There's something happening to the Democratic Party...

[kentuck]

It's hard to put your finger on it but it was more obvious last night than it has been in a very long time.

Democrats were proudly saying they were "liberal". They were challenging the lies of the Republicans. They were speaking with passion and strength. They were bold with their compassion.

Something was different. They were standing up to the bullies that have been threatening and slurring the Democratic Party. When they saw something they thought was wrong with the platform, they had the courage to change it.

I sensed that the Party was changing before my eyes. They were not becoming more "centrist", as many have suggested. In my opinion, many mistook honesty and truth for centrism. In fact, honesty and truth appeals to everyone, including Republicans. Bill Clinton presented the truth to the American people. It was refreshing.

But there was something else happening. The Party was not ashamed or hesitant to speak about rights for women or the subject of abortion. They were not ashamed to speak of gay rights or marriage equality. This was not "centrist". This was liberal. That was the change that was happening. The Democratic Party was embracing its liberal roots and the crowd loved it. I have a hunch that the country will love it also.

[Brother Buzz]

1. The Democrats have finally discovered their spine are now framing the debate. Simple, no?

Sucks to be Frank Luntz these days.

[jillan]

16. CBS just hired Luntz - can you believe that? They are definitely no longer the network of Rather.

Screw them.

[Brother Buzz]

22. Oh dear

What a revolting development this is.



CBS Hires Frank Luntz, The Man Who Reportedly Shepherded The Plan To Defeat Obama

CBS News has reportedly hired Frank Luntz, the Republican strategist and pollster best known for helping Republicans craft often-deceptive messaging to torpedo liberal policies. In his post announcing the move, Politico media reporter Dylan Byers writes that Luntz will "make a number of appearances across the network between now and Election Day." Luntz's hiring comes only a few months after New York Times Magazine contributor Robert Draper reported that Luntz orchestrated a 2009 meeting where prominent Republicans formulated a plan to win back Congress and the White House.

In his book Do Not Ask What Good We Do: Inside the U.S. House of Representatives, Draper reported that Luntz "organized a dinner" on Obama's inauguration night featuring a handful of "the Republican Party's most energetic thinkers." The attendees -- which included current vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan -- reportedly emerged from the nearly four hour dinner "almost giddily" after having agreed on "a way forward."

According to Draper, the Republican plan involved showing "united and unyielding opposition to the president's economic policies," with an eventual goal of defeating Obama and taking back the Senate in 2012:

<more>

http://mediamatters.org/blog/2012/09/05/cbs-hires-frank-luntz-the-man-who-reportedly-sh/189755

[eyewall]

37. This should erase any doubt

that mainstream network news is a tool of the wingnut propaganda machine.

[glinda]

46. Well this should piss Letterman off.

[lexw]

110. Ah...

that answers my question why the CBS Los Angeles website has "zero" information on the DNC.
I used to check that website for local news all the time; I switched over to ABC yesterday because of this.
Crazy. Thanks for the news!

[pocoloco]

79. LOL

It didn't take long for AIPAC to bend that stiff spine of theirs!!

[LondonReign2]

2. Dr Dean's spinectomy has fully taken

[Jackpine Radical]

17. Spinectomy?

[LondonReign2]

33. Back when Howard Dean was the chair

the joke was that the good Doctor needed to perform a spinectomy (i.e., insert a new spine) on the Democratic Party. And he did!

[magical thyme]

36. um, a spinectomy would remove the spine

(think appendectomy or tonsillectomy).

It was a spinal transplant that replaced the quivering mass of jelly the dems previously had down their backs.

[LondonReign2]

52. Words mean want I want them to mean, dammit!

[concreteblue]

86. ARE YOU...

Are you a Republican?????

[LondonReign2]

99. LOL

No, that would require a brainectomy.

[cognoscere]

67. As well as splenectomy and hysterectomy. However,

when a woman has a sex change operation, is it called addadicktomy?

[Jackpine Radical]

73. Ow. Painful.

[pkdu]

93. Appendicktome

[frazzled]

122. This was Wasserman-Schultz's convention

In coordination with the Obama campaign.

Let's give them the credit for putting on the most thematically coherent, cohesive, effective convention I believe I've seen in my lifetime. (And I've been watching them since Adlai Stevenson.)

It takes a woman, obviously.

[ellisonz]

125. Dean convinced the Democratic Party that they could fight and win.

And now we're gonna knock those suckers out!

YEEAAARRGGGGHHHH!

[Cleita]

3. You mean they were being Democrats again

instead of trying to be Republican Lite?

[justabob]

8. +1

[RoccoR5955]

4. I think some DNC leaders grew a set, is what happened. n/t

[Ikonoklast]

13. Brass Ones.

And they're big, too.

[kenfrequed]

58. Hmm...

Well I would point out their unmixed and strident message might have something to do with a hell of a lot fewer blue dogs running the show.

[mzmolly]

5. Obama happened.

Last edited Thu Sep 6, 2012, 02:46 PM - Edit history (1)

Nice post kentuck.

[Whisp]

12. that is the correct answer.

Obama happened.

He is a great leader and makes people bring the best out in themselves.

[Tarheel_Dem]

27. +1

[sofa king]

47. Yep.

I have accused President Obama of being "annoyingly centrist" in the past, but is wasn't until I saw Bill Clinton speak last night that the true difference between them became evident to me.

A lot of what former President Clinton was saying and doing was quite in line with what he said and did when he was President. He was the master of identifying the common ground between himself and his enemies and dragging them onto that turf, while making concessions along the way.

But that doesn't work anymore in practice. President Obama seems to be much less compromising in what he wants, in part because his all-or-nothing opponents give him the opportunity to aim for exactly what he wants instead of compromising.

It brings up an interesting thought, which is that while President Clinton may have been the more liberal politician, President Obama has achieved the more progressive results.

[Oldtimeralso]

113. The gop can't see what happened

because they suffer from crainumenrectumitis!

[uponit7771]

6. I've been watching FOX sense last night, dems are WHOOPING ASS! This morning FOX tried to go back

...to some dems they thought would be quite and in one interview you could tell the interviewer got shut down and went to hard break came back and got shut down again.

They had no tangible fact check issues with Clintons speech but they're on the defensive about the level of challenge RayGun had...

[pitbullgirl1965]

7. It's been awesome

Very refreshing after all the mealy mouthed cowtowing to the Repubs.

[calimary]

18. Welcome to DU!

You heard Deval Patrick the other night exhort us Dems to grow a backbone. FINALLY!!!!! FINALLY!!!!! Somebody on the inside makes that statement. Not just making that statement, either, but ROARING it into the microphones at the Democratic Convention! And not just somebody on the inside you never heard of but a high profile governor who now is surely a lot higher in profile, and being viewed as a potential standard-bearer after the Obama era concludes. FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!! What we here at DU have been exhorting Dems to do FOR YEARS!!!!!

And you, too. Glad you're here. We need you!




Now get out there and get to work!

[meow2u3]

25. Dem right! (pun intended)

It's about time we decided not to take shit from the rethugs. We're making them look like the lying, cruel, sadistic thugs they really are.

[VWolf]

60. Dem left, actually

[pacalo]

9. Twelve years of nutbaggery has finally come to a head & there's nowhere to go but up.

This country is too precious to allow hatred & fear to drive it into the gutters.

May the common decency exhibited by the DNC convention have a lasting effect on our nation.

[kentuck]

11. Well said.

Who would have thought that hate and fear vs common decency would ever be an issue in a campaign?

[pacalo]

68. Only Rod Serling could have envisioned it. He was decades ahead of his time.

[12AngryBorneoWildmen]

10. I think you're right.

[limpyhobbler]

14. The are extremely liberal.

Very good on gay rights and abortion.

They fail on anything that requires defying the interests of big money and corporations.

That's what a liberal is.

[ananda]

15. Almost liberal..

.. until they start talking about the poor, along with both
the creation of and the protection of all social safety nets.

[nxylas]

19. No, that's what a progressive is

A liberal is someone who is fine with people being sent to Guantanamo, but might get upset if they find the menu there doesn't have a vegan option.

(I'm kidding, of course. Well, half-kidding.)

[woo me with science]

49. The wars will continue, the police state will grow, and the banks will be protected.

The spy center in Utah to provide government access to Americans' emails and phone calls is being built, and neither candidate will be asked about it even once during this election.

And we will have a Grand Bargain soon after the election to impose more austerity, implement the chained CPI, and raise the Medicare age.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement is now in the Democratic platform, and 2008 language supporting Card-Check to make unionizing easier is now removed from the platform.

The education system will be increasingly infiltrated by private companies.

We hear nothing about those things, and we will continue to hear nothing about those things, by design.

People hear what they want to hear during a lovely convention, but we are in serious trouble because of corporate money in BOTH parties, and that is not changing.

We are being given absolutely no evidence that any of that is going to change.

[loudsue]

53. I agree w/ everything you've said here. The danger is deeper than

this convention would ever address.

[OnyxCollie]

54. "Democratic mass parties

are bureaucratically organized under the leadership of party officials, professional party and trade union secretaries, etc.... Of course, one must remember that the term 'democratization' can be misleading. The demos itself, in the sense of an inarticulate mass, never 'governs' larger associations; rather it is governed, and its existence only changes the way in which the executive leaders are selected and the measure of influence which the demos, or better, which social circles from its midst are able to exert upon the content and the direction of administration activities by supplementing what is called 'public opinion.' 'Democratization,' in the sense here intended, does not necessarily mean an increasingly active share of the governed in the authority of the social structure. This may be the result of democratization, but it is not necessarily the case.... The most decisive thing here- and indeed it is rather exclusively so- is the leveling of the governed in opposition to the ruling and bureaucratically articulated groups, which in turn may occupy a quite autocratic position, both in fact and form." -Max Weber

[JDPriestly]

59. woo me with science, you are addressing the national security state --

the bureaucracy within our government that continues to make recommendations and decisions about "national security" whether the president is a D or an R and the corporate, military-industrial complex in our nation that keeps that bureaucracy going.

That bureaucracy is like the little energy bunnies we used to see on TV. They just keep going on their path, indulging in paranoid, sci-fi fantasies and playing with their killer toys and secret pens.

Presidents indulge these guys. They are too insane and too crazy to cross up. And there is nothing any president can do to stop them. They just propel themselves forward against whatever crazy conspiracy or nutty foreign power they imagine or sometimes really see.

What to do about them? I don't know. Just live our lives in the peaceful ways in which we would live them whether or not they existed, I suppose. They are like rats and other vermin. Beyond keeping them out of your house, making sure you don't get bitten by them and protecting your food supply from them, there is not much you can do about them unless your whole community decides to hire a Pied Piper or get them to leave some other way.

Sooner or later, Americans are going to get sick of having their e-mails and Facebook postings and other internet and telephone activity recorded and read -- or the country will go broke trying to pay these guys' salaries and keeping up their toys. Until that happens, we just have to live with their annoying presence.

As long as they stay out of site, keep their dirt and odors out of our homes and don't trip us as we climb up the stairs, we will just have to accept their presence.

As you say, you don't vote or not vote for a candidate or a party because of those guys. Neither party is going to cross them.

[raouldukelives]

74. I agree with you when you say "there is nothing any president can do to stop them"

Alone. All of these things came about because of elections and politicians. They can all come apart as well.
Everything involved with the implementation of our security state, especially after 9/11, is the complete will of the Republicans and the global corporations they serve, IMHO.
It is not the will of We the People. I have to keep hoping its not. I have to keep hoping my party can stand up against those things. Can stand against the corporations, not with them. Can stand against climate change. Can stand up against killing for money. Cause that's all we are doing now. Shipping weapons around the world, waging wars, killing people & killing the planet for cash. They have to know this and yet is just accepted as a casualty of doing business. Sure we borrow billion upon billion from China but that is just money. The loans we are taking out on the environment wont care about trade agreements or personal favors. And they will come due, hard.
Talk about leaving a burden on our children. I wonder what the actuarial value of an ecosystem is? It has to be worth more than BP, Chevron or Exxon. Alone? Maybe. Combined? No, apparently not.
Anyway, I'd like my party to address some of those concerns. I think they are liberal concerns. I don't find them far out or wacky. I just think they are hard. They are hard truths that nobody wants to touch.
Soon, everyone will get a feel whether they like it or not.

[Odin2005]

85. Get the fuck outta my head.

Politicians are only human and are not all-knowing, they have to rely on a lot of people that claim to be "experts" in order to develop policy, and plenty of these experts are lobbyists and thus have their own self-serving agendas, and congresspeople and their staff only have a limited amount of time and energy to fact-check the claims of their "experts".

[heaven05]

65. yep

what's the solution to this conundrum?

[Blanks]

66. There are always going to be problems.

To think that we're gonna turn back the clocks and one day we'll pack up our lunch boxes and go on down to the local toaster factory for a shift again... While the little woman is at home fixing dinner with a smile on her face... ain't gonna happen. That ship has sailed.

The truth is: if every conversation I ever have is recorded and it doesn't effect my life at all; I don't really give a shit and neither do most people. As long as the people doing it aren't abusing it... I just don't care.

A lot of people seem to want to throw a fit over the trade agreements. Complaining about the trade agreements isn't going to create factory jobs here. Other adjustments must be made if we want factory jobs here. My biggest complaint about the manufacturing sector is that too much crap spends a few days in our home and then goes to the landfill. We need 'cradle to grave' responsibility for manufactured goods. That would revive the 'repair shop' industry. Most things aren't too difficult to repair if they're built right in the first place and repair parts are available.

I'd like to see more small farms (like we had before Reagan took office), I'd like to see investments in small farms so that our food has less transportation miles. This single improvement would convert oil company profits into local jobs. Organic farming would convert pharmaceutical company profits into local jobs.

There are a lot of different ways to create jobs in the future that don't involve creating factory jobs.

We can't see beyond the next technological advancement. We do know that
regardless of what advancements are made in technology; we'll still need to eat. We also know that the majority of the fuel that we use to transport ourselves back and forth and haul our food around with; is non-renewable energy.

The solution to the energy shortage of the future is more local farming now. Free trade agreements are nothing compared to dealing with the energy issues.

There probably isn't more discussion on addressing the school problems because I think it would be difficult to develop a consensus. I think the answer is in standardized national tests to evaluate teachers. So, do you want my position on the platform, or do you think we can talk about education after the election?

I agree with you on one thing though; money is the problem. It's going to be difficult to fix, but if the democrats can win despite being outspent; that would be a good first step: Proving that money isn't always the deciding factor.

[woo me with science]

71. Third Way blase. This seems to be the new approach on discussion boards,

now that much of what is happening to us in this country can no longer be denied. Instead, we get posts like yours attempting to downplay the seriousness of everything that is happening. I saw your Third Way arguments and defense of the bank thieves in this thread, too: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002826853

No, it is not just something to be expected or tolerated, this corporate purchase of our government, endless war, loss of fundamental civil protections, and impoverishment of the masses. Americans DO care if governments and corporations listen to our conversations. The mere fact of having your privacy invaded for no reason by your own government is abuse, all by itself....an egregious abuse...and anyone who argues that no further abuses will grow from that initial abuse shows a shocking disregard for history. We are supposed to have Constitutional protections, barriers to abuses like that.

This bid for passivity and acceptance because "there are always going to be problems" seems the new approach from the Third Way instead of outright denial, now that so many of these creeping outrages can no longer be denied. We are now admonished that they are no big deal...

Of course you favor standardized testing of teachers. And of course you finish by suggesting that just electing Democrats will make everything okay.

It's Third Way optimism!

But the truth is that we are in serious, serious trouble in this country as a result of corporate money in BOTH parties. We are losing our country to corporate bloodsuckers, and we don't have the luxury of being blase about it. Fixing this mess will mean being honest about what our government is doing and honest about our own party's complicity, so that we can FIX It. It means calling out the propaganda, so that we can pull our party back to the traditional democratic values and principles it once stood for.

[Blanks]

120. Pardon me for not being hysterical enough.

I didn't make a defense of the bank thieves in the thread you referenced. I argued that wealth sometimes just disappears; it doesn't necessarily always go into someone's pocket. If the bankers were sitting there with all of the money that homeowners lost; why did they need bailed out?

I didn't claim that if we just elect the democrats everything will be ok. I pointed out that if we want to start taking the money out of politics; we need to start by showing that the ideas are more important than the money. As long as the candidate with more money always wins; money will always control politics.

As far as calling out the propagands: I think if you really want to do that; I suggest you respond to what I write, rather than what you would have liked for me to have written. When you twist what others write to make your point (and accuse them of positions based on the twisting) you are the one guilty of propaganda.

As far as the government listening to our conversations; if they're doing it right, we'll never know. If the government has decided they're going to do it; there ain't shit that we can do about it anyway.

I just don't worry about it. I'll admit that could be interpreted as a flaw in your way of thinking. I think we have much bigger problems than that.

Food security is what I consider the most important issue. Do you have a problem with that?

[woo me with science]

123. Nope, not going to pardon it.

Not going to pardon that textbook procession of mischaracterizations and misdirections, faux indignation and ironic accusation, and bids for passivity and to change the subject.

We have pardoned this Third Way nonsense here for far too long.

[Blanks]

128. Whatever.

You aren't offering any solutions. If you feel like I should be tossed out of here because I'm not hysterical enough; then by all means toss away.

You were the one 'mischaracterizing', so that isn't something that I'm asking to be pardoned for.

As far as changing the subject; if you want to talk about how the big bad government is sneaking around spying on us. I'm not in a position to stop you, feel free to point out all of the 'evil government plots'. I'll tell you again; I don't think it's the most important issue of our time. That doesn't mean that it isn't important to you or anyone else; it just isn't my 'banner' issue.

I support trade agreements; my party leaders support trade agreements. I'm a democrat and plan on voting D across the board. if you're opposed to them; why don't you come up with some kind of plan to stop them. If you have a good plan; I might even support you on it (unless that plan involves voting for republicans). Complaning about it on a message board isn't, what I would consider, a good plan.

As far as 'ironic accusations'; you mischaracterized my position on two points in the previous post. I pointed them out. There isn't anything ironic about that (no misdirection or faux indignation). It's a matter of you being deceptive. Why don't you just own up to it?

The deception is what is not deserving of a pardon.

[woo me with science]

129. Oh my.

Now we throw in a commercial for free trade, an attempt to smear outrage over government spying as conspiracy theory, and the inevitable insinuations of party disloyalty for opposing right-wing policies.

It's a veritable Third Waypalooza!

[Blanks]

130. I didn't call it a conspiracy theory and I didn't question your party loyalty.

I invited you to inform me of actions (if any) are under way to oppose the TPP. If there is some action that we can take to hold all parties involved more accountable; I'm all for that.

The reality is that the leaders of the democratic party are in support of it. The factories aren't coming back; we have to adjust to that reality. Stifling free trade won't bring the factories back.

I've said from the very beginning of this discussion with you that I think food security is more important than the spying. That isn't the same as saying that I think you have some kind of conspiracy theory.

I don't eat at Chick-fil-A. It isn't as large an issue for me as it is for others, but I support them in their cause.

If there's something I can do to help you in your cause, let me know. As it is; it just looks like you're complaining with no real plan for dealing with the problems that you're so passionate about.

I don't think beating up on me is a gonna solve your problems either, but you'll probably disagree with me on that too.

[woo me with science]

131. "feel free to point out all of the 'evil government plots'."

[Blanks]

132. OK, 'conspiracy theory' is a reasonable interpretation.

A little more harsh than I remember, but I felt like you were being a little over the top. So I took a turn at over the top-ness.

Fair is fair.

[kentuck]

72. We must change the way we think before we can change the way we act...

That is what I hope is happening. Nothing is going to change overnight but if we can get enough people thinking like the people at this convention, we can change our Party and change this country. It won't be easy. I refuse to be so cynical that I would think that no change could ever come. It is all a waste of time. I see an opportunity. It is up to us to take advantage of it.

[xtraxritical]

107. Hey people, just vote a straight Democratic ballot

if we win back majorities in Congress you might have a chance of getting the reforms you want, if not, NO CHANCE!

[OnyxCollie]

75. "As long as the people doing it aren't abusing it... I just don't care."

News Corp has affected politics overseas with their phone hacking.

Guess who's the biggest recipient of campaign contributions from News Corp- Barack Obama ($58,825)
http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000227

(BTW, did you see the nice AT&T swag bag Skinner & EarlG got at the convention? The vote for retroactive immunity for illegal spying was worth it!)

[leftstreet]

70. +1

[dgibby]

101. You should make this a stand-alone post! n/t

[Mapletonian]

118. I wanted to start a thread last night...

but I was refused because I had not submitted enough "posts" yet. I have been reading DU almost every day for many years, but just recently decided to join. I'm a 58 yr old white guy from Maine, Independent, who always votes Democratic.

Maybe this one will count toward my acceptance.

BTW, What a convention! Whew!

[limpyhobbler]

105. 2014 Democratic primaries.

I'm hoping there is going to be a movement of sorts to challenge the wishy washy Dems in the primaries to pull them to the left. The Tea Party was pretty bold about challenging moderate Republicans and now the gop fears them. I hope people are going to do something along those lines to get elected Dems more in line with what the people want.

[CrispyQ]

124. I agree completely.

I realize all the things you state are going to continue under either candidate, but I am voting against hate this November.

I feel this election is an election on bigotry. If the repubs win, the bigots in the party will feel their hate has been validated. I can't let that happen. I can't let those assholes think that bigotry is an American value. Fuck them. I'm sending a message - "You guys are wrong & you're hate isn't wanted. Grow the fuck up."

[xxqqqzme]

20. I am speaking only from my

observations as a delegate to California Democratic conventions. I have noticed the delegates are much more liberal than the CDP hierarchy. Don't know if that is true on the national stage. I know a handful of people in the California delegation (605 delegates? Wow) and they are very liberal. But then it is California.

[Hutzpa]

21. Well they're finally growing a backbone

they are standing for what they believe in, which if done right can have a major effect on down tickets.

Reclaim the House and keep the Senate.

FORWARD!!!

[meow2u3]

23. Dems have taken Deval Patrick's advice to heart

and grew a collective spine. They're no longer knuckling under to the bullies of the Teabag Taliban in the name of bipartisanship.

What's even better--the Dems are coming right and calling repukes liars, instead of resorting to media euphemisms.

[sabrina 1]

38. Credit also goes to those who refused to be silent about the direction the party

was headed in despite being told constantly 'not now'. This gave courage to the real Progressive Dems within the Party also.

Deval Patrick said what most of us have been saying for a long time. And hopefully the Third Way contingency will be marginalized as they are the ones who have been dragging this party to the Right and forcing the capitulation of Dems to Right Wing bullying.

They lost in 2010 because a lot of Independents stayed home. And real Dems refused to be shut down when the wrong lesson was taken from that.

Dems could widen the gap between them and Republicans by being proud of Democratic policies, such as Social Security and never, ever again even consider the Republican/Third Way attempts to change it.

Everything good in this country came from Democratic ideas and it has been painful to watch this party be almost ashamed to shout that from every microphone they can get their hands on.

[undergroundpanther]

87. The third way crap

Started skewing politics before the DLC.Clinton to this day is spewing 3rd way shit.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0609/23833.html
I brought this up red flag waving years ago on DU and I got a lot of clueless replies.

third way is toxic. Because if your opponents have no scruples or shame and if you compromise with them you too lose your own values and ethics.
http://threeman.org/?p=1031
http://www.crossroad.to/Quotes/communitarian/niki.htm

[marions ghost]

92. +++++

yeah

[CrispyQ]

126. ++++1!

Yes!

And if they continue, perhaps we can get the non-voters off their ass! That's the BIGGEST voting pool in America - the non-voters. We should be going for that vote!

[TahitiNut]

24. It seems like the shipment of spines finally arrived.

[hifiguy]

26. The Rude Pundit got it right

when he said that the main point of Big Dawg's speech was, at its core "I'm sick and tired of this shit. Aren't you?"

[Citizen Worker]

28. Rhetoric is one thing action another. Wait until after the election and if we start hearing the

expression, 'shared sacrifice' coupled with 'necessary and urgent reform' we had better take to the streets because those programs that most affect workers are about to be dismantled.

[fasttense]

117. Glad someone finally said it. This is All Talk

I heard some crazy liberal stuff come out of Obama's mouth when he first ran for president. Then I saw some crazy right wing stuff being done by Obama and his Democratic Congress.

The president used his Democratic lame duck Congress to pass a tax cut for the uber rich. What much more important things could he have used that congress for?

Clinton passed NAFTA, destroyed welfare and got rid of banking regulations (Glass-Steagal) and Obama will get through the TPP.

Then things will really get bad.

But Mitt would be much worse.

[lovemydog]

29. We're a much stronger party when we:

1. focus strongly on economics
2. stand firm on the substance of our policies

[Spike89]

30. Ends versus Methods

I think the striking change isn't ideological at all, but rather all about tone and tactics. We way too often focus on the liberal vs. conservative scale without thinking about the tactics. It is very possible to have extremely liberal beliefs and pursue them in a moderate manner, just as you can have mostly moderate positions that you pursue in a radical manner.
I think the Democratic party is recognizing that it has been too focused on taking baby steps to the left and it is time to talk about making bigger steps in the right (left) direction. The party has long believed in the things it believes this election, but it took the crazies on the right to wake us up that if they are going to push for radical steps, we need to respond with at least strong steps toward our own goals.
I like it.

[Mr. Sabbath]

31. Social Issues

Unfortunately the two issues mentioned are social issues.

I will believe the centrist scourge has been defeated when the platform advocates a Wall Street Turnover Tax or some other piece of quite rational progressive economic legislation.

[Mr. Sabbath]

32. II

Oh and "the big dawg" was the one who cut the Aid to Mothers With Dependent Children provision out of Welfare. I am not sure he should be enjoying all this mindless adulation.

[Peaceful Protester]

34. Obama Happened!

[hr]
[font color="#0046D5"]"It's time to stand up and grow a backbone! I for one, will not allow him (President Obama) to be bullied out of office and neither should you!" -- Gov. Deval Patrick (D-MA)[/font]

[backscatter712]

35. Occupy also happened.

"We are the 99%!" Occupy made it OK to talk about wealth disparity, exploitation by the rich, and got the Democratic Party to put standing up for the middle class into their platform.

[bananas]

51. Yes - Occupy really turned things around. nt

[Taverner]

39. They were talking about poverty too...

That's something I haven't seen since Mondale

[magical thyme]

40. I just hope 4 things come out of it:

1. win the election, and by that I mean congress too.

2. quit conceding before entering negotiations and live up to the damn rhetoric.

3. stop doing economics like a republican. Stimulus to people who need and spend; not tax cuts for those who are already ok. Seriously clean up wall street. Geithner is too much in love with his pals and mentors there. He has got to go.

4. Direct Holder toward appropriate priorities. Or replace him.

[NotThisTime]

41. I feel like we're finally being heard. Definitely more energized after this convention.

[Chorophyll]

42. Yes. I have been enjoying this convention immensely

for the reasons you cite.

And I LOVE how we're grabbing words back from the repugs. When Bill Clinton mentioned our "values" last night, I jumped up and screamed.

[Arugula Latte]

43. I believe part of it has to do with social media.

It's verrrry interesting how we are able to "talk amongst ourselves" now while doing a runaround of the official propaganda of the powers that be.

[kimbutgar]

45. Maybe they realized that with all the money coming in from the RW PACS they have to go back to

a populist agenda and being liberals again to counter the onslaught of dirty money coming from the right wingers. People are hungering for this message. People want hope and what has the Democrats have to lose but the election and probably lose the country forever because if the repubs get back into power say goodbye to civil rights, social security, medicare, head start, HUD,etc. The right wingers also want to turn the US in Taliban lite with the take over of our government by the ultra conservatives religious freaks. We must pull out all the stops to STOP them in November. I realize there is a lot of people who are so far gone by the brainwashing that you can't change their minds but there are many who are eligible to vote and disillusioned with the government we have to get them to register and vote for the Democrats like their life depends on it. (Which it does!)

[Auntie Bush]

48. I'm proud and love being a Liberal! It's a badge of honor.

Being a ReThug is admitting you're a self centered, selfish, lying, stingy, cheap, crazy bastard.

I can say that even though most of my relatives back home are ReThugs. Thank goodness all my own family are Dems...but I unfortunately have one undecided. I'll be working on him!

[RoccoR5955]

97. So am I!

Read Kennedy's speech from the 1960 Liberal Party Acceptance Speech in NY.
Here's a bit of it:
Acceptance of the New York Liberal Party Nomination
September 14, 1960

What do our opponents mean when they apply to us the label "Liberal?" If by "Liberal" they mean, as they want people to believe, someone who is soft in his policies abroad, who is against local government, and who is unconcerned with the taxpayer's dollar, then the record of this party and its members demonstrate that we are not that kind of "Liberal." But if by a "Liberal" they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people -- their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties -- someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a "Liberal," then I'm proud to say I'm a "Liberal."

If you want more, go to: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/primary-resources/jfk-nyliberal/

This is one of the best justifications of being liberal ON THE PLANET!

[southernyankeebelle]

50. I have never called myself a progressive. I've always been a liberal. But I

consider myself now more of a social dem. and proud.

[Autumn]

55. I agree, there seems to be a shift in the dialog and it definitely was NOT "centrist"

I loved it.

[Ian_rd]

56. This really does look like a role reversal over the past eight or so years ...

Not too long ago, Democratic politicians seemed to twist themselves into knots, apparently scared to death of being labeled a "liberal" by the Fox-led mainstream media.

Now it's the GOP politicians doing the best they can to distance themselves from their loud and crazy base, scared to be associated with far right positions on rape, contraception, and homosexuality. They are running away from themselves so much that they can't even say what they really think. They look like cowards, tricksters, and liars.

[craigmatic]

57. It's no so much that the party has gotten more liberal as much as we're all pissed at the

republicans and their lies. Not to mention we all know Obama has had a pretty good 4 years and deserves a second term.

[dreamnightwind]

61. I don't see it

Last edited Thu Sep 6, 2012, 06:51 PM - Edit history (1)

Wish I did.

Clinton's speech kept talking about working with the other side, and how he did it. We as a nation are still paying dearly for the legislation that resulted from Clinton working with the other side. I expect to be saying the same thing about compromises Obama makes with them.

The only speaker who has reached me at all in this convention is Elizabeth Warren, who seems more like an outlier.

I see absolutely no interest from the party in confronting the abuses of corporate power, in making Wall St. accountable, in defunding the insanely bloated "defense" and "security" spending, in ending the failed drug wars, returning incarceration rates to something that would actually indicate a freedom loving country, in stopping the surveillance of our citizens, in establishing fair trade policies, re-establishing our manufacturing base, ending remote control killing by drones, it goes on and on and there is basically nothing. Climate change? Climate change requires massive redirection of society's efforts and resources, or else, yet there is little or no acknowledgement of this. Stopping the foreclosure crisis? What's that?

It's like a version of the Republican Party that is more friendly to gay, women's and minority issues while ignoring the ravenous beast that is destroying our lives and the planet. This stuff really, really matters, there's no overstating it, and our party bosses are not interested, or actively working for the other side of these issues.

edited to add: So, I think what people are excited about here is just our (Dems) side of the divide and conquer strategy that diverts people's anger into directions that are safe for the financial interests of the oligarchs. And they don't care about any of us beyond whether we help their bottom lines or not.

[woo me with science]

76. +1

The truth is difficult to hear, but until we can acknowledge and talk openly about the problem of corporate money driving destructive policy, we have no chance of fixing it.

[limpyhobbler]

103. I pretty much agree with this. nt

[redwhiteblue]

62. Ther is something Happening

Ask yourself if you will be better off after 4 years if the Republicans win the White House.
Will you be better off when your Social Security is cut and Medicare goes on a vouture system. Do you understand what the voucher system is? You will receive a voucher for $8, 000. Any medical bills over the $8,000 will be paid out of YOUR pocket.
When they cut back on teachers and education, firemen, policemen, college loans,vets benefits, medicaid, unions and collective bargaining, planned parenthood,and write new child labor laws,will you be better off? Gingerich suggested that POOR 6 year old children should get a job as a janitor.Santorum says President Obama is a snob because he wants all children to have a chance to go to college.
They refused to pass the Obama bill for new jobs. In all my years, I have never seen the Republican party so heartless and cruel. They are telling you right out what they will do. Do you think they won't do all these things? Will you be better off after 4 years of Romney ? WILL YOU BE SATISFIED WHEN THEY RAISE THE TAXES ON THE MIDDLE CLASS BUT REFUSE TO RAISE THEM ON THE RICH?
Most of these things are in the Ryan budget. Believe it when they say what they will do.
VOTE FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA and save the country.

[goclark]

63. I'm African American and I noticed

that there were lots of AA's in attendance -- that made me happy
BUT-- what I really LOVED seeing was the diversity when each state stood up to announce their vote for OBAMA -BIDEN

Diversity in Race, Age, Gender ~ it really looked like AMERICA!

[kentuck]

64. I truly believe that...

...that is what makes America special from any other country in the world. We have had our trials and troubles but we are making progress. I do believe.

[Philosoraptor]

69. I FEEL IT AND ITS REAL!!!!!!!!!!!

[spanone]

77. k&r...

[MrModerate]

78. I'm looking forward to . . .

When a Dem pol on a talk show (or maybe on the floor of the House) interupts some bloviating 'Lican talking about "the Democrat Party" with, "that's Democratic Party, dickweed."

Then I'll know that our mojo has reached the next level.

[nradisic]

80. we grew a pair!

It's simple. We grew a huge pair of cojones and are standing up and outright fighting for our country and our values.

[Edweird]

81. Whatever it is, I'm sure it's completely unrelated to any elections that may or may not

occur in the near future. Totally not connected. At all. Just like the republicans just recently tried to show how much they 'cared'.

[Politicub]

82. This is what hope and change looks like

The ones we've been waiting for? Guess what...

We're here.

[Honeycombe8]

83. I think you're right. nt

[Odin2005]

84. Dems are not afraid of being accused of class warfare anymore.

Because The Republicans have made it obvious to any intelligent person that they are waging one against the American people.

[gopiscrap]

88. I've noticed that also!

[smackd]

89. I feel like they are finally 'laying claim'...

...of all those issues that facts and history show they are better at, but that the republicans have somehow managed to claim: military, foreign relations, economy, faith, etc.

It's like they got a life coach

[Skittles]

91. EXCELLENT observation, smackd

[Laura PourMeADrink]

90. hey kentuck....check out the du fundraising post

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021285933

[IrishAle]

94. Honestly, these are not far left..

... these are not far left ideals.

Womens Rights
Sexual Identity Rights in both Marriage and Military Service
Economic Justice
Religious Freedom

These are universal ideals that one far right group is determined to control over all the rest.

Everyone left of extreme right are moving into our great coalition of Left, Center-left, Center, Center-Right all embracing common sense ideals of freedom and Justice.

We HAVE a plan, we HAVE a Working Dialog with all parts of our party and yes by God, we are not ashamed to loudly proclaim ourselves Liberal, because the alternative... is not.

[Snarkoleptic]

95. Obamacare, liberal and progressive...not dirty words.

[DonCoquixote]

96. Yes..however

Much as I think Clinton could do well in 2016,there is a move already to let things become "normal" once Obama is in. Simply put, after we get Obama in (which is far from a sure thing) , the next item on the agenda is making sure the party stays left titling, and that means, among other things, making sure the likes of a Rahm Emmanuel does not even think of 2016.

[creon]

98. I hope so.

The Democratic Party has to regain some fighting spirit.
The Party showed some fighting spirit in the elctions of 2006 and 2008. Fighting spirit was quite lacking in the 2010 election.
The Senate can be held and the HoR is in play.

If the Party holds the WH and Senate and gains the HoR, the Party will learn whether or not it can actually govern.

The real test of a politician is not winning elections; the real test is the great challenge of governing. That is a challenge that many - if not most - politicians do not meet.

[kath]

100. What about the bit where the Dems put GOD back in the platform because the Reps bitched about it?

WTF? So they're saying the Repugs had a legitimate point?!?? Again, What. The. Fuck.
"God" isn't in the Constitution, and doesn't belong in the freakin' platform of any legitimate political party.
It's total fucking bullshit that the Dems would do this. Doesn't seem like "standing up to the bullies" to me.

[ananda]

102. A little vestige of Obama's tendency towards bullied/abuse syndrome.

Or maybe Stockholm Syndrome.

But I think the Convention enthusiasm and newfound confidence and
backbone in the entire party will help him pull out of it in the next four
years.

[SaveAmerica]

104. I was in the convention center in Charlotte and I felt that live!!

It was amazing and Obama wasn't even in the room with us!! We were in the community credentials viewing area.

[lonestarnot]

106. One even called Lie'n Ryan a liar.

[YOHABLO]

108. When "Liberal" became Republican Lite

Clinton's "third way" whatever that was to become to mean, pushed the party far right, in my opinion. Clinton brought us NAFTA mind you, which led to the millions of jobs that left our country to places in China and South Asia. Perhaps the DNC and Obama understand now, that the robber barons are ready to cut our middle class throats; that the jig is up. If Obama wants to be re-elected he had better start listening to his progressive base. But then politicians on the left always seem to campaign to their leftist base with great hopes and promises. They end up governing from center right once elected. Case in point: Obama.

[iamthebandfanman]

111. Actually,

Reagans administration came up with NAFTA, poppa bush did the handshake deal with the two other countries leaders (canada and mexico in 1992), and THEN clinton signed it into law in 1993.

so, alot of 'centrists' and conservatives brought us NAFTA..

infact, i think the heritage foundation still has its original article from 1993 praising it as championing 'free market' economics lol

usually people are shocked to learn the true origins of NAFTA

[lexw]

109. Also (was probably said in the hundreds of replies above)...

America is ours again...let's reclaim old glory. I'm tired of seeing a car with an American flag and picturing Rush L., instead of feeling proud.

[rufus dog]

112. At some point, when you walk outside and the weather is different you have to say.

You know, this seems strange, each year we seem to get more humidity, more heat, holy shit, this is a big impact. HOLY SHIT! I NEED TO SCEAM AT THESE IDIOTS.

[blkmusclmachine]

114. Before or after they shoe horned in the Gawd/Jerusalem nonsense?

The Party's gone so far right. Oh, they'll talk liberal, but when the tires meet the road, they always go right. Deeds, NOT words. You'll know them by their ACTIONS. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I mean, look. The blowhards of the GOP caused the DEMs to f/ck up their Plank right in the middle of the DNC. Looks like the GOP has the DEMs on a short leash. 1 Party, 2 faces, indeed.

[Zorra]

115. Democrats are finding their way back to the future.

"The Democratic Party was embracing its liberal roots and the crowd loved it"

Let's make it real.

[King_Klonopin]

116. The Dems (i.e. LIBERALS) are making progress

But they still have a looooong way to go.

We need to stop bringing a knife to a gunfight.

Folks like Ed Schultz, Alan Grayson, Mudcat, Dr Dean, et al
provide good examples of how not to take any shit from
blowhard bullies.

[drynberg]

119. WE'RE LIBERAL, WE'RE PROUD, AND...

We are no longer givin' up our lunch money to Rethugs, no sir ree, we are the party of FDR, JFK, and Barack and we ain't moving off the sidewalk. We are lookiin' the Rethugs right in the eye, and using our brains to solve problems and share these solutions with fellow citizens (voters). We are goin' kick some RW butts!

[Hotler]

121. Don't get all happy over it. After the voting is over it will be....

back to rolling over for the repugs again. Lobbyist with money have a way of removing spines

[BlancheSplanchnik]

127. wonderful excellent post!! Kiiiiiiiiiicking!

[David Zephyr]

133. Haven't been to the DU this week, but just read your great post.

100% spot on the mark, Kentuck!