I just read Reaper0bot's diary on the reason Barack Obama is likely supporting the current compromise FISA bill, and there was one comment that jumped out at me: someone said "okay, we'll lose the battle but win the war". Why?
If you're interested in the outcome of the bill, don't pressure the nominee unless you want to waste your time.
First of all, he's already getting maximum pressure from both wings of the party, which is to be expected no matter what his position is. Second of all, he's already made a statement in support of it. He cannot now reverse himself.
That's okay, because if you care about the policies as well as the politics, the nominee - who from now until election day is going to have all the flexibility of a battering ram - would be your last option anyway. If you're lobbying HIM, you've already lost.
Instead, pressure your own members of congress - write letters, talk to your friends, make phonecalls, the usual. Since I oppose the current house "compromise" FISA bill, (like most people here), I've contacted my two Senators to oppose it and mount to mount a filibuster. Unfortunately, Chuck Schumer is in favor of it, and Senator Clinton's office simply referred me to an earlier statement. But I'd like to hook up with national efforts opposing this, because being a New York member of Congress means voting in lockstep with the state delegation on big issues, usually.
I wish I didn't have to give an "activism for dummies", but this is MyDD, and people seem to be incapable of discussing ANY issue without using it either as a stick to prop up Barack Obama or to beat him over the head with it. PUMAs are hoping the bill passes so that they can blame it on Obama and say things like "See? He's a politician." (Really? Cause I thought he repaired mufflers.) And on the other hand, regular Democrats here are acting like if we either have to support the FISA bill or mute our criticism of it just because it's getting voted on in an election year.
Both sides, as usual, think it's all about Barack Obama. It isn't.
Look, Barack Obama is going to get elected president. This is a good thing. Also, that FISA bill is going down to defeat. Wanna know how I know? Because there are enough progressive smart enough to know which buttons to push and where to push them. We know it's not always about Barack Obama.
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