So, my next door neighbors are Republicans. They’re a great family, our kids play together all the time, and we’ve had some fine chats. About anything but politics. There’s a part of me that likes that– it’s hard to discuss something so touchy when I feel so passionately about it.

See, my passion comes not from the “horse race” aspect of politics (sure, there’s a little interest), but from the understanding that those in political power can do so much to help improve the common good. Everyone needs to do their part, sure, but my leverage is just a leetle bit less than, say, Louise Slaughter’s or Eliot Spitzer’s.

So it makes me nuts when I see folks with a short-term, way inside-the-box thinking get elected. And other well-meaning folks blithely electing them.

So I’m always looking for ways to convey this passion without turning people off. I’m getting better.

For example, the last couple days, the dad next door and I have met at our daughters’ bus stop, and chatted about current events. A couple days ago it was all about recent layoffs, and how the middle class is getting whacked, and he not only agreed but offered that the CEOs make out like bandits no matter what happens to the rank-and-file in the company, or how well the company does.

Yesterday it was all about how warm everything’s getting, and how creepy it is. He chimed in saying that when he grew up (in Henrietta), snow came in November and stayed all winter. He’s pissed off that he can’t take his kids skiing around here for the last couple years.

I want desperately at this point to “close the deal”. How? I know if I say “And that’s why I support Democrats” (or “progressives”) or whatever, he’ll switch off, get defensive, or worse.

stlo7, whose super-power is calmly and joyfully discussing politics with die-hard conservatives– and convincing them!– gave me this advice yesterday:

1. Try to avoid labels (”Dem”, “GOP”, “conservative”, “liberal”). These are so charged with meaning that they get in the way of what you’re really trying to discuss.

2. Discuss it from a “values” perspective. As the Pew “values” poll in 2004, and current polling today shows, beneath the labels the majority of Americans share the same values. And I’m much more likely to get my neighbor to agree that global warming is happening, or corporate capitalism is out of control and screwing the average guy, than I am to get him to fill out a party registration change form on the spot.

3. Stand firm on your values. Don’t let the right-wing talking points shake you from that. Those points have been carefully constructed to box you into a “false choice”, or a defensive position. Do what you can to keep returning to your base values in the conversation.

There was more stuff but he was talking so fast, and I can only do so much drinking from the firehose. But I wanted to get it out here before I forgot.

Anyone else have ideas or stories?