I’ve been trying to develop a simple essay/open letter, perhaps in the form of a .pdf e-booklet, to help persuade remaining conservative voters toward the Progressive side in this and future elections.

My brother, the unemployed naturopath, would like a simple side-by-side book. Each two-page spread would juxtapose something George W. Bush said a few years ago with something he said more recently on the same topic.

I foresee two problems with this approach:

• Examples of overt double-headedness from Bush himself are relatively rare; he’s notorious for living in, and publicly promoting, a reality distortion field of facts-be-damned consistency.
• Bush’s name isn’t appearing on any more ballots. Despite the liberal blogosphere’s catch phrases about “Bush’s third term” and “John McSame,” this election’s not really a referendum on the Bush legacy. It’s about how we’ll deal with that legacy’s multiple tragic results.

So: What other approaches could one take?

I’m currently thinking of a values-based approach. I’d ask my intended readers what they truly believe in–perhaps faith, prosperity, health, safety, security, opportunity, truth, beauty, public ethics, an honest reward for honest work, or simply a good burger at a decent price.

Then I’d explain, item by item, how the right-wing coalition’s various components have afted against all of these values, and how they’ve instead propagated greed, fear, graft, corruption, recession, and needless bloodshed.

Then I’d show how each of these values is far better served by a progressive-populist movement (as respectfully differentiated both from conservative DLC Democrats and from exclusionist college-town “radicals”).

I won’t expect such a document to convert everyone. Not every follower of conservatism does so out of any true adherence to higher values, however defined. Some are just plain bigots, war lovers, and extreme nationalists. I call these folk “tribal conservatives.” They’ll stick with their chosen tribe to the end.

Then there are the folk who care only about money and other forms of raw power, and who’ve sided with the Right as their best bet for achieving those aims. They won’t likely switch either. If they do vote Dem this November, it would be a mere conversion of convenience.

But we have a chance with the people who still believe in something beyond themselves, at least a little.

I’m interested in any advice from you as to how to win them over.