It is time the left and progressives took their party back!

[Cascadian]

I think regardless of the outcome of the Boston Convention and the November 2nd election, the time has come for new leadership in the DNC and a new direction. One that is not centrist or pro-corporation and one that is not going to capitulate against the Republicans. Those on the "Democratic wing of the Democratic Party" or the left should unite together and take on those who have taken your party to the mushy middle.

The support that Howard Dean and Dennis Kucinich received should be a rallying cry to those who want to see real change. It must not end with their respective candidacies. If Kucinich and Dean do not make it, then we should all come togther and form an organization who's goal is to return the Democratic Party back to the progressive roots and back to defend the little person. You know it and I know it that the Democratic Party is going in the wrong direction.

John

[corporatewhore]

1. Regardless of the outcome i believe the grassroots nets that were formed

from the Dean and Kucinich campaigns should still be kept intact to serve as a base for a grass roots network to further proggressive issues and challenge the DLCers

[napi21]

2. I agree, but

we must first get enough Dems elected to take back the White House and at least one section of Congress.

I don't know if I'm up to it, but I think it's just as important to elect a Dem President as it is to become the majority party again.

That second part doesn't look too good either.

[no name no slogan]

31. I think you have it backwards

IMHO, I don't think we'll be able to elect enough Dems to take back congress UNTIL we take the party back from the Corpocrats.

Even in 2002, the corporatists in charge of the DNC funneled most of the funds to centrist, apologist Democratic candidates-- most of whom went down in flames.

However, there were a number of unapologetic liberals and progressives who stuck to their guns, and consequently didn't get as much $$ from the DNC. However, most of these WON their races-- which just goes to show that we CAN win if we run Democrats who aren't afraid to be Democrats.

In order to start winning races again, we HAVE to take the party back, and use that infrastructure to support liberals and progressives. Otherwise we'll continue fighting a losing battle with the big-money corporatists who run things today.

[mot78]

3. Amen!

I hope the apolitical supporters from Dean, Clark, and Kucinich stay Democrats, and not allow the party to be continuously dominated by the DLC.

[He loved Big Brother]

6. I doubt I'll stay a Democrat

Too little spine, and there's just no place for progresives in the Dem party. :(

[mot78]

12. Don't leave

If you and other grassroots people leave, than the Repugs will ultimately win.

[Cascadian]

16. This maybe the last chance to fight back!

There MUST be a power struggle within the Democratic Party. Take back your party.


John

[roughsatori]

18. I think I'm leaving the Democratic party too

I am trying to stay a Dem until after the election--but it gets harder every day.

[Southsideirish]

25. I refuse to be "steamrollered" into voting for a candidate I don't like

or believe in - for the "good of the party".
We will never change this Democratic party unless we teach them a lesson and, of course, this year (whatever year it is) is "never" the right time to teach them because this situation is always so desperate. Yada yada yada - its always the same BS. They need to learn a lesson and 2004 is as good a time as any.

[Old and In the Way]

36. Sorta like Burger King? Have it your way?

We'll customize our Presidential candidate burger just to please you! I like mine with mustard and pickles, but I refuse to eat one that has ketchup on it!

Fast food politics, indeed.

[He loved Big Brother]

44. It's a little more serious than ketchup and mayo, I'm afraid.

Too bad other people don't think so.

[FreeperSlayer]

19. What in the hell do you know...

...about a fight? I mean, an honest to go fight? I'll be in NYC for the repug convention, and I plan, as do my brothers, to fight. In the streets. We've served.

[He loved Big Brother]

33. Protesting the Repuke convention in NYC

Does not Democratic leadership spine make.

[Union Thug]

14. Returning to the soul of the party

As lifelong Democrat, I have nonetheless been extrememly disappointed in the Democratic party. As others have much more aptly expressed, the "new" democrats' willingness to abandon the working class for the sake of their corporate contributors has left me considering registering as a Green. My feelings are that the Green party represents the heart and soul of the old school dems that my father fought so hard for. When Kucinich came forward as a candidate, I was inspired. I thought that maybe now my party will return to its values.

While Kerry is not my first choice, I realize that he is ten thousand times better than pResident Sleepy McChimp, and I will support him and the Democratic party with all that I am capable of (or whichever Dem. candidate wins the nomination). However, the Dems are at risk of losing me to the Greens if things don't change over the coming four years. I'm tired of feeling alienated by my own party.

take care,

Will

[FreeperSlayer]

4. Yawn....

..Whatever, please strive to at least land somewhere near the middle.
Regardless of how principled a posstion can be, leaning toward the outer (left or right) 10% fringe is, for want of a better phrase, a LOSING proposition.

[Cascadian]

8. Being progressive is NOT being fringe!

Don't you get it? The middle of the roaders seem to have this mindset if you do not cater to the corporations or be bold enough to go against the war or believe in universal health care, then you are on the fringe or too much of a lefty! Oh please!!


:eyes:

John

[FreeperSlayer]

17. I'm missing..

...what in the hell universal health care has to do with "fringe". We (or most of us ) know about PNAC and the war...oh pleaes!

[Southsideirish]

28. "If ye are lukewarm, I will vomit ye out of my mouth" or words to that

effect.

[Alopenia]

5. This is absurd

John Kerry has a very reliable liberal voting record in the Senate. You can make the argument that he has been more liberal than Dean. Yet, somehow that fact has been obscured by the fact that Dean is better at appearing angry at Bush.

[Paulie]

10. He is when he votes!

I can't argue there. eek!

Appealing to the center right has lost us the house and the senate. Just think about the coat tails we would get if people voted for a progressive canidate. If they punch for Dennis, they will surely be punching "D" in the other columns too!

[Cascadian]

13. If he was reliable....

WHY did he vote for the Patriot Act????

WHY did he vote for the Iraq invasion????

WHY did he vote for the Bush tax cuts????


WHY did he fail to vote on medicare?????


That's reliable????


John

[Alopenia]

22. You are taking a few votes for which he has offered excellent

reasons for making, and using them to negate 20 years of being one of the most progressive Senators. I have delineated the particulars of his voting record so many times to folks, I am tired of doing it. But I will say with confidence that WHEN Kerry gets the nomination, he will be the Demcratic Party's most liberal candidate in 20 years and possibly the most liberal the past 32 years!

[Cascadian]

24. Bottom line! He NEVER EVER should have voted for Bush's issues!

Also, he should have been in the Senate to block Bush's Medicare giveaway. He had the opportunity to rise above Bush's B.S. but he failed!'


John

[Alopenia]

26. Opposing Bush's legislation doesn't equal being a liberal

Plenty of right wingers are damned angry at Bush over the Medicare bill. Plenty are angry at him over the education bill. Voting on these things hardly undermines Kerry's liberal credentials.

[quaker bill]

27. A better definition of liberal is apparently needed as well

The man voted to protect stock brokers and investment managers from liability suits by their clients.

He is running pro-death penalty.

He voted to authorize the war on Iraq.

He voted to fund ballistic missle defense. He has voted to increase defense expenditures.

He will keep portions of the Bush tax cut that will continue to take money from the working poor to fund tax relief for the middle class.

To the extent that you are correct in the notion that Mr. Kerry is the "most liberal" candidate, it is a sad statement on the condition of the democratic party.

[Cascadian]

32. Thank you!

Those are also good points. Man. I am not feeling good about the Democrats' prospects this November. Like lemmings to the cliff.

John

[camero]

43. The bottom line in politics

What have you done for me lately?

[fujiyama]

45. He didn't...

vote for the tax cuts. He does want to keep those cuts for the middle class, which I don't think is such a bad idea.

PATROIT Act - political cowardice, that even Wellstone fell for.

IWR - He was politically cowardly, but has criticized it from the beging.

Medicare - I'll agree...he should voted against it.

You can find a few votes where he erred. I can find many more where he did the right thing such as a little know bankruptcy "reform" bill which hurts ordinary people, most others did vote for.

[lastknowngood]

15. It's not a matter of liberal it's a matter of fight Dean is not that liberal

but he is unafraid to fight the evil bastards. The DLC/DNC keeps wanting to place nice with the repugnant when were getting our asses handed to us. Get up on your hind legs and fight.

[corporatewhore]

20. he has a solid NEOLIBERAL voting record

NAFTA/GATT/IMF/WTO permant trade relations with china.....

[quaker bill]

29. Being liberal is not as simple as a few cheap votes

It is actually standing up for our values when it involves risk politically. Kerry could and did vote for nearly every environmental thing that crossed his desk. There is no risk in doing this as a Senator from MA. In fact, there would be political risk in voting any other way.

On many other issues his record is quite mixed, as the repugs will be bringing out in full color detail rather shortly.

Balancing a budget (the high crime Dean is often accused of by 'liberals') is neither liberal nor conservative. What could color this action conservative or liberal is how you choose to do it. Raising taxes on the affluent to better fund schools in economically deprived areas while balancing the budget would qualify as quite liberal.

Prefering a tax cut for the middle class that is funded by the payroll taxes taken from the working poor would be a more neo-conservative approach.

The participatory democracy that is part of a campaign that has raised the vast bulk of its money from contributors giving less than $100 each would be a liberal approach. Cutting your self a large check to float your candidacy is much more conservative.

[Old and In the Way]

37. Good talker though!

I'll take my chances with a real fighter, though...John F. Kerry. It's all about character....

[camero]

42. Not lately

Patriot Act? IWR? Ring a bell?

[lastknowngood]

7. I've been screaming that for 6 years Dean and Clark are the

way let's use them as leaders. They both speak straight and answer questions and are unafraid to attack the enemy and drive them into the sea. Let's take it back and no mercy for the DINO's and wimps, if your not ready to fight for your country then get the hell out of my party!

[blm]

9. Yes for Kucinich, but no thanks on Dean the centrist.

Dean SOLD his centrism by wrapping it in language gleaned from internet message boards.

I never saw so many lefties making excuses for centrism as much as Dean supporters did for him.

[corporatewhore]

21. I agree but you have to give hi props for his grassroots network

[cjk]

11. Had that very discussion today

while standing at a busy intersection today, holding Dean signs w/ fellow supporters. Dean and Kucinich could head up the organization, use the grassroots support they have garnered.

[Straight Shooter]

23. I changed my registration to Dem for this election

And now I'm getting close to regretting it. From the time I could vote I registered Independent, and Dean was the one who convinced me that being a Democrat is something to be proud of. But it's obvious that it's just one political power machine against the other in this country.

I would like to see a genuine third party made up of fiscally conservative Democrats and socially moderate Republicans. The abortion issue, however, will probably always be the wedge which divides.

[no name no slogan]

40. We already have that party-- It's today's Democrats

Democrats have lost so much over the last ten years because they have abandoned their populist economic agenda in favor of the "fiscal conservatism" of the DLC, the Wall Street fatcats and their money.

Bill Clinton, a fiscally conservative social moderate, did more to advance the Republican economic agenda than many past Republican presidents. His fiscally conservative administration did little to change the stratification of American society. The rich became ultrarich, the middle class hung on, and the poor continued to get poorer.

We DO NOT need another "fiscally conservative" party in this country-- we already have two. If the Democrats went back to their economic populism of the 1960s, we could not only regain our strength with "traditional" Democrats, but also get some of that 50% of Americans who no longer vote, because they don't see either party representing their interests.

[Cascadian]

46. Bill Clinton was the only one who could pull it off.

The Republican Lite act. I do not think that nobody else could do it. He was crafty and was the closest thing to a moderate Republican this country had since Eisenhower. He was not a Democrat in the liberal sense.

John

[fabius]

30. I agree. Take the party back! See Will Pitt's post on Kucinich.

As I see it Kucinich is representing the real left wing, Dean representing a broader "populist" faction, and both are representing the need for real change. Al Sharpton is representing blacks, the poor and the disenfranchised, which nobody else is really doing.

Supporters of all these candidates, keep working. Get involved in your local Democratic Party. Build your organization. My wife and I (both Dean supporters) have committed to do this over the next few years, starting with precinct committee.

If you think you can't do it, just go to your local Democratic county committe and see what a shell it is. They'll be glad to have your help, and all your liberal friends. It won't be hard to "take over" or to at least increase the liberal presence. I know this, because me and a bunch of Young Democrats became the "kingmakers" in the Pima County (AZ) Party organization within a space of two years (1982-83).

Then we got jobs, families, and gradually dropped out. But many people of my age are established, stable and have time to this. I know, because look how much time we put into the Dean campaign.

A note on primaries: This is how we're supposed to select the strongest candidate. If a majority of Democrats want to go with Kerry, I'm OK with that. I wasn't a big fan of Clinton, but voted for him both times, and don't regret it. Kerry is light-years better than Bush. And may well be an improvement on Clinton.

Still to make a "progressive" point, if Dean drops out before May, the Oregon primary, I'm still voting Dean or Kucinich. Then voting for the Democratic nominee in the fall.

[OneBlueSky]

34. fundamentally changing the party will take a long time . . .

but I think we're seeing a beginning this year . . . Howard Dean played a large part in initiating the process, imo, and he deserves our gratitude for that . . .

[Old and In the Way]

39. He'd make a great DNC chair!

Great for the Party over the next decade. He knows the power of the net, he organizes well, he has an activist core that is vital to making change happen in the Party and in the country.

I hope he'd be offered that and I hope he accepts.

[He loved Big Brother]

35. I'm beginning to wonder...

Why should progressives work so hard to "take back" a party that doesn't want us, and most likely will never want us, when there's a perfctly liberal progressive party already established that we can flock to in droves?

Just a thought I had while pondering what I'm to do after betraying my beliefs and voting for politics-as-usual in 2004.

[AP]

38. I disagree. So long as there are only two parties. Dems MUST fight for....

...the middle to win.

I just hope they do it with candidates like John Edwards rather than John Kerry.

What we really need is a change in election laws to get more third parties on the ballot. We need to allow candidates to be endorsed by more than one party, and we need to get rid of all those states laws passed since the 20s which destroyed third parties.

[DemBones DemBones]

41. It's no good having third parties that have no chance

of ever winning, is it? What's the solution for that?

[JCMach1]

47. Except for 1 shining moment in 1972 we have NEVER

been in control of the party.

We all know what happened in 1972.

Bobby Kennedy was the lone chance we had of REALLY taking over the party.

We all know what happened in 1968...

[rhite5]

48. In my ideal world there would be multiple parties ...

with fairly distict differences between them. People would join the party whose philosophy and platform comes closest to matching their own.

No single party could dominate anything, coalitions would be required to pass legislation. There would be give and take on different issues. Smaller parties would have some leverage. We would not have constant 2-party sniping or 2-party situations which can paralyze government. We would get in depth discussion of issues with many points of view instead of black and white 2-party soundbites and labeling.

That's a dream, I am afraid. It requires an entire systemic change in the way everything is done. It COULD be a goal, however.

Here are some things I believe about the current situation:

• The people who do not vote truly do not see much difference between the Rs and the Ds. Many understand what is going on better than most activists do, and they have opted out.

• If those people saw a genuine CHOICE in November, and one of those choices looked and felt like he was not part of the professional political crowd and he talked about issues that really mattered and he had plans for dealing with them that made sense --- those non-voters would come back in droves.

• It is too late now to look to the Green Party as a solution, because we need regime change NOW. After this election is over, (1) the Greens might be a good alternative, or (2)a fresh and deep split in the Democratic Party. (3)Reform of the party itself is a distant 3rd alternative. (too many vested interests).

The clearly unambiguous alternative to Bush:
Dennis Kucinich
http://www.kucinich.us