If I lived in Massachusetts I would vote on Tuesday

[Tom Rinaldo]

I would vote to elect Coakley to fill Kennedy's vacant seat, I would be part of that committed minority that turn out for a special election. In other words I would be a loyal Democratic base voter. I wouldn't stop with that though, I would also help out on Tuesday with get out the vote efforts, and I would volunteer to drive folks to the polls. Indubitably by now I would have made a small cash donation to the Coakley campaign also, even though I am severely underemployed.

In other words I would force myself to over ride my overall disillusionment with the Democratic Party and my anger over the HCR cave in to do at least that much to keep Republicans from picking up a Senate seat from my state. But I know I am capable of doing a great deal more than that.

Even though I live in New York State instead of Massachusetts, I could have been driving over to Massachusetts on my off days to volunteer for her campaign. It's a 90 minute drive, I've done that for politics before. Even living here in New York State, I could be giving up drinking coffee out and donating that money to Coakley's campaign instead, but I'm not. I do those type things when I really believe in something or someone, not when I'm just objecting to something or someone else. One thing you can't fake, and you can't replace, is enthusiasm. I have none for the Democratic Party right now.

I can still depend on my mind to tell me what I must do, and so if I lived in Massachusetts I would do all of what I said I would do above. I clearly do not want Brown to win. But my mind can't force me to do things that take a real sacrifice on my part to do, only my heart can make me do that, and my heart just isn't in it right now. That is political reality 101, it's a law of human physics. I hope the National Democratic Party understands the difference between loyalty and devotion. They can convince me of a need for loyalty, but my devotion can only be earned.

[NJmaverick]

1. Don't let the gut rule, listen to your mind- Here is what you can do to help prevent a repuke

victory

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=106x33906

[Tom Rinaldo]

3. I think you missed the esence of my post

By my own definition you can't convince me to listen to my mind, I already do that. For the sake of argument, let's say I did what you asked here now, because you or that thread convinced me to do so. All well and good, but when my gut is engaged I need no one to make posts like yours to motivate me. I wopuld have been there done that a long time ago and probably much more also.

I am not making a case for apathy, by all means I support efforts to hold onto that Senate seat, so your post to this thread is welcome. and I hope it makes a positive difference. It makes sense to support Coakley over Brown. But my point remains, there is no substitute for enthusiasm.

By contemporary political standards, If I were a registered MA voter and followed through on all of the actions I listed above (and if this were a NY special election I swear that I would follow through and do those things) I would qualify as a hard core Democratic base voter/activist. Pollsters would note me as such, but only I would really know the difference between what is and what could be.

[Smarmie Doofus]

2. Recommended with something approaching wild enthusiasm.

In other words... that's exactly how I feel.

[Tom Rinaldo]

4. All those who actually vote for Coakley Tuesday have my gratitude and respect

If you live in Massachusetts almost all of us here are counting on you to do that and we will join with you in celebrating her victory if you pull it off.

Again, I want to be clear about that, please help elect her. But I think pretty much all of us also know that most of us would have attempted to move heaven and earth to elect Coakley Senator if she was the 60th vote for the health care reform that Obama promised in his Presidential campaign.

[mkultra]

5. well, if we lose out majority, we know which assholes to blame.

[Tom Rinaldo]

7. Um, except I'm not sure which assholes you are blaming

People like me who aren't driving three hours a day to campaign for a candidate in my neighboring state even though I vote Democratic every chance I get? People who nominate candidates like Coakely? Who are you blaming?

[timeforpeace]

8. Yes. The voters.

[Tom Rinaldo]

9. No getting around the bottom line

It is up to a political party, and the candidate of that political party, to give voters sufficient motivation to vote for that candidate instead of another one and instead of staying home. This race is not one in which the Democrats did not have sufficient resources to effectively compete in. Yes the media distorts the issues and all the rest of it, but Democrats have consistently shown that they can win in Massachusetts regardless of that.

The outcome of this election, whatever it is, can and will be spun minimally for months. I will object however to any spin that pins any blame for Democrats not doing any better than they end up doing on the blue-est of Democrats not doing enough. It is not productive to blame the base for a politician losing.

[Tom Rinaldo]

6. OK, good case in point...

I notice this thread just got 2 unreccs, so is that because I supported people voting for Coakley, or because I was not enthusiastic enough about supporting her? Is that because I want Mass voters to do exactly what President Obama is urging them to do, or is it because I am not sufficiently singing the praises of Obama's Health Care Reform?

I would appreciate it if the unreccers in this case told me where they find fault with my post and why.

[Mojorabbit]

10. I would do the same

and hold my nose doing it.
Her involvement in this case
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704281204575003341640657862.html?mod=rss_Today%27s_Most_Popular
makes me ill but her opponent is a thousand times worse. I would then immediately start work to get her voted out in the next election.

[Grand Taurean]

11. I have no problem voting for Martha.

I do not live in MA so I can't vote, but I do go to the polls in every election.