Why ask "who will I hurt" rather than "what can I do"?

A lot of people are thinking of novel ways to exact revenge on the Democratic Party right now.

Why are people doing this rather than trying to think of what they can do to get what they want?

I'm not interested in revenge on the party. I am looking for ways of revenge on particular Senators for defeat.

The ideals of the New Deal and the Great Society are what built the Democratic Party into what it became at the height of its power. Right now there is no direction, and several Democrats are going to vote for Alito, who is probably more business-friendly and more tolerant of a more authoritarian government.

The only way is to fight and make progress.

Why would you do that?

I'm not doing it out of anger. I've been pointing to economic populism as the answer since the beginning. How could the New Deal/Great Society be characterized as anything but something that emerged from the economic populist ethos? There is no emotion here, just my common sense. Am I angry that the party split in half on cloture? Sure, but as they say, emotion blinds judgment, and I made sure to set my course long before the storm came. I figured it would turn out like this, but I can say my course was set with a clear mind before this day.

Why ask "who will I hurt" rather than "what can I do"?

It's in my post. You present a false dichotomy for the fact that the former question provides no answer except as an emotional vent. Of course folks are going choose the latter over impotent rage. The fact that so many Dems voted for cloture and that four claim they will vote to confirm Alito shows how far we have moved away from the populist banner that made the party popular with the workers to begin with. It's time to change course.

If asked, this is what I would say to anybody: Economic populism.

I asked why one question is being asked before another. I didn't say that the two questions couldn't have the same answer. But people are asking the wrong question before the right one.

Major policy decisions are best made with a sound, clear mind. Because emotions can cloud judgment, it's simply prudent not to make a move at this time except to wait for the emotions to calm. I would think most posters here are more than aware of this feature of human nature, and I would say that by this time next week, there will again be a preponderance of posts asking what should or can be done instead of "I'm pissed at Democratic leaders" threads.

Every damn thing they propose is wrong. We are right to oppose everything they support. I often hear the right wingers telling America that the Democrats have no agenda. It's yet another of their lies. The goal of the Democratic party is to stick up for the "little guy" and the "working people". Defending them from tyrants is a noble cause.

weakening one of our Democratic candidates will not help the cause.

tomorrow - resolved to fight even harder.

...the face. And no, I don't take kindly to that. All who participated will feel my wrath, those who did the right thing will have my lasting gratitude. Any Dem who votes 'puke IS a 'puke!

...their votes. As far as I'm concerned, we don't need 'puke infiltrators in our party. They can heave ho and join the 'pukes for real, and we can replace them with people who actually support Democratic (and I mean that for real since the 'pukes want to destroy the Constitution) ideals.

From now on, I treat 'pukes with a (D) after their name the same as I do 'pukes. And I certainly don't want them in the party trying to subvert votes to the 'puke cause.

I'm a woman - Alito will use the law to make me a second class citizen. My family came to this country on the Mayflower and we've built this nation for more than 400 years - Alito wants to destroy the Constitution, the very foundation of the nation we built. I don't believe in discrimination of any kind, or that so called 'elites' are in any way better than any other American - Alito will vote against all of my most cherished ideals.

The DINOs acted to allow Alito to do his worst - in effect, stricking me to the core. I will fight back. Why? Because if I don't, everything I believe in will be destroyed. The very nation I believe in will be destroyed. My great-great-great grandfathers who fought the American revolution fought for what they believed in, and so has every generation since. WHY, OH WHY WOULD I BE DIFFERENT?

It sounds like there's something you want.

Why would you ask who you can exact revenge on before asking yourself how to get what you want?

..to me - but they refuse, despite the (D) after their name. IMO, they deserve my rage. And if I rage against them enough to get them replace with others who WILL give me what I want, then I have attained my goal, have I not?

Just turn off the computer. Get something to eat if it's close to diner time. Grab a good book or turn on the tv to your favorite show, have a drink, and then just go to bed, and we'll see what happens tomorrow. It's best to calm down.

Karl Rove seems to think so.

...to change the Democratic Party? You can't vote in the primary if you do that, and lose your power to decide who the candidate is.

Why would someone do that?

They move on and find someone who will listen.

I'm sticking around and fighting FOR the DEMS who listened and opposing the fake Democrats, but I understand why people feel this way.

I'm glad- the filibuster gives me the perfect reference point as to how to direct my own DEM activism.

I'm not going to tell others what to do- the DEMs who voted for cloture had the power to unify everyone, they chose not to.

Does it make any sense?

I guess they figure they can ask the 'swing-voters" or people who take polls for money.

It doesnt make any sense to me either.

Your guess is as good as mine as to why some Democrats prefer a Unitary Executive to their own donor base.

the party. We've stuck with it through thick and thin, in spite of being derided by DLC types for being Dems in the truest sense of the word. We've made phone calls, faxed, wrote letters and opinon pieces, canvassed and attended rallies, and voted. At every juncture when the Dems needed to hang together for the some critical issue for us, the ususal suspects abandoned the party and voted with the Rs. It's always the same people. It's time to exact a pound of flesh.

Why would you ask the first question before the second?

all we've been getting is bloodied foreheads from banging our heads agains the proverbial brick wall. It's time to tear the freaking wall down.

We get enough dissuasion from the corporate media.

I asked this after the 2000 election. So I ran for school board, trying to get more Democrats into local offices. I lost in the Democratic primary to a Republican.

What can I do? In 2002, I took one of my weeks of vacation during the week before the election. I made phone calls and knocked on doors. We lost.

What can I do? In 2004, I spent all of my free time before the election on campaigning. I took another week of vacation the week before the election. I met dedicated, idealistic people from all over the country. We lost. And then my candidate, even with obvious evidence of voter fraud, DID NOT FIGHT.

What can I do? I called senators and sent e-mails about Alito. I invested my heart and spirit into this, only to be betrayed BY MY OWN FUCKING PARTY.

What can I do?

Maybe now's not the right time for that question.

but this is the same crap I've been hearing for 6 years.

There has to be consequences this time. From us.

Who's worse, the Nazis, or the people that turn their backs on the atrocities?

I'm asking why you would put the first question before the second.

I imagine that folks will continue to fight in their own ways once they're done being pissed. Just might now be for the party itself is all.

this party, as it stands is not what is best for them.

I plan to continue opposing this administration, its policies and thumping on its cronies.

I plan to continue spreading the TRUTH about this administration's motivations, which are antithetical to democracy, liberty, justice and opportunity.

I plan to participate in the next world-wide protest against the Iraq war and the Bush administration.

I plan to continue petitioning my representatives and other resistent representatives to take a stand against this 21st C American dictatorship and for the people's progress.

That's what I plan to do.

... on the Dem party, I want to exact revenge on the losers who cannot do the right thing, ever.

Our number one priority should be to focus on one or two of these senators for removal from office. All it takes is money folks, that is all it takes.

I think if Lieberman gets kicked to the curb in the next primary, it will send a message that the base is not to be fucked with.