Did the Democrats fail in their responsibility in the 2000 `election'?

[Terwilliger]

Obviously, the Democrats had to weigh all sorts of options when faced with the situation in Florida. Some would suggest that they were simply bested in cynical efforts to secure the presidency. Some would say they were pure as the driven snow and Republicans were bad, bad, bad.

Since I got over 300 responses to my poll of yesterday, I'd love to see those same respondents tell me about the choices the Democratic party should have made. If I haven't included an option or two, I'll consider adding.

[Terwilliger]

1. interesting early vote burst

:wtf:

[JVS]

3. Would you elaborate?

What was so interesting about it?

[Terwilliger]

6. was surprised to see all the "YES" votes

OnEdit: need more marijuana

[goobergunch]

17. Here's why I voted YES

The VICE PRESIDENT. Is there objection (to the counting of the FL vote)?

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. President, I object to the certificate from Florida.

The VICE PRESIDENT. The gentleman from Florida (Mr. HASTINGS) will present his objection. Is the gentleman's objection in writing and signed by a Member of the House of Representatives and by a Senator?

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. President, and I take great pride in calling you that, I must object because of the overwhelming evidence of official misconduct, deliberate fraud, and an attempt to suppress voter turnout.

The VICE PRESIDENT. The Chair must remind Members that under section 18, title 3, United States Code, no debate is allowed in the joint session.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Thank you, Mr. President. To answer your question, Mr. President, the objection is in writing, signed by a number of Members of the House of Representatives, but not by a Member of the Senate.

Thank you, Mr. President.

The VICE PRESIDENT. The Chair thanks the gentleman from Florida for his courtesy. Since the present objection lacks the signature of a Senator, accordingly, the objection may not be received.

[nannygoat]

32. Wow, goobergrunch, thanks for posting this. I'd forgotten about Al Gore

presiding in the Senate. I remember seeing Alcee Hastings on all of the talk shows and thinking how eloquent he was. I just love the comment, "and I take great pride in calling you that." What happened to the Senate, especially guys like Wellstone, Feingold, Durbin, Harkin? Did they hate Gore or something? Gore really got slammed by everybody. Asshole traitors.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

2. The Media was Hostile Toward Gore

which didn't help the Dems PR War during the 2000 election.

[Oracle]

19. The right-wing corporate media has and alway will be...

hostile to Democrats...republicans speak the media's corporate language...money. Proof...just look at the way they ignored Bush's lies and illegal doings, and are still covering for bonehead George's policy, agenda and ideology... (from going AWOL to Harken, and so much in between.)

So that's why the spineless Democrats should of said 'fuck it' and gone for the throat (as the republicans did.)

Instead of, don't rock the boat, we'll be nice guys, cuz the people will like us better...fuck that and fuck the media...go for it!

What in the fuck do they have to lose?

[damnraddem]

4. The Dem's need to have spine next go round.

I think they could have it with Dean.

Anyone else going to Sen. Harkin's Dem steak fry this weekend in Iowa?

[indigo32]

11. I'll beat the Steak Fry

:hi:

[el_gato]

5. yes but

we all failed in our responsibilities
we should have stormed the towers
the time is getting late now

[Terwilliger]

8. I tend to agree with that assessment

its also why I continue to have such a problem with the seeming complacency to keep doing the same thing over and over and over

[Oracle]

21. I COMPLETELY agree with that "assessment!"

[Terwilliger]

22. ya cant completely agree

if we had to storm the towers, that would mean we didn't/don't have any representation

I'd much rather not have to get to insurrection, but I would hope my representatives could at least sing a little for their supper

[Oracle]

27. Don't make laugh...What "representation?"

Seriously, the representation who sat on their asses? Knowing full well...Bush was going to take it out of the states hands and into the federal US Supreme Court? Knowing all the while family of Rehnquist, Scalia and Thomas are onboard Bush's lying machine.

When would be a better time for a peoples uprising?

Shit. we watched the republicans do it in Florida and they see themselves as hero's.

It was quite obvious to me that our representation was going to a spineless bunch...when early on...two republican thugs were allowed to go behind close doors and fuck with the ballots and hardly a whimper from the Dems...could you imagine if a coulpe of Democrats were able to do that...headlines everywhere!

Perhaps I didn't answer your question?

[messiah]

7. I voted for the last reason in the poll cowards!

[xJlM]

13. They ARE cowards

Nearly the whole lot of them are gutless pussies. It's enough to make you ashamed to call yourself a registered Democrat. When I look at the candidates in the Democratic debates, I don't feel much better.

[Nederland]

29. So

What would you have done differently? Advocated armed rebellion?

[Terwilliger]

30. you dont seem to be willing to call for that

I guess you dont believe in figting for your country?

[Nederland]

34. Fighting for my country

or fighting for my party? Big difference.

[Terwilliger]

35. so, the guarantee of your vote isn't worth fighting for?

so, we should all just let Bush win in 04...well why didnt ya say so?!?!

[Terwilliger]

9. I always give the easy outs

:shrug:

[Cocoa]

10. why does it matter?

The dems are exactly the same as the republicans, only Ralph Nader would have made a difference. :-)

[Terwilliger]

12. well, lessee...

election stolen...dems didnt do anything about it

Oh yeah, Cocoa, just wonderful...aren't you black? You weren't disgusted when the obvious course of action was to FIGHT?! So, maybe the CBC should have just shutup and stayed in their seats?

[Cocoa]

14. I think they fought, and lost

But... to worry about the dems fighting hard enough in 2000, or to worry about them winning in the next election, doesn't completely agree with the dems=republicans argument.

btw, I'm not black, lol, I don't know where you got that.

[Terwilliger]

15. news to me

but I guess I heard it second-hand (though I swore you said that)

No, the Dems=Reps argument was before they gave up our votes, and it was valid then and more valid now. If everybody here believes that Democrats were wrong, but it was because of the DLC, then I would have to suggest that we should COMPLETELY disavow the wishes of the DLC, which includes (at the very least) a rejection of Wesley Clark, or Bob Graham, or some other right-winger who's a "Democrat" It's time that the "center" of the Democratic party looked much more like Kucinich than Gephardt.

[Cocoa]

18. in terms of 2000

Gore is as "DINO" as they come. So if he'd won, our nation would be in much the same state as it is now. So, what's the point in asking if he fought hard enough? Best case scenario, he wins, but who cares, it means nothing, he's no better than Bush.

[Terwilliger]

20. you believe that??? thats horrible

Im sorry this never got across to you, but Nader nor any other Green said there was no difference...thats the way you folks paint it so you can marginalize eveything he actually said.

But, ya know, you're just convincing me NOT to be a Democrat with your arrogant dismissal. You've always seemed pretty much a blind loyalist.

[Cocoa]

25. Only since 2000

I voted Nader then. I'm not completely blind, I still kind of see how the dems aren't as distinguished from the repubs as I'd like them to be.

The thing is, there's something so much bigger and obvious than that, it's the reality of the Bush administration. All that other stuff really looks small in comparison, though I can still see it.

[Terwilliger]

28. The threat of the Bush administration was known

they should have known it was another base moron who would do his best to fuck up the happy little neoliberal setup that Clinton had going

They should have known, they should have done something earlier. Acting like Repukes was NOT the thing they should have done.

[Cocoa]

31. i'll take neolib to Bush any day

the Clinton years were a paradise compared to Reagan-Bush before him and W after him.

I know all about why Clinton is so bad, that's great inside my head, but doesn't really say anything about the reality outside of my head.

[Nikia]

16. Yes

I just read The Best Democracy Money Can Buy. The election was stolen. There was evidence. Gore should have displayed the evidence and also demanded a recount for the entire state. The Democratic party should have also demanded effective election reform that would prevent defective ballots from being eaten in minority precincts and defective ballots being given back to the voter to try again in other precincts. Florida and other states that bar felons from voting, also need a more accurate list that did not exclude thousands from voting. Ideally felons who served their time could vote again after completing their sentence, but that is another issue.

[Snow]

23. Opinions - so in 2004, if the voting looks as fradulent

as it did then, what will the democratic leadership do? Anyone have a sense of that?

[Terwilliger]

24. concede?

ameliorate? try not to look angry?

[xJlM]

26. Smile on their way to the bank?

You were speaking about the DLC, weren't you? As far as Democrats in this country, I imagine it will be little different. Might be a few people go out protesting and get arrested (or shot), but most of America will sit on their fat, lazy asses eating cheeseburgers and watching Fox News or American Idol, or the newest edition of Survivor.

[noiretextatique]

33. i wish i could vote twice

i picked total capitulation, but i would also choose the DLC option.

[Terwilliger]

36. interesting mix

its amazing what kind of schizophrenia rules this website

Is that the out? The DEMS were influenced by the mean, bad old DLC? The DLC is responsible? ALWAYS BLAMING SOMEBODY ELSE?!?!

[burr]

37. You needed another option...

No, but only if next time they push for a Constitutional Amendment that would abolish the electoral college.

[Terwilliger]

38. oh right....when did the party bring up the Electoral college??

OH YEAH! AFTER it hurt them :eyes:

[Terwilliger]

39. OK, some 300 voted on the 'Bush stole election' poll...

how about more for this one? Is it too much to ask Democrats to actually take responsibility for anything?

[preciousdove]

40. Words from Wellstone's Aides on the Day before Senate Confirmation of EC

"No Democrat is going to vote against the Florida or Texas electors."
"We will work with the Repbulican moderates"
"We need to start working on the next election (2002)
'An agreement has been reached about power sharing in the Congress'
'Gore has no recourse against the Supreme Court. It could plunge us into a Constitutional Crisis'
(last two not word for word)

[Terwilliger]

41. so...what do you think about that?

is that acceptable?

[David Zephyr]

42. Yes, They Will Be Different Because They ARE Being Different

[Terwilliger]

43. I appreciate your positivity, David

I do not share.

This poll shows just how Stepford Democrats are...now we have most everyone blaming the DLC for not fighting, yet Dean and Clark might as well be working for the DLC

It's most disquieting.

[Terwilliger]

44. reference kick