the DNC has managed to do something I didn't think possible

[whatchamacallit]

- get me to drop my party affiliation and go independent. I've been a registered democrat since my first vote, but after the GE I'm changing my status for good. I know it's largely symbolic, but the DNC's manipulative, undemocratic bullshit has convinced me the party doesn't deserve to take my support for granted. It turns my stomach they think they can get away with force-feeding us a candidate. Media, and in particular social media, is changing the landscape rapidly. It's easier to be more politically aware, and party machinations that were once invisible or arcane are now exposed. The parties remind me of record companies at the dawn of digital distribution, still futilely trying to maintain their old control structures. And like those companies, they will either evolve or die.

[orpupilofnature57]

1. They've morphed in to Republicans, MSM and the 1% are their only concern. Join the

PDA

[SylviaD]

37. That's a bit harsh, no? n/t

[nolabels]

75. Yet, with only a few nuances, pretty much the fact

Why protect something that can't stand on it's own merits?

[rhett o rick]

82. I don't agree. In some respects they are more dangerous than Republicons.

The leadership of the Democratic Party is supposed to lead us with democratic/Democratic principles. They have obviously been co opted by the billionaires/Wall Street Oligarchy. DWS is not acting with democratic/Democratic principles. She is strongly biased for H. Clinton the billionaires choice. We must wrest the leadership of our Party away from the Oligarchy Elites. We need change from the established status quo that sees the middle and lower classes dying more and more every day. H. Clinton represents no change and millions recognize that Sen Sanders is our hope for change. If you are ok with the child poverty rate of 22% then vote for either Goldman-Sachs candidates H. Clinton or Jeb Bush. You have to recognize that Goldman-Sachs doesn't give a crap about lowering the child poverty rate.

[Enthusiast]

89. +1 You nailed it a shit load.

[GoneFishin]

103. +1. Agreed.

[SylviaD]

121. I'm sorry but I must disagree strongly.

No part of the Democratic Party is "more dangerous than Repubs". That statement is frankly off the wall to me. Look at the party platforms!! How does the awful Republican party platform resemble the Democratic Platform?? Come on now, your urge to bash the Clintons can't blind you to the truth - no Democratic candidate or wing of the party is "more dangerous" than the Republican party!

[rhett o rick]

122. Most Democrats are aware of the dangers of the Republicons and deal with them accordingly.

But while we are keeping a close eye on them, there are people calling themselves Democrats that are pushing the conservative agenda. The Third Way was conceived to fool Democrats with some social justice gains while maintaining the conservative economic, foreign policy, and dark security state. Maybe an example - When Republicons want to privatize SS, most all Democrats recognize and will fight hard against such. However, when a friendly looking Democrat comes along and says that we need to "fix" SS to keep it viable, maybe by cutting benefits, it will fool many Democrats. While the Republicons want to kill us directly The Third Way is willing to accept giving us many paper cuts. Now some will say that a thousand paper cuts is better than getting your head chopped off and I certainly agree. BUT THAT'S NOT OUR ONLY CHOICES. I want to uphold the responsibility given to us by our founders and fight for our freedoms and liberties. It is not morally acceptable IMO to look the other way when 22% of our children live in poverty.

I wish life was as simple as "D" = Goodness and "R" = Badness.

[DanTex]

2. No way! This is a total shock. Who'd a thunk?

[whatchamacallit]

3. Whatever, make sure to prostrate yourself at the party alter

[revmclaren]

4. I know...

Didn't see that co......



Just can't finish....

[pocoloco]

28. Daily Kos cartoon!! LOL

Nose up elephant ass!!
?1429127468

[revmclaren]

33. I see an arrow.

But to each ther own I guess...

[Fawke Em]

90. An arrow pointing to the RIGHT. eom

[Ferd Berfel]

94. Damn good point

Add don't let's forget it. She won't be any different....

NAFTA, GATT, WTO, ending Glass-Stegal, ending "Welfare as we know it", CAFTA, Telecommunications Act, TPP,

With Dems like these who needs republicans?

[99th_Monkey]

99. Well a least the DNC/Goldman Sacks "Democrats" are a bit more gentiel about it.

while they are exploiting the bejeebers out of We the 99%

[revmclaren]

112. Ahhhh...

The old right arrow so she must be right wing meme. Running out of original material just like a bad comedian...same things over and over and over again.You remember it though. Bern-ed right into your minds. Thats the idea of a political symbol. What is sanders icon again...oh yeh, his name in various formats, because I guess it is so forgettable?

Here is an obligatory laugh...har, har, har, har...

Happy sport, or berned out for the day?

[sabrina 1]

17. When life time Dems are turning away from the Third Way that has infiltrated the Dem Party

it isn't something to make light of. Since 2009 eg, the Dem Party has lost 10% of its registered voters, half of them now registered as Independents. THAT is the largest voting bloc in the country right now.

So you can be as sarcastic as you like, but the political landscape is changing rapidly. Young people are so disillusioined by both political parties that they are not signing up with either.

[daleanime]

24. +1

[BlueStateLib]

48. Democratic Party has lost the center

[-none]

77. They just found a new Center.

They took the place of where the Republicans were before the Republicans went bat shit crazy.

[hifiguy]

88. The current institutional Democratic Party is

substantially to the right of where the Republicans were pre-Reagan. In every way.

[truebluegreen]

102. ^this^

[HooptieWagon]

111. Absolutely true. nt

[-none]

113. OK, that too.

[kath]

116. Yep. sad but true.

[cui bono]

93. They've moved to the center. They've lost the left.

[840high]

57. +1

[cascadiance]

64. It would be interesting to compare number of Democrats in open vs. closed primary states now...

To see if the closed primary states are growing numbers of Democrats, and open primary states are losing them now.

That would be a testimony to this frustration with the base who in closed primary states are sticking with the party to help it decide the winner and perhaps get Bernie elected, even if they might otherwise want to leave it or stay with the status of not being a democratic party member if they had the choice in order to vote in the primary, whereas the open primary states will let them do so as independents or members of other parties.

Wish a journalist would study the stats on this. That would be very interesting to know at this point.

[Scootaloo]

22. How's Senator Allison Grimes working out for us?

Oh wait that's right

[avebury]

5. I changed to Indpendent a few years back but

did re-register as a Dem so that I can vote for Bernie Sanders in the primary race. After that, I will switch back.

[litlbilly]

43. My wife and I did the excact same thing. will switch back after Bernie gets elected

[Rockyj]

50. Me too!

These Neo-Liberal's Democrats are worse than the crazy GOP! WHY? Because the GOP doesn't try to hide their insanity while the Dems will look you in your eye and lie to your face! They are much more cunning & scary!

[brooklynite]

70. But why would you switch back? WHEN Sanders wins, it'll be a new Democratic Party.....

...unless you don;t think that's likely?

[JustAnotherGen]

76. +1

[avebury]

81. Living in Oklahoma any vote that is not

for a Republican candidate these days is purely symbolic.

[jeff47]

84. Unlike your caricature, actual Sanders supporters do not think he is the messiah. (nt)

[truebluegreen]

104. The party apparatus does not deserve even our perceived support

until they start supporting us.

[dpatbrown]

92. I changed to Indpendent

when many of the democrats voted to go to war, one of lies and dishonor. Those Dems made the difference. Honestly, I can't understand why more didn't leave the party, but...

If I had to return to the Dem party to vote for Senator Sanders, I would in a heartbeat. I had been a Democrat since Nixon's first term. I've been waiting for Bernie Sanders ever since.

[Skwmom]

6. I think a tipping point has been reached.

The geniuses running the party think it's a great idea to try to shove an undemocratic primary process down our throats when people are already making it known that they are fed up with politics as usual.

Plus, when you play the dirty political games against a decent guy like Bernie you risk alienating plenty of voters.

[whatchamacallit]

14. Exactly

As lame as it is desperate.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

41. This has been going on for decades.

Lets start the political revolution for someone that WE want, not someone they choose for us.

[Skwmom]

45. Yes it has, but sooner or later you reach a tipping point.

Last edited Wed Sep 9, 2015, 12:24 AM - Edit history (1)

I think this is the year.

[840high]

58. This is the year.

[DesertFlower]

7. i really don't care.

[whatchamacallit]

11. That's too bad

You ought to care about a free and open democratic process.

[DesertFlower]

31. what i meant was i don't care about how you register.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

110. I don't believe you.

You posted in this thread at least twice. You may not care much, but you did care just enough to answer.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. As a Hillary Clinton supporter I feel it is incumbent upon me to act in a exemplary fashion...

As a Hillary Clinton supporter I feel it is incumbent upon me to act in a exemplary fashion so despite our disagreements I will wish you a successful journey. God bless.

[whatchamacallit]

12. Ok

Thanks.

[840high]

59. What a nice post.

[Capn Sunshine]

9. we used to call these "goodbye Cruel world" posts

Sorry we lost you, there, bub. Last I checked no one was forcing any to do anything. What I can't force you to do most of all:

Stop believing all this conspiracy crap. It seems to me this is a clever variation on the meme "both parties are the same" which was designed in the 60's to discourage voter turnout.

[Maedhros]

13. It's not clear of what "conspiracy crap" you are speaking.

Objecting to the DNC's debate policy is not succumbing to conspiracy theory.

[RufusTFirefly]

101. Didn't you get the memo, Maedhros?

Branding something "conspiracy crap" is designed to quickly put an end to any thoughtful discussion. It works pretty well.

Shirley, you must know that by now.

[Maedhros]

108. To be honest, most posters on DU lack the ability to engage in meaningful debate.

They would rather spend their time gushing over their heroes or snarling at those who don't.

I mean, for God's sake, the same people that call us out for being "fringe" and "out of touch" spend their time making posts about Hillary's school days, her appearance on Ellen, and how she is "babysitter in chief."

Discussing actual campaign issues is "conspiracy crap."

[RufusTFirefly]

109. For some reason, I'm reminded of the Dunning-Kruger effect

That (according to that most scholarly of sources, Wikipedia) is "a cognitive bias wherein relatively unskilled individuals suffer from illusory superiority, mistakenly assessing their ability to be much higher than is accurate."

Of course, that could just as easily be referring to you and me. After all, how would we know?

[Maedhros]

115. There is another side to the Dunning-Kruger effect,

which posits that exceptionally competent and skilled individuals suffer from the opposite: mistakenly assuming their ability to be much lower than accurate.

The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.

[sabrina 1]

71. The DNC suppressing debates is not a conspiracy. They ARE doing so. They have been asked

to at least remove the exclusionary rule so that candidates can debate whenever and wherever they want without being BANNED from the DNC debates.

Are we just imagining this? I can see where it IS hard to believe, but trust me, it is NOT our imagination.

[Maedhros]

10. I quit the Party in 2010 and haven't looked back.

It's very liberating, to not have an emotional attachment to the Democrats. It lets one more objectively assess what they are doing.

[Scootaloo]

23. Makes it hard to vote in most primaries, though

Are you in an open primary state or something?

[Maedhros]

80. I'm in Oregon, so if I want to vote in a primary election I have to switch my registration.[n/t]

[appalachiablue]

15. K & R.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

16. Will you have to give back your uniform and medals? Have the tattoos removed?

Turn in your passport?

Freedom for supporters of the government only, for members of one party only, no matter how big its membership may be is, no freedom at all. Freedom is always freedom for the man who thinks differently.

Rosa Luxemburg

[Autumn]

18. I did that too. Just remember to check and see if you can still vote for Bernie if he's your choice.

I changed party affiliation after Jamie Dimon whipping votes for the Omnibus bill on the Senate floor at Obamas behest. Over 40 years a Democrat and I switched to Unaffiliated. When Bernie announced I switched back to Democrat so I can caucus for him. After Bernie I will go back to Unaffiliated. Good for you, I'm sure that this was not a decision you made lightly but a person has to do what their conscience demands.

[whatchamacallit]

19. Thanks Autumn

[Autumn]

21. When I came of age to vote my Dad took me down to register to vote, when she asked me

what party affiliation my Dad answered "Democrat of course". I really thought when I went to change it would be difficult to do and it would hurt, it didn't. This is not my Dads party and I think he would have approved.

[840high]

60. I told my daughter Grampa is turning in

his grave at what the party has become.

[Old Codger]

20. I actually

Just switched back from independent to Dem just so I could have a chance to vote for Bernie in the primary here. Overall I am pretty disappointed in the party bigwigs but needed to be able to do that ...

[ion_theory]

105. I have no hard data to back this up...

But I feel like this is going to be a bigger factor than anticipated. I've heard many, many people say they have done this, and why not honestly. I support almost all of Jill Stein's positions, but Bernie running as a Dem has a much better chance at POTUS.

[left-of-center2012]

25. I keep my party affiliation

I want to vote (for Bernie) in the closed primaries here in New Mexico

[Hydra]

26. Open primaries here

And as the party drifts further to the Right, I find myself wishing there was a Progressive or Socialist party. I was going to spearhead the movement for a People's party a few years ago, but I felt the time wasn't right.

Now, I don't think I'll have to lead for it- it will just happen organically.

[Doctor_J]

27. The party apparatchiks have decided that corporate, republican light is the way

Whether this is pragmatic or self destructive is debatable, but it sure doesn't seem from my vantage point to be working. Best of luck.

[tblue37]

44. It's good for *them* because they belong to "the club."

[Jim Lane]

29. I'm also pretty disgusted with the DNC but disaffiliating doesn't help change it.

The party apparatchiks won't be upset if all the progressives leave. That just makes it easier for them to maintain their fiefdoms.

My mere membership in the party (i.e., the affiliation recorded with my voter registration) doesn't require dues payments or get the apparatchiks any extra money. It doesn't really help them at all. The only real importance is what others have mentioned, namely the eligibility to vote in the primary.

It's in that connection that I've been thinking of going unaffiliated. In my state (New Jersey), "A registered voter currently not affiliated with a political party may declare their party affiliation up to and including Primary Election day." If, by the time of our primary in June, the Democratic contest is effectively wrapped up (for good or ill), but the elephants are still going tusk-to-tusk, I might want to become a Republican (quite temporarily) to mess with them. By then we'll have a clearer idea of who their weakest general-election candidate would be.

[tblue37]

47. In 1980 I switched to Republican so I could vote for John Anderson against

Reagan in the primary. We had a sitting president, so there was no need to vote in the Democratic primary. I was just desperate to do any small thing I could in an attempt to prevent Ronald Reagan from becoming the Republican nominee and thus perhaps the president. Afterward, I retuned my registration to "D".

[Paka]

100. Exactly the move I made.

When it didn't help, I went back to "D" right away, but after I vote for Bernie, I am considering switching to Independent. I'm fed up with the DNC shenanigans.

[Le Taz Hot]

30. I did it in 2004

and haven't looked back. I can't tell you how nice it feels to be independent and not have to swear fealty to any political party.

[ejbr]

32. 2006 or 2008 myself... n/t

[napi21]

34. It's your decision, but I think you're restricting yourself.

By registering as an independent you won't be able to vote in ANY primary. I don't know who you are supporting, but wouldn't you prefer to vote for HIM?

[L0oniX]

35. Apparently the 2014 message didn't get through.

[jfern]

36. If your state's primary is closed, then you're just encouraging them

[slipslidingaway]

38. We did that years ago, but check your state's rules at the link below ...

http://voteforbernie.org/#nh

[ibegurpard]

39. Open primary state here

I'll continue to slog away at nudging the party in the direction it used to be.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

40. Bad move. You lost your chance for a seat at the table. N/T

[svpadgham]

49. What if the menu stinks?

Is it better to eat the bullshit someone is feeding you or the soggy shit sandwich as the other option? I think if enough Dems don't like the way the leadership is doing business and leave the party, then maybe the party will figure out what needs to be done to earn our votes.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

118. And so you hand the government to thieves with no respect for government

Bad move.

[Maedhros]

97. From what I have seen over the last seven years,

the Party believes it can tell us how to think and vote, and doesn't really care what we want. We are "retards" on the "extreme left" who need to shut up and "eat our peas."

Not much of a seat to lose, frankly.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

117. I'm considering tbe masses of blue dogs in the middle of the US

They once were Democrats but are conservstives who've been brainwashed into hating what benefits them.

Bernie is building the movement, but everyone needs to vote in the primary to keep it going. Otherwise all this effort is for nothing.

[tblue37]

42. Unless you live in an open primary state, please remain registered as a Democrat,

so you can vote for Bernie or Martin in the primary. Most states do not have open primaries. (I think there are 18 open primary states.)

"List of States with Open and Closed Primaries"
https://grassrootsidgop.wordpress.com/list-of-states-with-open-and-closed-primaries/

[Jim Lane]

62. That link is unreliable.

It's "Grassroots Idaho GOP". Just from what I know I see a problem. New Jersey and New York are both listed as closed primaries but they're significantly different. In New Jersey, an unaffiliated voter can "affiliate" with a party as late as the day of the primary, by taking that party's ballot. Other states require that such a change be made at least 30 days in advance. New York is, AFAIK, the toughest of all, uniquely requiring that a change in party affiliation be made the preceding fall. (The deadline for the 2016 primary is a month from now.)

The point is that the laws are more complicated than the simple check-boxes of the Idaho GOP chart.

[tblue37]

63. Thanks for the info. I didn't know that. I will leave it up so your reply will

have a reference point and thus serve to warn others.

[Android3.14]

46. That's an useful observation.

Thank you.

[oasis]

51. To all who won't be around after Hillary's nomination

Adios.

[murielm99]

52. Buh bye.

We have seen this here before.

Yawn.

[cprise]

106. Feast on this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017224941

We've seen plenty of stuff before. The above appears to be a scene from the sci-fi series 'V', when one of the lizard aliens has her mask ripped off.

LOL

Oh, and do continue to ignore party enrollment statistics. After all, real constituents send lobbyists to your door with big checks...

[Hoppy]

53. The DNC and NJ Democratic Party send emails asking for money.

The N.J. Dems. now have the incentive to start a recall campaign against Christie. Instead, they sit on their asses and do nothing.

I won't send a thin dime to either group.

I only send money through Act Blue.

[cascadiance]

65. If they send a self-addressed envelope, return it with a bunch of rocks in it...

... or something else worthless and heavy, so they get stuck with bigger postage bills. That way, hopefully you'll get removed from their lists, and maybe with a message in it on why you don't like how they are working these days too. Perhaps that will send them a message that we're not just "accidentally" ignoring them, but ACTIVELY avoiding supporting them with a purpose!

[jeff47]

85. They get to specify the weight range of the envelope.

Too many people were taping the envelopes to bricks or something similar. So now the post office lets the sender specify a cut-off in weight.

[animalvet]

54. I think I'll do the same if Bernie's not elected as the nominee..

Will vote for Clinton if she is the nominee, then drop my party affiliation to Unaffiliated. They have to earn the votes now, not take it for granted.

Thank you for the idea.

[840high]

55. You're not alone.

[BeatleBoot]

56. You gotta do watchya' gotta do...

[OilemFirchen]

61. You could try the hackneyed "the party left me".

In which case, I'd say they made a wise choice.

[SidDithers]

66. ...

Sid

[noiretextatique]

67. I switched in the 90's

The DLC did it for me. The third way keeps me away. Still vote D most of the time, though. Ever the pragmatic Capricorn, but that may change.

[progressoid]

68. I did that at the end of the Clinton Administration.

Then came W and had to switch back to fight him.

[brooklynite]

69. I have a dinner with the Vice President tomorrow night; I'll let him know you're concerned...

[whatchamacallit]

78. Please do

and thank him for his praise and potential support of Bernie Sanders.

[JackInGreen]

72. Would that I could

It's a registrant straight party ticket up here. I don't know if we could vote for anyone not listed as independant if I switch.

[treestar]

73. How can anyone force a candidate?

They have to win the primaries. You can vote any way you want in the primaries and urge others to do so.

[whatchamacallit]

79. Come on

Do you really require another explanation of what it means to limit public exposure for candidates who don't have the mindshare Clinton does? No one is directly forcing a vote in the primary, but in a numbers game candidate awareness is paramount.

[colsohlibgal]

74. Big Money Rules The Apparatus Of Both Major Parties

It started in high gear with Bill Clinton. Talk a good game for the masses, do some decent things around the edges, but also do the bidding of the Plutocracy.

Over time it has gotten worse, it is a lot like a shell game with the democrats.

So in the end you get one far right crackpot party and one republican lite party.

Not good enough, that is why a real progressive like Bernie can find traction.

[truedelphi]

98. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ n/t

[Zorra]

83. Same here. Been a Dem for almost half a century, will be dropping

my Dem party affiliation after the GE.

The actions of DWS and her DNC have made it perfectly clear to me that this is now a matter of integrity.

[fredamae]

107. Similar here

I'll re-register as a D in time for the primary....for Bernie

It's not that I am still not a Dem in my heart...I just no longer choose to belong to the "organized corporate club for the elite" wall street Dems any longer.
I held in there steadfast and reliable every election for decade after decade after decade-I will not do "it" anymore. Period.

[brooklynite]

86. Translation: I still want to tell the Democrats who to nominate...

...while showing off my ideological purity.

[yodermon]

87. So you're a Democrat. Who's gone Underground.

nothing wrong with that.

[mountain grammy]

91. I can't bring myself to do it

despite my disgust with the DNC. I die a Democrat, of that I'm sure.

[FlatBaroque]

95. You will lose out on the leadership of the Great Debbie!!

[Spitfire of ATJ]

96. Louis Black described our two party system as a bowl of shit looking at itself in the mirror.

[ChiciB1]

114. I Would witch, But In Florida You Can't Vote In Primaries Unless

you declare a Party affiliation! Sucks!

[dreamnightwind]

119. I understand but pretty much disagree

One, we need as many primary voters for Bernie as possible (I don't know what state you're in, just a general comment by me).

Two, until (or if) we have an actual viable progressive alternative party, we should stay and fight like hell against the corporacrats who have stolen the Democratic Party from the people.

[McCamy Taylor]

120. Primary politics is for party members. YOu can vote how you will, but if you want to affect the

party you need to join the party.

[liberal_at_heart]

123. I became an independent after Obama introduced Race to the Top. Welcome.

There are more and more of us every day.