a dangerous time for the Democratic Party

[welshTerrier2]

i wrote this post on November 17, 2004; just a couple of weeks after the last presidential election ... in light of the recent intra-Party divisiveness over the filibuster, i thought it was time for a rerun:

A dangerous time for the Democratic Party

this election was different ... democrats rallied behind their nominee ... we were unified like never before ... we overlooked areas of disagreement ... we put a few of our "ideals" aside to take care of business ... we fought as one; we fought like hell ...

post-election, win or lose, there is no more room for business as usual ... those who were active came from all over the political spectrum ... many of us on the far left held out at least some hope that a Kerry presidency would move the party to the left after the election ... but the real issue, the essence of the battle we all joined, was not really an issue of moving left or moving to the center at all ...

We've missed this essence on DU ... we keep seeing posts about where on the political spectrum democrats need to be positioned for 2008 ... abortion, gays, Southerners, evangelicals ... the list is neverending ... but ultimately, if we look deeply into what this election was really about and if we look at the essence of those who fought so hard, we find that the soul of who we were was not so much ideological as combative ... we were anti-bush ... we were anti-neo-con ... we were anti-republican ... sure, the issues mattered ... but what brought out the fired up troops was sparked by a hatred for what the right-wing is doing to this country and to people all over the world ..

This is an extremely dangerous time for the Democratic Party ... many of us are looking to Washington, democrats in Washington that is, to show us that they are willing, ready and able to carry on our struggle ... we are tired of the appeasement ... we are tired of pretending that "we are all Americans" while the right-wing flushes the Constitution down the toilet ...

Each and every elected Democrat needs to understand that the expectations of its activist base (not just the "democratic wing of the democratic party") is at risk ... "standing shoulder to shoulder with the president" like Gephardt and Daschle did in our "nation's time of crisis" is just not going to fly anymore ...

We're mad as hell and we want to fight on each and every issue ... i'm sick and tired of hearing Democrats talking about the need to put our national interests above partisan considerations ... partisan considerations that involve stopping the neo-con agenda IS the national interest !!!

So this is a warning to the Democratic Party ... we are not talking here about a handful of disaffected left-wing Democrats who may fade away and join the Green Party ... we are talking about the entire activist base of the party ... we put our hearts and souls into the battle; we expect no less from elected Democrats for the next four years ... to do otherwise, will put the party, and the nation, at risk ...

[kaygore]

1. True

Look at how angry we are at the Byrds, Cantwells, Liebermans, etc.

If they walk like Republicans, if they talk like Republicans, if they vote with the Republicans, then we might as well have them lose to real Republicans.

[hvn_nbr_2]

5. We're angry and we want some anger in place of appeasement.

Look at how angry we are at the Byrds, Cantwells, Liebermans, etc.

And we want a little anger from our representatives at the flushing of the constitution, at the corruption, at the greedy trough-feeding, at the cronyism, at the incompetence, at the wasting of our national resources of all sorts, at the looting of our national treasure, and at the trashing of the rule of law, of our international prestige, of our economy (elitist indicators like the DJIA notwithstanding) and jobs, and of the environment.

Who's going to work and contribute money and energy for a rubberstamp? If I want a rubberstamp, I'll get it at the stationary store and save a bundle of money and a lot of energy.

[kaygore]

6. Well said

[Wapsie B]

2. Bravo!

Excellent post!

nominated.

[MissWaverly]

3. yes, there should be a time to govern

to support those who voted for you not to keep totaling how this will fit in to some
future campaign

[sandnsea]

4. The answers are in your post

But I'm too tired to draw them all out. Suffice it to say that it starts with "many of US on the FAR left", and ends with the disconnect that "we are not talking about a handful of disaffected left-wing Democrats".

The left wing is not the only wing of the Democratic Party and it refuses to recognize that fact. Learn to talk to red state Democrats or have them continue to flee to Republicans and end up with a real one party country.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

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[Pirate Smile]

8. There already are third parties. If you want to break up the Democratic

Party, I'm sure the Republicans would help fund it.

[lastknowngood]

9. You are correct we have a 20 to 50 year fight ahead of us. I don't

care if we only have one democrat in both houses of congress as long as they speak the truth and fight for America. Pragmatism is no longer and option, it is time to take a stand against the darkness and hatred of the enemy's of our country by word and by dead. If only one person speaks the truth it will at least have been spoken and we can stand with pride, how can we stand with pride with appeasers polluting our party. I say we need one person of courage to call these corporate/fascist anti American anti freedom anti human bastards what they are. Someone needs to stand in the house or senate and call the shrub and his minions liars and thieves in those words so no one can misinterpret them. I know some will say what about this congrssman or this senator, they are all choosing their words carefully to portray these things by inuendo and elobrate verbage, that won't cut it anymore. Speak clearly and in a few powerful words. i.e the shrub, can't come to call it Pres, is liar and theif and is murdering our country. That's all I'm done flame away I don't care.