The bottom line: when the leadership stands up and fights for traditional Democratic values

[depakid]

traditional constituencies get fired up to work for and GOTV for them.

What's more, so do independents and others who share the same popular, progressive majority values.

Pander to the corporate right, take your constituencies for granted (looking hapless, weak or complicit in the process) and people stay home. Or worse.

[FrenchieCat]

1. So the Right Wins!

Yes, having more of those homophobic Racists assholes in office will really show us!


I was fired up and ready to go all day,
till I came to DU!

Imagine that! An Eeyores site called Democratic Underground,
used to demoralize and defeat Democrats!

Kewl! :thumbsup:

[depakid]

2. There's an old saying:

Deal with reality or reality will deal with you.

All the scolding, insults and name calling won't change the bottom line.

[FrenchieCat]

3. Like I said......

This site is supposed to support Democrats, like Martha Coakley.....
this site ain't supposed to be used to demoralize Democrats,
right before an election....

As for reality....
the reality is that many of the Elected Democrats are conservatives,
and that a Tall Tan Kucinich didn't win either the Primaries,
nor the general election.
This is a reality you have yet to come to grips with.....

[depakid]

5. Failure to del with the reality of the dynamics may well go further than big losses in 2010

the 10's aren't the 90's. We didn't elect Democrats to pass crap legislation- nor make alliances with health insurers, pharma, banksters and other corrupt elements of K-Street come along.

Should the administration and other leaders fail to grasp- or arrogantly dismiss that, 2012 may well end up another 2000. Or, given the probable state of the economy- worse.

And if it does- it will unfortunately be well deserved.

[Myrina]

9. do you ever get tired of being so snotty and condescending?

Seriously.

[Sebastian Doyle]

4. Look at the results from last November

California elected a REAL Democrat to fill an open seat vacated by a DLC'er.

Virginia elected a Repuke, rather than replacing a lame DLC'er with an even lamer DLC'er.

New Jersey elected a Repuke, rather than returning a former Gold Mansacks CEO to the Governnor's office.

What Harry Truman said over 60 years ago still applies. Give the people the choice between a Republican and a
"Democrat" who acts like a Republican, the Republican wins every time.

That's why I have the signature I do..... because DINO's up for election in November will probably lose. So take them out in the primary. Replace them with REAL Democrats, and start repairing the last 30 years of damage to this country.

[sandnsea]

6. So Oregon's subsidized health insurance

and the premium tax and hospital tax...

are what exactly.

And since Democrats are fired up here, and liberals from Portland and Eugene mostly influence Democrats in Oregon,

then why do we not have single payer?

[BzaDem]

7. "Deal with reality or reality will deal with you."

It's funny that you mention it. Here's how that statement applies here.

The reality of the situation is, every single election is an election between the lesser of two evils. That has always been the case, that is the case, and that will always be the case. Just because a bunch of people come whining on a message board doesn't change that basic, simple fact. As long as we live in a structurally, winner-take-all two-party system, it will never be any different, the whining notwithstanding.

You may not like that. You may even hate that. But your dislike or hatred doesn't change anything.

If people stay home, reality will deal with them. It will hit them smack on the head in ways they couldn't imagine. Republicans will gain control of government, just as what happened in 2000. People saying "there is no difference between the two parties" (those that stayed home) will all of a sudden (very quickly) find out how false that really is. Each passing day will show that there really is a huge difference between the parties. All of a sudden, people like YOU will become motivated again.

Unfortunately, that's what it takes for people like you (those that think they have the luxury of "staying home" when Democrats control Congress) to get motivated. A massive loss. And I guarantee you, should that happen, you will be very motivated. Reality has a tendency to do that to you. Seeing Republicans enacting policy will focus your mind, and you will be right back here calling for the election of Democrats. Not because the Democratic party has moved any further to the left. Because reality would have dealt with you.

[depakid]

8. See that's just the sort of indignation and scolding that causes Democrats to lose- repeatedly

The dynamic (as much as anything a collective expression of human nature) is what it is.

Arrogant (or- considering the history here- stupid) partisans believe that people are going to go "Oh, Republicans are so much worse- we can't let them back in power." And some -maybe most may think like that.

But NOT the percentage that you need to win- and- as astute and seasoned observers and participants know- Democrats REQUIRE a large volunteer effort and a big turnout to succed in a lot of districts.

Maybe- due to the arrogance and stupidity of some in the "leadership" who think like you, even in Massachusetts.

That's just pathetic- but not unforeseen (as some of us have been saying since the pandering- and failure to fight began in earnest last spring.

Bernie Sanders puts it this way:

Now, I may not be the greatest political strategist in the world, but I don't know how you win elections by ignoring the ideas of the progressives who have worked hardest at the grassroots level for your victories, or the trade unions that have provided significant financial support and door-to-door volunteers for Democratic campaigns. I don't know how you succeed politically when you insult women, who far more than men consistently provide you with great margins of support. How do you preserve a big majority in Congress when you fail to be aggressive in protecting the interests of seniors, a huge voting bloc in off-presidential-year elections? In other words, it should not surprise anyone that the Democrats are in serious trouble.

He's right- it shouldn't surprise anyone. Neither should 1994 have (but it did)- and the same sorts of folks are still playing their loser games (and turning around blaming the base- for their own lack of foresight.