WaPo: Tasting Victory, Democrats Fight Instead

[AtomicKitten]

This is our moment in history to make a difference, to change the world, with focus. Instead of threads dedicated to pushing factions of the party out, we must seek to include more in the shared goal of ousting this blight on America that comes under the guise of conservative ideology. We cannot continue to eat our own.

Tasting Victory, Liberals Instead Have a Food Fight
By Dana Milbank

Excerpts:
The new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds congressional Democrats in the best position they've held in 14 years, besting President Bush and Republican lawmakers on Iraq, the economy, health care, immigration, ethics and more.

All of which can mean only one thing: It is time for the Democrats to eat their own.

Elected Democrats and their liberal base are in one of their periodic splits between pragmatism and symbolism.

More at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/30/AR2006013001319.html

[rfranklin]

1. We need someone to crack heads...

and control the purse strings. As long as the "moderates" are the ones who are suckling at the corporate teat we will be saddled with Republican-lite assholes who sell us down the river at every opportunity.

[MercutioATC]

14. How about this guy:

www.hackettforohio.com

"the Republican Party has been hijacked by the religious fanatics that, in my opinion, aren’t a whole lot different than Osama bin Laden and a lot of the other religious nuts around the world,”"

http://www.hackettforohio.com/newsroom/93/honestly-whats-the-gimmick

[AtomicKitten]

15. I love Paul Hackett.

He is a breath of fresh air and isn't afraid to speak the truth, without hesitation, without equivocation.

[OKNancy]

2. This is one time when Milbank might be right

It's what we do best. "It is time for the Democrats to eat their own."

[ClassWarrior]

3. A diversity of opinions makes for better decisions.

It's the fundamental principle behind democracy.

NGU.

[JeffR]

4. Hmmm

Tasting victory, Democrats sat back and waited for the inevitable spew of media propaganda to remind the grassroots that they might as well give up and not bother.

[depakid]

17. Seems to me it's not the media telling the grass roots

that they're little more than a nuisance. I think the events of the last week speak for themselves.

The Dems seem to be doing everything they can to deflate their base- and legitimize far right policies and let the Republicans back in the game.

At last night's DU meeting, we heard someone in the tavern mention that they hated Republicans- but hated the Democrats too (she may have said she hated them more) for not standing up and doing something about this.

I hear similar sentiments out there all of time.

[JeffR]

18. Agreed

But if the base is deflated, where are they going to get votes?

It reminds me of big corporations axing their workforce, and ending up with fewer consumers of their own product.

It just makes my head spin.

[AtomicKitten]

19. ah, and there's the rub. (nt)

[sharp_stick]

5. It's got to end

The best hope the repuke dirtbags have is the Dems continuing to bitch and moan about themselves. I mean, I disgree with a lot of things Lieberman does but by God when the time comes to vote I don't care who else is on the ballot I'm voting for him.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

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[Kagemusha]

6. In other words, go in back of the bus, just like before '02, '04

Trust your betters to lead the party to victory and make sure you don't screw it all up by attacking the party.

Same old story.

[ClassWarrior]

7. Hell no! I want you to DRIVE, Bro.

Or Feingold. Or Boxer. Or Conyers. But I think it's pretty obvious to all of us that we need to change bus drivers.

NGU.

[NoFederales]

20. Another message for the would-be bus drivers

A popular Republican talking point now that scandals are getting public notice is that “both Parties do it.” And surely corporate-funded Politicians are guilty of putting politics ahead of people—one reason that Dems ought to come strongly with people-oriented issues like wages, health-care, drug and medical programs, education, and job training to name a few. Talk about a ready made wedge issue, people WANT TO KNOW that they are not being ignored in this country.

There may be little that can be done as a quick fix to get rid of corporate ass-sucking pols, but beyond trying to take them out in the primaries: Talk About People Issues.

Sure the NSA spying is a huge crime.
Sure the Iraq War is wrong.
Sure oil (and switchgrass) for blood is wrong.
Sure corruption is wrong.
Sure election fraud is a MASSIVE PROBLEM (probably the BIGGEST)
Sure there are many other things to list here, BUT

If we want PROGRESSIVE candidates, smart people are going to have to convince their political aspirants that people issues are the keys to election success. So why aren’t our candidates LISTENING? And why isn’t there a chorus of people like us SINGING this tune in their ears?

NoFederales

[longship]

8. Correct. Congressional Dems fighting their own base.

We need to operate within the party apparatus to change things. It's the only way that will work.

Run for precinct committee person or, if there's a vacancy, ask your county Dem chair to appoint you.

Participate in county conventions. Run for district delegate and participate in the district convention. Run for state delegate and participate in the state convention. Finally, run for national delegate and pack a lot of wacky clothes and hats, then go to and participate to the national convention. Don't forget to smile and scream loudly when the news cameras point your way.

That's precisely what Pat Robertson began in the late 1970's. The result was Reagan, Bush Sr., and Chimp. Until we realize that this is how to do things, we will continue to lose elections.


"Let's get on the hump. We've got some flyin' to do."

[AtomicKitten]

10. bravo!

Wise words.

[ClassWarrior]

Bingo!

NGU.

[Name removed]

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[chaumont58]

9. This guy had a thousand words to fill, so he dug up some bullshit

I feel symphathy for Cindy Sheehan, but she doesn't speak for me on any issue but get out of Iraq. The same for the others mentioned in Milbank's article. No election of 2006 has been held yet, but the beltway whores have Dems getting beat badly already. Fuck all of them, and the horses they rode in on.

Milbank would have been better to just say in his piece: "The sky is falling! The sky is falling!"

[AtomicKitten]

11. I consider his words prophetic --- unless we change them.

Sometimes it's a good idea to embrace what's in your face rather than ignoring it, refusing to acknowledge it, or simply rejecting it.

Whether we like it or not, he is speaking the truth.

[seabeyond]

16. talk about how dems should stick together, promoting

a food fight and split with dems. wow. isnt this interesting. i think dems have done pretty good untied. though not good enough for some. soem will never see good enough. but i have seen example after example of dem stickin together. better to feed the negative. should of thrown spineless and dove in just for fun

[abex]

21. hey dana milbank!? what was symbolic yesterday is pragmatic today

[Justice Is Comin]

22. Imagine where we'd be if we had

a Minority leader in the House. I wish Reid was hitting consistently on all eight cylinders too.

One thing the Democrats better get rolled out is an unbeatable, memorable and attention getting written PROMISE TO AMERICA, just like the contract for America that sweeped us out of Congress.

It'll be the dumbest thing they ever did, if they don't unveil one post haste.