If you want to help defeat Bush in 2004, read this essay: The Twelve Steps to Effect Regime Change.

An excerpt, though the whole thing is good:

“Step 8: Deal With the Politics of Fear

“Fear is the subtext of American politics. The Republicans know that fearful people tend to vote conservative, so generating and exploiting fear will be high on their agenda. Expect every kind of Republican surprise: Code Reds, new acts of terrorism, invasions of other countries, the sudden capture of Osama bin Laden or Saddam Hussein. There may be dirty tricks in this election.

“Even though some of us don’t feel it acutely, fear is a fundamental issue in America. It’s no accident that we have more than 11,000 gun deaths a year while neighboring Canada has far fewer with as many guns per capita. America just passed the 2 million mark in the number of people incarcerated in prisons. While violent crime goes down, the presentation of violent crime in the media escalates.

“Generating fear of ‘the other’ is a staple of Republican politics. Only united can we can fight it. But this isn’t simple and requires a lot of discussion, thought and creative ideas. The main point is to acknowledge that fear is on people’s minds and not trivialize or deny it. The antidote to fear is joy and courage. It is mutual support and protection and a clear, forthright policy on national security. Progressive values are about protecting our families, our communities, making our lives safe and fulfilling. But we’re not interested, as the Bush administration insists is necessary, in trading freedom for security. As Move On’s Wes Boyd notes: ‘Luckily, Americans are made of sterner stuff and we’ll continue to protect freedom and it will make us strong.'”

Link courtesy of Liz.