Grassley Office Arrests And The Efficacy Of Protest

Grassley Office Arrests And The Efficacy Of Protest

Civil disobedience is a powerful, legitimate takes a fair amount of nerve and I tip my hat to the folks who got arrested at Chuck Grassley's offices yesterday. Yet I'm not sure how much they accomplished.

I leave aside the alienation effect. I admire protest but I acknowledge that some people reject the tactic and question its legitimacy.

(Aside: for the worst writing in the Iowa blogosphere you can't beat James Eaves-Johnson's From Right To Left at the Press-Citizen. No link love for his simplistic arguments and blatant Israel pandering.)

The success of protest depends on how you define the target. If the goal is publicity and attention to Grassley's pro-war policies, they were a success. Front pages, and here I am writing about it. But if the idea was to actually persuade Grassley, then it was a waste of time.

Attempts to persuade seated politicians only work on small to medium size issues. On the hot buttons issues, on questions of basic philosophy, politicians are either firm or, if not, they are hurt more by the obvious pandering (see The Entire Career of Mitt Romney for details).

There's also a certain lack of credibility. Oh, so lefty students are protesting Grassley on the war? Like they were ever gonna vote for him anyway? Even if he flips on the war he's still an anti-choice, cut taxes for the rich conservative.

The only way to deal with politicians who can't be persuaded is to work around them, persuade the larger public, and defeat them. That's why I've chosen to focus my activism on electoral politics.

Chuck Grassley has not had a well-funded, top tier race since he was first elected as a challenger in 1980. That's a whole generation ago - literally, as the son of the incumbent he beat is now our governor. He's held public office continually for two generations - literally, as his grandson now holds his old legislative seat. Fifty years in office with perhaps three serious races (1958, 1974, 1980 - one for each rung of the ladder.) Just the kind of candidate whose campaign muscles atrophy.

It's long past time for someone to really take on Grassley, and the candidate is waiting in the wings, just off a presidential race that never really got off the ground. I hope Tom Vilsack keeps his profile high and close to home the next couple years on the sidelines, and gears up for a big return to the ball game in 2010.

Profiles In Contrast

Profiles In Contrast

"This is a rare Saturday vote. We’ve had only a handful of votes on Saturdays in the last 20 years. Even though I had to cancel a couple of speeches in Iowa, this is the place to be because the War on Terrorism is the most important issue facing Americans"
-Chuck Grassley, speaking today in Washington DC

John McCain in Des Moines today blasted the Democrat-controlled Senate leadership for calling a Saturday session to debate a "meaningless resolution" of disapproval for President Bush's Iraq war strategy.

"It's insulting to the public and our soldiers to pretend we're discharging our responsibility in any meaningful way."

Thanks to O. Kay for pointing this out and pushing the objectivity envelope.

Vote was 56-34, but needed 60. Ten absent, including McCain. Washington Post adds to his sense of false priorities (i.e. me, me me):

Most Democrats were already seated at their desks when the roll call began shortly before 2 p.m. The only Democrat who missed the vote was Sen. Tim Johnson (S.D.), who is recovering from brain surgery. Democratic Sens. Robert P. Casey Jr. (Pa.) and Max Baucus (Mont.) canceled plans to visit Iraq this weekend and were present on the floor. Their traveling companions, GOP Sens. Jon Kyl (Ariz.) and Bob Corker (Tenn.), went ahead with the trip and missed the Senate action.

All actual Democrats voted to stop the surge - Joementum, of course, showed his true colors and voted like a Republican. But seven GOP senators defected from the Bush line:

Norm Coleman of Minnesota, Susan Collins of Maine, Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, Gordon Smith of Oregon, Olympia Snowe of Maine, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania and John Warner of Virginia. All but Snowe and Specter could face the voters in 2008.

Norm Coleman. How will his vote affect me, Al Franken?