What now for liberals - here and within the Democratic party?

[T Wolf]

From the campaign reactions of the "winning-uber-alles" contingent, I would guess that Democratic UNDERGROUND will turn into Democratic ADMINISTRATION.

First, we threw the GLBT community off the bus. Then the Impeachment group was told to shut up. The most recent group to be ridiculed was the anti-bailout commies who just would not see that Wall Street HAD TO BE SAVED. And don't forget that "old" issue - something about military action in the Middle East. I hear there is still some fighting going on.

The "progressive" side of DU/Democrats is weaker and more powerless within the Democratic Party than the center-right coalition that was the emphasis of Obama's campaign.

I am afraid that we will have less influence than even the rethugs in shaping policy in the coming years.

Hope ain't gonna make it. Personally, I need to see results. I will be patient, but not forever.

[IndianaJones]

1. I notice a lot of progressives and liberals telling gays to shut up and stop whining. nt.

[leftofcool]

3. They should never shut up

but advocating the extermination of groups of people who do not agree with your point of view does not help and usually makes things worse

[TechBear_Seattle]

6. You have evidence that we are advocating "the extermination of groups of people," right? n/t

[leftofcool]

8. You can read the posts for yourself

[TechBear_Seattle]

"Extermination" is your delusion, not something someone else is advocating

The Mormon Church clearly believes that civil rights should be subject to a popular vote. Fine: if mine are, then so are theirs. If they don't like having their rights eliminated, they have no fucking business working so hard to eliminate mine.

Crimeny, you are no different from the Talibangelicals who scream about persecution when told they cannot use public schools to brainwash grade school children. I've seen heartbroken drama queens unable to reach your heights, my friend, and I know quite a few drama queens.

[jonnyblitz]

12. you are COMPLETELY misrepresenting what that OP was

saying. you need to SHUT THE FUCK UP.

[jonnyblitz]

9. he is overreacting and misrepresenting another thread

the OP of THAT thread is illustrating the idiocy of the mormon church and the poster you are responding to is being willfully IGNORANT and misrepresenting what the OP in THAT thread is trying to show:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=7804898&mesg_id=7804898

[TechBear_Seattle]

10. Yup. They can dish it out, but piss and moan LOUDLY when it is served right back

The OP makes a good point: if MY civil rights are subject to the popular vote, then YOURS are too. If you can't handle that, then stop working so fucking hard to eliminate my civil rights.

[jonnyblitz]

11. this went right over that CLOWN'S head that is screeching about

progressives want to exterminate people. apparently he doesn't see a problem with some whacked out religious sect actively trying to deny our rights by popular vote.

[leftofcool]

2. As long as there are "Progressive DUer's" advocating the

extermination of various groups of people, this old Dem will stay away from the Progressive crowd.

[amborin]

15. you condemn an entire group based on a sample of one member?

[UnrepentantUnitarian]

4. I guess we'll have to revisit what it means to be democratic?

Is it about radical liberalism, and what does that mean, anyway? It may well mean that we'll need to rethink whether inclusion and compromise are "democratic" premises after all.

[TechBear_Seattle]

5. Please don't forget the dismissive arrogance against the anti-war contingent

We will lose elections if we appear "soft on terror" and unwilling to "support the troops." Therefore, rubberstamp every spending proposal, endorse every action by the Coward In Chief and scream down anyone who objects.

I don't see that changing any time soon, as we might lose the 2010 midterms as a result. :eyes:

[southpaw]

7. For me, an increased level of activism re: Civil Rights for GLBT people.

That is where my heart leads me after this election.

[demokatgurrl]

13. I think we all have issues that are important enough

to us that we can work hard at them. We don't need a campaign, or a DU site, to do so. However, this site is very valuable and is a place for us to exchange ideas, vent, commiserate, rejoice, make friends, form coalitions, maybe even create protest movements when needed.

Personally, I will work harder on one of my pet issues, abolishing the death penalty. It is an uphill battle, and if you want to talk grassroots- hell our last local meeting was held in the upstairs "dining area" of a take-out lunch place after hours and there were only 5 of us there. And this is in a CITY. I am especially committed to this now becasue it is an area in which I depart from Obama (and every other Presidential candidate I have voted for).

There are plenty of other avenues and outlets for our energy. We have Obama to work for us at the highest level, but he has about 300 million constituents and a raft of problems to deal with, so we can't expect him to do it all. In addition he has a bare majority in Senate, and a party that, due to its being a "big tent", has members and representatives of all stripes.

It's not time to relax.

[cali]

14. Oh bullpucky.

Most people on DU are heartsick over what happened to the GLBT community. It's galvanized me to redouble my efforts for full marriage in my state. No one hear is being forced to shut up about impeachment. I was anti-bailout and as far as I saw, the people getting most of the shit here on that were those voicing pro-bailout sentiments.

[cliffordu]

16. When you say you'll be patient but not forever, what consequence does the threat

imply?

[T Wolf]

18. Very simple. I have held my nose forever, waiting for "my" party to even pretend to

be what I expect it to - progressive.

I have voted for a long string of DLC-types because the alternative was much worse.

But no longer. Not again. I was a good little minion this time, for the last time.

If President Obama and the Democratic majorities in Congress do not deliver, they will not get my support in two or four years. It was hard enough to do it this year when real progress could have been made. Instead, we get a message of "hope" but no real expectation of anything more than a minor shift away from the corporate-controlled policies of the ruling elite.

Is that clear enough for you?

[cliffordu]

22. Yep. That's clear enough. You want to be spoon fed.

You voted, that's enough, right?

[T Wolf]

23. Not sure what you are saying. Seem to be implying that I "only" voted and that I want "my"

issues addressed without doing anything to push for them (the "spoon fed" slam). No. I want real change - PROGRESS. I want results that make me proud of my party, not just relief that we won't face another four years of shit.

Nowhere have I said anything about what I will do to promote my views to those in power. My simple point is that liberals have been sold a false bill of goods FOREVER by "our" party without too much in return.

Even Obama seems to want to hand out cabinet posts and other positions of influence to rethugs and DINOs rather than real liberals who will push for a progressive agenda.

Reid and Pelosi (and Dean) have already continued their sell-out to the right with statements about future plans.

Impeachment was taken off the table. It looks (to this liberal) like other things (equal rights as the issue-du-jour) have also been abandoned. For an example, refer to end of war after the 2006 elections - did NOT happen.

The ignorant middle and the right wing gets their payoff while the left is left with the "where-the-fuck-else-are-you-going-to-go" message.

So, what exactly did I vote for? Not quite as bad as the alternative. Wow.

[always_saturday]

17. That's a good question. I'm a LIBERAL. I put that before being a DEMOCRAT.

And it makes me SICK that Prop. 8 won.

Human and civil rights come before PARTY.

[codjh9]

19. I thought people were saying 'center-right' wasn't accurate. I think we're going to continue

to have to fight for more liberal/left positions on the environment, GLBT, etc. during an Obama administration. We may have won, but we need to keep emailing/writing our thoughts and positions, and that includes to our Reps and Senators (unfortunately my Senators suck, but at least my Rep is good). Being quite a leftie and a mega-enviro, I NEVER get what I want, but at the same time, this admin. will give me/us our best chances in (obviously) 8+ years to get at least Part, or More of, what we want.

[gravity]

20. Obama is planning for the long run

He is probably going to start from the middle, and move to the left during his administration. He will learn from the mistakes Bill Clinton, who basically did the opposite which resulted in loss of power in Congress. You have to choose your battles and always focus on the big picture

[GreenPartyVoter]

21. Well, I will probably put my focus back on election reforms that will

help independents and third parties so that we can have a richer democracy: http://www.hostdiva.com/liberalchristians/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=116&Itemid=29&limit=1&limitstart=1