Message memo for Bernie: Attack fossil fuels, not "automobiles" in general.

[True Blue Door]

It's still early days, and a small matter, but small matters in messaging add up over time. Bernie Sanders had this to say recently:

It would look like a tax on carbon; a massive investment in solar, wind, geothermal; it would be making sure that every home and building in this country is properly winterized; it would be putting substantial money into rail, both passenger and cargo, so we can move towards breaking our dependency on automobiles. And it would be leading other countries around the world.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2015/05/01/bernie-sanders-signals-aggressive-challenge-to-hillary-clinton/

All good except the negative emphasis on automobiles. They're not just a form of transportation in this country, they're also a strong social institution. We can and should pursue rail, but there's no reason to emphasize tension with the automobile - especially as electrical vehicles charged with renewable energy build up infrastructure and jobs in this country. There's just no purpose to taking that sort of tack with the message, especially since, as I note, automobiles are a cultural institution.

Be a friend to Tesla Motors and to rail, not an enemy of "the automobile." Break our dependency on fossil fuels, not the concept of individuals and families having their own transportation. This is the kind of insensitivity to the consequences of messaging that candidates from the left often unwittingly step into. It adds absolutely nothing to the environmental message, and creates unnecessary and unproductive dissonance with prevailing culture.

Don't weigh down a powerful and necessary message about economic inequality with compulsive issue-profusion and dismissing cultural factors for the sake of being different. The left always steps on its own dick over that kind of thing. Attack fossil fuels and promote rail, but "the automobile" as a general concept is an American symbol.

[cali]

1. Makes sense to me.

Of course I tend to think we're likely too late in regard to dealing with our dependence on fossil fuels and the window, if not shut, isn't open wide enough for effective solutions.

[True Blue Door]

3. Pessimism that deep is pointless.

If it's too late to repair the environment, then there's no point being involved in politics at all.

I think the disasters will sometimes be worse than we fear in some places, at some times, but that we will have plenty of opportunities as well.

"We'll find a way" is the motto of progressivism.

We come through crucibles with stronger knowledge, better technology, and more humane civilizations.

[cali]

4. Yes, we often come through crucibles- Malthus is a good case in point

but many, many scientists think that we've reached the tipping point. I don't think in terms of "pessimism" or "optimism", but in terms of reality.

None of what I said means I'm advocating simply giving up. I believe in doing what's right and working to address the problem, no matter the outcome.

[leftofcool]

2. I will keep my car thanks.

Both of them!

[cali]

5. Aw, did you think big bad war mongering mean old Bernie was threatening to

take them away, loc?

Reminds me of what people on the right fear from liberals.

[Cosmic Kitten]

6. Breaking "dependence" is attacking automobiles???

It's that type of conclusion
that creates "unnecessary
and unproductive dissonance"

Its precisely the single serving,
exceptionalism that is leading
the assault on the environment.

Until the public perceptions are
realigned with cooperative and
community based interactions,
will the me me me me...
driven consumerism abate.

I don't see an attack on automobiles.
All I see is recognition of an
infrastructure that demands the
"dependence upon single serving autos".

[True Blue Door]

7. Don't shoot the messenger.

What you see isn't necessarily what's heard.
What Bernie says isn't necessarily what's heard.
A political campaign can't complain after the fact "But I didn't mean that!" if something is misinterpreted.

Reality doesn't care how you feel.
It doesn't care what's going through your mind when you say what you say.
It doesn't even care what you actually, literally say.
It only cares what happens on the other end of what you say, as it enters (or doesn't enter, or only partly enters) the ears of others.