Who and where is the power of the Democratic Party?

[tinanator]

Serious question, thanks!

[leyton]

1. Hmmm...

Well, the most powerful people in the party are probably John Kerry, Nancy Pelosi, and Tom Daschle, the former because he now shapes our image, the latter two because though we don't see everything they do, I think they probably still do a lot.

People here complain about the DNC and the DLC. I really don't see them as having much power. Maybe the DLC has moved the party to the right, but could that have not been Bill Clinton alone? He's now taken a backseat to the up-and-coming Dems of this decade. As for the DNC... I've never heard anyone make a persuasive case as for why they have power.

[lastknowngood]

2. Those are the figureheads the power is in the DLC/DNC money

manipulators. The party has been bought outright by corporate interests.

[JohnKleeb]

6. Pelosi is DLC?

I didnt know that, I do know for a fact shes a member of the progressive caucus.

[leyton]

11. But see to me, that's just a broad statement.

I mean no personal offense, but people here post that all the time, and if I question it, I'm called a sheeple. But saying it don't make it so.

[Mairead]

19. They don't have much power? Who do you think decided

to 'front-load' the primaries, and require 15% for delegates? Both of those decisions serve the interests of the incumbents and thus work to maintain the status quo.

[mdmc]

3. between Bill's legs

thank you everyone, and goodnight! I'll be here all week.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

4. The people in this crowd

and the millions of people all across the United State who have HAD ENOUGH of Bush and his Republican helpmates.

The people, the voters - they are the power of the Democratic party.

[David Dunham]

5. It's the people who voted in primaries that chose Kerry.

[IckiIckiPooPoo]

7. Had me there for a moment

until I saw the big Kerry poster. Dead giveaway. If it were a Dean or Edwards or Kucinich rally I might have thought differently.

The DNC has power because they set the primary schedules. The DLC because of the Clinton influence. Kerry, Pelosi et al because of years and years of peddling influence.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

8. Welcome to DU

I am glad to see you are so adamantly opposed to Bush. What do you think we should do in order to defeat him?

[IckiIckiPooPoo]

10. vote our conscience

and never let anybody shut us up, even people who have delusions of power and control the means of communication.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

15. What does your conscience tell you?

Of course you should vote your conscience. What I want to know is what your conscience tells you. What do you stand for? Rather than someone telling you to shut up, someone is asking you to speak your mind. Let's hear it.

[JohnKleeb]

9. yes thats why the Clintons and McAulife were big fans of Clark

;) and why the media said Kerry was dead in the campaign 2 months ago.

[newyawker99]

18. Hi IckiIckiPooPoo!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[DoNotRefill]

12. Just a guess....

that it's NOT the Grassroots...

[usregimechange]

13. Right here it is

:kick:

[Duder]

14. Follow the money...

Robert B. Reich's Locked in the Cabinet recreated an observation by the chair of the House Budget Committee, that described how the Democratic Party became a victim: "We're owned by them. Business. That's where the campaign money comes from now. In the 1980s we gave up on the little guys. We started drinking from the same trough as the Republicans. We figured business would have to pay up because we had the power on the Hill....We were right. But we didn't realize we were giving them power over us."

Jim Hightower in There's Nothing in the Middle of the Road But Yellow Stripes and Dead Armadillos credits Clinton with "formally and publicly wedding the party of the people' to the bigamist corporate powers that had long ago tied the knot with the GOP."

[Duck90MPH]

16. It used to be Bill Clinton and may still be

If Kerry takes the GE then it becomes his. It has always been this way.

[rucky]

17. Democratic Underground, of course!

oh...you said serious.

I'll go with the corporate thang.

[tinanator]

20. thanks for all the response!

seriously. anybody else?

[lams712]

21. The DLC/DNC via the corporate $$$$$$$$$$$. n/t