So what are we going to do about it?

[Scuba]

On Tuesday morning I ran two unscientific polls. The polls asked "To what degree has the Democratic Party been infiltrated/co-opted at the Federal Level?" and "To what degree has the Democratic Party been infiltrated/co-opted in your state?" (Links below)

DU members who self-selected expressed overwhelmingly that right-wingers have taken over the Democratic Party at the Federal level, and while it's not quite as bad in their States, it's bad.

This suggests that responders are not confident in the vetting process for Democratic candidates at the grass-roots level. At least that's my conclusion based on my assumption that the grass-roots level is where vetting should/does occur.



So, how do we fix it? I welcome your thoughts, observations, suggestions and criticisms.



http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2261601

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2261596

[HopeHoops]

1. We're going to sit in chat rooms and bitch about it, have something to eat and take a nap.

[stlsaxman]

5. Yes! And Arnold Rimmer can be a role model to us all!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WgUktfdDy4

[HopeHoops]

6. I can't watch that video - all I can think of is him being employed - a Rim-job.

[stlsaxman]

9. why not? it's "safe for work" and i checked the link... ever heard of "Red Dwarf"?

[HopeHoops]

10. I don't know, man. It's just the name - "Rimmer" - freaks me out a bit.

[jaxx]

2. I wonder why only a few vote in those polls.

Could it be they are push polls?

[Sarah Ibarruri]

3. I'm putting a lot of stock on the OWS, and becoming more active using letters...

e-mails, phone calls, and paying careful attention where I send donations. My donations aren't huge, but they're a little bit of help. Also, I cannot attend OWS protests, but I did send a little $ to a restaurant that fed some of them, and will help where needed. What the OWS movement is doing, is it has brought attention to the corporate and banking theft, and the inequalities. The media, as we have noticed, can no longer ignore it. It's constant. As it continues, the message will continue to spread, and people who once were ignorant will become aware of what's been happening for the past few decades that has impoverished them, and destroyed our country.

[mmonk]

4. Run for office ourselves and make bad decisions more difficult

for elected offenders through OWS. Only pressure stands a chance.

[Marrah_G]

13. That can work on a local level

On a national level it is much more difficult. a true grassroots campaign would have an almost impossible job competing against corporate money.

[mmonk]

15. It's difficult because we make it easier for them.

They do not pay any attention to platforms hammered out at conventions by the rank and file, nor phone calls. They need to be challenged in a two prong fashion, by primary or not voting them in office any longer and by continuous ongoing protest.

[Modern_Matthew]

7. OWS is the only hope we have left in this country...

If radical change comes from it. No more reformist bullshit.

[NorthCarolina]

8. There's really nothing you can do about it unless you are ready to stop

voting for conservatives simply because they call themselves a Democrat. I know that sentiment doesn't sit well with several DU'ers, particularly those in GD: P, but it's really the only way I see to return the party to an advocate of the people.

[FiveGoodMen]

11. Agreed.

[Marrah_G]

12. My honest answer

I am not sure we can do anything about it on a national level. The problem is that Congress is being funded by the corporations, elections are being financed by the corporations, congress is needed to change either of the first two. Its a vicious circle.

Maybe we can locally and I suggest supporting your local progressives as much as you can.

[Poll_Blind]

14. I checked into this a bit and I looked at some Democratic Party endorsement questionnaires for...

...various areas. I think I found 3 or 4 of them with a cursory search. I looked at the questions. From what I recall (it was about two months ago that I went looking) the questions didn't really go very deep. There were some (pleasantly) surprising questions about support of unions, for instance. I'm not sure these endorsement forms are standardized in any way.

I think the main thing is in generally-red areas the bar is lowered quite a bit for potential Democratic candidates.

I don't have any clear solutions except the obvious observation: Money going to the Democratic Party or affiliated organizations is definitely winding up in the hands of and promoting the candidacies of non-classical Democratic politicians, yet the core of the endorsement questionnaires seems to always cover these core ideological concepts.

The system definitely needs fixing but I suspect the solutions are as granular as the different areas in which Democratic candidates run for office.

But without a doubt, the root of the problem is the endorsement of politicians who can be more accurately described as moderate conservatives than conservative Democrats.

PB

[Admiral Loinpresser]

16. I believe it's time to choose a candidate for nominatrion,

rather than accept the flotsam and jetsam which washes up on the political shore.

In other words, rather than accepting the usual process of choosing among a menu of candidates who volunteer to run, the people should select their own candidate by voting online. My vote would be for Al Gore, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders or Al Franken.

The traditional process of accepting what is offered has brought us to the worst crisis since the 1930s economically speaking, while we face an existential ecological crisis. Obama has proven in three years that he is part of the problem.

So in answer to your question, we should organize proactively to select candidates who will work for our interest. I am willing to do help with that if any one is interested in collaborating.