still waiting...

will probably get flamed for this... but what the heck, it's cold outside and a little fire will warm me up...

Back in 2000 -- I ventured to say that we (on the left side of the aisle) were waiting for a leader. At that time, some agreed with me, others pooh-poohed the notion, and still others said we had a leader in "x" (various names).

Looking at the past 4 years and at what is going on now -- I still say we are waiting for a leader. Now, be honest with yourself -- was your vote on November 7 FOR a Candidate or Against bush*? If you know someone who voted for bush* - was it a "for bush*" vote, better the devil you know vote, or was it a against Kerry vote?

We "lefties" are ready - we're just still waiting for a leader to emerge. I think all of America is also ready for a leader -- we are looking for someone that can inspire us, that we can truely believe in -- I don't see anyone other there at the moment (on either side of the political divide) who can do this.

We have the will, the eagerness, the energy and the ideas to make real and meaningful changes -- but we lack the leadership. There are umpteen organizations out there -- but no leadership to bring it all together into a single "coalition".

September 11 brought us together as a country - and the 'divide' could have been healed -- but bush* screwed that up royally. If another similar attack occurs, we will grieve together -- but the response and action of the mis-administration will be met with skepticism. There will be no healing of the "divide" under bush*.

I know some of you will be yelling out names -- "so'n'so is a leader..." -- sorry I just don't see any ONE person out there that has the spark we need to unite us all -- at least not yet. There are many in the wings, possible leaders -- but none stand out that are capable of doing it at this time.

It may take another September 11, or some other event which touches all of America in order for that leader to emerge. Don't know. I'm still waiting

from the beginning. I did have the advantage of meeting him and actually liking him. I thought he was Presedential and approachable.I liked Dean as well, but he just wasn't "presidential" and , honestly, contrary to the hype, he wasn't liberal enough for me. I hated JK's war vote, but Dean didn't have a vote so there was no comparison.I also felt Kerry was competent to judge military matters better. I think we had our leader. I think the MSM , the Repukes and the DLC want to take him away from us. Kerry is a dangerous man because between Teresa and himself, he doesn't need any of them. That is why they want him gone. DlC isn't happy with him either. They wanted the omnibus bill and guess who didn't give it to them? I don't know what is going to happen, but my hunch is not what everyone thinks..

That's not leadership.

one leader won't cut it. The best of people would find it tough going in 2005 and beyond with the strength the Repugs have gained in both the House and the Senate.

We actually need a sea change in the thinking of nominal Democrats/liberals/progressives. Depending upon the boilerplate Democratic leadership of today is a sure-fire way to lose, again and again. These idiots think they're going to win by imitating the worst in our society. Democrats had forty years to implement genuine campaign finance reform and didn't--they just kept jockeying for position, and where did that get them when they've progressively alienated their base through both legislative votes and indifference?

One person won't do it. How many Dems running for office in 2006 and beyond will say and stick to, "I don't and won't take money from corporations and fat cats because they expect legislative favors for their contributions." When did you last hear that from any politician, regardless of stripes? If one person said that, he'd be discounted as a crank. If a thousand did, it would be harder to ignore. Find me a thousand of such people seeking national office and I'll think there might be some hope, and then only if the press bothered to give them time to air their views, which it won't.

Sounds terribly pessimistic, but a lone knight on a white horse won't cut it today. It will take a movement.

Cheers.

Is to start running ourselves. Even if we don't win, we muck up the current status quo. Think about it, if everyone on this board from each state ran, we would have a voice, even if only for a moment. I think we need to start figuring out a way to get those career politicians out of there. That is the way we start rebuilding the party. Better yet, forget about the Dems and put all efforts into the Green Party or a party of our making.

Kerry was an absolutly terrible choice to run against Bush.

in fact. I likened it to an arranged marriage--no fireworks, didn't pick the guy for myself, though I respected him. Then at some point I really started to fall in love.

He sure is a complicated guy. I still can't figure him out. But every time I see Bush fuck another thing up, I get that yearning feeling knowing how gracefully & well Kerry would've handled it. I would have been so proud to call him my president.

and they are made by their followers and the issues that are life or death.