General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: When a Centrist Independent is a more reliable vote for Democrats than, well, some Democrats... [View all]Savannahmann
(3,891 posts)What would you rather have fall upon you, a ton of feathers, or a ton of bricks? Either answer is bad. No matter which you choose, a ton 2,000 lbs is going to be dropped on you. I could be anything. Paper, or anvils. Either way, you are getting squashed flat by the weight.
The Republicans give us a Shit Sandwich. The Democrats put a little chocolate on the sandwich, to make it more palatable. It is still a shit sandwich.
If we are serious about winning, if we are serious about maintaining control of the Government. We have to first give the people a reason to vote for us. That reason has to be based in principle. Without that principle, we are left with the argument that if they vote for us, we'll give them some chocolate for the shit sandwich.
We can do much, but we're not. Do you know how disappointing that is to a history lover like myself? To know that JFK inspired America with a call to do something that wasn't hard, it was considered impossible.
Everyone knows the speech. Where JFK proposed a rocket, consisting of materials that have not yet been invented. Techniques not yet developed, and technology not yet discovered.
I've read books, including one by Dr. John P. Craven. A man described as a mad scientist for the Navy. He led the development of the Polaris project. When they set forth on that project, they needed a missile that did not exist. A launch system that did not exist. Guidance software that did not exist. A warhead small enough to fit on the missile, that didn't exist either. They had an idea, and there were many who considered the challenges insurmountable. They also had a deadline, and it was like the Apollo mission, nearly impossible.
Obviously they did it. But where is that inspiration today? Now we look at a problem, and we don't see a challenge. We see something that is impossible, and it is much easier than launching a missile from beneath the waves. It is far easier than sending men to the moon.
We've gone from JFK's "We choose to do this and the other things not because they are easy, but because they are hard". From that beautiful sentiment we've gone to the other extreme. "We can't do that, it's just too hard".
So why go, why should people show up and vote. Nothing is proposed, nothing is promised, nor delivered. No inspirational visions for the people to get behind. Just excuses, and accurate statements. We're the lesser of two evils. No wonder so many people just blow off voting. No wonder you started a thread trying to gin up motivation among DEMOCRATS about an election that is at least fifteen months away. After years, we still have nothing to rally the people behind us except that we have chocolate for the shit sandwich, and everybody knows that everything goes better with chocolate.