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Edited on Tue Aug-29-06 10:47 PM by impeachdubya
And although I know the phrasing of polls is tricky, there are some implied assumptions and dichotomies in your poll that I fundamentally disagree with. I realize, of course, that is part of the intent of the poll...
However, a couple points:
The assumption that the way for the Democratic Party to bring in "more voters" is through "moderate" statements, I think, is incorrect. First off, "moderate" versus "extremist", how? I happen to think arguing that womens' bodies should be the property of the state- that Bill Frist or Pat Robertson should have more say as to what goes on with the the sex lives of 300 million Americans, or inside 150 million American womens' Uterii, than the individual citizens themselves- that, I think, is a very "extremist" position. The idea that fertilized eggs should have rights under the 14th amendment, or that the birth control pill should be criminalized- those are extremist positions. The idea that the government has any business whatsoever telling terminally ill cancer patients (or any other consenting adult, for that matter) what plants they can smoke; that, to me, is an incredibly "extremist" position. The idea that it's anybody else's god-damn business if two consenting adults of the same gender want to get married- yeah, that's 'extremist', too. Taking a shit on the first Amendment, foisting nonsense about this being a "Christian nation", shoehorning bullshit twaddle about "intelligent design", creationism and a 6,000 year old Earth into public school science classes- those are VERY, VERY, VERY EXTREMIST positions, in my book.
And yet, according to some, the way the Democratic party is supposed to display "moderate" stripes is to attempt to woo so-called "values voters" (all twelve of them) by soft-pedaling our positions on reproductive choice, the Separation of Church and State, and equal rights for gays and lesbians. THAT is supposed to be the way to win elections, according to certain party pooh-bahs and a Corporate-Owned Mainstream Media that has NO interest in real Democrats returning to power.
Meanwhile, we are told to avoid "extremist" positions, like opposition to the war in Iraq- a view shared by a majority of Americans. We are told to be quiet about being pro-choice; again, a view shared by a majority of Americans. We are told the only way to gain votes is to ape the GOP in the WORST way possible- namely, by cheap Jesus pandering while simultaneously displaying the most idiotic instincts with regards to a mis-waging (as opposed to an intelligent waging) of the "War on Terror".
I happen to think that the way to split the GOP- and bring in new voters, rather than endlessly pursuing "left behind" pinheads drunk on their weird, monster truck version of Scripture, is to go after the LIBERTARIAN wing of the GOP, and the millions of Socially Libertarian, educated, urban voters who can't figure out which party has more control freaks. We stand up strong for the right of consenting adults to make their own damn decisions about their own bodies. We say, yes, there are SOME THINGS that taxes can accomplish; like, for instance, a SPHC system -because 45 million Americans with no Health Insurance is a moral travesty- (this can bring in Greens and "values voters" who may not like Gay Marriage but like having no health insurance for their kids even LESS) -but that said, WE are the party of Fiscal Responsibility, unlike the crony-pony free spending goons who have driven the deficit through the roof while giving away literally duffel bags full of cash to no-bid "reconstruction" contractors in Iraq.
WE are the party that wants government out of people's bedrooms, bloodstreams, and END OF LIFE DECISIONS. Remember how Terri Schiavo bit the GOP on the ass? That's because they bought their own bullshit about just how powerful these "Values Voter" waterheads actually are.
I suggest it's about time we stand up for sanity abroad, and the Constitution, freedom, and and civil liberties at home. Clearly.
And I don't think that's an "extremist" statement at all.
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