Poll For The Future: What Direction Would You Like The Party To Move?

[rucky]

Not just to win this next race & beat *. We're talking about the decisions we're making today that set the party on a long-term ideological path:

Independent, swing-voters - from the South & beyond - are moving the party closer to the center. As a result, the "liberal" wing of the party is becoming increasingly marginalized.

While this may upset how some see the party should be, political ideologies are ever-changing. Does this mark a willing shift in the party - one that matches more closely with your view of America? Or do you see this shift as a marginalization of the entire party?

Write-in Question: What direction would a win by your candidate take us?

[abburdlen]

1. Some

Most issues more to left, some to right, some right where they are

[rucky]

3. i suppose that nets out to "just the way it is"

polls will never be accurate because reality is more complicated.

[GreenArrow]

2. I voted a "lot more to the left"

which in real terms translates to: a lot more towards the center.

[corporatewhore]

4. A vote for DK will take us to the center really .....

DK is not a radical we are amongst the ranks of the barbaric nations that continue the death penalty
Countries all over europe have a sane attitude towards gay marriage decriminalisation and unversial health care(i think it is radical myself not to let people get treatment just because they cant afford it)
I think free trade is radical because it is literally giving our jobs to slaves and encourages rampant corporatism and privatisation
Dennis is not a wacko lefty

[rucky]

9. well said

people have been conditioned to think otherwise.

thanks, Newt, Rush, Ann, DLC, et al.

[iowapeacechief]

11. I support DK, and I agree. That's why I voted...

...Other. The old Left-Right-Center spectrum isn't very useful. To the extent it furthers simplistic labeling, it's counterproductive.

I wrote about Dennis and the Left label at http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=246701&mesg_id=249731

[Mairead]

24. Yes, exactly, well said! Kucinich will move us to the traditional center.

Any time someone says he's a 'fringe lefist' I know that either they're too young to know any better or more conservative than Nixon.

[AntiCoup2K4]

5. Send the DLC back to the Republican party where they belong

...and return to being the party of the people, not the corporations.

[m-jean03]

6. I waaannna Josiah Bartlett !

Mmm, *that* would be the proper direction.:-) A lot more left that is, with a great sense of humor.

[emanymton]

7. Stand Up For Social Justice!

It is simple. The future must be about PEOPLE.

The world is about greed, grief and graft. The GOP is about _money_. They know it and make no apologies about it.

For the rest of us, we can only survive as long as we take care of each other. This means joining together.

Make the choice, people or money.

[Raya]

8. More Left, but through grass-roots social/economic education

Dem party need a President like John Kerry who while being socially
acceptable to the middle will champion progressive ideas at the
grass roots and kinda give a "stamp of approval" to groups like
ADA and the League of Conservation Voters doing on the ground
organization and political re-education.

Real ideological change in the society is the only way to go. And in our country, I think we have found that the only way to do this
is within the 2 party system and through capture of the Presidential bully pulpit.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

10. Other

We need to stand up for our values but show those in America who think we are the enemy that we can work together to solve the problems we face together.

[CabalBuster]

12. Dean will reconnect the Democratic Party with its democratic soul

Our party has abandoned its soul and identity as the tourch bearer for democracy and justice and has become the party of the rich and well-connected, and Kerry perfectly personifies that: a rich man with rich connections and corporatist intentions. He's a master demagogue that will take our party further to the right where the DLC is situated. Corporations will continue to control this country, the media, the financing system and the oligarchy will continue to deceive the country by using two masks: one republican and one democrat which will alternate with elections but who's nature will remain unchanged at the core. Change is a fearsome event for these static forces and Dean represents change, Kerry represents status quo albeit with a quasi-democratic face; which can deceive those who are deeply naive or gullible.

[Taeger]

13. Renounce WTO

All democrats need to RENOUNCE WTO and NAFTA. They are sucking the jobs straight out of our nation.

This is the great issue that will deliver Democrats the presidency and both houses of congress. Otherwise, there is no true way to fiscally distinguish Republicans from Democrats.

I'm sorry, but Bill Clinton let us down on this issue. The "fruitcake" Ross Perot had it right.

Great OpEdNews Editorial

We must be willing to criticize Clinton for the mistakes that he made. It doesn't mean you hate the man, you just realize that he's not perfect. Clinton got too cozy (along with other Democrats) with the corporate movers and shakers for campaign cash. They got their ear (and campaign coffers) filled by the globalists and were hustled.

[corporatewhore]

16. thats why dks my man marched w/us in seattle and ....

as first act pull out of wto and nafta

[redqueen]

18. Hi Taeger!

Welcome to DU! :hi:

I agree with you btw, that Democrats should start acting like something resembling an opposition party with respect to these free trade agreements and the WTO (to start with, anyway). I also agree that this is the way to show Americans that there is a real difference! :)

[rucky]

19. Hey, I like this guy

Welcome to DU!

:toast:

[corporatewhore]

21. welcome to DU

:hi:

[Nederland]

14. To the Center on Economic Issues, to the Left on Social Issues

my $0.02

[IrateCitizen]

15. Unabashed progressive populism, in word AND deed

I'd like to see the Democratic Party become a TRUE party of the people. The holders of capital already have one party -- the Republicans.

If only they'd start listening more to the likes of Marcy Kaptur, Bernie Sanders (even though he isn't a Dem) and, of course, Dennis Kucinich.

[TakebackAmerica]

17. Alot more to the Left

We have to give the American public a choice. We can't be "New Democrats" any more.

No more Tweedledee and Tweedledum!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kaitykaity]

20. Other: redefine the whole spectrum.

Include the plutocrats and the oligarchs. Stop with the social and cultural warfare--we lose on those issues. Reregulating the media, doing away with off-shore tax havens--it all has to be economic.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

22. Personally, I'd like it to go waay to the left - but ya gotta be realistic

If we move too far to the left - we lose a lot of people. Once Bush is out - the Repub. Party will move more to the center again. If Jeb comes along - he is more to the center than Dubya.

[krkaufman]

23. Other: provided options are too simplistic

Socially and economically, we need to move "left" (towards a balanced concern for today's/future workers & the environment and long-term business health); from a national security perspective, though, we do need to maintain military capabilities (but the dogs need to be kept in the cage) but we need to balance military intervention with common-sense humanitarian support.

Less Darwinian economic policies, and more humanism.

[Forkboy]

25. Too late for me

I'm third party bound after 04.And to be honest I'm tempted this year quite a bit too.

[Crunchy Frog]

26. I don't think the party

is heading to the center, I think it's heading to way right of the center, by allowing the repukes to take the intiative and following their lead. I want to see our party return to the center from the right, where it has allowed itself to be dragged. I want to see it start standing up for traditional Democratic principles, and take the initiative and lead in standing up for them, rather than continuously going into appeasement mode. If they did that, people might even start to respect them enough to begin voting for them again.

I naturally think my candidate would be the best for taking the party in the correct direction.:-)

[peabody71]

27. MORE PROGRESSIVE!!!!