Three Happy Lessons for Progressives

In Toronto, Mayor Rob Ford sees his reckless budget derailed.

Who says you can’t fight City Hall? Torontonians who successfully pushed back against Mayor Rob Ford’s reckless cuts are the real winners in this year’s budget process. By the hundreds, they came to all-night public meetings; they inundated city councillors with expressions of concern; they tweeted, blogged and organized and, in many cases, took to the street in protest.

It worked. Indeed, democracy worked. By a slim majority city council voted to take almost $19 million from last year’s surplus and use it to save pools and homeless shelters, daycare services, and recreation programs including ice rink hours and library services.

And takes it badly.

Bad doggy hoggy. 

In Washington, the Keystone pipeline loses the first round.

And will probably lose the next round after more Americans learn that all that Canadian oil ain't for them.

Simply stated, Keystone XL is a way to get Canadian oil out of the United States, not into it.

Golly. Why do those Republican oil pimps hate America so much?

Meanwhile, also in Washington, the SOPA/PIPA  bill that would destroy the internet as we know it, is weaker than it was yesterday.

In an early sign that the mass online blackout in protest of the "Stop Online Piracy Act" (SOPA) and the "PROTECT IP Act" (PIPA) is working, PIPA co-sponsor Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) has pulled his support for the Senate's controversial anti-piracy bill.

And what do we learn from all of the above?

Answer: when progressives get off their asses, take to the streets, stage loud and noisy protests, and use the internet in clever and creative ways to bludgeon their opponents, we can leave the right-wingers looking like palookas, and wondering what hit them.

You know.... I've been noticing that progressives in this country have been looking a little tired and demoralized. So much so that sometimes when I wander through our blogosphere I feel I should be wearing black.

But not tonight eh?

Tonight this progressive is packing up his troubles in his kit bag, putting on his dancing shoes.

And kicking up his heels with these great gurlz...



So are we going to kick up our tired heels in Canada? And teach the Cons a lesson?

You bet we are.

When we are united, and do what only we can do, NOTHING can stop us...