SOMETHING GOING ON ...

[NanceGreggs]

Something Going On …
By Nancy Greggs

Over the past few months, I have watched the slow but steady movement of our fellow citizens towards our candidates, our party’s agenda, and our often-maligned but nonetheless valuable vision for a better nation.

Some say it is simply a desire for change, a matter of any alternative being preferable to the stay-the-course mindset of governing Republicans, a course that has led to now-visible disaster in every area from the faltering economy to the conduct of the war in Iraq.

I believe there is more to it than that.

Some among us like to perceive our fellow citizens who have traditionally voted Republican as mindless sheep who would gladly follow their leadership off a cliff; others see them as being in total agreement with what this administration, and their rubber-stamping representatives, have wrought during this president’s tenure in office.

Those of us who have friends or family members on the ‘other side of the aisle’ know better. Those who initially voted for Bush thought they were getting what they had been promised, what they had always been assured by their party; smaller government, fiscal responsibility, even that now elusive ‘compassionate conservatism’ that disappeared within minutes of Bush’s installation in office.

And even after it was more than obvious to those of us on the other side that this administration was a horse of a different color, Republicans continued to support their president and his agenda, hoping to see their traditional values in action – just as we, if we are honest with ourselves, would support one of our own until we were totally convinced that what we’d bargained for and what we got were two different things. And that realization often dawns later rather than sooner.

It has been a long and painful journey for our opposition to wake up to the fact that this administration is not on their side any more than it is on ours. It is, as has now become obvious to many, simply on its own side – and the devil take the rest.

Since my first observations of the battlefield that is politics, I have formed the opinion that the major difference between the Democratic and Republican philosophies is this: While Democrats tend to look at policies in terms of how they affect the citizenry as a whole, Republicans tend to see everything in terms of how it will affect them as individuals.

The Democrat sees the funding of social programs that assist the less fortunate as being of benefit to all, while the Republican sees that funding as his hard-earned tax dollars being handed over to someone who was too lazy to look after himself.

It is a fundamental difference that has widened the gap between us, and ironically enough, it is a gap that has been narrowed, albeit unintentionally, by the dismal effects caused by Bush, his administration, and their adherance to their PNAC-based ideology that rewards the few – to the detriment not only of those who disagree with them, but to the detriment of the nation and its citizenry, regardless of party affiliation.

Let’s keep in mind that those who voted this president, and their fellow Republicans, into office did not get preferential treatment in their day-to-day lives. Their jobs have been outsourced, their health benefits have been cut, their loved ones have died in combat, right alongside those who detested this administration’s policies from day one. There was no “I voted for Bush” discount card to be used at the gas pump; their children in Iraq did not get body armor while their Democrat comrades did without.

The Bush years have been the great equalizer, and those who initially thought there would be some reward in having supported him have come to realize that the things promised – like those much-touted tax cuts – are only available to the wealthy, the corporations who have millions to spend in campaign contributions, the influential power-brokers who can deliver something more tangible than a “We Love You, President Bush!” sign carried by some naïve supporter who thinks anyone actually cares.

In short, the average Republican voter has learned the value of empathy for their fellow citizens – the hard way. They now see the need for welfare, because some of them have had to rely on it for the first time in their lives. They now understand the importance of funding our public education system, because sending their own children to private schools is no longer an affordable option. They now appreciate the reasoning behind a universal health care initiative, because their coverage has been cancelled by the corporation that employs them in order to enhance its own bottom line.

I believe the aftermath of Katrina was the crystallizing moment for many. In years past, when hard work was unquestioned as the sure road to financial security, the response from the vast majority of Republican voters in such circumstances would have been a moment of sympathy for those who’d lost everything – as much sympathy as can be felt by someone who firmly believes that he is immune to such tragedy.

But having been caught in the financial squeeze perpetrated by their own party members in government, this event reminded the newly-financially strapped that losing everything they had ever worked for was only one unexpected disaster away.

Perhaps I am just trying to make sense of the dark days we have been through under neo-con control, attempting to find something positive in circumstances that have been so all-consumingly negative for too long.

But I do believe there was a lesson to be learned from all of this, and those who will be voting with us and with our party’s agenda next week have finally not only learned it, but are beginning to take its message to heart.

Now on to victory – it will be a great day not only for Democrats, but for the country.

[ClassWarrior]

1. How true, Nance.

And I agree about Katrina being the turning point.

NGU.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. K&R

[NRaleighLiberal]

3. K&R - very eloquent, thanks!

[pinto]

4. Your take on Katrina is right on. For days the whole world saw live

coverage of the pathetic incompetence of the Republicans responsible for a national disaster response, the lack of coordination with local agencies and what can only be called the "eh, wtf" disregard from the White House. Thanks for the post.

[The Magistrate]

5. An Excellent And Perceptive Piece, Ma'am

[NanceGreggs]

6. And thank you, sir ...

... for your kind words.

[The Magistrate]

9. The Pleasure Is Mine, Ma'am

I generally enjoy your pieces, and this one is particularly apt and moving.

[fishnfla]

7. From Sept 10th to Terri Schiavo

The exodus of mainstream Republicans started with the Terri Schiavo affair. When the pres. and his minions went into emergency overdrive for a vegetable, it was a major WTF? moment for them. Contrasted with the total inaction with Katrina, well thats all she wrote.

It is interesting to note, that prior to 9/11, we were lead to believe that the pres. was agonizing over the stem cell debate at his ranch. Distracted to the point of ignoring the PDB "OBL determined to strike US". We were told it would be the seminal watermark of his tenure.

Looking back now, it is apparant that they were scheming for political gain and expediency on the stem cell issue as well, never really knowing that is was a major WTF? issue for a majority of their voters as well....

[applegrove]

8. You are very kind. Much true in that. Some really did think they were

voting on values. Anyone can be fooled. Let us hope people are not fooled again.

[wholetruth00]

10. Excellent post!

[Mr_Spock]

11. Wow. Thank you - I needed to read something positive tonight

If I just read the alarmist threads I'd probably go drive my car off a bridge.

[flyarm]

thank you Nance..wonderfully said!! and written!..thank you! n/t

[tblue]

12. YOU have to have to have to become a speechwriter for the next Democratic

presidential nominee. You have talent that is too remarkable to waste. Your message can resonate across the country. Okay, you can start small, with local politics maybe, if you want. But you need to use this God-given gift to heal the world. Anything less would be a terrible waste. Think about it.

My favorite quote:

There is a vitality, a life-force, a quickening that is translated through you into action; and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium, and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is; nor how valuable it is; nor how it compares to other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.

You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you.

Keep the channel open... No artist is pleased...

There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching - and makes us more alive than the others.

Martha Graham
(to Agnes DeMille)

[NanceGreggs]

14. It's taken me a moment - all right, a few moments ...

... to respond, tblue, because I am at once humbled and elated by your post.

The above quote by Ms. Graham is as eloquent a piece of writing as has ever been proferred by any author, essayist or journalist. And I thank you for sharing it with all of us.

To have such an incredible thought referred to in a discussion about my own ramblings is a compliment beyond measure.

I cannot thank you enough for your kindness and encouragement -- ironically, at this moment, words fail me.

[Quantess]

26. I think you should be a speechwriter, too. (n/t)

[JeffR]

13. Kicked & recommended

As good as it gets.

[badgerpup]

15. Thanks, Nance. As always...K & R

You point it out beautifully...it ain't just as 'the enemy' when 'they is us'.
I hope that made sense...

:kick:

[vixengrl]

16. "the value of empathy"

When I pause to think why the Republican party may lose votes, I find this: to whom might they yet appeal? Is the face of modern conservatism a truly compassionate one? From George W. Bush's falsetto simpering "Please save me" to a shocked Tucker Carlson, to Rush Limbaugh's callous mockery of an ill man who is fighting a very good fight, we have witnessed the signs of disregard for the values this party has claimed to espouse. Are these the people who represent a culture of life? If we look at the waste of lives--people who could have been spared if we only chose to do things well--in Iraq. In Afghanistan. People who could have been saved by a competent response to Hurricane Katrina. People who might not have died if more attention was paid to terrorism intelligence pre-9/11, or barring that, people who would not be dying now of respiratory disease if, again, Republicans, weren't in such a hurry to say "All's well" at Ground Zero.

Do we find empathy with the ill among us, and the dying, or with blastocysts that will be discarded anyway, and yet might hold promise in helping those others? Do we find empathy in prolonging the life cycle of one, severely brain-damaged woman, and discard millions who are without health care? Do we really mean to spread freedom, or do we intend revenge? Are we for the ideals of our Founders, the ideals of our Constitution, the freedoms the terrorists alledgedly hate us for--or are we willing to sacrifice them to save our skins--are we afraid--or are we strong?

I like to think that as a nation, we Americans really do have a sense of honor, empathy, generousity of spirit. We rose to the occasion on 9/11, we gave of ourselves when disaster struck in SE Asia with the tsunami--which barely affected us in a direct, material sense, and again when Katrina hit--which I think affected every one of us in a real, gut-level sense. We Americans have that greatness of spirit--our government should represent that. This government has not done so. I think that the voter-disgust, and desire for change, comes from an understanding of that. I think Democrats might better embody our better selves, do more good, less harm. Be less hypocritical, be more, I daresay, competent, steady, effective.


Ma'am, I like the way your posts make me think. A "recommend".

[NanceGreggs]

17. WOW, Vixengrl!

That deserves its own thread! Beautifully written!

:toast:

[vixengrl]

19. Why not--I'll put this one up--and I have other

odd thoughts...

Cheers

:toast:

[kentuck]

18. Nancy, you are psychic....

I meditate with you. :)

[appleannie1]

20. May I have your permission

to copy and paste this at another forum I post to? I will not do it without your permission and would understand completely.
I agree that a lot of Republicans have had their eyes opened. Unfortunately some churches are still convincing people that to vote Dem is to vote with Satan. But at least this time around, we have hope.

[NanceGreggs]

21. As always, everyone is free to re-post ...

... I only ask that I be credited as author, and that DU be credited as the original publisher of the piece, where appropriate.

And thanks for thinking it worthy of being passed around!

[OneBlueSky]

22. eloquent . . . I'm so glad someone finally said all those things . . .

I too know many Republicans, and they are indeed just as impacted by BushCo policies as are Democrats . . . and this year they are also equally disaffected with this administration, and often more so -- and not infrequently to the point of outright hatred . . .

this phenomenon puzzled me until I thought about it and realized that Republicans have a lot more reason to hate BushCo because they are the ones who have been betrayed . . . we on the left knew what we were getting . . . they, on the other hand, thought they were getting something other than what was delivered -- and that is really pissing them off . . .

no one likes to be made a fool of . . . Republicans, though, especially hate it when someone plays them for suckers because of how they view the world . . . so when BushCo outsources their jobs, kills and maims their kids in Iraq, raises prices on everything while real income drops, shamelessly ravages the environment, and makes their beloved nation the most hated on the planet, they tend to want revenge . . . badly . . .

I predict that the real vote this year will be the most lop-sided Democratic landslide since LBJ was swept into office in 1964 . . .

how many of those votes will be accurately recorded and reported, of course, is another story altogether . . .

thanks for the essay . . . :)

[Totally Committed]

23. Brava, Diva!

Great post (a quite a pep-talk!) as usual.

TC

[babydollhead]

24. Munch's "The Scream"

thats how I've felt since the Katrina aftermath. A scream like in your dreams, when no sound comes out. 9/11 was a slap in the face. Katrina is when we realized that we are held by our collective pony tail, and the question we keep being asked is, "one up or two down?"

[DinahMoeHum]

25. Republicans = YOYOs = You're On Your Own

Democrats = WITTs = We're In This Together

:kick:

[Klukie]

27. Great post!!

I truly believe that the main difference between us and those on the right is their inability to empathize. I often wonder why they are like this. Here are a few thoughts. I don't think it has anything to do with finances because I know folks who had plenty and folks who had nothing and they all share this same trait. I think it boils down to selfishness and a sense of entitlement that can come from a spoiled upbringing as well as an impoverished one. It is no doubt a personality trait and like any personality trait it can be changed. I also think that folks an the right tend to view our Jesus-like ability to empathize as a weakness hence the old line about those "Bleeding Heart Liberals". Thanks for the post.

[Uncle Joe]

28. I believe you have hit the nail on the head NanceGreggs

thanks for posting

Kicked and recommended

:kick:

[codjh9]

29. Sadly, I think your essay, while eloquent, is only partially true

I agree with everything in your essay, but there are still those on the other side of the aisle who have NOT learned that there is any place for welfare or help for the hungry; and that's even describing an aunt of mine who is in the lower-middle class, who certainly hasn't benefitted from a damn thing that the Bush administration has done. There are also those who don't fit the description of the typical fiscal conservative who has been betrayed by the Bush admin. - there are many who actually agree with most of his horrendous actions, policies, and so on. How many people actually think that not only what we've done in Iraq is OK, and that a 'so what?' attitude is acceptable about the 500,000+ dead Iraqi civilians, but that 'nuking them all' would be just fine, because damn it, then we just wouldn't have to worry about that problem any more.

I'm not being overly cynical - I've heard all of this from relatives, and/or have read similar attitudes elsewhere. I guess the good news is just that this editorial DOES describe a significant chunk of the population, and let's hope they make enough of a difference in a week.

[codjh9]

30. Meant to add...

... that your characterization of Republicans as viewing everything through the 'what's in it for me?' prism is so damn true - I think that's one of the cornerstones of what differentiates a Repub. from a Dem. - how self-centered a person is.

[southerncrone]

31. re: something's going on

:thumbsup:
You are an excellent writer. Speech writing seems a perfect fit.
Seems to me the Republicans are basically a fearful lot; this is why the fear-mongering resonates so well with them. Like attracts like. Let's face it, it HAS worked very well for them in the past decade. The unabashed arrogance of this regime, I believed, is unequaled in our history. They have taken advantage of our good nature too long. Now that Dems are finally putting up a fight, they must swing into overdrive with their nasty tactics; and, yes, they are exposing themselves for what they are...selfish, hard-headed, closed-minded, uncaring, liars, who are bent on taking care of themselves & their close "back-scratching" comrades. They view the world through "us against them" glasses. All of this based on the fear that they will not be in charge. Let's face it, most of these neocon dunderheads couldn't get a REAL job on their own & keep it, if not born into privilege or as_ -kissed up to some power monger. There must be some type of mind control in place for this pathetic lot to have been elected in the first place. Oh, I forget, they stole those last two elections...... I don't underestimate them stealing this one, too, with the electronic voting machines. This is a sly bunch, they lay their traps carefully with alot of advanced planning.
I would love to feel that we will win these seats with a wave of disgruntled Republicans joining our side, but the possibility of more vote tampering haunts my dreams.

[Demeter]

32. I Suspect the Lesson Will Not Stick for Long

Because the problem started with Nixon, continued with Reagan, and finally flowered under Dim Son. A lesson that took 30 years and 3 generations to learn will melt like winter's snow under warm spring rains when some minor cosmetic changes have been made.

I am hoping that the Democratic leadership is smart enough to push full bore for as much true and significant reform as can be squeezed into this window of opportunity opening before us, before the forces of Evil (and I'm not exaggerating, in the least) regroup and pull that selfish, ugly American scam again.

[FormerDittoHead]

33. I disagree with what differs the two parties - you omitted racism and other things...

First off, more so than with the Democrats, the Republicans are a collection of very different groups, and it's only lies which holds them together. Republicans are NOT monolithic, and any number of things can easily fracture them.

Without cataloging them all here, just to prove my point, if Republicans established support for woman's right to choose, and if Republicans stood for establishing meaningful programs to help minorities and the poor, Republicans wouldn't be able to win the dog catcher election. Yet those two interests have very little to do with one another.

The latter group represents a large swath of Republicans not addressed in your message - racists. Simply, the vast majority of racists are Republicans. Why isn't Katrina THE issue during this election? These people SAY they want smaller government and lower taxes, but that's not the issue - they don't want "their" money going to blacks.

As proof, this is why Republicans are against affirmative action. There's not dollar one going out of their pocket to PAY for affirmative action (unlike health care, education, welfare, etc) but simply, they are either racists or similarly, function under the talk radio fed fantasy that racism, as an institution, no longer exists and ones position in our society is a product of their own choice.

The vast majority of the racist "small government movement" is only sold by giving the impression that the vast majority of ones taxes are going to life long welfare cheats.

As for the lies which I referred to. The Republicans party is fueled by and primarily serves the wealthy, which is yet another one of the very different groups which I referred to in my first sentence. The REAL agenda behind conservative politics, again, not listed in your message, is to economically benefit the rich either by lowering their risk in the marketplace, lowering their taxes or giving them more control in the marketplace by using government to raise the cost of entering into a market lowering competition. Republicans, as we have seen, are NOT for smaller government, but to the racists among them "smaller government" is "code" for eliminating welfare so these two groups manage to get along by a hair's breath.

Another disagreement I have with your message is what you referred to as the great equalizer. Simply, I don't believe Republicans think for the long term, the future. They don't understand, for example, that educating poor people today will mean more buyers for their home when they want to sell it, etc.

Consider the fact that the economy is NOT that bad right now compared with 2001. I'm not defending this economy, but it's not like we've had a recession. We've experienced STRUCTURAL destruction - the continued flight of manufacturing jobs as well as service jobs, destruction of the EPA, gutting of forward looking science programs (stem cells), ignoring global warming, the ever increasing debt (Iraq) - but the effect of these things are felt over a longer term. These all refer to Republicans not "getting" that "future thing"...

My conclusion is that I DO believe there are Republican voters who are turning away from their party due to their party not being able to truly deliver on their promises (after all, it's a patchwork of lies) but I do NOT believe there has become a great change in the structure of the Republican party as such, nor do I see many of these voters turning into Democrats very soon.

I do NOT believe we have support from former Republicans as you suggest and that currently our greatest strength is that many of them will simply be staying home on 11/7.

[dalaigh lllama]

35. But her description covers that, too

This was a real "aha!" moment for me:

"While Democrats tend to look at policies in terms of how they affect the citizenry as a whole, Republicans tend to see everything in terms of how it will affect them as individuals."

Racists are egocentric. They're in it for themselves, and empathy is just an unused word in a dictionary to them. Nance's definition covers the entire gamut, IMO, from the fundies to the racists to the corporate gluttons right down to the "traditional" Republicans I know who vote that way as small business owners because they think Republicans will help them. It's all just different degrees of "What I want is paramount; too bad about everyone else."

Amazing, Nance. Thanks for the insights.

[Duhgee]

34. Nancy, Do you not read your own stuff?

"So farewell, GOP, you proud and patriotic Republicans of old, you party of Lincoln. We disagreed with you, argued with you, fought with you; but that was back in the days when you were a worthy opponent. Now you're just a bunch of mindless sheep, being led by the nose away from the very ideals you used to uphold so valiantly."


"Some among us like to perceive our fellow citizens who have traditionally voted Republican as mindless sheep who would gladly follow their leadership off a cliff; others see them as being in total agreement with what this administration, and their rubber-stamping representatives, have wrought during this president’s tenure in office.

Those of us who have friends or family members on the ‘other side of the aisle’ know better."


Which Nancy will you be tomorrow?

Wow.

[NanceGreggs]

36. Those two pieces were written years apart ...

... and in very different contexts. (I also tend to use current catch-phrases in my more satirical stuff, for obvious reasons).

During the first two years of BushCO, I did see the Republicans, as a whole, as sheep who were allowing themselves to be led away from their traditional ideals -- as mentioned above, smaller gov't, fiscal responsibility by their party, etc.

It's taken a long time for them, as individuals, to finally awaken to the fact that this particular administration is only promoting its own interests, and not the interests of its party members - or the interests of the country.

I think the GOP party, as a whole, is also waking up. They are now realizing that BushCO is not a traditional Republican administration, but a PNAC-based group whose actions are often very much at odds with the GOP philosophy.

It's been a very slow realization on their part, but it's finally happening. My prediction is that we'll be seeing a slow but steady distancing of the party from this administration leading up to the 2008 election. They can't run on the concept of continuing the "fine work" of Bush, because the voters are now making it clear that they want a change, and believe the country is on the wrong track.

The Dems have been fighting to get the country back - and, I believe, are on their way to doing so. The Republicans, on the other hand, first have to get their PARTY back from the disastrous PNAC-boys' agenda before they can move forward.

[Duhgee]

37. July 5, 2005 is years from October 2006? But anyway...

..are you taking back everything bad you have said about Republican's? Nancy, you are a wonderful writer, but your "satire" drips hatred for all things GOP, while you portray the Dems as all things good and pure. I'm all for sweeping generalizations, but this is so tilted your message is unhearable by moderates and (gasp) conservatives.

Please widen your audience, drop the conspiracy theories, take up the stuff that will help Dems win elections. Minimum wage is something that will actually win over undecided voters. Poke fun at a Dem every now and then, show how something they have done is ironic. It must have happened at least once.
And if you want to extend your appeal beyond the die hard DUers, turn Old Glory right side up.
:)

[NanceGreggs]

38. WOW! You got me!

I checked and you're right - it was summer of 2005! I was thinking I'd written that much earlier (I thought it was pre-2004 election, but I was wrong!)

In fact, I do not hate Republicans, nor my fellow citizens who have traditionally voted for them. I've always seen the two parties, in the past, as BOTH having visions of a better country - just with sometimes differing views on how to get there.

The hatred you perceive in my writing these past few years is directed at this administration, this president, and the current crop of Republican enablers who have rubber-stamped his every childish whim - to the detriment of their own party, as well as the detriment of our democracy. This administration does not represent the average Republican voter any more than it does the average Democrat.

Unfortunately, however, it is this administration that has been the 'face' of the Republican party for six years now.

Of everything I have written (which is now a rather large body of work) my personal favourite is this piece:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2370863

Ironically, I got flamed pretty well for its sentiments - which I stand by to this day, flame war and all.

I believe firmly in the two-party system; they serve as a check-and-balance on each other, and only through cooperation and a sense of reaching compromise in the best of interest of the country can the greater good for all Americans be achieved. But the PNAC-inspired agenda brooks no compromise, no dissent, no cooperation - and its 'divide and conquer' methodolgy, which serves it political purposes, has worked far too well in pitting citizen against citizen.

I believe most Americans invite honest debate. But when that debate dissolves into arguing about flag-burning and whether the Ten Commandments should be displayed in a courthouse, when there are much more important issues to be addressed, NO ONE'S PURPOSE is served.

And when one side of the argument is shut down with things like, "You're unpatriotic if you disagree with us," or, "You're on the side of the terrorists if you don't go along with us unquestioningly," that's not productive debate -- that's childishness, and in the case of the Iraq war, it's childishness that is getting people killed.

My scribblings (which surprises no one more so than I) have found an audience here at DU, and beyond. I am more than content with that. I do not consider myself to be a journalist; I am biased towards my own party and its ideals, and blatantly so.

Yes, I do disagree with fellow Democrats at times. But pointing out their flaws and mistakes is not what my writing is about - any more than a lot of RW writers, who serve as cheerleaders for their own party and wry observers of the opposition, turn their attention to the mis-steps of their own.

As for 'conspiracy theories', I'm not sure what you mean. Do I believe there has been deliberate vote supression and manipulation by the GOP powers-that-be in the last few elections? Absolutely. The evidence is there (BTW, I'm a court reporter, and tend to look at such things in a very 'show me the facts' manner) And the facts are there.

Have there been 'dirty tricks' vis a vis vote counting throughout our nation's history? You betcha, and by both parties. The problem we're facing now is that computer technology makes it that much easier, and more widespread. And the fact that the vast proportion of electronic voting machines are manufactured and maintained by Republican-owned companies is, shall we say, a little less than comforting in terms of fairness and accuracy being strictly observed.

The reason Ol' Glory is upside-down in my avatar is due to a time-honoured maritime tradition, where one flies their ship's flag in that manner to signal distress. And the country has been in distress for the past six years. It is understood by more than 'die-hard DUers' -- and I look forward to the day she can fly right-side-up again.

I truly appreciate your comments, and look forward to hearing from you again.

[Duhgee]

40. Thank you...

...your replies have been kinder than mine, thank you, and I will elevate my tone in kind. I'm glad we agree on the benefits of our two party environment. I treasure the Democratic party, and long for it's long term health, even though I am a freeper, Rethugican, evil, immoral, stupid and all the other names I've seen on the netroots blogs.

I'm encouraged to hear you admit you are partisan. I am as well. I find it difficult to communicate with progressives who claim they are not. When an issue is introduced to me, I normally take the conservative stance. As I learn more, I sometimes change my position as logic and compassion dictate.

I see the country going through a correction cycle. The broken parts of the Great Society are being fixed, and I applaud Bill Clinton's participation. I suspect we will never agree on your current tactics. I see the congress almost split in half, with Republicans having a slight edge over the past ten years or so. But I don't see the Democratic Party moving to make significant gains. I do see the a bitter progressive face on the entire Democratic party. It seems to me progressives would rather be right, (as they define it), than win control back from the Republicans. KOS claimed to be a pragmatist, but put huge time and effect fighting over a safe seat. The Dems may win both houses in a few days, but I feel it will be in spite of their tactics.

Here is an example of what I mean when I say your message is "unhearable" by moderates and conservatives.

"Since my first observations of the battlefield that is politics, I have formed the opinion that the major difference between the Democratic and Republican philosophies is this: While Democrats tend to look at policies in terms of how they affect the citizenry as a whole, Republicans tend to see everything in terms of how it will affect them as individuals.

The Democrat sees the funding of social programs that assist the less fortunate as being of benefit to all, while the Republican sees that funding as his hard-earned tax dollars being handed over to someone who was too lazy to look after himself."

I find this portrayal of Republicans absurd. Are there some Republicans that feel this way? Sure, but not every single one.

I have formed the opinion that one of the major differences between the Democratic and Republican philosophies is this: While Democrat sees the funding of social programs that assist the less fortunate as being of benefit to all, (I'm with you here), the Republican looks at the problem and asks is there an effective way government can improve this situation. The Democrat looks at the problem and says government must do something. The Republican looks at the problem and asks, what is the solution, if any?

So you see me as selfish, and I see you as generous to a fault.

All my best to you, and don't ever lose the fire.

:)

[NanceGreggs]

39. Just wanted to add ...

If you think I've never taken my own Democratic representatives to task, you might want to read these (all published here on DU):

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2796592

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2685657

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2303838

http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/05/09/21_dear.html