is Democratic Party unity an important goal ??

[welshTerrier2]

while some have viewed the last couple of days as a shrewd strategy by Party leaders to change the Party's defensive posture, many have seen it as raw in-fighting and intra-party squabbling ...

looking beyond "the Dean flap" to the broader issues of bringing together the Party's numerous constituencies, do you believe Party unity is an important goal?

is it achievable?

what is the greatest obstacle to building unity?

how should the Party go about building unity?

any takers?

[99Pancakes]

1. We shall overcome!

n/t

[Behind the Aegis]

2. Not acheiveable...unless...

Dems STOP attacking other Dems in public. The idea that other Dems feel the need to "distance themselves" from other Dems is offensive! In my family, we may fight like cats and dogs at home, but when in public, you'd never know that!!! This (party unity) is the one thing that Rethugs have on us and it is one of the biggest reasons they beat the shit out of us (that and cheating and smear campaigns). We should not give them ammunition by fighting among ourselves in public. I know this is a "public forum," but I see it more as a private haven for like-minded people, thus disagreement and debate are needed and healthy. We should only be "lock-n-step" in a public sense, unless it is something REALLY bad.

[Neerav B. Trivedi]

3. Remember, United We Stand, Divided We Fall!!!

Keep that in mind, Dean.

[Behind the Aegis]

6. Those attacking Dean should keep that in mind.

[liberalnurse]

4. I think it is essential to form a united front.

In light of the republican "collective" and they do run the hive.....we must counter their dominance. I think it will be a difficult balance since we do represent diversity. Having Howard Dean as the DNC Chair was the first step.....Now we need to pick a jazzy tune...get the rhythm and roll on out!

[Nimrod]

5. Any unity is unachievable

Just my worldview. Well, I suppose a facade of unity is achievable if you simply throw out anyone who voices the tiniest of contrary opinions (see the mass banning from FreeRepublic for a perfect example of Republican "unity" drives). If kicking out, silencing, or otherwise sterilizing anyone who rocks the boat counts as unity, I suppose it's an achievable goal. Do we really want that, though?

Humans are simply incapable of getting along.

[nankerphelge]

7. Doesn't matter...

I'm tired of death by 1000 cuts and I refuse to be as weak and watery as most dems. Things apparently have to get worse before they'll get better.

[Chavez_in_08]

8. The problem

Is that the Democratic party by nature is far less cohesive than the Repugs. Another thing is that the Repugs could give a rats ass about moderates and attracting new voters, they play to their core, and thats the kicker, we on the left have got to stop watering down the message, i for one dont want mealy-mouthed moderates hoovering between the two parties in limbo, forget'em they are only going to dilute us even further into the right.

[jmcon007]

9. damned near impossible, at least up til now.

We laugh remembering the quotes of Will Rogers stating, "I'm not a member of any organized political party. I'm a Democrat."

or how about Rev Al Sharpton when he said that "organizing Democrats is like herding cats."

Funny...and I believe Democrats laugh because we recognize the element of truth in these statements. We squabble some within our own party, but generally recognize it as a symptom of a true democracy.

But, these tyrannical nut cases in power now will cause the democrats to unite like we never have....indeed it's already happening. Just ask John Conyers. Nothing unites us like the threat to our democracy that exists today in the form of GW Bush and his brownshirts.