Fox in the Henhouse
Que sera seraWhatever will be will be
The future's not ours to see
Que sera sera
--Que Sera Sera, Pink Martini
So Thank you very much
It's really nice to know
That you enjoyed the show
--Thank You Very Much,
Kaiser Chiefs
Mirror mirror on the wall
Who is the top choice of them all
there was a rumble tumble, five minutes it lasted
the mirror said, "You are you conceited bastard!"
--La Di Da Di, Slick Rick
___________________
As you know, Ranger Against War is neither fish nor fowl; we stand for common sense in the midst of a partisan, polarized world suffering a dearth of it. As example: the Veterans for Peace Interim Director declined our request for shared links today on the basis of his "being bothered by" our non-agenda: "I certainly like the name of your blog and it's got some good stuff on it, I have to say I'm bothered by the first couple posts on it." The posts questioning that most excellent adventure, The Arab Spring.
In other words, we don't toe the rah-rah party line that change is always good; we are not knee-jerk liberals. That meddling in the Middle East is perhaps not to our benefit. That maybe liberalism is not the end game for everyone, and our being meddlesome is just that. The Vets for Peace response reminds me of something one of Ranger's more conservative associates said recently: "I believe in freedom, but there has to be some limits placed." A-yeah.
But back to the non-win apologia: Lisa read the winning Best Post this weekend and really had a laugh at the entry considered the finest piece of writing a Progressive state blogger had to offer: Charlie Crist: Once and Future Governor. At best, it is a sycophantic encomium; more precisely, a solid piece of 11th grade journalism.
In addition, the person tapped to run the contest was also competing in it (and a few categories, against RAW), something about which we will protest to the Florida Democratic Party. We know they will be glad to hear from us.
We generally take to the high road, but this really beats all. Schadenfreude? Picayune? Not so much; just an honest assessment. (Skim a few graphs of the winning entry and see what you think.) We can only imagine the earnest author, Mr. Schorsch, won 53% of the vote (we never got an actual vote count) because he is a member of the StPetersBlog. 'Nuff said.
Well, anyhow, you did your best and we did ours. Florida? It's a swamp with two outposts of some mild progressive activity -- St. Pete/Tampa and Miami/Lauderdale. But it's a pretty politically incestuous world down there, and us? We are on LPOP in Tally town.
Florida is not a hotbed of Netroots activity, and every time Lisa has attempted to enter some activity on behalf of the local Democrats they come up wanting.
We're chuffed even getting to 2nd in this contest which seems to decide every time Ranger enters that his categories need a run-off about which he is never made aware. Such is life on the range.
We'll just be carrying on, thanks.
Labels: 2011 Netroots awards
posted by Lisa at 10:51 AM
7 Comments:
Yeah, I kind of wondered how my personal email was used to contact me directly telling me to re-vote in the runoffs, while the name of the person sending me that email was one of the finalists.
11th grade journalism?
More like an interview for a future position "under" Charlie (with proper apologies to the writer's(?) girlfriend).
The last line was so...schmaltzie bad.
I've seen my share of "people" on mountain tops and been in maybe more than my share of "deep valleys."
That view from the mountain top is only magnificent for such a short time because the valleys around it are seldom empty...and those below also strive for that "view."
Keep expressing yourself, Jim. We'll keep reading you. Seems there's always a need to try to free the oppressed.
To all,
A significant chasm exists in the net roots thing. Some of us writers are motivated only by our message and essays, and others make their living off of the system.
The categories should be - best blog earning a living or sucking off the system.We at Ranger have NO MONETARY benefits from our efforts.We wrire as free men.
This is the great divide.
I for one would tell FLNETROOTS to go pound salt, which would only further isolate my efforts, but being tied to neither extreme does have some benefits.Certainly we have accrued no benefits from our association with the netroots bobos. When we won in 2008 we were not even notified until AFTER the awards dinner, which marginalized our win. No kudos for Ranger and Lisa.
My analysis- the progressives cannot and will not ever gain any long term sucesses b/c they are too weasel worded dudes -too timid to win. They don't lose elections , but simply throw them away. Look at Meeks/Rubio election. Look at Scott's successful campaign.The dems are not defeated,but rather simply inept, which is why we have winners like SOUTHERLAND who is actually an embarrassment to the word Congressman.The dems gave that seat away with their inability to speak straight and true.
Fact-you've got to believe in something or your gonna fall. Thank you John Mellencamp b/c you know more than the Democratic party leadership.
jim hruska
There's much to be said about the power of being #2.
Someone(s) has to do the work while #1 takes the credit.
Like Westmoreland, right?
There it is.
Deryle
J&L - Congrats, 2nd in this fixed race is 1st anyway.
I don't think the piece on Crist was all that bad. Crist is a big story in Florida because he is a guy who really, really screwed the state. He is exactly the type of politician you decry, Ranger, the one who's got some serious selling points, but who's also totally inept at getting them across.
We've all got a stake in Florida politics and its very disheartening to see your state reject guys like Crist in favor of people like Scott. You've got a seriously screwed up state and it's truly unfortunate that you get something like 27 electoral votes.
My roundabout way of saying that in your state, a piece on Crist is going to garner more attention than some of the stuff you do, no matter how praiseworthy it may be.
I don't know why you give a shit, anyway, Ranger. Your very essence is anti-establishment. Why do you got against the tide all year and then yearn so much to join up with the enemy during this annual voting cycle?
You and Lisa are an excellent and compelling voice from the wilderness, which is how I view your state. That some us really like your stuff and respect you for you for what you're doing should be enough reward. Recall the old Groucho Marx line about how he wouldn't want to join any club that would want him as a member. Also think of Mencken and Will Rogers.
Publius,
I am an outlier. No doubt.
I'm a flanker , point or tail gunner and stay away from the main body.
I for one could give a shit about netroots, but....
The idea is that we gain more readers by playing the game.
jim
Post a Comment
<< Home