Obama Invites Us To Write The Platform...And Limbaugh Wants In
by Todd Beeton, Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 10:20:57 AM EDT
Earlier this week, Barack Obama invited us all to be a part of writing the Democratic party platform for the convention. From his e-mail:
Help shape the Democratic Party's Platform for ChangeEvery four years, the Democratic Party assembles a platform that outlines the party's position on a number of issues.Traditionally, the drafting of the platform is not open to ordinary people.
This year, that's going to change.
For two weeks in July, people all across America will hold Platform Meetings in their own communities to discuss the issues and share their input. The outcome of these meetings will be reviewed by the Drafting Committee as it creates the final Platform.
No political experience is required. Your thoughts and experiences are all that matter, and they will shape a platform that -- like this campaign -- is owned by the people.
The platform events will be held from July 19-27 and you can sign up to attend or host one HERE.
Now, who knows what the actual practical result will come out of these platform meetings (if people overwhelmingly decide no telecom immunity should be a part of the platform, will that make it so? Doubtful.) But what Barack is doing is sending a couple of messages: one that he's been stressing all throughout the primary, namely that "this election is about you" and another that puts him in direct conflict with John McCain: that Barack Obama is in touch, listening to the American people. Hell, the events themselves are called "Listening To America" events. So on those levels alone, this is an excellent idea and a great way to continue to activate Obama's list in movement and party building rather than merely exploiting it for fundraising.
What's hilarious, though, is that Rush Limbaugh has decided to use these events as the basis for phase 2 of Operation Chaos. His grand plan is to have his minions "infiltrate" the events but just one glance at his call to action reveals just truly how deeply he, and the right overall, just don't get it.
"You will be allowed to sit in the same room as elitist Democrat operatives to craft the Democrat party platform," Limbaugh told his audience - estimated by industry trade magazine "Talkers" to exceed 14 million listeners a week."In coming days, we will tell you exactly how you can participate in writing the Democrat party platform, at the request of the Most Merciful Lord Barack Obama."
"Elitist Democrat operatives." I would love some dittoheads to go to one of these meetings and see all the so-called "operatives" gathered in a room. They really can't conceive of the basic notion of bottom-up democracy or people-powered politics; it simply does not compute. And the fact that they consider non-Democrats attending these events as some sort of infiltration demonstrates even further the extent to which they just don't get Obama or our party under his leadership.
From Michael Yaki, National Platform Director, via e-mail:
"We'd like to thank Rush Limbaugh for publicizing the 'Listening to America' events and extend an open invitation to him and his listeners to attend. The Democratic Party is not afraid to listen to the wide array of views the American people have on the issues they care about - that is what makes our nation strong. People across the country - of all political persuasions - are tired of business as usual in Washington and people like Limbaugh who are more concerned with scoring political points than changing the direction of our country. Unlike John McCain and the Republican Party, Barack Obama and the Democratic National Committee are encouraging Americans across the country to get involved and make their voices heard."If Limbaugh's dittoheads want to join other Americans, united in their belief that their voices should be heard in Washington, talking about their hopes, dreams, and concerns in their living rooms, community centers, and churches, and reporting back on these discussions to the Platform Drafting Committee, then they're welcome to join one of the 655 events in 47 states organized in just 24 hours."
Pwned.
Tags: 2008 Presidential election, Barack Obama, Democratic Platform, operation chaos, Rush Limbaugh (all tags)
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