Conflict of Disinterest

In the interest of supporting Democrats in Congress,
we question the leaders' lack of will to hold the Bush/Cheney administration accountable.

In the interest of supporting Democrats in '08,
we question political strategies that may (continue to) backfire and cause lost/stolen elections.

In the interest of supporting Democrats in office,
we question their willingness to alienate the base, independents and Republican-lites and increase the number of non-voters.

In the interest of supporting Democracy,
we question the refusal of elected representatives to fulfill their sworn duty to the Constitution.

Congress' conflict of interest in ending the war and disinterest in defending the public interest is causing ever more voters to lose interest.

How does that serve Democrats in Congress, Democrats in '08 or the future of Democracy?

It doesn't.

K&R.

Time for creative alternatives. Like painting and music.... :toast:

The amazing thing is all the energy out there coming from all political "stripes" the Dem strategerists don't seem to think they really need. What's up with that?

:D


:toast:

I've felt it was the plan for quite some time now. I want to be wrong, but see no sign of it being so.

it is very bad times indeed.

Well said.

backbone, imagination, courage, outrage, absurdity... What Will It Take?

:toast:

:shrug:

Sometimes, I just wonder what happened. I will never understand it.

they are slightly better than the repukes, but WAY short of representing a true alternative

The record proves you wrong:

"President Bush's success rating in the Democratic-controlled House has fallen this year to a half-century low, and he prevailed on only 14 percent of the 76 roll call votes on which he took a clear position.

"So far this year, Democrats have backed the majority position of their caucus 91 percent of the time on average on such votes. That marks the highest Democratic unity score in 51 years."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1728952&mesg_id=1728952
http://public.cq.com/docs/cqt/news110-000002576765.html

Don't let the media rhetoric fool you. The Democrats have acquitted themselves quite well--especially given their bare majority in both houses, and a relentlessly obstructionist Republican minority.


And the people are not displeased with the Democrats:

"Democrats hold a stable advantage in the Congressional vote (51 to 41 percent) – their new plateau for almost all of 2007. And more relevant for 2008, Democrats are well ahead (54 to 37 percent) in the 35 Democratic battleground districts, including their 2006 pick-up seats. And perhaps even more relevant, the Democrats are running ahead (48 to 42 percent) in the Republican-held battleground seats.

Democrats have moved into a stable lead in the named balloting for Congress – bigger than the margin they achieved in 2006.
http://www.democracycorps.com/reports/analyses/Democracy_Corps_November_6_2007_Memo.pdf

And that's just for starters.

Somehow "happy horseshit" just doesn't cut it today.

We need more Dems like Kucinich.

:hi:

But why shouldn't voters become MORE interested if their elected Representatives fail to represent them? I cannot believe that the mass of non-voters care more about the issues than we do. I cannot believe that they will suddenly run out to the polls if Congress does one thing or another.

Why should it depend so much on leaders? Kucinich is leading, but others are not being pressured by their constituencies to follow. Even Republicans will listen to their constituencies.

I think it comes back to the M$M. We need our own Fox News and we need our own newspapers. But Air America radio has not been highly successful.

What I mean is that if the M$M gave even 1/10th of the attention to the possible impeachment of Cheney and investigations into his crimes as they did to Monicagate, then even Republicans would be voting to impeach him. Instead Republicans wanted to bring that bill to the floor so that the M$M could flog Democrats for partisanship.

I accidentally had lunch recently with my Congresswoman, at a party event that generated almost zero interest, and her take was that the our party is scared of the rightwing smear machine.

In another sense though, the Presidential campaign may be killing interest, because there are masses of voters who do not like any of the front runners. Still, didn't we have record turn-out in 2004?

hfojvt :spray:

"But why shouldn't voters become MORE interested if their elected Representatives fail to represent them?"

Many folks who have been voting in the face of these games for decades are fed up. And reluctantly considering not voting -- or otherwise disengaging from the process...


"I cannot believe that the mass of non-voters care more about the issues than we do. I cannot believe that they will suddenly run out to the polls if Congress does one thing or another."

Your right about the second part. The jaded non-voters may not step up. The concern is that those who have diligently continued to vote against all odds may JOIN the ranks of non-voters. And many of those non-voters that are overlooked and ignored are young people who don't bother to play a sucker's game they consider rigged and corrupt.


"What I mean is that if the M$M gave even 1/10th of the attention to the possible impeachment of Cheney and investigations into his crimes as they did to Monicagate, then even Republicans would be voting to impeach him."
"
Newspapers have buried any "nation" storied deep in the middle of the A section. Kucinich resolution was ignored by print and TV. More reason that good folks are fed up with the whole thing. More proof of how rigged the game is. "Everybody knows" and it STILL doesn't make a difference :wtf:


"Instead Republicans wanted to bring that bill to the floor so that the M$M could flog Democrats for partisanship...."
"...and her take was that the our party is scared of the rightwing smear machine."

The fact that our leaders and reps use Right Wing smear and spin techniques as their excuse for their in/actions is disgusting and a complete sell out of their constituents. Hence the :puke: response in a growing number...