Reply #197: "fringe leftists" [View All]

[SerpentX]

The question was who started the meme

He started the meme. His votes on abortion doomed him. I'm not saying that to be mean, I'm saying that because that's what I really believe. As important as all the other issues are, that one is a make or break for a lot of people. Some of those people are pretty powerful and they may forgive but they don't forget.

He came in a shocking second place in the Move-on Primary- totally ignored.

Except that there's nothing really shocking about it. Move-On is an activist organization. Its like an election in your home state. The question is, why didn't he win? How did he get beat by a nobody like Dean?

He has been taking strong and determined stances against George Bush to the point of suing him on two different occasions.

He lead the opposition effort in the House of Representatives against the IWR.

And I admire him for that. But he should have stood up to Bush on the Global Gag Rule. That was a no-brainer. I view that vote the same way you view IWR. It wouldn't keep me from voting for him in the GE, but it put him out of the primary as far as I'm concerned.

Sheep? No. Suckers? Maybe

I disagree. Personally, if I've ever been politically suckered, it was my last vote for Nader. Four years of dumbellya have made me fairly cynical.

You should also take into account this question is posed from the perspective of people who have repeatedly, to the point of wishing for a gun to blow our own brains out, "I like Dennis but he can't win."

"I like Jesse, but he can't win"

"I like Jerry, but he can't win"

"I like Ralph, but he can't win"

Ok, I made the last one up, nobody actually *liked* Ralph. But I got an earful of the other two in '88 and '92. I will at least be honest enough to say "I like Dennis, but he can't win, but that's not why I'm not supporting him". As I said before, I'm not afraid of lost causes, but I'm getting pickier about them. If we were talking about Russ Feingold, I'd have a hard time deciding.

There is ample documentation that the US Government has funded and continues to pursue methods of controlling the human mind, thought process and human behavior

And there is no reproducible, scientific evidence that it has ever paid off. I expect a certain amount of foolishness from the military, having experienced it first-hand. Our representatives have to be held to a slightly higher standard.

Oh yeah...that makes me a "fringe leftist"...

If you say so. I'd suggest a "fringe Democrat", since I haven't heard you quote Trotsky yet.

I always thought people like me were welcomed and accepted at DU given that I'm also a lifelong Democrat displeased with the direction the Party has turned.

I guess having been outside the party for so long I just don't see the whole "wrong direction" thing. From Clinton to Gore to Kerry, I'd say that's a move in the right direction. Not a drastic move, but enough to bring me back for now.

My mistake

Read my last post. What part of "I apologize" was unclear? People should criticize the candidates here, including their own. I'm plenty PO'd about Kerry's dumb statement on the Massachusetts Amendment. I just think that criticism should should be fair and shouldn't sink to the level of paranoia.