I've kinda had it with all of the BS

[JDPriestly]

67. I belong to my local Democratic Club and attend the meetings pretty

regularly. I've made a lot of good friends there. The other members are just wonderful people.

But I have many, many liberal friends who aren't members. When I ask them to join, to attend meetings, to get active and become involved in the organization, they usually tell me that they don't like the people in the Democratic Party because the organized Democrats aren't nearly liberal enough.

There are a couple of problems with that.

First, I know the people in our club. They are genuinely liberal. They are committed, and they work hard. Do we have slight disagreements here and there on issues? Who doesn't?

Second, if you don't think club members are liberal enough, why don't you join and speak your mind? Maybe you will persuade someone to agree with you? In any event, what do you have to lose if you just try and participate?

It's really important to be active in your Democratic organizations at the local, and if you can, at the state and federal levels. The Democratic Party in California is pretty democratic. Do the Party officials have a lot of control and sway? Yes. But you can be part of picking who they are. You can get to know the leadership, the candidates, ask them questions and give them feedback in a forum that is not open to the whole world.

Frankly, unless you really, really don't have the time for anything, not even posting on DU, I have no sympathy for self-styled Democrats who aren't active and volunteering (at least enough to attend the meetings and get to know people) in the Democratic Party at their local level.

Hey! If you are interested enough in politics and articulate and smart enough to be on DU, you too could run for office or be active at the local level.

Don't complain about what is going on if you aren't active. With the exception of Dianne Feinstein, the Democrats we elect in California are pretty liberal. That is the effect of having strong local Democratic Clubs.