[WB-Discuss] which way forward?

[PHWernick at aol.com]

I have been absent from Green Party activities for some time. Never let it be 
said that I am one to interfere with another's bliss. It is,of course, up to 
every individual to follow their own path in trying to put into practice the 
ideals which millions share.No, billions.

I am thinking of composing one of my long personal essays perhaps titled :
"Whither Progressive Politics.?"

Of course, none of this is apt to be appealing to folks in the trenches who 
see their workaday activities as what counts.

I am concerned with the hundreds of thousands who joined moveon, who worked 
for Dean and other dems, and quite simply with those not affiliated.

I've aired these concerns before and such seems to be my Cassandra calling.

Greens need to move beyond what I personally see as a"cult" type of politics 
and learn how to understand to approach ordinary working people.
Writing back in the 1950's,Daniel Bell, an old socialist turned sociologist 
wrote that the American Left was often "of" the world but not "in "it.
Meaning that the well-intentioned ideas needed to be translated to 
practicalities.

A third party that unifies liberals, leftists,Greens, and others viewing a 
positive image for either their native or adopted home land will be one that 
will argue out disputes ,yet be able to heal the disagrements.

What this third party will look like, or whether it will congeal in my 
lifetime may be unlikely.As far as the local scene in Watertown goes,Alex seems to 
me to be the key person in starting out the discussion as to what it is 
left-liberals seem to want in a party and how they see this party interacting with 
established democrats. 
Paul Wernick 

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