'The whole Democratic Party is a bunch of liberal crazy people

[YvonneCa]

...who aren't capable of being in charge of anything...let alone the Presidency.'


That's the caricature. That's what the other side wants voters to believe. That's what is happening right now to our Democratic Party, and it doesn't matter whether you support Obama or Clinton...or whether you are still hoping for a rescue by Gore, Edwards, Kerry or some other Democrat...you should not only realize this, you need to start doing something NOW to stop it.

I attended a wonderful event at Pepperdine University in 2006. Senator John Kerry was there to speak about "Faith and Politics." At the time, there was hope among some that he would run again in 2008...and there was also anger with some about 2004. It was a great speech. He discussed issues we are now facing in the current election and took questions from students there on a variety of issues, from immigration to right to life issues. (It's online at pepperdine.edu for anyone who wants to watch.)

In that speech, John Kerry spoke about caricature. He said:

"There will always be those bent on corrupting our political discourse, particularly where religion is involved. But I learned how important it is to make certain people have a deeper understanding of the values that shape me and the faith that sustains me. Despite this New Englanders’ past reticence of talking publicly about my faith, I learned that if I didn’t fill in the picture myself, others would draw the caricature for me. I will never let that happen again—and neither should you, because no matter your party, your ideology, or your faith, we are all done a disservice when the debate is reduced to ugly and untrue caricatures."





"...I learned that if I didn't fill in the picture myself, others would draw the caricature for me."



Amazing words...and an important lesson for Democrats. I hope we...not just John Kerry...have learned this lesson. Our political discourse is definitely being corrupted right now. Many of us are frustrated because we want to discuss issues...and we can't, because we are defending against a caricature. The other side is filling in the picture for us.

Obama supporters know the truth of who Obama is...but the caricature is also pretty clear: We should fear his presidency because of his 'shady' religious connections and possible lack of patriotism. But there is a caricature for Clinton, too: She's cold and calculating, and only wants power.

The problem is, there is a third caricature: Neither (or none) of the Democratic candidates are as presidential as a 'John McCain.' They don't have a policy. They can't decide on a candidate. The whole party is split and a joke. What kind of voter are you if you would vote for ANY ONE OF THEM?



'The whole Democratic Party is a bunch of liberal crazy people who aren't capable of being in charge of anything, let alone the Presidency.'







John Kerry said (paraphrasing) that he would never let that happen again. And he said, "...and neither should you, because no matter your party, your ideology, or your faith, we are all done a disservice when the debate is reduced to ugly and untrue caricatures."



There is a caricature currently being drawn of ALL of us. We Democrats cannot allow that to happen. As Barack Obama said on Tuesday, "Not this time." It's time we Democrats unite to fight back.



:patriot:

[DavidDvorkin]

1. You have say "Democrat Party"

if you want it to sound like it's coming from the other side.

[YvonneCa]

6. That's so true...

...thanks! :7

[GreenPartyVoter]

12. "Demoncrat" is also acceptable... as is "lie-brul"

[YvonneCa]

19. You got me...

... :)

[mikelgb]

2. Yay for liberal crazy people!

[blm]

3. So true - and using religion to base that caricature is especially unseemly.

.

[YvonneCa]

7. Thanks, blm. They will use...

...anything, sadly.

[OmahaBlueDog]

4. Billboard I saw yesterday in South Dakota

Eat a Steak
Wear Fur
Keep Your Guns
Salute our Flag


I wonder who they'll vote for in November?

[YvonneCa]

20. I don't expect...

...to win over extremists. But we ought to be able to make a strong, winning case to rational voters! :7

[fascisthunter]

5. Funny.... Because the Left Has Been Right about Everything

for soooo damned long!

[YvonneCa]

8. It's about perception...

...not who we Democrats really are.

[blm]

9. And not just right, but more kind and Christlike about being right, too. And I'm an atheist

now and believe that the Christ who did walk this earth was a great and kind man and in no way, shape or form resemble the current day Republican lawmakers.

[Two Americas]

13. the left

How welcome is the left in modern liberalism and the Democratic party? Not much, I fear.

How welcome is politics in modern liberalism and the Democratic party? Again, not much. The billboard about fur, meat, guns etc., would never have any impact or relevancy if the Democratic party actual were a left wing political organization and actually were focused on politics at all. Politics is about power and economics, not personal preferences and lifestyle choices. Politics is about public solutions, not private choices, about political solutions to social problems, not about identifying with the beautiful people who are making the "right choices" and are therefore superior and "right."

Being "right" is the consolation prize in politics. Personally identifying with "like minded" people who have the same "belief system" belongs in the realm of religion, not politics.

The right wingers know where the battle lines are and what the battle is about - power and economics. We can hardly expect to win very many political battles when we are not even on the right battlefield. The right wingers are relentlessly fighting to protect the power and wealth of the few. Rather than defending the interests of the poor and powerless many, we attack, mock, ridicule, and alienate those people because of what we imagine their "beliefs" to be.

It is a set up for political failure.

[fascisthunter]

14. I'm Sorry... but I Disagree with Your Characterization of the "left"

your characterization/stereotype is set up to be a failure and has nothing to do with what I'm talking about.

[Two Americas]

15. FDR

When I talk about the left, I mean the politics of FDR and the New Deal. How do you define the left?

[fascisthunter]

16. Ummmm... You Didn't Say Anything about FDR

and by reading your stereotype of the left I would never have concluded that your "left" was that of FDR or the New Deal. You instead said, "The billboard about fur, meat, guns etc., would never have any impact or relevancy if the Democratic party actual were a left wing political organization and actually were focused on politics at all."

That sounds more like the right wing's pet peaves of what they dislike about their mind's version of the "left".

And your insinuation of my saying the left was right is somehow equivalent to the right wing's use of religion was pretty clear as an insult.

[Two Americas]

17. I see

I don't think peta, organic, vegan, and gun control have much if anything to do with the left, as it always has been defined historically until very recently, nor do they have much to do with politics of any sort, as far as that goes. I think the general public perception is accurate in associating those social lifestyle and pseudo-religious causes with modern liberalism. When they reject those, they are not rejecting leftist politics. The confusion between the two cripples and sabotages the left.

I had no intention to insult you, and could not have predicted your reaction to what I said.

[Leopolds Ghost]

18. Amen. n/t

[rucky]

10. 10 minutes on GD-P oughta bust that myth wide open

:rofl:

[YvonneCa]

11. ...

...:)