tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post3171162405066574914..comments2023-10-24T04:29:23.693-06:00Comments on Atheist Ethicist: The Ethical Atheist Lobbyist and the Organization She RepresentsAlonzo Fyfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687777216426347054noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-88341239304945426322012-06-01T08:18:51.193-06:002012-06-01T08:18:51.193-06:00That blatant electoral fraud (which, by the way, i...That blatant electoral fraud (which, by the way, is an accusation I reject as unsound) would not have been possible with a clearer majority.Alonzo Fyfehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05687777216426347054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-8665205539759114472012-06-01T06:47:00.069-06:002012-06-01T06:47:00.069-06:00“Ralph Nader ran for President on a third-party ti...“Ralph Nader ran for President on a third-party ticket. The result was to bring about eight years with a complete lack of corporate oversight...”<br /><br />No, that was not Ralph Nader's fault for a very simple reason: when all votes were counted, Al Gore won. Blatant electoral fraud cost him that election, not votes choosing Nader over him.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13113358989259865484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-40515061254880551142012-05-25T09:57:18.523-06:002012-05-25T09:57:18.523-06:00My project during the first two months of this yea...My project during the first two months of this year (the January and February posts) concerned an assessment of Sean Faircloth's new strategy for atheists and secularists. I was mostly supportive in general, though I brought up some disagreements as to the details.<br /><br />Also, I agree that there are things that a lobbyist can do now - even with little political or economic weight. They can still work at the margins, sometimes very effectively.<br /><br />But there is nothing they can do with a trace of political and evonomic weight behind them that they cannot do better with more political and economic weight. And there us no trick a lobbyist can use that others with more political and economc clout are already using.<br /><br />I do not think we are disagreeing on anything, to be honest. At least, I am having trouble finding any actual disagreement.Alonzo Fyfehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05687777216426347054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-6357055835632531352012-05-25T08:34:18.722-06:002012-05-25T08:34:18.722-06:00Two things: when Edwina was called out on this re...Two things: when Edwina was called out on this reality on Culture Wars Radio, she brought up a few good points. First, the best place to influence legislation is in committee, and killing or tweaking bad legislation at that stage is just as important and less politically dangerous then introducing new legislation or voting on the floor. If that was the only place that lobbying was effective, it would be worth it.<br /><br />If you read the secular.org issues, or listen to Sean Faircloth's presentations, you'll notice many of the issues listed are not the most important ones to the movement, though some of those are thown in. They are by and large health,safety, and discrimination issues around which a collision can be built, and with which many religious people agree when questioned. Personally I think some of the issues are listed to get atheist firebrands on board, and are unlikely to actually get any traction in the near term.<br /><br />Sean Faircloth made great hay out of the child are safety issues, and the woman's and gay rights are quite hot topics at them moment. These are issues where adding our voice to the collective din can be quite effective.<br /><br />Meanwhile, in the process coalitions are built and political capital accrues. Getting and maintaining access is one of the most difficult jobs for a lobbyist, and inertia is a powerful thing. And building coalitions is the necessary long term solution. Bootstrapping and growing those around issues rather than candidates seems to be the way such things usually go. Then if a hero figure emerges to run for office, the coalition will be waiting for her.Bilbo Fragginshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04112162930659042936noreply@blogger.com