Voting Democratic is the BEST way to fight the DINO's and the Beltway

[Ken Burch]

I know there's a lot of things to be angry about. There have been a lot of disappointments.

And a fair amount of people, through legitimate feelings of frustration and rage, have called for not voting or expressed the idea that it would "teach the Dems a lesson" to lose this fall.

Thing is...it doesn't WORK that way.

Every seat we lose this fall, every chance of taking a seat from a right-wing 'Pug that slips away, every state legislature that flips away from us, allowing the 'Pugs to gerrymander the legislative and Congressional district boundaries and game more races against us in the future, is a VICTORY for all the people who've caused the problems this fall.

It's a victory for the DLC(who want the post-1994 "moderate" era back when an ever-more right-wing "Democratic" president is the only non-Republican that matters in D.C.)

It's a victory for the Blue Dogs(who want to hold the balance of power and force this party to govern almost exactly like the 'Pugs would govern.

And it's a victory for the Beltway establishment of our party, an establishment that never WANTED a new era or idealism and grassroots mobilization to take root in this country.

Everything we believe in is at stake.

The best way to express your anger at the failures of the last two years is to make sure this party, IN SPITE of the wishes of large sectors of its own leadership and some of its biggest donors, does WELL this November.

Get out and work. Get out and donate. Get out and vote.

BEAT THE BASTARDS AND STOP THE TRAITORS!

Let's win this thing.

[JoePhilly]

1. I agree with you.

The way to get the Dems to be MORE progressive is for us to be a more "reliable base". If we want the Blue Dogs to be marginalized, then we need to vote in MORE Dems, not less.

We need to make being the DEM candidate in any election, in any district a POSITIVE thing. The more Dems we put in office, the further LEFT the legislators can move.

If we want the blue dogs to lose power, add more Dems to Congress.

This "enthusiasm gap" is nonsense, and Dems who will "stay home" because they are "disappointed" are political fools.

[unkachuck]

2. no doubt, like usual....

....out of self-defense, many Progressives will be supporting the election or re-election of our beloved ConservaDems. I just wish, for once, the ConservaDems would prove to us that they are not worthless piles of shit by,

1) Thanking us, respectfully.

2) Appointing Progressives to important positions.

3) Passing strong progressive legislation.

4) Protect and defend Progressive programs and institutions.

5) Cease the negative talk regarding Progressives.

....is that too much to ask?

[Ken Burch]

4. No, it isn't too much to ask at all.

They've NEVER benefited electorally from distancing themselves from us, so they need to stop.

[Just One Woman]

3. Yes!

Yes! and Yes! Get Loud. Get boastful. Name the accomplishments, and name the alternatives.

[K8-EEE]

5. K&R!!!!!! nt

[defendandprotect]

6. We don't have to like anyone -- just keep punching to the left ... break thru the right wing block..

THEN ... we can deal with Democrats!

:evilgrin:

[DonCoquixote]

7. K and R

Thank you for saying the truth no one wanted to say!

[Ken Burch]

You're welcome.

Thanks for the support.

[sabrina 1]

8. Can we make a deal with them before just handing them

a victory? How about WE promise to support them in the next election ONLY if after we help them win this one, things start really changing. How about they promise NOT to make a deal on SS and think we won't notice because they are waiting until after the election to vote on it? How about them not insulting people by thinking we are that stupid?

They KNOW that no matter what they do, we will end up voting for them. I think it's time for US to start making deals. Eg, if they continue to go the bi-partisan route after we help them win this election, we will work to get rid of every Blue Dog and DLCer in the next one, and we will not fall for the same old 'but we're better than the other guys' routine.

We want accountability for the economic collapse, for the lies about war. What happened to all those Committees Sen. Leahy and Conyers had to restore the rule of law and to go after those guilty of the torture policies? Did they just shut them down as soon as they won?

Do they think we don't notice? I don't think it's ever a good idea to just hand over something without getting something in return. Now is when we can make deals. Once they win, they won't care what we have to say.

I'm not ready to make nice. Except of course with real Progressives who actually did try to fight for us. Like Russ Feingold.

[Ken Burch]

9. Then focus on helping people you trust within the party. Do what you can for Feingold and Grayson

Or whoever withing the D's that you CAN back. Not voting isn't an option, since we'll get blamed for any losses.

The point is, we as progressives can't benefit from Democrats losing seats overall.