What I LOVE about this quote is that it flies in the face if the Rahm strategy, which states that only Conservative candidates can win in reddish districts. I think that idea SUCKS> It undermines our ideas, and we as Democrats, progressive, liberal or moderates, would be better served by selling our ideas as BETTER than Conservative ideas, NOT as acceptable enough for Conservative ideas. The fallacy of the be more like Conservatives idea that Rahm sells and the Bush Blue Dog/ConservaDems enact bites us in the ass when we try to differentiate ourselves before the American voter. e need to be BETTER than Republicans, in our ideas, in our standards and in our candidates, not acceptable. Fer Chris Sakes! BACHMANN is acceptable to Conservatives! BUSH was acceptable!

I have read remarks in my diaries that say things like "Giving Glenn Beck attention is good for him" I call that calling him out for his bullshit.

I have read remarks along the lines of "We're lowering the level of discourse like this. We don't want to be like Republicans". To that I say, if we don't fight back, we don't win. You can't be nice to the guy who is calling you a nazi/fascist/socialist/Kenyan supporter.

The fact is this is politics, not softball. This is a full contact sport. To those people, or to those of like mind, I might suggest the notion that we will NOT get elected officials with more spine until more Democratic VOTERS get a little bolder, a little more aggressive, and a little more willing to Yell Louder. Not just Louder, but Smarter too.

Otherwise, we will play nice and lose to cheaters and liars. I REFUSE to LOSE, and I suggest to those who fell iffy about fighting that you should LEAD, FOLLOW or GET OUT OF THE WAY.

Cause if you can't take the heat you should get out of the kitchen.

The overwhelming majority of us, thankfully, DO want a fight, because we KNOW we can and will WIN. Our ideas are better, are motives are more benevolent, we want to make our nation and the world BETTER for everyone, not just more acceptable for Conservatives who are locked into 1930 or 1950 or 1980 or 1/19/09.

To put it a little shorter, Rahm's idea might win for now or in certain election cycles, but it SUCKS and so do his Blue Dogs lap dogs. Grayson's idea is better, be different, be a fighter, and people will love you for telling the truth.

This is the idea I am pushing to everyone. Fight Harder, Yell Louder, Be Smarter and have BETTER ideas. What good is MORE if our ideas are only 5-10% different. We Want CHANGE and we want it NOW, not soon, not in a while, NOW.

As an admin at The Progressive Electorate.com I am looking for new and BETTER candidates for primaries and general elections. I invite any and all to promote their candidates, their districts and their ideas. If your congressman is a wingnut that drives you crazy let me know. If your congressmen is a DINO in need of a primary STAT let me know. If your congressman is the shiznit and you love em and need help re-electing them, let me know. Knowledge is power, and in the Darwinian evolution of our party and our ideas, competition and diversity are very, very good things.

We need more Grayson's, more Weiner's (no pun intended), more Sherrod Browns and Bernie Sanders and NO MORE Ross's and Cooper's and Faucus's and LIEberman's. We will win by being distinctively different than Republicans and with BETTER ideas. We will win by being a big tent with BETTER ideas, not slightly more acceptable ideas. We CAN NOT WIN by being like Republicans. If Grayson has laid any wisdom on us, that should be the most important part.

Last week I wrote a diary about Michele Bachmann and you guys and gals raised $1000 bucks in a day.

Yesterday our Act Blue page at Progressive Electorate.com shot up almost $7000.

If you can, show these fighters like Grayson and Weiner some love, or show Bachmann and Joe Wilson the back of your hand.

We're trying to raise $1000 for each candidate today, so if you can help it would be very appreciated, and if you want us to add a candidate or challenger let us know in the comments below.

Our candidates so far are Alan Grayson (D-FL08) Anthony Weiner (D-NY09) Rob miller (SC-02) Joshua Seagall (AL-03) Joe Sestak (PA-Sen) Democratic Challenger to Michele Bachman (R-MN06) Democratic Challenger to John Linder (R-GA07) Donate at Act Blue here

Together we CAN win in 2010, no matter what the experts say, but we CAN NOT win if we don't back up candidates who are willing to fight, and we CAN NOT win if we don't take the fight to them.

In politics, as in football, a good defense is a good offense.

I say we FIGHT! So Yell Louder! and Smarter!

Cheers,

MoT

Crossposted at The Progressive Electorate.com