It's the FIGHTING SPIRIT stupid.

[LiberalEconomist]

Yeah, and I meant to shout.


There have been several posts around here connecting Dean's centrist views with the DLC. There has also been the accusation hypocrisy against my fellow liberals for their support of Hackett and spurn of Sen. Clinton. Why the seeming contradictions? It is simple, we are sick and tired of "come to a knife fight with a feather" Democratic politicians. We want the spirit back in our cause. We want a samurai, not some whining guy. And...Howard (William Wallace) Dean, along with Paul (wasn't he the USC football coach) Hackett deliver the goods. They give us what we NEED, they gave us our fighting spirit back. YEEEEAAARRRRGGHHHH!!! This is the Democratic kyaii.

It ain't just about the policies. It is about the fight. It is about politics. And, politics is down and dirty. This nicey-nicey-DLC-shit has got to stop. Save your tweed-jacket bullshit for the classroom, I do. Stand up to them and shove your fists down their throats. Remember, conservatives (of all forms) are either confused or just cowardly. In either case they need a wake up call.

[SouthernDem2004]

1. What do you consider to be the difference between a centrist and a

moderate or do they mean the same thing?

[LiberalEconomist]

3. I see them as

as synonyms

[slybacon9]

2. amen LE

read my letter to Howie below you on the same subject. Enough of this shit.

[LiberalEconomist]

4. I don't think I will waste my time n/t

[ewagner]

5. Agree 100%

I talked to the aid of a mainstream politician one-on-one in December. I told him that most of the people I knew (on-line and in the District) were madder than hell at Kerry for conceding as quickly as he did.

This aid (a guy who has "been around the block" a few times) got sort of pissy with me and said "What the hell did you want him to do?"

I said, "Fight back dammit! We don't care if you lose as long as you FIGHT! DAMMIT, you and Kerry OWED us a FIGHT".

He looked at me like I was crazy.

But after Hackett's near victory in #1 The Reddest part of a Red State, and #2 After the Repubs sunk $500,000 in media buys into their campaign and #3 After George W. Bush made I don't know how many "robo calls" into the District, I think the the "professionals" will understand what I was telling them in December. Maybe this time the message will take.

[LiberalEconomist]

6. When it comes to the President

in particular, it seems that voters are looking for a champion, not a policy maker. Is that unfortunate? Hell yes. However, that seems to be the reality.

Have you ever hear this one: If he/she can't stand up for him/herself why should I believe that he/she will stand up for me.

[ewagner]

7. Yes, I've heard that

said about politicians who refused to "lower themselves" to fight back....

[GracieM]

10. People vote for the person, not the ideas

Especially when there is still a large portion of the electorate who don't think there is a difference between a D and an R.

[LaurenG]

8. No one will ever be the perfect candidate for all of us

but I figure we can all step up and give one of ours a hand when it's time. I love Dean and Hackett.

[LiberalEconomist]

9. True

We are a democratic body, which implies we have varying issues that appeal to each of us. However, there are some very strong core values we cannot ignore. For one, I expect my DEMOCRATIC candidate to focus on the the "demos," the people. "We the people" come first, everything else takes a secondary priority.

For me it isn't about women's rights or gay rights or minority rights, it is about HUMAN RIGHTS, which incorporates the former three. And, while saving some endangered Indonesian frog may be a worthwhile endeavor, my priority would be "smoke stack" environmentalism. Take care of our children first, then go off and take care of the other things.

[LaurenG]

13. I agree whole heartedly

Our problem is we do get side tracked being the party of by and for the people, the issues are amazingly all over the map. I would love for the democrats to come up with a plan encompassing just the issues you've named above. Get a firm foothold on them and move outward. Before we can attend to issue number one, get corruption (corporate involvement) out of our government so that we are left with those congress members whose sole issues are to serve the people. I think that is when human rights will start to be issue number one and we can get to work.

[Gregorian]

11. Americans are too comfortable to fight.

This country works from the bottom up. When the people go into a trance, the politicians follow.
Just my opinion, and observation.

[DinahMoeHum]

12. Too many of them are content as long as they have the following. . .

to paraphrase the words of the infamous Earl Butz (USDA head under Nixon):

"...tight pussy, loose shoes, (cold beer)*, and a warm place to shit..."

*my addition


:evilfrown:

[Gregorian]

15. Sort of true. But I have a different set of criteria.

After all, everyone has the things you mentioned.

I can safely say that OIL is the one thing that has done it. Period. It keeps us warm, it gives us the toys, and easy living through transportation and energy.

I have been doing research on bicycles recently. One thing that has been bothering me is how far from bicycle mentality, American has gotten. But we were a biking nation at one point. Electric trollies, bicycles, grocery delivery people. And then came the oil. And then after that came the slick salesmen. And their pitches. And these melted and mixed in with politics. And presto- you have today.

[bearfan454]

14. "This nicey-nicey-DLC-shit has got to stop."

I could not agree with you more on this LiberalEconomist. You are so right.

[LiberalEconomist]

16. They just don't seem to get it

They say: "Well, Governor Howard Dean was a centrist and a DLC member." Then they accuse him of pandering to the left. Ah, the man never really abandoned his pro-business views. What got us to rally around him was his willingness to take the initiative to the other side.

As I see it, there is nothing wrong with promoting private enterprises, per se. However, it is important that we do so in a democratic way. That is, businesses succeed or fail based on their own competence and not on taxpayer subsidies. I would venture to say that our corporate masters are provided incentives for moral hazard. That is, they do not really feel the sting of inefficient decision making. If they screw up, they know that "We the People" will bail them out. This is not capitalism folks.

[bearfan454]

18. Holy Joe is on their side for sure.

He almost always votes repuke.

[Al-CIAda]

17. yes sir. nt