This past year has taught me a few things that I guess I needed to learn. I’m seeing posts this week about next year’s elections. But the best things I’m seeing are conversations offline. Discussions between some of the younger folks in the state with some of us older bloggers. In some ways, these delightful conversations happening offline should be happening online but I’ll get to that later.
I can’t speak for anyone else, but I will say that I got a little bit fatigued from Tennessee politics this year.
You may be asking yourself why. I can tell you it came down to really wanting to see coalition building within the Tennessee democratic party, wanting to be helpful and instead getting kicked in the ‘nads for it. I don’t think I was the only one who felt that way, but as I said in the first graph, I can only speak for myself.
Earlier this year, several bloggers got together to not be united for Chip Forrester but for the state party as a whole. We were just wanting to be helpful, quite frankly. We were passionate and thought we might make a little small difference by showing our commitment to the party that we call our own. I didn’t care if Charles Robert Bone got the chairmanship or if Forrester did. I would have donated time (on this blog. My time might not be valuable to you but it’s hella valuable to me) and a little bit of money I didn’t really have to help out the party. We had lost seats in November 2008 and I just felt good about democratic bloggers across the state being unified. We have become friends over the years and we thought we might come together for our party.
We were enthusiastic.
Our message wasn’t really”Go Chip” it was “Go Party!” Or at least it was to me. I didn’t know either men from Adam other than their names and reading, just like the average person, about them in the newspaper or online.
So here is my take on what happened. Liberal Tennessee bloggers took an ass-kicking for being passionate. Our message of unity for the party was minimized. And there were rumors that the attacks came from members of my own party although I have no proof of that. I have to tell you, I was really shocked and I hope that’s not true.
But this is politics. I get that. I won’t be so naive in the future.
So we are entering a new year (after losing a big part of this one) and not a lot has changed. I’ve been hard on the party before Chip was there. I’ve made reference to this repeatedly. There are some things I’ve seen that I don’t like. There are other things I’ve seen that I do. Such is life, but the one thing I’ve noticed, and I blame myself, is I quit talking about it.
My bad.
Let’s just say I had to take a break about what’s going on in this state’s party politics. The sad thing I’ve seen is that it’s almost like a frat keg party these days though and everyone who’s blasting back a bad draft beer isn’t anticipating the hangover their going to have tomorrow morning.
Because that’s what’s going to happen if we keep this up come election time.
We have to get it together, campers. So, some of us are taking our concerns offline which honestly, in some ways, means we are probably getting more done than fighting trolls. We shouldn’t feel that we have to do that though.
And there are new fresh faces and blogs out there that want to be a part of the big picture. I feel like, at times, I lost my line of vision on that. We need them.
And THEY haven’t taken their eyes off the prize. So make them welcome. I’m saying that to everyone. The TNDP and the folks who hate the TNDP right now who are still democrats. The mission should be about the principles of the party and not the personalities.
But that’s fixin’ (I’m a true Southerner) to change. You see, we all need each other. Insiders may not think that but I believe it. Those of us who want to help in a grassroots capacity, those folks who can help guide the party by leading instead of condemning and concentrating on the very real issue that redistricting is going to drive us very red. That’s not going to be fixed if everyone is fighting about it.
I realize I’m going to be torn apart on other blogs for what I’m saying. Voting comes down to the emotional mindset on election day for the average person in the voting booth. There honestly are just a few die-hards invested in next year’s election right now. That’s going to change very soon and the elections will be on the minds of everyone in the state before you can shake a stick at it. And they don’t care about political maneuverings. They care about jobs and regaining some of the quality of life that has been lost during this recession. Things can be repaired but it’s going to take time because it has gotten emotional and personal. The message I’m trying to say here is we need to find those who wants to help and let them take off. Unifying for the bigger cause, if you will.
It’s not about one or two people, it’s about the party as a whole.
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There’s a difference between questioning authority and subversion. You seem loyal enough to me.
Of course, I pretty sure we are on opposite sides of the spectrum, but I wish you personally (certainly not your party) the best life in a genuinely free country has to offer in 2010.
Ass kicking? From whom? We didn’t get our asses kicked in the least bit, Coma. Namby pamby candidates did in certain districts, but if by we you mean Liberals in general…well, we haven’t ever had full throated support from on high in this State. That day will come.
I’ve done my best to appeal to the Haters, but so much of this is personal, its like a big dysfunctional family. Like you, I don’t give a rat’s ass who sits in the big chair. Got ideas? Lets hear em. The Old Guard wasn’t reaching out to the grassroots, the New Guard is purging the rolls of the Old Guard. Seen this a time or two before, in a couple of different States.
You are one of the most important voices in this State, along with people like Braisted, Betsy Phillips, LWC, The Knoxville news guy, (sorry, names aren’t my forte since I hit fiftay, hah) and others too numerous to mention. I’m fatigued too, but savvy enough to know that this is a good time to hone your message, gather resources, and network. Pay no mind to the Haters.
The Old Guard wasn’t reaching out to the grassroots, the New Guard is purging the rolls of the Old Guard.
Mack, I’m with you on the “big dysfunctional family” sentiment, and I too couldn’t give a rip who’s chair. Here, however, is the point where we diverge.
So the “rolls” are being purged. I don’t know if it’s because they were vilified by the Old Guard, but I’m not seeing much difference in the New Guard either. There’s still too much focus on wanting money over involvement.
Not only that but, in the day job, I’d love to have the kind of FREE word-of-mouth available to these folks if only they made some effort to regularly communicate with people who can disperse it.
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how exactly did “liberal bloggers take an ass kicking for being passionate”. You’re making yourself out to be a victim, and you dont even mention what you are a victim of.
I think we all need to resolve that this year we aren’t going to get distracted by little flies buzzing in our years and let them simmer in their own soup pot, since that appears to be exactly what they are inclined to do.
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