Who started this "Opposition Party" BS?

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

I've been seeing this term on DU quite a bit lately, and quite frankly, I'm not seeing the point in calling ourselves the "opposition party". Think about what that's saying - the only thing we stand for is to oppose. Doesn't matter if it's right or wrong, we just oppose it.

People, that feeds into the bullshit notion that the Democratic Party has no ideas. That all we do is throw up roadblocks and whine. Calling ourselves the "Opposition Party" is flat-out acknowledging the most damning criticism we're enduring these days.

We are NOT the Opposition Party - we are the DEMOCRATIC PARTY. We stand for liberal ideas. We are the protectors of America's workforce. We are the defenders of civil liberties. We are the advocates of the poor, the sick, and the underpriviledged. We stand for working WITH the rest world to achieve peace and not against them. We stand for equality for all people, regardless of age, gender, race, sexuality, or religion. We are the guardians of the Constitution. If all of that amounts to nothing more than blind opposition to you, go ahead and keep using the term. Frankly, I'm getting of being labeled as someone who stands for nothing, and I'm tired of seeing that label perpetuated here on DU.

edit: typo

[endarkenment]

1. The 'opposition party' is the standard term

for the major party that is out of power. Its usage goes back oh, I don't know, 2-300 years or so. See the history of Restoration England and the development of the parliamentary system of government.

The reason why we are pushing the use of the standard terminology is that it has become increasingly clear that at least a portion of the Democratic Pary leadership is in fact in cahoots with the Cabal running the Republican Party - and that consequently rather than acting as an Opposition Party the Democratic Party frequently acts as an enabler and co-conspirator in the vile bullshit going on.

[deutsey]

2. Yeah, what endarkenment said.

:hi:

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

4. I've been here for quite a while now. I haven't seen it until recently.

And I find few actual Democrats believe we're in "cahoots" with the Republican Party. Usually, those people are Naderites, Greens, or Socialists.

[endarkenment]

9. Ah yes we must all be those bad types.

Not Real Democrats (tm). Thanks for sharing.

An Opposition Party would stand for its principles and vote on a party line every time the Party In Power crossed the line. The Democratic Party appears to have no principles, either that or it is at least partially controlled by leaders who are in cahoots with the Cabal and who care little about offering an alternative for Things As They Are.

[jackthesprat]

12. Bush nominates his chum for Supreme Court.

never been a judge? always a corporate lawyer? Sounds good to Harry Reid. Sure, all chums of Bush.

[TankLV]

16. No - we're the DEMOCRATIC WING of the Democratic Party

you know, the BASE.

We are not like the VICHY Dems currently in power - you know - the SELLOUTS who continually tell us to wait and wait and wait - any day now we'll see their "brilliant plan" take flight!

I have never been anything else but a life long DEMOCRAT my entire life. I have NEVER been a "Naderite", "Green", or "Socialist". EVER.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

3. I do think this is new usage.

I understand your point that it is not completely expressive, but the party out of power is always referred to as the opposition party.

[endarkenment]

10. I use it with Irony.

I use it to emphasize the point that the Democratic Party rarely actually acts like an opposition party.

[rhett o rick]

21. I'll buy that. Put it in quotes. The "opposition party". Actually, the

Democratic Party is a great party at the grass roots level. But the congress people take corporate money to get elected, and therefor sell their souls.

[ArkDem]

5. The major party out of power has always been called the

loyal opposition. :eyes:

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

6. Yeah, I know that, but why the influx in usage of this term lately?

[endarkenment]

19. Because we, the base, are mad as hell

that the leaders of our 'Opposition Party' refuse to Oppose. Duh.

[TankLV]

17. Until these past 5 years, that is.

[rabid_nerd]

7. Actually, a related term is "Loyal Opposition"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loyal_opposition

[RaleighNCDUer]

8. Opposition is not our name --

but it is the role we must play until we regain power.

Opposition is the stance we must take in order to live up to our ideals. We cannot afford to 'go along to get along'. Opposition to the repugs is not simply kicking our heels and throwing a tantrum, though that is how they would paint it being. Opposition is standing for all those things you enumerated, because their stance is opposed to those things.

It is a stance that is the opposite of the corporatist dems, the RW neolithic Zell Miller dems, who oppose opposition to the repugs.

To be the 'big D' Democratic party, we must be the 'little o' opposition party.

[jackthesprat]

11. Opposition Party is a British term.

At least the BBC uses the term. Seems inappropriate to America today, both parties work for same master.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

13. I think it has more vogue since Galloway

Galloway reminds us of the British tradition that even when you're a minority, you can still give them hell and you don't just have to quietly accept the crumbs you are given.

And I also remember Tim Robbins asking a long time ago "where is the loyal opposition?" You might also think of it as the Resistance. What we seem to have much of the time is the Vichy Democratic Party.

[jackthesprat]

14. Galloway is great.

One reason to go back to British rule.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

15. In the British tradition, they have proportional representation.

Which is FAR more amenable to giving people hell than what we've got.

[endarkenment]

18. I have no idea why that makes a difference.

Also the British system sort of has proportional representation, but the barrier is so high that it is effectively an institutionalized two party system. Regardless this has nothing to do with standing for principles. The Republican Party, in opposition, had no trouble mobilizing itself to stand in opposition to lots of things, to make trouble all the time, to press the party in power (the Democratic Party) at every opportunity.

[MrBenchley]

20. I've been wondering about that...

It's not common usage.

Love your last paragraph....