As a progressive, I don't want to get tangled up in the psychological baggage of a lot of other progressives whose history or low self-esteem has them in love with the idea of noble failure. The best progressive is not the most ideologically pure.
The best progressive is the most successful progressive, the one who produces the most positive change. Give up the empty comfort of a lifetime of wagging fingers and if-only-you-listeneds and I-told-you-sos. Find a way to win.
Find candidates that succeed. Find metrics that make sense in the real world. Be a real world progressive. And that includes acknowledging the contributions of progressives who have tried and failed and identifying new leaders who will try and succeed.
By all means, fight the good fight, rail against the system. It is corrupt. It is broken. Inequality is dividing and destroying us. Corporatism is literally killing us and the world around us. The stakes are high. In fact, they are so high we can't afford to lose.
We can't let the echoes of fading speeches and rallies of other progressives be our only solace. We can't settle for that. We're fortunate to have a new generation of leaders and some experienced ones who understand how to get things done. Back them. Fight alongside them.
