I know it may seem as though I have been absent these days. It’s mainly due to behind the scenes work here at Soapblox. Now is the perfect time to do such work. The Bush White House and the Republican leadership he is identified with is in complete disarray. Like a house of cards collapsing beneath the breath of a gentle breeze, a card here, a card there, till finally the whole tower of babble (that is purposely misspelled) comes crashing down. We are at the beginning stages of this, however I believe the 2nd act is about to begin on the collapse of Bush and his cronies. Or if this were a Faustian play, this would be the beginning of the 3rd Act. In other words, those that have sold their souls for power and greed will reap what they have sown, and in the end, you cannot escape what the Hindu’s call Karma and what many here simply call “what goes around comes around.â€
Just take a look at these headlines:
Bush Approval Rating drops below 40%
2% of African-Americans Approve of Bush
GOP Split as Growing Number of Republicans Call for Withdrawal
Jitters at the White House over Leak Inquiry
Cheyney Aide a Key Focus in CIA Leak Probe-Lawyers
Prosecutor Subpoenas Delay’s Phone Records
So while the curtains are begining to draw, and we are in a state of transition, before the whirlwind begins, before the great storm approaches, before the possibilities of war exploding even further and the possibilities of scandal that will shake the nation’s apathy, we here at Soapblox decided to do get our house in order.
Phase II of our long-term construction plan, there are 3 in all, was implemented 2 weeks ago which will add a wide range of content and expand Soapblox from just an article based blog to a stage of words, pictures, ideas and sounds. We will feature a new QUICK-LINX area, which will highlight articles of particular interest to Progressives, such as the ones above, only updated frequently and not without it’s sense of humor. We will be adding in a new STAGE-BOX area, featuring multi-media artwork. Some like the pictures you’ve seen me post previously, among music, poetry and animations. Finally, Phase II will add in a VENTILATION SHAFT area, which is just a safe place to Rant and rave about anything.
Ebb & Flow, co-creator and nuts and bolts operator behind the scenes, is working tirelessly, and then comes home and works tirelessly on this site as well. Change may not occur as fast as those blogs where everyone does it for a living, yet we do our best to keep this train running on schedule. I’m sure he feels the way I do, I would love to do this for more than just the love of the game. If I could spend the time talking to all of you instead of busting my rump for chump change like I do now, I know this site would be much better.
Until then, as you visit Soapblox.com, please wear a hardhat (I know it’s pointless, it’s just regulation), mind the scattered nails about the floor and forgive the bits of sawdust hear and there, as we are definitely under construction.
In the coming months, you will notice new writers as well. Many will be writing as guest writers speaking of a wide-range of topics from Christianity to Separation of Church and State, from Libertarianism to Socialism. Soapblox is intended to be a platform maker for Progressive ideas and views. In order to achieve such an ambition, other people must get up and speak on this soapblox. Progressivism is built around the notion of progress, around actually getting things done. In order to achieve that ambition, we as progressives must listen to many points of view from all over the ideological spectrum, of course there are many places on the web to hear right-wing propaganda or regurgitated DNC rhetoric, therefore such speakers will find no place at Soapblox. However, truly unique and open-minded views who wish to push ideas forward, not “one-up†anyone or spew out divisive talking points for the sake of argument, but writers who actually debate and discuss will find that this Progressive is not just one to speak, also one to listen.
If you’re interested in guest writing contact me at bryan@soapblox.com.
The first Progressive Era in America achieved more change than any other time in U.S. history and it was done without violence and bloodshed. I would even speculate that perhaps that is WHY it achieved what it did. Progressives reached across and made deep inroads to the Republican Party. A broad coalition was formed to bring about reforms in the schools, sanitation laws, child-labor laws, the direct primary, the ability to elect a senator (previously chosen by state assemblies), anti-trust laws, the 8-hour work day, the right of recalling a politician, consumer protections like ingredient labels and of course, a woman’s right to vote.
As our own times begin to cry out for reform, it occurred to me that there are many parallels from that era to this. The 1890’s and turn of the century were cold, insecure times much like our own. Failing schools, corporations running rampant, pollution, sensational news, a trumped up war, political scandal, struggling labor, wide-scale apathy, all very similar. There are many things, however, that are very different as well. History may repeat itself, just not the same way. That is where we come in.
This is our progressive era, this is our time to make a stand, this is our time to make reforms that our great great great grand children will still benefit from.