= new reply since forum marked as read
I think Democrats' overall cultural position is defensive, at this point in our history. We're trying to defend all sort of progress from the past 150 years from opponents who are trying to tear things down, attacking us from all directions. When they have the chance, the other side deliberately makes messes, and when we have power again we have to dedicate much of our effort to cleaning up... against their continuing active opposition. That makes it hard to work for actual progress, even when we do have political power.
I'd like to see us move away from that defensive position. If working for the progress we actually support represents "attack", then we need that. If, however, "attack" is just playing the political game as framed and defined by our opponents, we may be in more problematic territory. Fighting back in that sense, attacking using the methods of our adversaries, validates what the other side is doing. It makes it harder to work for real progress.
I'm glad Obama is so much smarter than I am, because I would have no idea how to move our country toward progress without playing into the hands of the regressives. Not too smart, me, as the muddled analysis in my posts surely illustrates. 
