The Democratic "Ground Hog Day"

[TayTay]

In the movie, Ground Hog Day Bill Murray's character is stuck repeating the same day over and over and over until he figures out how to conduct himself as a decent human being and earn the right to move forward in his life. I read some of the divisive posts on this board whose sole purpose is to assign blame to some Democrat whose past action the poster disagrees with and I wonder, are we, as Democrats doomed to a perpetual Ground Hog Day of our own? Are we doomed to constantly look at each other and our candidates and elected officials as stuck in that one moment of disagreement, constantly reliving it, unable to move forward because of blame and recriminations that have no resolution and no end?

The last election saw a large turnout of young people, some of whom have come to DU in an effort to find other people who want to find a way to make America a better and more caring nation. I know of a few of them who couldn't take the arguments and the constant sniping and petty disagreements that cause one person to insult another person favorite Dem. Is this what we really want, to show out next generation that Democrats are unable to connect with one another in common purpose because we can't get over the disagreements of the past? This is no way to build a party from the grassroots up.

I didn't work or vote for Gov Dean in the last Presidential cycle. That no longer matters. I want Gov. Dean to succeed in his job as Chairman of the Democratic Party. I applaud his effort to get a Democratic organization on the ground and functioning in each of the 50 states. I love his innovative plan to have Democratic War Bonds and have those who can contribute $20 a month as a way to have a steady income for the Party. Gov. Dean is a good Democrat and his success is my success.

I wasn't all that familiar with Sen. Feingold before. Oh, I knew him as the co-author of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance measure and that he had voted his conscience in his vote against the Patriot Act. I admire him, and I like listening to him. He is a good Democratic and his success is my success. Regardless of what happens in the next Presidential cycle, I will support this good man and his fight to make the Democratic Party more responsive to the needs of real people and the need for government to be recognize it's limits and it's potentials.

I contributed money, as did many other people, to help Paul Hackett run for the House in Ohio. Mr. Hackett is more fiscally conservative than I am. However, I think he would bring a voice of experience and compassion to public office and that would be a wonderful thing. I think a Senator Hackett would be an undeniable voice when it came time to draft legislation that dealt with the military, our preparedness to fight actual wars, our desire to offer our troops the best protection we can and the moral obligation to take care of wounded and the families of those who have died in service to their country. I have every faith that Paul HAckett would be a good Democrat and his success would be my success.

This is not idle happy-talk. I know people who are going to have to make hard choices this winter about which bills to pay and where the hell the money is going to come from. I see, from time to time, the mother of a 22 years old kid who lost a leg in Iraq and the use of his left arm. I want to know that her son's needs will be met because he deserves that. I know the girl who was valedictorian of my daughter's class who excelled at science and who couldn't go to her first choice of a school because the aid package wasn't enough and with more kids at home, well, the parents just couldn't help. What is the price that our country will pay when the best and the brightest can't get a foot in the door of a good school because the grant and aid money is drying up?

So, I really want to get out of Democratic 'Ground Hog Day,' because there are people in this country who don't give a damn what happened in the last election and they need help. They want to know that change can come and that America can be there for them again, can be a hand-up that gives people time to get their act together and move forward. I want to support your candidates, all the good Democrats because when they succeed, I succeed.

I know who we are all against. I have read post after post about 'this person screwed up and I will never trust them again,' and 'this person voted this way and I will never forgive them.' I think I know who some of us are against. Can you tell me who you are for and what hope they hold out for making America a better and more fair place? Can we get out of this endless loop of recrimination and despair?

[babylonsister]

1. Terrific post, Tay Tay!

I like Kerry but will support any Dem candidate that proves to be who the majority wants. We have to change the political climate, and it won't happen with people sniping or carping at each other.

[madeline_con]

2. "Can you tell me who you are for "

Please see my avatar, and go to the Clark forum here on DU.

I hope that helps. :)

[TayTay]

3. Gen. Clark is a good and honorable man

I saw a little bit of him in New Hampshire during the primaries and he was a lot of fun to watch. I have read some of the posts on DU from his admirers and I am trying to see what they see. (Always a useful skill, LOL) I look to him for wisdom, for a deeper understanding of what war is like and his compassion and advocacy for our service people. I think he is smart, capable and has a core set of beliefs that I can admire and advocate for.

He is, in short, a good Democrat. I look forward to his continued advocacy of Democratic issues and I want him to succeed. He is a sane voice in that wilderness of Fox News and I'm glad he's there to present an intelligent difference of opinion for those who watch. (Hey, there is always hope that maybe some not yet doomed people can see him on Fox and come back into the realm of sanity.)

[ladylibertee]

14. Thank You for this.I am for Edwards and Clinton

[Der Blaue Engel]

4. The difference is, Bill Murray's character actually *grew*

You're right on the money, Tay Tay. If we're going to play this endless loop, we'd damn well better try something new each day to see if we can finally get to tomorrow.

Remember when Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow" was the theme song for the Clinton/Gore campaign? Remember how fucking great we all felt when progress finally won? It was a new day, and Clinton wasn't perfect, but he proved that even a moderate Democrat was a trillion times better than any Republican in recent history.

What I'm waiting for is the day that I have the LUXURY of being pissed off at Democrats. Being pissed at Clinton for the welfare act and NAFTA and Don't Ask/Don't Tell felt goddamn great, because every fiber of my being was no longer dedicated to stopping evil and my country's slide into the religious right's claws. Until we have that luxury again, we have to dedicate the energy to getting Democrats elected, and defeating the resurgence of RW evil with its extra seven heads.

[TayTay]

7. I couldn't agree more and thanks!

I think we are capable of growing. I think the secret is to remember why you registered or voted Democratic in the first place. It sure as hell wasn't for the perks! I think, for a great many of us, it was because we believe that government plays a part in helping people who are poor, people who need a temporary helping hand and people who can no longer do for themselves. Helping those people builds a better, stronger, more moral and more compassionate nation.

I remember one conversation I had with a freeper aquaintance. They out-and-out asked me if I had ever been on public assistance and if I was used to government handouts. I told them that I was a Dem because of family reasons (Dem background) and also because Democrats understand that sometimes people fall and need help. I told the story of my aunt who was in an abusive relationship with her first husband, an alcoholic. She finally decided to leave him when she caught him sexually abusing his daughters. She asked the Church for help and they offered nothing. She asked her father for help and he explained that he had told her not to marry the bum in the first place and that, 'she had made her bed and had to lie in it.' So, she went on welfare, as a last resort.

Call me soft-hearted by I think government should be there for people like that. She is off welfare, has succesfully raised her kids, she got a decent job and moved on. It sure as hell didn't happen because of Republican programs that were in place, let me tell you. So, being a Democrat means something to me. It means preserving programs that give people a chance to get their lives back. And I want to back Dems who understand that.

So, tell me about some more good Dems.

[Dr.Phool]

5. I agree, No Naders here.

I started out 2 years ago working for Howard Dean. Kucinich was my ideal candidate, but he was too good to be elected, if you understand what I mean. I didn't much care for John Kerry, but when it was clear he was getting the nomination, I worked my ass off for him. I was even the Kerry campaign spokesman in my county.

I'm a loyal Democrat. I'm also a progressive. No, actually I'm a fucking liberal! There are certain Democrats who are running in my state (Florida) that I will not support in the primaries. Many I know personally. Some for Governor and Congress. There are some, who will run for President that I will not support in the primaries.

But, when it comes down to the General Election, I'm a Democrat 100% and will work to get our person elected. Be it Hillary, Jim Davis, or even fucking Lieberman.

[rox63]

6. Excellent post TayTay

You've summed up a lot of what we Dems and Liberals of all stripes need to hear. Kicked and recommended!

[emulatorloo]

8. kicking and nominating. . . .

:kick:

[populistdriven]

9. The 2nd Delay indictments were a Democratic groundhog day

[TayTay]

10. Nice, but I mildly disagree

They were a Republican ground hog day. And may they relive them over and over and over. This was a Democratic break out day, because this one soulless bastard finally got what was coming to him.

Mildly disagree.

[ReadTomPaine]

12. Yes it marks a turning point. We've taken out the Majority Leader.

He was invincible 2 years ago.

[blue neen]

11. Excellent post, TayTay.

It has been almost a year now since the Bushies stole the 2004 election. I was in grief for a long time afterward, unable to think clearly about who I still did support and why.

My personal "breakout" came when I traveled to Ohio to work for the Hackett campaign. It was a positive experience in every way, and I am so happy that he is now running for the senate.

I firmly believe that the Hackett campaign was also the beginning of the tide turning in this country. That's when right-wing hate radio ratcheted up their diatribes, so that's when they started to feel threatened.


That special election was August 2. Shortly after that Cindy Sheehan started her camp at Crawford. Hurricane Katrina (Bush's Waterloo) rolled in. The huge peace rally was Sept. 24. Delay was indicted. There is a special investigation into Sen. Frist's "blind trust" dealings. Gasoline is near $3.00 a gallon. In other words, the rest of the nation is now seeing what we have known here at DU since 2001.

There are Democrats that I'm angry at, in general for not speaking out enough against the atrocities of the Bush administration. There are Democrats that I'm pleased with. These include:

Al Gore--our true President showed genuine leadership and compassion during the Katrina crisis.

Paul Hackett--for taking a stand and refusing to back down from his statement that George Bush IS a chickenhawk.

Barbara Boxer--how lucky Californians are to have such a wonderful senator.

John Edwards--for speaking out in support of voter verified paper ballots.

Elizabeth Edwards--for showing her support of Cindy Sheehan when we needed nationally known Dems to do just that.

John Conyers--for being a true representative of the people.

The Congressional Black Caucus--they're just fantastic. Period.

Wesley Clark--the man has integrity and respectability.

Howard Dean--he's working to build the Democratic party from the grassroots up.

AND...Those grassroots Democrats like you and me and the rest of DU who are doing our best to take back our country from the BFEE criminals who are running it now.

I didn't list everyone, but there are a lot of great Dems out there!

[dutchdemocrat]

13. Escher's work comes to mind.

[Kolesar]

15. DU has a lot of posters who could find better uses of their time

I think they find amusement in the discord in the Party. They should be writing letters to the editor or doing public outreach.

[OzarkDem]

19. Some of us feel dismay

and concern that we'll end up with the same results in 2006 and 2008 as we have in 2000, 2002 and 2004.

I don't have any interest in losing my job or seeing my kids get drafted and sent to Iraq, nor do I want that to happen to you or your family.

Many of us have invested dozens of years in serving our party and are concerned about its future.

[cassiepriam]

16. Free Elections. Free Press. Or we have groundhog day forever.

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. Ok you know who I am against

here is my list of personal heroes,

Susan B davis, my rep, she is good

Neil Abercrombie

All of the Black Caucus

Waxman

on the senate side,

Boxer

Hope to say in the future Hacket

Akaka

Robert Byrd, there are days, but he won me with his stance on the war and the rest of his speeches... there are days iwth his votes I wonder, but overall he is a good man, and a national treasure.

On the leadership

Dean.

Oh and please pretty please we need clean elections and an unmuzzled media.

By the way, here is a lesson from marketing, when people liek a company they tell seven people on average, when they are POed, they tell 20 on average, why you hear the I don't like this person or I am fed with this person posts.



Oh and on edit, I need to give an honorary spot to Ron Paul, he might be an R, (truly a libertarian) but he has been carrying the battle against the Neo con machine wiht our guys in Special Orders and his clarity on the Neo Cons is just amazing

[OzarkDem]

18. Did you know Dem leaders are discouraging Hackett?

They're back to pressuring Sherrod Brown to run for Senate instead.

You'll have a hard time finding any Dem on this forum who isn't proud to be a Democrat, that's why we're trying to make a statement. We deserve to have good leaders in our party. Howard Dean has made tremendous strides, yet he's being muzzled and ignored in DC.

The bottom line is public support & leadership. Dem leaders in DC haven't been able to show any results. Most people on this forum are loyal Dems who would be willing to support any Dem(s) who step forward and start showing results. We're not seeing any.


:shrug: