12 Steps to Regime Change

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#9: Embrace Diversity on Many Levels

Diversity is a fundamental progressive value, just like fairness and protection of families. The mix of our skills, talents, experiences, histories, and ethnic backgrounds makes us much more than the sum of our parts. It equips us with a powerful tool to understand the concerns and connect with the hopes of a majority of Americans, in contrast to rigid and homogenous characteristics of the political right.

But we learned from last year's elections that ignoring the vast diversity of the progressive base and catering to issues that chiefly interest the white middle-class will lose elections. Minority voters stayed home in droves in 2002 and progressive leaders lost heartbreaking defeats around the country. We may hope that was the aberration, and the powerful voter registering and organizing work that was done in Florida (which won that state for Gore, until the Supreme Court decided otherwise) will be a model for the whole country. African Americans were far ahead of other groups in opposing the invasion of Iraq, and the rapidly growing Latino population is very concerned about the impact of soaring military budgets and tax cuts on services their communities desperately need. Minority communities represent the strongest element in the quest for regime change. It is crucial that diversity issues be addressed at the start of all planning for 2004 efforts, and not as an afterthought.

#10: Create an Independent Political Force

All the Democratic candidates are superior to George W. Bush, even Joe Lieberman, the guy progressives love to hate. So to help us win in 2004, how about organizing a progressive electoral movement that becomes a force in the election by not backing one of the candidates in the Democratic primaries? Instead it will raise money, develop an army of campaign workers nationwide, and effectively target key swing states. This movement, let's call it the Independent Force, could earn credibility by working hard while the primaries are under way, building an infrastructure that is ready to roll in August on behalf of whomever the Democrats nominate. Many of us, of course, will support candidates that most appeal to us. But this independent force can help prevent next spring's primaries from turning into a bloodbath from which all the candidates emerge weakened. No matter who gets nominated, we need to get the Democrat ticket elected.

#11: Use and Promote Independent Media

The Republican-controlled FCC is pushing measures to make the American media more concentrated, more corporate, and, ultimately, more conservative. We'll see the further emergence of power brokers like Clear Channel, which already owns more than 1,200 radio stations and is infamous for dumbing down radio, and organizing pro-war rallies.

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