A "moderate" Democrat's problem with the DLC

[mantis]

OK....I'm a middle of the road guy...kinda
left of center. I'm big on gun ownership...
believe in "small" government(not to be confused
with small services) wish my taxes were ZERO but
understand government has a role to play in our
lives and money doesn't grow on trees...it grows
from our paychecks. So make the taxes as low as
possible without harming the many great things
goverment(state and federal) can and currently
does. Big on enviroment, social security, medicare,
Dept of Ed(loans etc) coalition building when possible
and on and on.

Normally I admire the work done by the DLC because I
usually can relate to their thinking....both in policy
and strategy. HOWEVER, I am very disappointed in their
treatment of Howard Dean(and I'm no BIG fan of the
doctor). What point does coming out publicly and
"trashing" this man do for OUR(far left, left, moderate)
party? I mean come on! He has a friggin right to run...
oh and by the way...a helluva run he is having in case
anyone didn't notice. Have some class DLC...why not
go and ask Dean to sit down and talk strategy? Maybe
Dean will change a few things he is saying or whatever.
Send him some pointers in private....will Dean listen?
Probably not....but at least it is the respectable thing
to do. Dean is NOT a republican...so why the HELL is
the DLC treating him like one? They should be taking
shots at BUSH in the media...and leave the differences
behind closed doors where the two might be able to help
each other. This man might be OUR candidate...and how
wonderful it would be to see ads run by shithead with quotes
from our own DLC in them. "The American people will not
stand up for a party that doesn't stand up for itself"...
remember that line DLC? Damn assholes!

Damn, I'm one pissed moderate/DLCer etc.

!@#$%@ !!

[DemocratSinceBirth]

1. I Agree

The public trashing of Dean was gratuitous and mean spirited however many of their reservations are worth heeding

[Clete]

2. That's because you are beginning to realize like

many of us have that the purpose of the DLC is to divide the left and make us lose elections. I wish some DU'ers who have the contacts could try to find out what think tanks they are associated with and how the dots connect to the RNC and PNAC. I think it could be revealing. Right now though all we have are suspicions and no concrete facts unless there are some threads on this I missed.

[Classical_Liberal]

7. I would love to explore those connections, but I don't have

the resources to do much more than an internet search and call their offices. They have the same receptionist as AEI and the PNAC, which is pretty strange. I think the rosetta stone is a group called Democrats for National Security. A neocon sympathetic group of "Scoop Jackson Dems" that won't list their board members or founders on their website. They get alot of airtime in the media though. Donna Brazill is a member.

[Clete]

11. I don't either.

You have more connections than I do though. Thanks for the information.

[Eloriel]

13. We're on it

What every DUer and every Dem needs to know about the DLC
http://www.democraticunderground.com/cgi-bin/duforum/duboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=4443&forum=DCForumID22&archive=

The thread is a mess, with lots of links to other threads. But it's worth reading. Your instincts are impeccable, as you'll see.

Eloriel

[Clete]

16. Thanks Eloriel.

What a gold mine!

[Psychoblues99]

21. Fools gold. See how it all will cash out.

Just a polite warning.

Psychoblues

Dems Gotta Keep On Truckin'.,.,.,.,.,.,.,,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,,.,.,.,,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,..,,.,..,,..,.,.,.,.,.,..,,

[Clete]

28. Yes, and may the real fools be exposed.

[CWebster]

3. No truer words

'Dean is NOT a republican...so why the HELL is
the DLC treating him like one? They should be taking
shots at BUSH in the media..."

[shirlden]

4. I can say Amen

I may be a bit left of middle, but you are so right about the DLC.

:kick:

[Armstead]

5. You're not a moderate by their standards

You may think of yourself as moderate, but you're a raging liberal loony if you believe openly in government services.

The small government "no taxes" and the otehr things are not confined to centrists. We all want out cake and eat it too.

It's more a matter of seeing a role for government and the public sector and defending it. That's what a liberal does -- whether moderate or more left.

That's not what the centrists are. They are moderate Republicans. There is a difference.

[unfrigginreal]

6. Screw 'em!

On that point anyway. I'm a middle of the roader too and I think that Dean will make a great candidate. Just because I disagree with the DLC on this point doesn't mean that they're useless. They're fallible, like all of the other segments of our party, from time to time.

I also think the DLC is going to warm to Dean when they realize that he has THE BEST CHANCE of everyone that has announced so far. I hope our friends on the left do the same. Do you think they will?

[ThorsteinVeblen]

8. Hear, hear.

This moderate is pissed at their inability to lead, pissed at their inability to frame the issues, pissed at their wishy-washiness, pissed at their lack of fortitude and fight, pissed at their lack of fundamental values, pissed at the fact that they roll over everytime Rove say so, pissed at the cowardice they displayed in supporting a war that is hurting America and making us less safe, pissed at their lack of vision for this country domestically and in the international community.

Pissed, I tell you, pissed.

[tom_paine]

9. Another moderate who's with you on this one

I've been saying much the same thing.

These assholes take page after page off the Repug's Filthy Goebbels v2.0 Playbook and flagellate the Party Base with it.

Guess it's easier than attacking the Right-Wing Scream Machine.

With friends like those, we might as well get ready for the Gulags.

:puke: :puke: :puke:

[whoYaCallinAlib]

10. Great points . . . but the DLC truly wants to WIN.

I don't buy this shit about the DLC wanting to divide the left and lose. They KNOW the left will always vote democratic. True, they take the left for granted but they know they won't vote republican. Just like the blacks . . . the DLC KNOWS 91% are going to vote democratic . . . period. So, their theory is to run from the middle and get as many moderates and independents as possible to go with the lefty vote. That is how they plan on WINNING in '04.

However, I do agree somewhat with your point that they should not be bashing Dean. They don't have to help him but they shouldn't bash him.

[ThorsteinVeblen]

12. "That is how they plan on WINNING in '04."

And that is EXACTLY HOW THEY LOST 2002.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

17. We Lost In 2002

cuz Chimpy cleverly made it a referendum on his conduct in the war on terrorism and not on the economy.

We can say we have a better chance of being killed by a meteor than being killed by a terrorist.

We can say that Chimpy is doing a lousy job in protecting us.

But unless and until we disabuse the majority of Americans that Chimpy is protecting us from a real threat we're fucked.

[ThorsteinVeblen]

19. No, we lost in 2002

because the DLC was too incomptent and wishy washy to counter Roves political attack.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

23. How Would You Have Countered His Attacks?

[Classical_Liberal]

25. By pointing out how terrorism is worsened by Bush's policy

of "Creative Destruction" in the middle east by creating chaotic environs where terrorist thrive, and by confirming middle eastern stereotypes about Americans.

[Classical_Liberal]

20. and by agreeing with Bush on National Security

and only addressing the econmy the dlc gave him that issue.

[salin]

22. exactly. I don't think they are "trying to lose" - its just that their

strategy... bites! Worse yet, they didn't regroup and analyze the WHY things went badly in 2002 - so they are advocating the same strategy. Arrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhh!

[Psychoblues99]

14. Like most moderates, you are just inexperienced.

This time next year, the DLC just might be shouting the accolades of John Dean to the mountaintops or John may be shouting the accolades of the DLC. Maybe Rush is correct when he states that liberals are shallowminded and can't think past right now? Nay,.......... just can't be true.

Psychoblues

Dems Gotta Keep On Truckin'.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,..,.,...,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,..,,.,,,.

[Classical_Liberal]

18. He is not inexperienced. He is the wrong kind of moderate.

The DLC is a neocon propnac org, than embraces antigun control, suburban moderates.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

24. I Thought Dean Was Opposed To Gun Control

Why are not the DLCer's embracing him


Dean also has the fiscal conservatism , ala the late Paul Tsongas that appeals to the wine and cheese set.

Why is not the DLC embracing him?


Them folks in Washington are too smart for this good ole boy to figger out.

[Classical_Liberal]

27. The DLC embraces gun control. I didn't edit it in time.

but i think they have become a neocon organization really, and that is the real reason they are pissed off at Dean.

[GOPBasher]

15. You're absolutely right

I've been really pissed at the DLC since they attacked Dean. And I once loved the DLC; I've always been a huge Clintonite. But now they've gone too far.

[election_2004]

26. here's why...

Al From wants Joe Lieberman as the nominee.

End of story.