The High The High RoadRoad

A values based communications A values based communications framework for progressive framework for progressive economicseconomics

Dan AnconaDan Ancona

May 2007 RevisionMay 2007 Revision

Part I: ValuesPart I: Values

What we stand forWhat we stand for

Dems at Dems at -28-28 in in 20052005

Despite lots of Despite lots of interesting interesting discussions[1] discussions[1] we’ve made close we’ve made close to zero progress to zero progress communicating communicating this to the general this to the general public.public.

[1] Some can be found here: http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Progressive

Progressives areProgressives arenot moral not moral relativists…relativists…

we valuewe value INTERDEPENDENCEINTERDEPENDENCE

andand

SUBSTANTIAL FREEDOMSUBSTANTIAL FREEDOM

Advantages: No mushy, confusing and inaccurate family metaphors.No trace of moral relativism. Historically grounded. Simple.Easily memorized. Relatively complete. Dovetails nicely withcommon good and other frameworks.

Disadvantages: They own the word “freedom,” and “interdependence” isan unfamiliar term.

Conservatives are mainly about defending moral ordersConservatives are mainly about defending moral ordersand expanding the freedom that comes from property rights.and expanding the freedom that comes from property rights.(i.e. stuff)(i.e. stuff)

Progressives are mainly about realizing interdependenceProgressives are mainly about realizing interdependenceand expanding substantial freedom. (i.e. cognitive liberty)and expanding substantial freedom. (i.e. cognitive liberty)

Realizing Realizing interdependenceinterdependence

The “ethic of connectedness” (Bill Bradley) that city The “ethic of connectedness” (Bill Bradley) that city dwellers share is why cities are so blue.dwellers share is why cities are so blue.

Land use is Land use is incrediblyincredibly important. (c.f. Kirwan Institute) important. (c.f. Kirwan Institute)

See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interdependence

(a.k.a. solidarity, a.k.a. why cities are so blue)

““Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality,We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality,tied in a single garment of destiny.” –MLKtied in a single garment of destiny.” –MLK

““When we try to pick out anything by itself,When we try to pick out anything by itself,we find it hitched to everything else in thewe find it hitched to everything else in theUniverse.” – John Muir Universe.” – John Muir

Expanding substantial Expanding substantial freedomfreedom

We’re starting to take it back:We’re starting to take it back:Amartya Sen Amartya Sen Development as FreedomDevelopment as FreedomGeorge Lakoff George Lakoff Whose freedom anyway?Whose freedom anyway?Paul Starr Paul Starr Freedom’s PowerFreedom’s PowerJohn Schwartz John Schwartz Freedom ReclaimedFreedom ReclaimedThe Opportunity AgendaThe Opportunity AgendaMany other books, organizations and Many other books, organizations and effortsefforts

Substantial freedom is the opportunitySubstantial freedom is the opportunitywe have as humans to realize our fullwe have as humans to realize our fullpotential.potential.

It can not be optimized individually.It can not be optimized individually.This is what takes a village.This is what takes a village.(or better yet, a city)(or better yet, a city)

This is why conservatism doesn’t work.This is why conservatism doesn’t work.

Russell Kirk’s 10 Conservative Russell Kirk’s 10 Conservative Principles… and oursPrinciples… and ours

preserving moral orders expanding substantial freedom

custom, convention, continuity

questioning authority, thinking critically

principle of prescription ethic of connectedness

prudence curiosity and wonder

variety celebrating diversity

imperfectability hope

freedom and property substantial freedom and cognitive liberty

voluntary community social justice and grace

restraining passions unleashing passions

reconciling permanence democratizing wealth and power

More: http://speakoutca.org/archives/2006/06/foundations_iii.php

Part II: The High RoadPart II: The High Road

LandscapeLandscapeThe Economic Policy Institute's The Economic Policy Institute's

Agenda for Shared ProsperityAgenda for Shared ProsperityThe Center for Community Change, especially their The Center for Community Change, especially their

TaprootsTaproots and and Movement VisionMovement Vision projects projectsThe Drum Major Institute's The Drum Major Institute's Middle Class Squeeze 2007Middle Class Squeeze 2007The Third Way's The Third Way's The New Rules EconomyThe New Rules Economy Demos' Demos' Economic Opportunity ProgramEconomic Opportunity ProgramThe Opportunity Agenda, in particular their The Opportunity Agenda, in particular their

Six Core ValuesSix Core ValuesThe Campaign for America's Future The Campaign for America's Future Straight TalkStraight TalkCitizens for Tax Justice's Citizens for Tax Justice's Talking TaxesTalking TaxesThe Brookings Institutions' The Brookings Institutions' Hamilton ProjectHamilton Project

Tens of thousands of pages of outstanding, thorough and inspiring research –that the vast majority of voters find utterly incomprehensible.

Hunger for a New StoryHunger for a New Story

The food is terrible. Andsuch small portions!

GQR 3/7/07: http://democracycorps.com/reports/analyses/Democracy_Corps_February_28_2007_Graphs.pdf

Voters disapprove of government performance...

... and solid majorities want more involvement

To tell that story, we needTo tell that story, we needcommon principlescommon principles

» secure basic freedoms» secure basic freedoms

» invest in people and the » invest in people and the futurefuture

» democratize economic power» democratize economic power

» build the green economy» build the green economy

» housebreak capitalism» housebreak capitalism

» globalize this approach » globalize this approach

This is the 2nd and a ½ way. It has a name, and a small enough numberof points that they can be remembered easily after 2 glasses of wine.

FDR's Four Freedoms and his FDR's Four Freedoms and his Economic Bill of RightsEconomic Bill of Rights are good are good templates for this: housing, health templates for this: housing, health care, useful work, education, and care, useful work, education, and basic economic security are all basic economic security are all basic rights that the federal basic rights that the federal government can and absolutely government can and absolutely should play a role in securing.should play a role in securing.

Without a basic level of security, Without a basic level of security, people can't even get to the kind people can't even get to the kind of freedom and opportunity that is of freedom and opportunity that is so central to progressivism: the so central to progressivism: the freedom that is the fruit of freedom that is the fruit of cognitive liberty, the potential to cognitive liberty, the potential to develop one's self as fully as develop one's self as fully as possible. Securing these basic possible. Securing these basic freedoms is the aim of social freedoms is the aim of social justice and it is the heart of the justice and it is the heart of the high road. high road.

Secure basic Secure basic freedomsfreedoms..

Invest in Invest in peoplepeople..

To compete in the 21st To compete in the 21st century, we need to take our century, we need to take our education and research system education and research system to the next level. Financial to the next level. Financial resources aren't the only thing resources aren't the only thing the system needs, but they are the system needs, but they are certainly part of it. There is a certainly part of it. There is a bottom-line rationale for bottom-line rationale for beating structural racism and beating structural racism and fairly distributing educational fairly distributing educational resources and opportunity; resources and opportunity; simply, it’s because tax cuts simply, it’s because tax cuts don't create jobs, people do. don't create jobs, people do. The job creating leaders of The job creating leaders of tomorrow will be new tomorrow will be new immigrants and inner-city kids, immigrants and inner-city kids, ifif we give them a chance. we give them a chance.

Pics: see http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.04/robot.html

Unions, progressive Unions, progressive taxation, minimum and taxation, minimum and living wage laws, and living wage laws, and employee ownership all employee ownership all have one thing in have one thing in common: they common: they democratize economic democratize economic power and wealth. This is power and wealth. This is a good thing, and we a good thing, and we can't be afraid to say so.can't be afraid to say so.

The American people are The American people are good and tired of being good and tired of being trickled down on.trickled down on.

Democratize Democratize wealthwealth..

Build the green Build the green economyeconomy..

The long-time argument against The long-time argument against building the green economy - that building the green economy - that it would cost too much - sounds it would cost too much - sounds increasingly nonsensical in the increasingly nonsensical in the days of $50 and rising barrels of days of $50 and rising barrels of oil. The dangers and costs of not oil. The dangers and costs of not doing anything are far, far greater. doing anything are far, far greater. Markets are Markets are tools for solving problemstools for solving problems, not , not ends unto themselves. We should ends unto themselves. We should use both markets and public policy use both markets and public policy to solve environmental problems.to solve environmental problems.

We are way behind on this as a We are way behind on this as a civilization. We need to start now.civilization. We need to start now.

Housebreak Housebreak capitalismcapitalism..

Capitalism is just like a puppy: it's Capitalism is just like a puppy: it's great, but it has a tendency to make great, but it has a tendency to make messes. An American Prospect messes. An American Prospect article last May used just the right article last May used just the right frame for how to approach this: frame for how to approach this: it needs to be housebrokenit needs to be housebroken. The . The right wing is always accusing us of right wing is always accusing us of trying to kill the puppy, but this is trying to kill the puppy, but this is an absurd argument. Progressives an absurd argument. Progressives are fine with capitalism, at least are fine with capitalism, at least until we come up with something until we come up with something better, and the search for that better, and the search for that something better is a critical part of something better is a critical part of the movement and the research it's the movement and the research it's engaged in. But in the meantime, engaged in. But in the meantime, it's time to stop having to clean it's time to stop having to clean capitalism's messes off the rug.capitalism's messes off the rug.

To do this, we need to rebuild To do this, we need to rebuild people’s trust in government. This people’s trust in government. This won’t be easy. The first step is to won’t be easy. The first step is to stop reinforcing right wing, anti-stop reinforcing right wing, anti-government frames.government frames.

The purpose of our trade The purpose of our trade policies, other than policies, other than opening up international opening up international markets to our products, markets to our products, should be to encourage should be to encourage other countries. We can other countries. We can avoid races to the bottom, avoid races to the bottom, but only if we deliberately but only if we deliberately use our market power to use our market power to compel our trading compel our trading partners to avoid them. partners to avoid them.

GlobalizGlobalize this e this approacapproachh..

ConclusionsConclusions

We need to come to agreement on some We need to come to agreement on some of the basics and how we talk about of the basics and how we talk about

them. This is – perhaps unfortunately, them. This is – perhaps unfortunately, since we love to disagree - critical to since we love to disagree - critical to

our effectiveness as a movement.our effectiveness as a movement.

The good news is we can still disagree The good news is we can still disagree like crazy on everything else, from like crazy on everything else, from

research to policy to implementation research to policy to implementation to tactics.to tactics.

ContactContact

Dan AnconaDan Ancona

dan@anconastrategy.comdan@anconastrategy.com

415.373.8972415.373.8972

Thanks!Thanks!

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