JLVernonPhD presents "American SciCo"

This is my message to members of the Democratic party, the Progressive movement and scientists and its not a friendly one.  It’s a warning.  If there’s one thing I learned this weekend at the USA Science and Engineering Festival. It is that people love and appreciate science.  I also learned that science is facing a real threat. While working my little booth at the festival, I had a conversation with a staffer for the Republicans on the Committee for Science and Technology.  She made it clear to me (nearly rubbing her hands together with delight) that they intended to oppose all climate legislation.  She went so far as to puppet the climate denialists’ mantra that there is still controversy over climate change and the hockey stick data was “just plain” bogus.  “Thank goodness for Texas Representative Joe Barton,” she said. 

So, with a very queasy stomach I write this post.  It’s time to suck it up and stop the whining.  We have seven days to get over our pity parties and start a Democratic party surge.  If you’ve been pestering your Democratic candidate about something that hasn’t been done, get off your ass and help him or her get it done.  Give them the tools they need to pass the legislation that you want.  What are those tools?  More Democrats in Congress!

Poor legislation isn’t written because they want to oppose your issue.  It’s written because they have to get the votes to pass it, which leads to compromise or inaction.  If we give the Democrats an ironclad grip on Congress for 2 more years, they will have a mandate to fulfill Obama’s campaign promises, which I presume you support. If we fail to do so, President Obama and Congress will take it as a message that we weren’t serious about fighting for our issues.  And, the GOP’s and the Tea Party’s war on science, gays, the middle class, health and overall American virtues will gain momentum.

This is just the third battle in a long term political war with the conservatives.  The first battle was in 2006, which we won.  The second was in 2008, which you no doubt helped accomplish.  It’s time to rally again!

When conservative pundit Bill Kristol came to the University of Texas at Austin after the Republicans lost Congress in 2006, he basically said that if the Democrats maintain their hold on Congress in 2008, it could be the end of the Republican Party.  While the GOP may have effectively fought back with a party of “No” policy, they are still in the throes of collapse.  The mission is not to eliminate the Republican party.  I believe it should be to bring them into the 21st Century with 21st Century ideas. 

In addition to promoting evidence-based science policies, we might be able to phase out their failed economic policies.  This could be the final nail in the coffin for failed Reagan-era ideas.  The collapse of the Soviet Union opened the world to globalization which changed the effects of Wall Street on America’s main streets.  In other words, Wall Street went global while the rest of us are still living on main street U.S.A.  Reagan’s ideas still work, but now they’re working on the global stage by bringing jobs (albeit low paying jobs) to developing countries and making Wall Street millionaires and corporate executives even more wealthy.  Yes, profits are high.  But!  Investing in Wall Street today and giving tax cuts for those who invest in Wall Street does little to support the American middle class.  It’s time to make that argument.  If you want to go global, you have to pay America for the benefits you receive from our infrastructure.  If you want to be on Wall Street, you’ve got to take care of regular Americans, too.

If we stand up AGAIN and surge against those who reject Democratic beliefs, they will learn that their policies of the past are failing Americans and they must embrace “Change” to regain power in the future. 

Just imagine John Boehner as the Majority leader of the House!!! 
We cannot allow this disaster to occur.  The Republican Party needs to recognize that there is no “Hope” in their ideas. 

That said, it’s time to stop calling our Democratic candidates with complaints.  Stop blogging and whining about why you would “feel” better if they did this or that.  It’s time to blog about how we can accomplish our goals in the next two years and get Obama re-elected. Get on the phone and start calling voters in other states in districts where they need our support.  I have done so and you need to do the same.  Volunteer to drive voters to the pools.  Call your local candidates and volunteer to help them reach out to 2008 voters and get them to the polls in 2010.  After we’ve done this and we’ve maintained our hold on the House and the Senate, then we can get back to kicking their butts and making them meet our demands. They surely won’t be able to do it with more Teabaggers in Congress!  Now, is the time to act.  So, put down the pipettes and grab your phones.  I’ll see you in November.

If you need some inspiration, please click here!