I'm a life long Democrat... [View All]

:rant:

Growing up on Long Island, I was one of the few, at the time, that continued to support the Dem's even while those around me had their political orgasm over ray-gun. I saw through his bullshit at the time and knew, one day it would come back to haunt us. And haunt us it has.

Now 30 years later. I'm still a Democrat. However, I'm a Democrat from the past and I'm now here to haunt you all

We have lost the house. Big fat deal. Why do I say that? Here's why: we have so compromised our principles as a party, that the things that I stand for: equal rights, pro-union, pro-choice, fair wage, people first, no corporate control, championing our basic freedoms, smaller military, a more efficient government, health care for all, etc, appear to have been so completely watered down and that we are now so far down the rabbit hole, that those traditional beliefs seem almost quaint.

I sadly shake my head in wonder. What is wrong with us?

Have we chosen the path of least resistance so as not to upset the apple cart of institutionalized politics? We have fell for the "keep our powder dry" crap for so long. I don't know about any of you, but I hadn't seen any of our Dem reps or congress people use any of that "powder". They were so into trying to "work with the repukes" that they failed to notice that their "powder" had blown away.

On the surface, trying to work with the repukes in a bipartisan sort of fashion, is very noble, but in reality, below the surface, it's fucking crazy. We are a polarized nation. Any one with an ounce of brains will see that.

Time after time, the repukes threatened a filibuster only for the Dem's to back down. Just on a fucking threat! WTF?

Some here saw what happened yesterday as, "what do you expect, when they don't listen to the base and side with the right wing?" or the other groups of, "wow, I can't believe that just happened".

Folks, politics is a full contact sport. The Dem's lost because they tried Queensberry rules in a cage match brawl. That certainly won't win you any fights. If they continue to feel they are above it all and don't want to get down to the level of the repukes, I have to sadly say, we are going to lose many more elections in the future.

Also, now that the repukes are in the majority in the house, will the Dem's now bend to their will instead of taking the same tactic that the repukes did by stonewalling everything we did? I certainly hope they do, but somehow, I don't think they will. We will then continue our slow and deliberate slid toward the extreme right. And perhaps much further.

The deal is this: we have to stop looking at trying to win just the next election. We have to look down the road. Have a plan for the next 6 elections. Game out scenarios in which we win or lose in various situations.

The current leap frogging from one loss or win to the other is killing us and will eventually kill us unless we change our perspective.

And not only do we have to plan for the future, we have to start encouraging young people to get involved, not just calling and walking, but running for various seats. They are the future. Period. We have to put people up to run, even when they don't have a chance in hell of winning and we still must support them. We have to start being competitive. All races have to matter. No more cutting losses.

The Democratic party needs a massive reform. The party of today, is very far cry from the party of old. As such, because we have moved so far from our roots of progressivism, the party of FDR is but a slogan and not a reality.

We are into a new reality of increase poverty, a growing gap between the haves and have nots, a much smaller voice for our own rights, etc.

And as such, instead of setting the agenda, we allowed the right wing to set it. And again, as a result, here we are.

Here is my plan. It's a very long term plan. Still very embryonic.

We support Obama for 2012. If he loses, we start a new party. Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) or the New Progressives Party.

This party would return to the core principles set down via the new deal. If a traditional Dem doesn't choose to adhere to those basic principals, we don't support them AND run someone, anyone from our party against them. Even if they lose, they are still out there punching.

While I find the half witted ball licking tea party morons...morons, they are at least trying (much easier for them with massive corporate support). We, on the left, belly ache and still put our eggs in the basket of a party that is eroding before our eyes. Eroding due to their willingness to compromise the Democratic Parties basic principals.

We lost big in the house, this should be a gigantic fucking wake up call to us all.

It's time to learn from our mistakes, and turn them into positives.

The Democratic Party of today is not the one I believe it. If Feingold and Grayson can be voted out, then we are in very big trouble. They are the ones who closest epitomize who we are as progressives. They are not gone. They may or may not return. If I was them, I would start a coalition of Progressives. From that, great things could grow.

I'm not done just yet. I will wait till 2012. It may or may not be too late by then, but I first want to see how the repukes shoot themselves in the foot.

When they do, and they will, it will be at that time we must push hard and continue pushing to crack their base. We had a massive opportunity this election and let it slip through our fingers. The traditional repukes and the ball lickers were at odds and the Democratic party did nothing to exploit that. This should have been a landslide for us, but because our party is afraid of attacking, we the base are left holding the bag of ineffectual campaigning based upon "what if's" and "fears of speaking out".

We have to stand up and stop backing down to right wing stupidity.

Because if we don't, I fear for our immediate future. And frankly, Victory Gin gives me heartburn.

:rant: