Dems better not swing further right.

[Cascadian]

I find it amazing and beyond belief that there is a suggestion that the Democratic Party MUST move further to the right in regards to the issues of morality and religion. WHAT??? Why do we in this country insist on bringing church and state closer together? It just drives me crazy and now there are those in the Democratic Party that want to move further to the right in this instance?

If I am not mistaken, this past election were about Bush's failures in the economy and in Iraq and then overnight, the media and Republican whores are saying that Bush won because of America's "conservative Judeo-Christian" values? What did I miss?

I cannot accept any Democratic shift further to the right. It did not work for Tom Daschle and it will not work the next time in 2006 or 2008. I will not support any Democratic candidate that moves closer to the right in regards to these issues.

Why do people forget that quote from Harry Truman? He said that" If you have two candidates, a Republican and a Democrat who acts like a Republican, the people will vote for the Republican everytime..." Doesn't anybody get it?

John

[onebigbadwulf]

1. The fundies reign supreme now...

you're going to have to wait until the 3rd great awakening ends before you talk about the public voting for non-righties.

[eagler]

13. The God the right wing worships is

the Reverend Moon. On the 23rd of March 04 he was crowned " The Messiah" in Washington at the Dirksen Federal bldg.
http://gadflyer.com/articles/?ArticleID=131

[Lautremont]

2. From my point of view,

which is to say a Canadian one, the Democrats are plenty rightward enough, thank you. Kerry, for instance, sits, or appeared to sit, about equal on most issues with the farthest right mainstream politician we've got, Stephen Harper of the Conservative Party. He's considered a right-wing crackpot by a not inconsiderable chunk of the population. This makes bush and friends appear to be even more insanely conservative than he appears to you. So just say no to a rightward swing.

[Cascadian]

3. America is essentially a right-wing country.

I hate to admit it. With the exception of some small pockets in the population, it is a right-wing country after all. It makes me disillusioned. In fact, I will be so bold to say that democracy in America is a joke. I am sorry but it has to be said.


To be very honest, I am seriously considering changing citizenships in the next 5 years. I am looking more towards Canada.

John

[noiretextatique]

5. iif this a rw country, as you say...then why shouldn't democrats

swing further right?

[Cascadian]

8. Well...more right of center.

eom


John

[noiretextatique]

12. i see...ok

thanks for clearly that up. as i mentioned to someone else in another thread, democrats need to learn what republicans already know well:
reality is what you say it is.
it helps that the media parrots every idiotic rw soundbite, but it is still true.

[annabanana]

24. small pockets... like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles etc....

yup..pretty small damn pockets alrighty

jiminy..get a grip!

[hollywood926]

25. Hi Sean Hannity! Welcome to the board!

Every major metro area in the country went for Kerry.

Small pockets?

[formernaderite]

29. That may be true right now....but

the further right we go....the further right they go. THank you Clinton. He and the DLC drove this party rightward with the carrot of power dangling. Of course the repubs had to cut clear differences...they did so marching further right again. The whole country's meter is off.

Running left may not win the next one....but it will reset the meter, so that longterm Americans realize where the middle truly lies.

[President Kerry]

4. we have to stop being so damn selfish...

if everyone pulls in every direction, we'll be in the minority forever. No I won't enjoy moving the party to the right. But I'm tired of losing. If we can find another Rove that can make us recapture power, then we've got to keep pragmatism in mind. I do admire principles. But defecting is the easiest thing in the world. We all have a common goal and common values, and we need to make things happen. But first we MUST take down the shameless RW junta. And I'll do whatever it takes to do it.

[Cascadian]

7. You can do what you can but I am going to stand on principle.

I cannot agree with something I do not believe in. I could have voted for Nader or anybody else but I voted strategicaly for Kerry to get Bush out. If the Dems start mocking the Republicans in terms of gay rights, abortion, and bringing church and state closer, then the Democratic Party will not get my support.


John

[President Kerry]

11. your heart's in the right place, and i agree with you wholeheartedly...

I also agreed with Kerry when he refused to back fundies for a gay marriage ban. But the next time we lose by 0.1% because this country is just too damn right wing--i'm gonna be sick and lose faith in democracy. In fact, I've already lost faith in democracy because I want * out so bad, I'm willing to compromise my principles in favor of pragmatism.

America, wake up!! It's just basic human rights and liberties we're asking for!

[Arroyo]

17. If you really want

to stop losing, fight to change the system. In parliamentary democracies, an election like ours would have resulted in a 50/50 congressional split. The Republicans would not control all branches of government. Didn't the loya jirga have 1,000 members? Why, in a country much larger than Afghanistan, do we insist on an archaic number of representatives in the House? This gives insignificant red states far greater representation than their actual numbers, and states like California far less representation than their actual numbers. Why not a representative for every 100,000 people? Then we would not have landmass trumping population in the elections.

[mike_c]

27. if winning is the only thing that matters...

...why not just join the republicans?

[Gelliebeans]

6. I agree with you

100%
a lot of people made concessions for unity already and I don't think leaning to the right will pick up more voters, we have to keep to core values period.

[tsuki]

9. F*ck That.

I just watched Bill Maher, and Al Simpson & Andrew Sullivan said what is wrong with us is we DEMONIZE the moral values of the Jesus Jumpers. Oh, we're librul, we apologize. Then Noam Chomsky has a segment and after he leaves, Andrew Sullivan starts his right wing, Jesus Jumpin' Demonization of Noam.

I am as far right as I ever want to be. F*ck the bridge. Civil Rights for all. Keep your damn rosaries off my ovaries. Equal protection under the law for all who wish to form a binding relationship.

And the snake handlers can stuff it.

[Lorien]

15. Amen

one inch more to the right and I'm no longer voting Dem. I was never a big fan of third parties, but moving further right plays right into Rove's hands.

"Given a Republican and a Democrat who acts like a republican, the people will chose the Republican every time".

As true now as when it was first spoken!

[tsuki]

18. I have voted third parties

since Jimmy Carter. I voted Democrat this election, but I can return to a third party vote. Don't f*ck with me.

[Gelliebeans]

20. tsuki

I like the damn rosaries off my ovaries. Haven't heard that one before may I use it?;)

[tsuki]

21. Feel Free.

Ain't mine, but I love it.

[tsuki]

10. Oh and Andrew Sullivan,

you are a lap dog.

[Cozmosis]

14. Seriously, anyone who thinks we need to move right is crazy

And needs to at least read the first chapter of Don't Think of an Elephant. Our values and issues are for all those people in the midwest and south. They just don't get it. The Reps excel at making them think they're better for the common people.

[Lorien]

16. It didn't work in 2000, 2002, or 2004

why would it work now?

Think about the definition of insanity, then pick a sane plan.

[LeftCoast]

19. If they do, they go without me.

Just because the Republicans won doesn't mean I will give up on my progressive values. The Republicans are very successful being Republicans - we're not going to beat them at this. The Democrats need to be better at being Democrats.

[Clarkie1]

22. Perception is key

They key is to maintain our principles and ideals while offering candidates that middle America and the South will fell comfortable with. We need to understand where they are coming from and what their concerns are. We need to provide the leadership to bring the country back together. That doesn't mean compromising our beliefs and principles, but it does mean listening, understanding, and sensitivity.

[Cascadian]

23. kick

[Zhade]

26. Agreed. Then we'd be Republicans!

Fuck that noise!

[Cats Against Frist]

28. I agree with you

it's not a matter of moving left or right -- it's a matter of shifting between libertarian and authoritarian.

Now that the pugs have control of the whole kit & caboodle, they will want everything to be federal -- bank on it. They'll probably try to shift the whole public welfare system to the church or private sector -- but still keep the control at the federal level -- a tactic much like the Medicare Prescription Drug Giveaway. These are Republicans that want to EXPAND the federal government. Their constituency doesn't realize this -- they're fucking clueless.

We have to unmask "Big Brother's" big brother.

Call me crazy. Just my opinion.