Who said the eleventh commandment was thou shall not speak ill of any member of our political party

[WCGreen]

If you guessed Ronnie Reagan you are right.

It's a paraphrase so you could take just a second or two and not sure who said this.

Perhaps that is why Reagan switched party's. As head of the Actors Union and a loyal democrat until the 1950's, he probably had his fill of all those people questioning the party's stand on issues, of not feeling all that comfortable with organic bottom up growth of issues.

Will Rodgers said this...

Democrats never agree on anything, that's why they're Democrats. If they agreed with each other, they would be Republicans.

In the spirit of frustration and anger and disappointment here on DU, take a moment to reflect about how you view the party....

I am very upset about the turn of events. But I will not leave the party nor will I ever vote for a republican.

What I can promise is I will continue to speak my mind, use any rhetorical device at my disposal and let my voice be heard if I don't agree with an issue or a political stance or compromise made by my democrats both large and small.

In my mind, that makes me a good democrat...

[Jamastiene]

1. Our party is salvagable, but

we really need to stop marginalizing progressives when they run for office and start supporting them instead. That fear of not winning is causing us to lose even when we win.

[WCGreen]

2. I'm blessed to be represented by DK and Sherrod Brown....

Unfortunately, there are a whole mess of limousine liberals out there posing as populists. The good news is that these folks usually show their stripes and are taken out before they can do too much harm.

[jobycom]

3. I won't vote Republican, nor will I vote for them by proxie (third party or non-vote).

Obama was the hardest vote I ever cast for president, so it won't be any harder to vote for him in 2012. Hell, he might even prove me wrong and suddenly get better.

Doesn't mean I'm not going to yell at him when I think he's wrong, though.

As for Reagan, he wasn't smart enough to have a legite reason for switching parties. James Garner worked with him running the SAG, and said the man never had an original thought in his life, and from what he showed as president, I think Garner was too kind. The man was every bit as stupid and corrupt as Bush, he just read lines better. I doubt one has to look any further than his white supremacist views to explain why he switched parties.

[branders seine]

4. I thought you were gonna say Skinner.

Sorry.

:blush:

[WCGreen]

6. That's good....

[WillyT]

13. LOL !!!

:rofl:

:thumbsup:

[theoldman]

5. Most of the people who were Democrats in the 1950's are now Republicans.

That explains why Reagan switched parties. Reagan was not religious but he was smart enough to use the religious right to his advantage.

[A HERETIC I AM]

7. Well said and gladly rec'd n/t

[Marr]

8. A "good Democrat". Is that anything like a "good German"?

You go ahead and keep using all your rhetorical devices on people who aren't listening to you. Let me know how that turns out.

Nothing's changing here until people get angry enough to start holding massive labor strikes, shutting down transit, or otherwise poking the system in the eye. Parade's won't do it, rhetoric won't do it, and voting in a new corporate tool every few years, picked from a well-groomed pool of corporate tools certainly won't do it.

The people in this country just aren't angry enough. Maybe they never will be-- who knows. I do know this much-- steadfast support for a sold-out political party isn't going to change a damned thing. It might postpone the inevitable for awhile... but that's about it.

[WCGreen]

10. You sure did miss the point....

The democratic party is much more open to people of various political bents. It's frustrating but the alternative is RR's 11th commandment. It's the GOP that follows lockstep ann squelches dissent. Therefor, the "good German" in you response would be a republican...

[Marr]

17. I don't see how.

You're basically advocating unquestioning loyalty in terms of voting. Yes, I know you're going to "speak your mind", but what difference does that make? They clearly don't care what you *say*.

I'd like to withdraw the "good German" line, frankly, and apologize. I don't mean to compare you to a Nazi. I'm just saying that loyalty isn't necessarily productive or positive.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

9. Well said.

K&R

[Cleobulus]

11. What is the point of speaking your mind when the politicians are still guaranteed your vote?

This makes no sense to me, what is in it for a politician to even listen to you if you basically say "Well, I'm going to vote for you anyways...." as part of the preamble to the comment.

[WCGreen]

12. Any other vote is counterproductive in that third party's are

not exactly what you would say successful in this country.

Also, not voting for a democrat is a vote for the republican...

[Cleobulus]

14. So why bother having an opinion at all, you cannot effect change without both the carrot AND the...

stick. So basically shut up about ALL disagreements you have with any Democratic party policy position or candidate because you are going to vote for them anyways, so your opinion simply doesn't matter.

[WCGreen]

15. Oh well, I guess you're right...

I'll just slink back into my hole and eat worms...

[Cleobulus]

16. Hate to be cruel, but frankly your position on this is not logical...

You cannot say you have opinions of your own if they do not affect your electoral choices at all. In addition, there is no point in sharing them, either here or in writing letters to Congresspeople or other politicians for they have no reason to listen to you, and frankly neither does anyone else because your opinions do not result in any actions.

[WCGreen]

18. I fight for my ideas and issues in the primary...

Just as I have done for 32 years now...

But if I lose my battle, then I refuse to slink back into apathy and support the winner.

This way I live to fight another day.

You see I look at the big picture, the long term and live to fight another day...

If I only looked at my issues and refused to consider all the various and nuanced events that make up the bold tapestry of political life, then I would be a fool.