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Each of us, and all Democrats, must decide for ourselves how to deal with the traitorous

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T Wolf Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-30-09 09:45 AM
Original message
Each of us, and all Democrats, must decide for ourselves how to deal with the traitorous
so-called Dems in Congress and the White House.

The choices seem to be:

1) Support the Democrats because they are not repukes. This is based on what is perceived as political wisdom (a Blue Dog is better than a rethug). So, do not pressure them too much because they are "locked in" to a conservative constituency and would lose if they moved leftward (toward the middle).

2) Try and get the non-Dem Democrats to support progressive stances through the usual means - letters, etc. This seems doomed to failure because they do not listen.

3) Try and change the line-up by running progressives against the DINOs in primaries. Yeah - that'll show them, all right. Especially when the general election votes still go to the ConservaDems.

4) Withhold support (dollars, effort & votes) from the GOP-wannabes, even if it costs a "Democratic" seat. As anger with the party over their continued failures rises, this group will grow.

What to do? Each person must decide for themselves. Debate as to what "is best" or "will work" will probably not move many people from one position to another - because emotion is as powerful a motivator as logic and unlike logic, emotion can be resolved for the individual.

A middle-ground short of outright abandonment could be to make a change in voter registration from Democrat to Independent (or Green or anything else) for Democrats who are dissatisfied with the actions of the politicians. IF enough people did this, the politicians might get the message. One could still vote for the Dem in the general election if you feared costing them the seat. Of course, in many states, voting in the primary would be made illegal. One could change now, change back for the primary, then change back again after the primary if the progressive candidate (if there is one) loses.

I have my preference because I am fed up with "my party" after decades of being let down. Others who are not as angry, or discouraged, or jaded, can obviously choose a less drastic action.

The power to possibly change the party to something more closely resembling what most on this site should believe (according to DU rules - "Members are expected to be generally supportive of progressive ideals, and to support Democratic candidates for political office."). I have serious doubts as to whether this is actually possible, given the power of the corps and the media.

The game that we are all forced to play (with our lives) is a rigged one. One can choose to play it, change it, or destroy it and create something different.

It is up to the individual.
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cali Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-30-09 09:47 AM
Response to Original message
1. you forgot the most realistic and important avenue to pursue
working to elect progressives at the local and state level.
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DrDan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-30-09 09:50 AM
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2. I am a firm supporter of #4
We supported the Dems last year in terms of contributions, votes, and campaign support. They, in turn, have not delivered, imo.

Guantanamo remains open, the wars continue, health insurance reform seems to be meager. Seems like the only progress is in insuring contined obscene profits for private insurers.

I received 2 requests for contributions yesterday from supported Dems. I responded as above to both - no action, do money.
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tcaudilllg Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Apr-06-10 08:49 PM
Response to Reply #2
5. And this is bad because...?
Maybe all of the above were bad ideas. I don't give a damn what's happening to those terrorists in Guantanamo. Maybe it's better that they don't come over here. It could mean more G.I. Janes trying to break out their brothers. And wouldn't it be wonderful if they managed to gather gangs of militant Muslims? Talk about a riot, and maybe an escape! !_!
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FiveGoodMen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-30-09 10:08 AM
Response to Original message
3. The options get better as the numbers get higher
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Angry Dragon Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-30-09 08:55 PM
Response to Original message
4. Change the system not the parties
For many , many years I have pondered the role of the parties
in this country.  I sit here and read the comments and just
shake my head.  You complain about the people you voted into
office because they seem unresponsive to your voices.  This
country is broke, in more ways than just money.  President
Obama has or had the right idea when he said it can not be
business as usual.  But I see no difference in the business of
the government.  It is business as usual.

It is not the people that are elected, it is the system and
the people behind the scenes that are the problem.  Until you
fix these things it will never change.  We are fighting about
health care and it will not really matter if it is passed or
not.  It will just be changed again in some years down the
road when someone else thinks they have a better way.  We need
to change the basic foundation of the system.

Personally I see no real difference between the parties.  It
is just a question of how much it costs the American people. 
It is time for the people to take back their government. 
First off the government has to know that they are employees
not the executives that they think they are.  They work for us
and no one else.  You may ask how does one go about that.  You
call they out on it.  They all say they are working for us and
trying to work for us.  Let them prove that then.  Doesn't
matter which party, what color they are, what sex, religious
beliefs, nor sexual orientation.

I believe we need to start with getting rid of the electoral
college.  I see no reason for it.  We have instant information
today not like they had when they wrote the Constitution.  Let
the person getting the most votes be elected and which states
they can carry.  If this is done then we would have one
person, one vote.  Everybody would count not just the people
that lived in the states with the most people.

One of the main problems that we have in this country is that
once someone is elected they owe the party.  The parties, in
this they have too much power then and what we see is constant
fighting between the parties and not ideas.  What we have now
is meetings behind closed doors and people gathering together
and deciding a game plan on how to block the other side. 
Enough of this back room hiding.  Once someone is elected
he/she is not refereed to as being part of a party, from
whatever state they go elected from.  No more pressure from
the party to vote one way or another just because they need
the party to look strong.  It is time the parties to decide it
is more important for the country to be strong.

I am really tired of all the bullshit and garbage that passes
as government.  It is broke.  We need to fix it now!!  Not
next e election cycle, but now.  We have to take back the
government and put it on the same course that the founding
fathers intended.  It will not be the same when they started
out because it is a different world.  We have to make it
better than they intended. 

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