Combating the Disease of Progressive Cynicism

Lately there has been a growing wave of cynicism on the Left. Many progressive voices are poised, at the drop of a hat, to believe that the Obama Administration -- or the Democratic leadership in Congress, or even the leaders of many progressive institutions -- can't wait to abandon progressive values and sell out the aspirations of the base of the Democratic Party.

It's easy to understand where that cynicism comes from. On many fronts, the last eight years -- in fact, the last forty -- have been incredibly frustrating for those of us who have struggled to make fundamental progressive change. Of course it is always hard to change the status quo. Just as in physics, inertia is a powerful force to overcome. It is easy for those with a vested interest in the way things are, to exploit the fear of the unknown -- even among those who would gain the most from change.

The collapse of the economy, the failure of Neo-Conservative foreign policy, the election of Barack Obama and Democratic majorities in Congress, have created a new moment of possibility that Progressives don't want to waste. Many of us are passionately committed to taking advantage of this extraordinary opportunity to make real progressive change.

But the best way to squander this rare, historic opportunity is to allow the disease of cynicism to infect our ranks -- to be ready, on a hair trigger, to bet against our own success.

My late father liked to spend time at the craps tables in Las Vegas. He had a betting system that worked pretty well for him over the years. Among other things, he always bet against the shooter. In the end, after all, the shooter in craps always craps out.

That makes a lot of sense when it comes to craps. It makes no sense at all when it comes to making progressive change.

Take the question of the public health insurance option. Many progressive commentators and bloggers seem intent on believing that, at every juncture, the public option must be dead. They willingly join in the narrative of the "sophisticated" commentators in the mainstream media who always think it's "naïve" to think that real change is possible in Washington.

Now, I don't claim to have perfect knowledge of the future. But I believe the odds are very high that by the time the Senate Finance Committee bill is merged with the Senate Health Committee bill - and the final Senate bill is merged with an excellent House bill in the House-Senate Conference - Congress will pass strong, progressive, health insurance reform that will finally fulfill the promise of health care for all and include a public option.

One thing I know for sure. If progressives constantly pronounce the public option dead -- it will be. The cynics will create a self-fulfilling prophecy. In fact, the cynics who are so convinced that the President and Democratic Leadership will "sell them out" on health care help empower the opponents of change. The health insurance industry would like nothing better than for everyone to agree with them that it is impossible to pass a public option. That would mean that it would fall off the agenda - off the menu of the possible. That is exactly what the health insurance industry wants.

In forty years of fighting for progressive change, I have become more convinced by the day that in order to win, you have to believe that you can. If you don't believe you can win, you won't win. Optimism that winning is possible is not always sufficient to guarantee success, but without it no success is ever possible.

There are two other corollaries to this rule.

First, progressive optimism isn't naïve. It understands that you have to make change starting from where you are, not where you wish you were. You have to transform the present into the future. You have to understand that making change involves the exercise of power, not wishful thinking.

The health care sector involves one-sixth of the economy. There are dozens of massive vested interests. The battle over health insurance reform is not mainly conflict over policies or ideas. It is mainly a battle over who gets how much money and who gets how much health care. It is a battle of vested interests against the public interest.

The other side is very powerful. To win, we have to be tougher, smarter, more determined - and believe absolutely that we can succeed. Cynicism and defeatism simply have no place in a battle like that.

Second, to win, we cannot allow ourselves the luxury of being cynical about the motivations of our leaders. When you've struggled for years against long odds - when you've seen lots of political leaders with weak knees that get cozy with every special interest around - it is easy to fall into the trap of mistrusting every political leader. It's easier just to lump all politicians into the same bucket of unprincipled, uncommitted, egotists who don't care about anything but getting their pictures on TV or "being important." The problem is that it's not true.

Before he entered public life, Barack Obama was a community organizer who shared a passionate dedication to progressive values. He still does.

His Deputy Chief of Staff, Jim Messina - the man in charge of the political campaign to pass health insurance reform - is as dedicated to serious progressive reform of the health care system as any one else in America. And Rahm Emanuel is the perfect person to use the levers of political power to make the President's progressive agenda into reality.

Nancy Pelosi and many in the House Leadership are dyed-in-the-wool Progressives. She is literally working full time to get the strongest possible health care bill out of the House. The same is true of many members of the Senate. Both Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Majority Whip Dick Durbin are completely committed to fundamentally reforming health care in American - including a strong public option.

Progressives have an enormous domestic agenda: health insurance reform, reform of the financial sector, creating a clean energy economy, immigration reform, labor law reform - and most importantly, reviving our economy. To win that agenda a unified progressive community must relentlessly challenge entrenched vested interests.

We have to work together to make sure that as these battles unfold, each element of the progressive community is empowered to promote its priorities. There must be plenty of room for vigorous advocacy and debate. But there must be no room for cynicism.

Robert Creamer is a long-time political organizer and strategist, and author of the recent book: "Stand Up Straight: How Progressives Can Win," available on amazon.com.

 

 

Comments

[capitaldysfunction]

Good post. It is a struggle for a liberal not to turn cynical right after the curtain rises on the Obama era, even more so now that the very format of our governmental system, the ubiquitous corruption surrounding it, and the uncaring fallible nature of corporate American-style capitalism are all being called into question simultaneously as the internet seems to expose them like nothing else before. So I heed the warning of Robert Creamer. Give it time.

[tran23]

I am cynical that our president has failed to fight for the idealistic causes that got him elected.
I am cynical that large corporations have a greater voice than the common man.
I am cynical that our country goes to war and loses American lives for the benefit of Halliburton and the defense industry.
I am cynical that those that caused our country to go to war on false pretenses were not held accountable.
I am cynical that the needs of the insurance industry outweigh the needs of the American people.
I am cynical that fearmongering on national television is allowed to exist while G-20 protesters are arrested.
I am cynical that the gap between rich and middle class continues to widen.

I am optimistic that the progressives will not tolerate these abuses any longer.
I am optimistic that progressives will work together to bring real change.
I am optimistic that our current political system is unsustainable and will be the impetus for significant political changes to occur.
I am optimistic that progressives will hold those who betray public trust accountable.
I am optimistic that progressives will back up their feelings with political activism.
I am optimistic that progressives will be smarter than their short-sighted political foes.

[research]

well said.

[ObamanextPresident]

Fanned and faved.

I would only change line one and move it to the optimistic section...­.

I am optimistic that our President is fighting every day for the idealistic causes that got him elected.


I am cynical that the msm fails to report it and gets off on imagined failures and sensational controversies.

[TrekBear]

The important thing for us progressives to remember is that it's more important to get progressive measures rolling. It's harder to stop something that's in motion that it is to stop a policy stance.

[rughead23]

Well meaning good intentions seem to politically spoil for democrats once they go cynical in the face of adversity, not that i have all the answers but the democrats seem to work sooo hard and to get to the the top of the mountain then sometimes it all goes apart and cyncism stinks.

[WellTickleMeWillie]

I criticize Obama not b/c I am a cynic but b/c I am totally disappointed in his performance so far based on his campaign promises. After being let down so many times by Dem POTUSs in the past, we progressives thought we finally had a progressive president in Obama. One who would surely right the wrongs of the last 30-40 years of ReThug rule. It has not happened and Obama's actions indicate clearly his lack of interest in righting these wrongs. What we have to look at is the 2 wars still going on with no end, the so-called financial "fixes" for Wall Street, the banks and the 3 auto corps, the torture issue of the Bush admin, Gitmo, domestic spying, etc. Now we see the health plans being proposed are so watered down that they are designed by the same health insurers to FAIL. It is the Obama admin that is killing the public option. Rahm Emanuel said so. The Blue Dogs said so. Not progressives in Congress who are still fighting tooth and nail. What is wrong with Obama based on his campaign words. Does he really believe what he told us or was it just a means to get elected. Or perhaps the job is way to big that he can not lead in that direction as he told us. Whatever, I am no cynic I am totally disappointed, frustrated and depressed again.

[ObamanextPresident]

"One who would surely right the wrongs of the last 30-40 years of ReThug rule." You wrote.

Yes, why oh why hasn't this President fixed all the wrongs of the last.... 30-40 years of ReThug rule.... in the last .....8 months! and 20 days! What is wrong with him? I am so disappointed.

[averygard]

I agree with you. The way it seems to work is this: We (Lefties) say, "It's over. It's failing. They're selling us out!" The righties say, "It's over. They're failing. The Lefties have given up!" Then the media listens to the righties (always) and announces "It's over. They're failing. The Left has lost." The middle-of-the-road schmucks in the street tell their neighbors, "It's over. The Left had a chance, and they blew it. Again."

[Tim303]

I'd rather be a hypocrite than a cynic. At least hypocrites know they are hypocrites. Cynics say they aren't.

Cynicism is still a desperate cry of hope--and as such, it's hypocritical. A true cynic would at this point join the GOP.

Cynicism is also the dominant form of contemporary ideology. You are supposed to assume a cynical, ironic distance towards your beliefs, and reality. This stance ironically makes reality all the more rigid and impenetrable. Thus increasing your cynicism. Having fun with that?

There are many right wingers who post on this site who claim to be pro single payer and see Obama as a sell out, etc. Pour encourager les autres.

[FearlessFreep]

The true cynics are the Democrats who assume progressives will always have to vote for them because they aren't quite as bad as the Republicans.

[WhiteDelyte]

Im cynical because health care reform is being directed by a conservative from Montana.
Im cynical because because Iraq and Aphganistan have no end in sight.
Im cynical because Obama is ignoring civil rights for gays.
Im cynical because those who made it ok to torture human beings are free to go.
Im cynical because he is so eager for bipartisanship.
Im cynical because Obama refuses to take a stand against any republican.
am I wrong??
the problem isnt progressives being cynical. the problem is you Mr. Creamer giving Obama a free pass because he isn't George W Bush. frankly there hasnt been much difference. I blame you Creamer when I dont have a public option to afford health insurance.

[Ennis]

From Dictionary.com

cynical

-noun
1. bitterly or sneeringly distrustful, contemptuous, or pessimistic.
2. like or characteristic of a cynic; distrusting or disparaging the motives of others.

-adjective
Medicine/Medical Now Rare. resembling the actions of a snarling dog.

[Marcospinelli]

There is absolutely NO indication that Obama is a progressive. He's backtracked on every issue, and is firmly in the bosom of corporations.

Obama took single payer off the table, he's not advocating for public health care (and Obama's 'public option' bears no resemblance to what people think of when they think of 'a public option').

Obama told everyone that, "Coming up with health care reform legislation isn't my job, it's Congress's", while he secretly double-dealt (and undercut) the American people, cutting bad deals with phRma and hospitals.

Obama was the biggest recipient of insurance/­hospital/P­hRma money of all of the candidates (Hillary was the second biggest recipient): http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/select.php?ind=H03 http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/select.php?ind=H02 http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/select.php?ind=H04 http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/select.php?ind=H01 http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/select.php?ind=F09

Waiting, trusting, is the sure de@th knell for public healthcare. Now is the time Americans should be sharpening their pitchforks, lighting torches and (metaphorically speaking), burning down Washington (the phone/fax/cable wires) demanding SINGLE PAYER UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE, aka Medicare For All.

[MarionWatts]

For me, you are preaching to the choir. The President has enough on his plate fighting the Party of No. The cynics in his own party, ultimately, might only prove to enable and strengthen the Republicans.

http://emiliawahoo76.blogspot.com
http://myspace.com/virginiadem

[CTPatriot]

Baloney. Creamer just doesn't like seeing his wife and her colleagues have to take all that heat and pressure from the left. It would be so much easier to cave in to Republicans and Blue Dogs while pretending to have passed progressive reform without the giant spotlight we are shining on them. If anything, the progressive backlash is responsible for saving the public option, and will be responsible for assuring it is a robust one, and not some lipsticked pig that I'm sure Creamer and his inside the beltway buddies are hoping to try and put over on us.

Trust this congress to pass centrist/p­rogressive reform without pressure from the left? Ya, sure.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

Although you mention Creamer's wife, some people may not know that she is U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill). More information can be found here:
http://cbs2chicago.com/seenon/Robert.Creamer.Jan.2.326652.html

[redfrog]

Sure, let's all blame Progressiv­es/Liberal­s for any political failures where 70% of all Americans support something. It's because liberals are not positive enough, or maybe not holding our mouths just right, or possibly not working hard enough, manning enough phone banks, sending enough money, hitting the streets enough. ENOUGH. When you are in a cow pasture, it is not cynical to pay attention to where you are walking and it is not hopeless to notice where you are.

[thnk4selfagain]

I would like to refer Mr. Creamer, who has health insurance (probably on the federal plan provided to his wife), to Nic Kristof''s Op-Ed column today.

"Let Congress Go Without Insurance"
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/08/opinion/08kristof.html?_r=1

[thnk4selfagain]

I grasp that this lecture is not without merit. But I aver that it is Congress and yes, the Obama administration, that is acting cynically. As your spouse is a member of Congress, it may be difficult for you to view Washington as many do. The American people put up with 8 years of mismanagement, voted for change, and got more status quo with their pockets picked by lobbying corporations. But I don't mean to lecture you Mr Creamer...­.

[KindOne]

I think we would be less cynical if Obama talked about legalizing pot. As long as he defends the drug war and has troops enforcing it, I am going to be cynical about everything he does. There is just no excuse for it.

People have stated legalizing pot is a top priority over and over again, not to mention it would actually save us a lot of money in medical expenses, etc. Rescheduling marijuana should be part of the medical reform bill. That is a no-brainer. Why shouldn't we by cynical?

Also, it is really hard to see Pelosi as a 'progressive' when she kept impeachment off the table. If there ever was a president that deserved impeaching, it was GW Bush. "Looking forward" (covering up criminal acts) is not progressive. At this point it is putting neocon lipstick on a really stinking, ugly pig. I don't buy it.

[MarionWatts]

You are either very young or very naive, but you are a living example that the Left can equally be as close-minded as the Right.

[Marcospinelli]

MarionWatts, you and I might look at the issue of legalizing marijuana as not realistic (if Obama won't do what's politically popular, how do you push him to do what isn't with the portion of the electorate he's trying to win over), but for great numbers of people who did the heavy lifting for Obama in the campaign, all across the Internet, it's their #1 issue.

On Obama's online townhalls, legalizing marijuana was the number one issue, and Obama refused to address it until forced to.

That's his base, and if it's their issue, calling them names doesn't serve anyone. Least of all Obama, who is probably going to need them to get reelected.

If you and I won't go to bat for others in the base on their #1 issues, why should they go to bat for us on ours?