U.S. Air Force back in 1994 considering a bomb which would turn enemy soldiers gay.

What ever happened to Air America? Is that still around?

“....their outcomes will determine the degree of cohesion with which the Democratic Party’s liberal wing enters the 2008 election season.”

Democratic Party’s liberal wing? Huh? Is there a conservative wing of the Democrat Party? If so where are they hiding....Thought there mantra was ‘all liberal, all the time’. BTW it is Democrat Party, not Democratic Party like they pushed thru last election. I don’t care what they say. And there is nothing progressive about them. I should know, since I am a “born again Republican”.

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