If someone besides Edwards gets the nomination...

[FlyingSquirrel]

Is the setting right for a change in the two-party domination of this country? It's happened before. If Edwards does not win the nomination, I'm looking at a Republican Party that's shifted so far to the right that it's on the end of the teeter-totter. I'm looking at a Democratic Party that's slid almost to the center. The rest of us are on the other end, helpless and dangling in the air. So....

If Edwards does not get the nomination, should he:

[bigwillq]

1. Concede and support the nominee

that's what they all should do if they fail to win the nomination.

[FlyingSquirrel]

5. There's a difference this time around

This time around, one of them is a world apart from the rest of them in terms of ideology. This time around there's someone who has a chance to REALLY change the stranglehold that the corporations have on the rest of us.

[Caseman]

2. Anyone running Independent would just hurt the party...

...Where's the good in that?

[rwenos]

3. What Else?

An independent run elects a FUCKING REPUBLICAN.

Have we learned nothing from the Nader fiasco in 2000?!?

[Mojambo]

4. Our system can't abide more than two parties. It just can't

Sucks. Totally fucking sucks. Blows incredibly hard.

But it's true.

Gotta stick around and try and whip the corporatists out of the Democratic party. I'm sure JRE will.

[AndyTiedye]

6. A 3rd Party Run Would Result in PRESIDENT HUCKABEE

Nothing the corporatists could do to us would be nearly as bad as that!

[onehandle]

7. This is DEMOCRATIC Underground.

Edwards is a Democrat.

[FlyingSquirrel]

8. This is a DEMOCRATIC country.

And DEMOCRATIC ideals can be supported by an Independent just as much as they can be supported by a party which is officially named the Democratic Party.

Should we stifle all dissent on DU against any member of the Democratic Party who does not stand up for what we feel should be its values? Such as the many threads attacking Nancy Pelosi for not standing up for the U.S. Constitution?

Does the word "Democratic" in Democratic Underground specifically refer to the Democratic Party as such or does it refer to Democratic ideals? What about the constant negativity toward the "Democratic Leadership Council"? Should that be disallowed as well?

Ok, maybe I'm just going off the deep end here 'cause I'm so disappointed. And obviously I don't want Edwards to split the Dem vote and give us President Huckabee or Romney. But putting that aside - in a fantasy world where you had a choice between an Independent President Edwards and a Democratic Congress, or a Democratic President Obama and a Democratic Congress - which would be better for the country and for the ideals that the Democratic Party supposedly still stands for?