If the big money kick Dean out from being the Chairman, I will quit the

[patricia92243]

Democratic Party.The main reason that I have stuck with the Democratic Party through thick and thin is that I don't want the Republicans to win.

If they make Dean go away, the Democratic Party will never, ever win a presidential race again - period. Forcing Dean out will be symptomatic that the Party is sick unto death.

I know Dean said during the elections that he would not start a new party. If he is forced out of the Chairmanship, I wonder if he'll change his mind. If he does, I'll be there - even if we do lose to the Republicans - so what - we'll lose as Democrats, so I might as well vote my conscience.

As you can see, I'm VERY upset with Biden, Pelosi, etc.

[Fridays Child]

1. If Dean went third party, I'd follow him.

[movonne]

10. I will too...I have been very unhappy with our party of late and the

only reason I stay with it is because of Dean..If he had not got the job I would have re-registered independent and probably voted green...which I know is a wasted vote but if the Dems are going to act like Repugs, then I have wasted my vote by voting for them.

[PDittie]

2. I said if Dean wasn't elected chair I would quit

and I know there's a lot of us here that feel the same way.

These conservatives within the Democratic party need to STFU and get on board with Dr. Dean.

We've tried it their way already. It didn't work.

[mzmolly]

3. They won't do it. Numero uno ... Dean is out fund raising previous chairs

He's not going anywhere.

But I agree, if they oust Dean ... this Party hack will register as an Inde again. I'll still support the anti-R's but they won't get another dime from me.

[flpoljunkie]

25. Dean raised $13.8M compared to McAuliffe's 8.4M in 1st qtr. of 2003

That's almost 40% more dough than McAuliffe raised in the last off year, 2003.

[janx]

4. Where did you get the idea that he would somehow be

forced out of his position in the party? It's an elected position.

[patricia92243]

11. He can be "un-elected"in a heartbeat. And if the big upitty ups want him

gone, he will be voted out or asked to leave.

[billbuckhead]

5. Quit the party and do what? Vote third party?

The real problem is the Constitution which gives forces American politics into a 2 party system. Ralph Nadir votes in 2000 put the Bush fascists in power.

[patricia92243]

9. Vote third party? Sure - 25th party - what difference does it make? As I

said, it will be a sign of the demise of the Democratic Party. So might as well vote for any losing party that I feel like - won't make any difference.

[billbuckhead]

31. So you're saying things were as bad under Clinton as Bush?

Don't make the perfect the enemy of the better.

[XemaSab]

39. Exactly

what's the point of voting AGAINST your conscience and losing when you can just as easily vote FOR your conscience and lose?

Under the first case, you lose twice because you feel like a sellout.

[MoonRiver]

13. You're totally missing the point.

That being that there would be NO POINT left to voting Democratic. (If it runs off Dean), that party will have been proven to be completely irrelevant. Might as well vote my true conscience and beliefs as squander time and money on a party hell bent to lose at any cost.

[billbuckhead]

18. Were you better off with Clinton or the Republicans?

Are people with less means than yourself better off with Clinton or the Republicans?

[MoonRiver]

36. It's not a matter of being better off.

It's a matter of winning elections. The DLC modus operandi has proven itself totally incapable of doing that. Time to let We the People, and our chosen leader, Dean, see if we can do better. There's NOTHING to lose at this point.

[AntiCoup2K4]

17. And DLC votes in Congress helped them increase their power

...most notably that fucking useless war.

[Zhade]

20. Theft put them in power. Nader just made it close enough to steal.

NT!

[billbuckhead]

32. Nadir gave them plausible deniablity for the theft.

Liberal third parties only makes things worse

[Zhade]

34. But conservative third parties are okay?

;)

[billbuckhead]

35. We should encourage some non bigoted rightwing 3rd parties

Hey, if Nadir was such as threat to Republicans, why did they give him money?

[Rainscents]

6. Me too! I almost left the party until I heard, Dean was running for Chair

and here I am and stand with him all the way!

[BornaDem]

40. My sentiments exactly!

I never thought the "powers that be" would allow him to be elected and now I wonder if they won't trash him and throw him out just to make certain he doesn't come back to haunt them some other day.

[Adelante]

7. He has tremendous support

For his 50-state strategy, his reorganization efforts and his fundraising abilities. Nobody is going to make him go away. There is no conspiracy against him, there was just some criticism about his manner of speaking. So what? He can take care of it. He has taken care of it. Move on from this.

[jmaier]

8. Er ... whatever.

With the exception of hints from Harold Ford who was making self-serving comments targeted at Tennessee republicans, I can't find any evidence that any Democratic leaders are suggesting such a thing. So, why jump the shark?

[Proud_Lefty]

14. Sunday morning political talk shows

Amazing how they keep spinning their lies. They were saying that prominent Democratic leaders want Dean out of the chair position. They brought on an unknown person identified as a DNC spokesperson who basically said the same thing. This is another clear example of the media taking absolutely nothing, nothing, nothing and getting us all upset with their LIES.

Biden, Pelosi and only a few others tried to distance themselves from Dean's comments because that's what politicians do, distance themselves from controversy and try to get back to their issues. The media took these very brief distancing responses and have translated that into making the public think ALL DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP disagree with Dean and want him out. The media was running all over the hill during the week asking all the leaders about Dean's comments and they were all refusing to answer. I can't believe the media thinks they can get away with it.

Frankly, I think the media is finally exposing their true viciousness and desperation to protect Bush from the powerful DNC that is forming right under their noses. Let's keep our party growing and fight the right people who really threaten us.

[MoonRiver]

12. Same here. That will be IT.

Frankly I will have zero hope left for this party if they do something that unbelievably STUPID.

[Guaranteed]

15. For sure.

That would be the end of the Democrats. Not only would they lose a MASSIVE chunk of their popular support, but they'd be losing a national leader with real credibility and integrity.

I'd feel very sorry for the Kucinich's and Kennedy's that would be left behind. There wouldn't be much left in the party.

[Avalux]

16. Money Talks

Dean will raise enough $$ and that will stifle the status quo Dems. Don't worry.

[Zhade]

21. How will he continue to raise money from the grassroots...

...with the Democratic party elite showing its disdain for the grassroots?

How long will Dean-inspired donations continue to flow into a party that clearly could care fuck-all about the little people (us) doing the donating?

There's going to come a breaking point, where the corporatist Dems will have to choose between corporate cash and grassroots support.

[Avalux]

22. The Dem party elite will lose -

it's about time the little people realize we really do have the power to force change. Otherwise, there is no hope for this country.

[Zhade]

24. Agreed.

NT!

[patricia92243]

26. Bingo! n/t

[Selatius]

19. Big Money has always had a seat in the Democratic Party

All that money raised over the decades didn't all come from workers and labor unions, y'know.

[Zhade]

23. True...but then, aren't we supposed to be evolving?

Conservatives are for the status quo. Liberals and progressives are for evolving and being better than in the past.

The Democratic party used to be full of racists. Its leaders nuked Japan, upheld the Monroe Doctrine, and criminalized marijuana. The Dems have been just as imperialist as the Repubs in the past.

There's no rule that we have to continue to be that way, and every indication we should grow past those flaws as fast as possible.

[Selatius]

27. There is a rule, actually

Well, it's not a rule per se but a structure: The electoral structure. It helps to entrench the two-party system into place and keep it there.

[Zhade]

29. True. Can't wait to get to Canada.

IMHO, this country can't be saved.

[firefox]

28. At least I know Dean is the head of DNC

I barely know McAuliffe was previous head. I could not recognize him or recognize his contribution. I do not know the chair of the DLC. I do not know the chair of the RNC.

At least Dean is saying something. I am ready for him to say something else. From what I got out of the last remark is that 99% of all Republicans elected are white. It is something I would not have thought about without the conversation around Dean's statement. It has to have impact on the non-whites that now ponder on what they learned in the national conversation over what Dean said.

I am waiting for what he says next.

[JHBowden]

30. I'm *not* turning my back on Durbin, Obama, Blagojevich, etc

It would suck if Dean were ousted before the results of 2006 roll in, but that isn't enough to make me help the GOP by voting third party.

And IMHO, Dean *does* need to tone down the Alan Keyes style rhetoric. You don't see Bush holding up machine guns calling Democrats baby-killers; that's what targeted media is for.

[Guaranteed]

33. I sure as hell will. Durbin would suck,

but Obama and Blagojevich? What have they done to earn my loyalty?

[candy331]

37. JHBowden,Of course you didn't read the comments lobbed by the VP of the

United States toward Dean today did you? Of course they do it and even worse. It's just the news right now is in their corner and refuse to put it up in glowing lights.

[XemaSab]

38. I would follow Dean anywhere

If Dean decided he was moving the whole show to Guyana to set up our own society, I'd be SO there.

If Dean wanted to go to Mars, my bags would be packed.