I have linked to The Daily Howler, as I noted yesterday, and I think, on this historic day, with Nancy Pelosi elected Speaker of the House of Representatives, we should pause as we enter a whole new phase of our history. In many ways, the 1994 Republican take over of the House was the culmination of a long fight that started twenty and even thirty years before, whether you date the end of the New Deal with the 1964 election cycle or the 1972 election cycle. With 2006, another chapter is closing, and the Republicans are not now nor will they be for the foreseeable future the majority party of the United States, for reasons I went inot in a post below on alignments.
The connections here are simple: The DH reminds us that we must seize control of how the media frames not only the agenda, but the persons and personalities who are doing the gruntwork in the Congress, and who may or may not run for President. The media may be behind the curve on exactly what has changed and how and why, but that is no reasons for liberals and progressives to continue to react to them. For example, I think Media Matters for America does an excellent job as an independent monitor of the press and its content. I think, however, that the almost constant badgering of the right-wing blogs by numerous left wing blogs is not only tiresome (although a constant source of amusement; see Sadly!No and Driftglass for details) but confers upon thema legitimacy they should not have. If you treat their arguments as if they have any merit, a discussion ensues, when what should actually happen is we should ignore them, and be discussing our agenda. We have to frame the issues - with or without the MSM's help. The web has become increasingly powerful not only as an organizing tool but as a medium for idea exchange and development. I think it is safe to say that the liberal and progressive blogs were as important in the recent election as many other forces that could be named. Indeed, I remember this past summer when I first became engaged in blogging and reading other progressive sites I felt like I was part of something big, important, and historic. It turns out, I was right.
Now we have to act like it. We have to own that power. Rather than constantly whine about Instapundit or Michelle Malkin or some loony right-wing radio lip-flapper who wants to assassinate Democrats in Congress, how about we talk about oversight and health-care policy and environmental initiatives to fight global warming and recreating a foreign policy that is worthy of America. I fully expect the Instapundits and Malkins and Pusateris and all the rest of the fringe blogs to continue to exist and generate traffic and noise. As part of the current majority party, as part of the reason we are the majority party, however, we have an obligation now to act in accordance with the power given to us. And I say "us" because whether you are a small-time blog like mine, or Duncan Black's, with hundreds and even thousands of hits a day, we are all part and parcel of the political game now. We have an obligation to work for the agenda we have helped to create. Part of the agenda is not stopping the right-wing, because that will never happen. Rather, it is to act to give our elected leaders the strength and courage to act on the country's behalf. That was the point of the election, after all.
Calling out the MSM for its failures has a certain utility; I have done it myself. It is limited, however, as long as we think that all we need do is complain loudly and things might change. We need to call them on their errors, not to force them to change, but to highlight the agenda we need to be working for, the goals we need to be working toward. This is our moment, not just the Democratic Party's moment, or Nancy Pelosi's moment, or Rahm Emmanuel's moment, or Harry Reid's moment. It is for all of us - all of us who sacrifice time and energy and family life and even sleep and food to get the word out that things are very bad right now, but could be better. It is our time - our time to not give up just because the initial after the majority party is "D". The hard work has just begun, and perhaps the hardest part will be giving up old habits, including whining about the right. We need to act like winners, not whiners.
