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Edited on Mon Aug-20-07 03:21 PM by Exiled in America
It's not even remotely complicated. In fact, its quite simple.
The key to a strong party is for its members to remain committed to its core principles and demand - at all costs - accountability from the party's elected officials.
It is short term, narrow minded thinking to be afraid to hold party leadership and elected representatives accountable for fear that it might result in a loss of party power. Sometimes it will result in a short term loss of party power. However, in the long term it is the only way to maintain a party with any power at all.
The idea of "party loyalty" must be loyalty to core principles, not persons, be they party leaders or elected representatives. When a person betrays those principles, he or she betrays the trust given to them by the people. Those persons should be replaced.
When the party strays very far from its principles, as the Democratic Party has done for years under the wilting pressure from conservatives attacking those principles from within, it becomes weak and ineffective. We've lived under this for too many years, while apologists cry that if we ever take a stand and stop voting for weak, ineffective, bought-and-paid-for, closet conservative pieces of crap, we would be "hurting the party" or ensuring a Republican victory.
There are worse things in life than a short term Republican gain. Like a long term Democratic failure. After a decade of Republican control over most of government, Democrats finally had the chance to make a stand. The fact that they have not done so (the congressional leadership and enough "blue dog" democrats) is why ultimately this opportunity to reestablish long term democratic control will be squandered. The best thing that could possibly happen for this country and this party is for democrats to start having principles rather than just doing anything and supporting anyone with a "D" after their name in order to "win."
What exactly is won when we do that? Nothing. Sometimes "disciplining" the party in order to create necessary course corrections to stay on principle means suffering an election cycle where the other guys win. I'm sorry, but that's how politics works. If you don't like it, sit down, shut up and sit on the sidelines... and to borrow a phrase, let the "adults" be in charge. Winning at all cost gets you next to nothing. Voting for any democratic simply for sake of party "loyalty" gets you ineffective, compromising, cowering, pathetic representatives who take YOUR philosophy (simply winning at all cost) and make it THIER philosophy (not every doing what's right and simply trying to win reelection.)
The only option for a better long term future of this country and for the party is to demand accountability from elected representatives.
First, we need to come to a consensus on that the core principles of the party actually are. Everyone always talks about the "big tent” of the party. But if there are no lines of distinction between this party and any other party – if every point of view is “supported” then there is no party in the first place. We need to come to agreement on what the essential principles of the party on, and then maintain freedom in the non-essentials.
Second, you then demand accountability from the people you elect and from the leadership of the party. When elected representatives betray essential party principles, you refuse to vote for them again. Ideally you ensure than someone else wins the democratic nomination. But if they are the candidate for reelection, you don’t vote for them. You don’t vote for people who don’t uphold the principles of the party of the reason they were elected in the first place.
YES, this man mean in the SHORT run that the other party wins the election instead. Sometimes it could even mean turning congressional control over to the other Party. And in the short term, that’s a sad thing that can potentially mean hard times for real families. But that’s the price you pay. It’s aint all pretty flowers. In the LONG run, you fill the party with strong leaders, people of principle and courage, people who care more about doing what is right for the country and the party than they do about their own careers. And when you do that, you can guarantee that the party WILL come to power again, and when it does, it will KEEP power longer, be more effective, and do more to aid the wonderful people of this country.
In 2008, if I had the ability for vote for all Democratic Congressmen, I would not vote for a single one that vote to approve the war appropriations bill. That act needlessly signed the death warrants of countless American men and women and innocent Iraqi civilians. I would not vote for a single Democrat that voted for the enhanced surveillance powers or the leadership that capitulated with the administration to give them what they wanted. That was an outright betrayal of the Constitution of the United States of America. I would hope that a better, more courageous democrat would win the nomination. But if not, then when a Republican replaces a worthless Democrat “in name only” the message can be sent loud and clear to the leadership of the party, “we will not tolerate democratic party representatives that betray the parties core principles. We would rather LOSE than win by STANDING FOR NOTHING or by adopting the policies of our opponents!
That’s how you win in the long run ….. you have to be willing to lose in the short run, if that’s what standing up for what’s right means.
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