The White Flag of Surrender flies over the White House

[AnArmyVeteran]

The White Flag of Surrender flies over the White House
Everyone likes to see a visual display of someone going to bat for another. What the electorate saw was constant compromise for the past two years, compromise with the very people who brought our country to the verge of collapse. 

People will always support someone who they perceive is fighting for them, and conversely, if they don't, they stay at home. When a leader gives-in to the very people who are trying to hurt Americans and our country and then not getting a single vote in return doesn't inspire others to continue to support that person or his political party. Those kind of actions rip the heart out of the millions of people who worked tirelessly to get their leaders elected only to see them turn their backs on the people. 

It's not complicated, but for some unknown reason democratic leadership failed to see the ramifications of their actions. For voters to remain loyal to an officeholder, officeholders need to remain loyal to the people who put them in office. On election day we saw what happens when leaders thought more about appeasing the republican enemy than doing what was right for the people and our country. 

Democratic leaders bent, broke and caved constantly to their corporate-owned republican enemy and the price for their actions will be paid by us, the people who entrusted them to represent the average, hard working Americans. 

We had the house, the senate and the presidency, but most of the time you would have never realized that because democrats, either due to weakness, timidity or by blatantly selling out to the same corporate owners republicans are slaves to, failed to represent the people who put them into office. 

We had a two year window to make dramatic changes to our country and most of that time was squandered. Now that window is closed and barricaded with the president even promising to compromise even further with the republican enemy, the same enemy who has publicly vowed to destroy him. 

During a time when we needed strength, decisiveness and leadership we were given compromise after compromise. Because of it the enemy has won. Absolutely nothing of any consequence to help the American people will be done in the next two years. Nothing will be done to stop the flood of corrupt, anonymous and even foreign money from corrupting our political process even more. 

President Obama had a golden opportunity to be bold, be strong and to lead, but he chose the path of compromise. Obama's flag of bipartisanship might as well have been a white flag of surrender. 


In TS Eliot's 'The Hollow Man' he wrote This is the way the world ends, not with a bang but a whimper'. Just substitute the word 'world' with 'country' and it aptly describes the past two years. We saw no bang, but rather leaderless whimpering.

[ProSense]

1. Good grief with this crap already. The

Dems didn't turnout

People need to vote. The President only has one.

[The Wielding Truth]

3. We still have 2/3 of the government. We need to make it work.

[ProSense]

8. Yes,

we do.

So why is it that some people appear ready to join the Republican mind-fuck?

[ChairmanAgnostic]

12. not the USSC. Not the house.

The senate? It depends on Ben Nelson, and a couple of others.

The White House? Well possibly, now that Rahm is gone.

[TornadoTN]

7. I wonder why Dems didn't turn out?

I heard today that 29 million registered Democrats didn't even bother to vote this year after having voted in 2008. Could it be that they were busy? Or perhaps they were just so uninspired, disgusted with, and just plain disappointed with the crap that has come out of Washington for 2 years and being championed by our supposed "Hope" and "Change" President?


Cause & Effect.

[ProSense]

14. Who knows,

but was it smart?

[TornadoTN]

21. Of course it's never a smart thing to not vote

But I suspect that even if they did, the outcome would have been the same, perhaps worse. At the very least, there would have been a huge uptick in write-ins.

[ProSense]

24. Oh brother. n/t

[ProfessorGAC]

44. You Really Gonna Stick With That?

It's flimsy logic fully unsupported by historical fact.

And, you're willing to stand by that statement?

I hope not.
GAC

[Occulus]

139. I'm not so certain we can rely on election history as a predictor anymore

There are factors at play today that weren't in place in the past, Citizens United being one of the largest. Cell phone use (and, often, pollsters' apparent inability to poll cellphone and smartphone users) is another factor that will have an ever-increasing effect on how elections are decided.

There's a sea change in progress. Expect chaos.

[Name removed]

32. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProSense]

34. It's my opinion

Got a problem with that?

Anyone who decides not to vote as punishment is a fucking idiot.

[Goblinmonger]

42. So the leadership has no culpability for not giving them a reason to vote.

I believe a lot of people felt like they came out to vote 2 years ago and it didn't matter. They voted for change and got none. They voted for hope and saw that the Dems did everything they could to give the Republicans what they wanted. I have never missed an election in 26 years and I felt like I didn't want to vote. If I wasn't voting for Feingold, I may have stayed home. It's not punishment that they are not voting for, it's "who fucking cares you're not going to do anything anyway" and that is firmly on the leadership, not the non-voters.

[nadinbrzezinski]

52. I went out to keep Whitman and fiorina out

Not because I was excited about the compromise...

[ProSense]

66. Millions of people found a reason to vote

If you couldn't find one, that's on you, especially if you're going to complain about the outcome.

[Goblinmonger]

75. I voted.

Haven't missed an election in the 26 years I could vote. And people can complain about what they people they elected in 2008 did or did not do.

[ProSense]

89. Well

"And people can complain about what they people they elected in 2008 did or did not do. "

...people who didn't vote in 2010 can't complain about the outcome. It's that damn simple.

[AnArmyVeteran]

144. Exactly, and I'm sure others with just a tad less enthusiasm stayed home.

When people realize their leaders aren't fighting for them they have no reason to continue to support them. This election wasn't lost because of Faux, right wing radio and propaganda. It was lost because democratic leadership turned their backs on the millions who worked their asses off to get them elected in 2008. Obama needs to ERASE the word 'compromise' from his mind and learn how to fight. If he caves to republicans on tax cuts for the richest 2% Obama will have completely dug his political grave. He will lose any remaining supporters he still has.

[MineralMan]

48. But stating an opinion is allowed, right, in your ideal world?

Eh?

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProSense]

38. Like I said:

Live with it.

No vote, you get what you deserve.

Anyone stupid enough to not vote based on an Internet discussion board deserves Republicans.

[Goblinmonger]

43. Any any leadership that can't give people a reason to come voter for them

needs to live with it and they got what they deserve.

[ProSense]

49. You think the leadership is going to be punished?

Really?

That logic for voting sucks, ask the people of NJ.

[Goblinmonger]

62. I'm just extending your attitude.

Stop bitching about it. The people that came out to vote in 2008 felt no reason to come out to vote in 2010. That's on the leadership. Republicans stirred up reasons to come out and vote. Batshitcrazy ones, but reasons nonetheless. Dems could have worked on that. Could have acted like they were actually fighting the fight.

[ProSense]

68. "Stop bitching about it."

Didn't vote? "Stop bitching" about the outcome.

[Goblinmonger]

76. Voted. Still bitching.

Even by your twisted logic I get to complain.

[ProSense]

79. Evidently, but

here is what I said: "Didn't vote? "Stop bitching" about the outcome."

[jgraz]

98. Whenever anyone accuses "The Left" of not voting, I ask them how much they donated this year

Without exception, I hear crickets.

[bobbolink]

106. That is such straight-forward logic and it is tragic that it escapes so many of the party faithful.

One can only wonder what it will take for the majority to wake up to the reality of politics.

Meet peoples' needs and they will vote for you.

Quite simple.

[bvar22]

125. Absolutely Agree.

The Primary Role of LEADERSHIP is to motivate the troops.
If the troops are NOT motivated, it is a FAILURE of LEADERSHIP,
NOT a failure of the troops.

If Leadership has the honesty, fortitude, and insight to address their failure, recovery is possible.
Blaming the troops provides NO avenue for accountability, growth, recovery, or change.

[bobbolink]

127. You have said that so clearly. It is such a basic truth... how amazing that it isn't understood.

Maybe if Obama had had to be in the military himself, that basic truth would have been clear to him.

Sadly, I think all the money to be made obscures the truth.

Thank you for putting it so well. I will definitely remember those words. :hi:

[sendero]

137. Yes Obama...

.. is about to find out the consequences of trying to appease a snake. The house will now be instigating investigation after investigation, it will be Clinton Part II.

And I don't have an OUNCE of sympathy for Obama, HE MADE HIS BED.

[Marr]

47. I'm talking about your casual disinterest in the explanation for the low voter turnout,

not magical political karma.

Why don't you care? You just spent two years assuring everyone that the team was doing a bang-up job, that everyone should just relax and trust the leadership, that they were taking the adult, wise course politically, etc.

[TornadoTN]

94. "Playing 11 Dimensional Chess" was my favorite reason that was given for poor performance

I saw somewhere yesterday where someone equated Tuesday to the guy playing "11 Dimensional Chess" getting brutally beat down by a kid playing checkers.

[Occulus]

140. If I imagine Ignored is a Republican,

everything you just said makes perfect sense.

That may not be the reason it makes sense, of course, but it's the disease that most fits the symptoms.

[Bluebear]

112. 'unconvincing spin and blue links'

So that's who ignored is lol!

[Lorien]

122. +1,000

people like that one are directly responsible for these midterm results.

[bvar22]

129. Conservatives, Reagan Democrats, the RICH,

de-regulators, Free Traders, Unitary Executive supporters, the MIC, the armaments industry,
Health Insurance Cartel, Wall Street, and "Democrats" making a living in these industries....they can adopt an "Oh well" stance knowing that their asses are protected no matter WHO is running the show.


For Working Class Democrats, this administration and the 2010 elections are a kick in the stomach,
as was Obama's We'll start compromising with Republicans speech yesterday.

[krispos42]

134. Voting is a reaction, not an action

No, it wasn't smart to not vote. But it also wasn't smart for the Congressional Dems to do perform in such a way that the reaction to their action was apathy.

[TBF]

142. "Who knows"? LOL

OK, you can spin it that way but the rest of us know it's the economy.

[GOTV]

26. Because no case was made that more Dems would help ...

... an administration who spent two years trying to appease the Republican minority. They said for two years, up until the very end, that they were getting 90% of what they wanted. If the Dems are already getting 90% of what they wanted do we really need to get more Dems in there to get what? 92%?

What they didn't say for two years is "Help, these conservatives are preventing real progress. We can only get 20% of what we want until we get rid of these obstructionist conservatives."

[ProSense]

45. "What they didn't say for two years is 'Help, these conservatives are preventing real progress...'"

Democrats needed to be told that Conservatives were preventing progress and that lunatics should be prevented from being elected?

You have got to be kidding?

For all the shit Harry Reid gets, at least the people of Nevada recognized that bat shit crazy wasn't an option.

[GOTV]

64. I am not kidding and the results support me ...

... the voters are hearing on the news that Obama and the Dems were just thrilled with all the new bills they've passed. Obama would only admit to about a 10% loss through working with Republicans.

You must think voters are reading all the bills and checking the vote tallies. They know these things:

1 Dems are in charge
2 Dems are happy with their progress
3 The economy sucks

If that's all you know it's not clear that more Dems will help.

But continue to "stay the course" if you think it was so successful.

[ProSense]

86. The results support Republicans too.

Woo hoo!

[TornadoTN]

96. The biggest issue is that "we got 90% of what we wanted"

When we look closer at that 90% we see a big, giant red flag waving in our face indicating that most of what we "got" was watered down garbage legislation intended to appease the same corporate powers and Republican party who got us in this mess.

Oh boy, can't wait to compromise even more!!!!!

[GOTV]

116. Exactly! There were huge compromises in all this legislation that Obama would not call out...

... He kept saying 90%, 90%, 90% which means he can't really have had much trouble with the GOP. Truth is we got like 40% and couldn't do better because of the GOP and conservative Dems and if the Obama admin and the Dems had said that everyday since the first bill, people might have been mad at the GOP.

[sendero]

138. Placebo trophy legislation...

... overly complex by orders of magnitude (to make it easy for banks and insurance companies to find the loopholes, and to amplify the law of unintended consequences by 10) when simple, straightforward laws, like Glass Stegall and Public Option would have done far more with less risk and better results.

Looking at the health care bill is a real exercise. NOBODY CAN POSSIBLY UNDERSTAND what the zillions of provisions of this bill WILL ACTUALLY DO. It's a farce.

[struggle4progress]

128. Because we didn't ring enough doorbells or make enough phone calls

[derby378]

If the Dems didn't turn out, Obama and his cronies only have themselves to blame

They need to find a way to re-energize the Democrats, and not with the same old canards they've been using for the past two years.

[ProSense]

19. Sure.

Republicans can get excited for a bunch of lunatics, but Dems need a reason to vote. And the reason to vote for their Senators, members of Congress and state and local legislators is the President.

Was this part of the punishment?

[GOTV]

28. Exactly, the lunatics provided a reason. The Dems need a reason too ...

... and it's OK if the Dems reasons are actually accurate.

[ProSense]

31. "Exactly, the lunatics provided a reason. "

That should have been enough reason for Democrats, but hey, they're smarter than that.

[GOTV]

53. Shoud'a could'a would'a - now you know it's not. Are you ready to make some adjustments?

Or is it still "stay the course" and we'll talk again after we lose the Senate?

[ProSense]

61. I

voted.

Anyone who didn't, chose not to make their voice heard.

And to the argument that they actually did, they said: We reject Democrats and can live with Republicans.

Live with it.

[GOTV]

69. I voted too. We lost. Are you ready to make adjustments? Or is it "stay the course"?

[ProSense]

85. Make adjustments to what

accept the fucked up point of view that Democrats are no different from Republicans?

No, I'm not. Are those who are complaining that we're screwed who didn't vote ready to accept their role in helping the Republicans win?

Are those who see no difference between Democrats and Republicans ready to accept that there is a difference?

If not, what are you complaining about? Nothing has changed, by that logic.

[GOTV]

95. Make adjustments to what you'll accept from the Omana admin over the next two years

>accept the fucked up point of view that Democrats are no different from Republicans?

No, accept that the behavior of Obama and the Dems, which you've championed, needs to change.

>No, I'm not.

Then I hope your righteousness will console you as we all continue to lose

>Are those who see no difference between Democrats and
>Republicans ready to accept that there is a difference?

If you want us to believe, simultaneously, that we got 90% of what we wanted AND the GOP has been a terrible impediment you're going to lose. It's a ridiculous argument.

If you and I played basketball and I got 90 points and you got 10 then you were no match for me. You could not stop me. And I don't need more members on my team to beat you again and again and again.

The truth is we got much less than the 90% we wanted and the GOP got in the way all the time. But you wouldn't know that listening to Obama.

[ProSense]

100. What?

"No, accept that the behavior of Obama and the Dems, which you've championed, needs to change."

What gave you the impression that I want Obama's agenda changed? In case you got the wrong impression, here.

"Then I hope your righteousness will console you as we all continue to lose."

Yeah, it will be my fault because I don't agree with you.

Oh brother.

[GOTV]

111. Umm, what I said means the exact opposite of how you took it...

.... You think the behavior of the last two years is great. I think the election results shows that it's not.

You want the same behavior - expect the same results in two years.

>Yeah, it will be my fault because I don't agree with you.

As much as it could be anyone's fault on a message board. You could advocate for change or you could advocate for stay the course. If you advocate for change you could help prevent heavy losses in 2012. If you will continue to stay the course you will help continue the heavy losses.

[NYC Liberal]

40. Nope, anyone who didn't turn out has themselves to blame,

and nobody else. They can blame Obama all they want. They are the ones who refused to get up off their asses and vote. So they can go fuck themselves. Voting should not be dependent on feelings of how "energetic" one leader is. It should be done because it is the most important, most direct way to influence the government and the country.

[Goblinmonger]

51. So if someone votes for a person

and that person does nothing that they promised they would do, it is the voter's fault for not feeling like they should vote for that person again? The politician has no blame in this? That's crap. The Dem leadership can go fuck themselves. They can go fuck themselves for letting Alito on the bench and not doing a goddamned thing to stop it. They can go fuck themselves for letting the Republicans have their way with far less than 60 votes in the Senate and then coming back with 59 votes and shrugging their shoulders and saying "what can we do...they might filibuster." They can go fuck themselves for caving in to damn near everything on health care.

[NYC Liberal]

74. No.

Quote

So if someone votes for a person and that person does nothing that they promised they would do, it is the voter's fault for not feeling like they should vote for that person again?

It is the voter's fault for staying home. Don't like the Democrat or the Republican? Write in someone else. Vote for a third party. Vote for the candidate you do like. You say writing in or voting for a third party candidate helps the Republicans? So does staying home - clearly. Any Democrat who stayed home this election made a conscious choice to support the Republicans, end of story. They knew what was at stake and they sat on their lazy asses and did nothing, while allowing the Republicans to roll right in.

Quote

The politician has no blame in this? That's crap.

And who elected the Republicans? It wasn't the Democratic leadership. It wasn't the Democratic voters. It was the lazy assholes who decided that this election was so unimportant that they were just going to sit at home, probably writing long rants on the internet about how everything is terrible and why can't it be different.

Quote

The Dem leadership can go fuck themselves. They can go fuck themselves for letting Alito on the bench and not doing a goddamned thing to stop it. They can go fuck themselves for letting the Republicans have their way with far less than 60 votes in the Senate and then coming back with 59 votes and shrugging their shoulders and saying "what can we do...they might filibuster." They can go fuck themselves for caving in to damn near everything on health care.

I hope the non-voters are happy then, because they just helped hand control of Congress to the Republicans. That was their choice. You don't like what we got with the Democrats? I can guaran-fucking-tee you that you really won't like what we get with Republicans in charge. This "Let's let Republicans win so people will see how bad they are and then they'll vote for more liberal candidates" was tried in 2000. It was an unmitigated disaster that led to the worst 8 year period in this country's history. But let's try it again because it worked so well the first time.

[treestar]

92. No, those voters have themselves to blame

Why do they need to be so energized? If they did not vote, what they want is not relevant, is it?

If they do not have the energy to care, why should the politicians, elected by other people, care?

This shooting oneself in the foot is hilarious.

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProSense]

35. Then live with it.

No vote, you get what you deserve.

[derby378]

56. Hey, at least I voted...

...and I voted straight Democratic, if anyone's interested. I also served as an election judge.

When our elected Democrats start acting like Republicans, however, the solution is not to replace them with actual Republicans - it's to take back our own party from those who preach compromise and apostasy. Keeping a Democratic majority in the House would have been a good first step.

[GOTV]

18. Yes, Dems did not turn out but that doesn't refute the OP ...

... and I hope there's more of this crap until Obama and the remaining Dems hear it, learn it and start living it.

The last two years they did it your way and you see the result. All the differences between you and others here has been all theories and hypotheticals - until now.

[nadinbrzezinski]

23. Why didn't they turn out?

Re-read the OP and try to understand it.

I hate pugs, but at least they fight. I really hate them, but people will listen to McConnel and even respect him for that crap.

[ProSense]

25. Because

Democrats are smarter than Republicans.

Republicans can get excited for a bunch of lunatics, but Dems need a reason to vote. And the reason to vote for their Senators, members of Congress and state and local legislators is the President.

Was this part of the punishment?

[nadinbrzezinski]

27. I guess you cannot get it

Americans RESPECT fighters, even if they're blowhards. Yes it is that simple!!!!

[ProSense]

29. Wait

"Americans RESPECT fighters, even if they're blowhards. Yes it is that simple!!!!"


Not turning out to vote is a sign of respecting fighters?

Feingold and Grayson likely lost because of low voter turnout. Wisconsin went red.

[nadinbrzezinski]

46. Feingold and Grayson lost due to the large amounts

Of money poured in to them races.

You remember citizens united...

Riddle me this, your caucus lost half of their members...progressives lost four.

You will not get it... Yep let's compromise and go right, conventional wisdom...and it is them commies that are the problem!

[ProSense]

54. Oh, so there was no money poured into other races?

The amount poured into defeating Feingold and Grayson was miniscule compared to some other races.

[nadinbrzezinski]

59. No it wasn't but you keep telling yourself that

And I notice you ignored the drubbing on the conservadens.

[ProSense]

63. "And I notice you ignored the drubbing on the conservadens. "

What?

[Name removed]

70. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProSense]

77. "Half the blue dogs went down. You need crayons?" Do

you read any of the responses. The link provided leads to this statement, which counters your point that I haven't mentioned the blue dogs. A point I suspect was loaded with implications.

"Running from health care reform was not the thing to do. Also, voting against it didn't make the blue dogs more popular."

The point and the link was that the blue dogs got crushed

[Ignis]

83. It really is that simple.

"Strong and wrong" is a far more effective, winning strategy in US politics than it should be. Love it or hate it, but that's the political reality.

[nadinbrzezinski]

108. Yes it is and high and mighty intellectual arguments

don't play well with the average potential or real voter.

[Goblinmonger]

57. The Republicans were given a reason to vote.

It is a stupid fucking reason based on ignorance but at least they were given a reason. Dems felt that they had no reason. But that's their fault.

[ProSense]

73. Wait,

"It is a stupid fucking reason based on ignorance but at least they were given a reason. Dems felt that they had no reason. But that's their fault."

Couldn't the smart people who decided not to vote find a reasonable reason: like stopping Republicans?

No vote, no complaining about the outcome.

[GOTV]

121. Stopping republicans from what? Dems got 90% of what they wanted ...

... Obama and the Dems made it clear that the GOP was no obstacle and that anything a voter was dissatisfied with should be blamed on the Dems who got almost everything they wanted. If it was an ALL DEM congress they could only get 10% more.

[derby378]

72. Last time I checked, Brainy Smurf never got laid

It's not enough to be smart - you have to be an intellectual and a fighter. You've got to have the drive and the endurance to see your agenda get through the sausage factory, otherwise you're just an annoying guy getting clobbered by some asshole on TV.

I'm not saying that you, personally, are an annoying guy. I'm speaking about Democrats in general.

[ProSense]

81. "It's not enough to be smart - you have to be an intellectual and a fighter. "

Evidently, it's not enough to be smart to realize that voting counts.

[GOTV]

119. That's right. And you can waste time blaming the voter and lose or you can adapt to reality ...

... and deliver a clear message from day one that we cannot get important stuff because of the conservatives in congress.

No more "we got 90%" crap. No more "we'll take the best ideas of each side" crap.

Everyday should be something like "The economy is still bad because we can't do X because the GOP insists on Y".

People don't need to vote for Dems and against the GOP when the president keeps stressing the GOP was never a problem.

"we got 90% of what we wanted"
"I'm very happy with what we got"

The message we're left with is: "What Obama and the Dems want doesn't fix economies"

[nadinbrzezinski]

123. +1000

Some people really cannot get it.

[Winterblues]

60. The people need Something to vote FOR

If all you get is corporate welfare why bother to vote at all?

[grahamhgreen]

103. When are you guys finally going to listen to what we are saying instead of dismissing us?

[Greyhound]

113. He also has the responsibility to give voters a reason to vote. He and his administration failed.

Now we have two more years of no help, the real economy getting worse, millions more will lose their homes, more cities will die and the states are still dissolving.

But you want us to believe that this is not important and it isn't his fault anyway...
:eyes:

[humblebum]

117. This shouldn't even be an issue, but it is the absolute truth and

nothing is more pertinent to winning elections.

[treestar]

2. People going on about this need to try to look at things from

a right wing point of view. They see much compromise too. The dynamics of the House and Senate make it necessary, even with a majority.

This theme is weakening to us. It's harming to us. You are demanding "stronger" leaders, yet are you willing to go in lockstep and blindly support these "strong" ones? That's not what this country is designed for.

You're pretending that the House and Senate leaders are not elected too. What they do reflects their constituents' desires, which are broken down into geographical subdivisions.

[rainy]

17. but those desires are manufactured by the corporate media

and blow-hards. It is not the true desire of the people. The people are brainwashed into thinking that republicans represent them.

[treestar]

22. If you really believe that then the solution is to find a way to

brainwash them otherwise.

[IDHow]

4. Yes, I think you nailed it

Why this obsession from Obama with compromise and bipartisanhip? It was clear the repubs were not in thte mood to help the country in any way. Obama needs to push through progressive ideas, no matter what the republicans think.

[rainy]

5. Can you make this so I can post it on my facebook?

[AnArmyVeteran]

11. The link should do...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9475985

[emulatorloo]

6. Better to call your Senators and tell them what you expect from them and Obama

then writing another retread of about a zillion I give up we are dead posts I've seen today.

JMHO. But that is what I am going to do, and I am not going to yell at them or be nasty about it.

[Desertrose]

9. K&R

Looks like the neg reccer's are out. (What a surprise)

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[leftstreet]

13. IT'S ONLY A TWO MINUTE CHESS GAME MOVE FORWARD WE'LL FIX IT LATER

K&R

[LiberalLoner]

15. K&R, dear friend. n/t

[NYC Liberal]

20. Anyone who refuses to vote, fuck them.

They can blame their apathy on anyone they like, but in the end if they refused to haul their asses to the polling place to check off a few boxes I have little to no sympathy for them.

Non-voters think Democrats are caving to Republicans, so they chose to let the Republicans themselves win? Seems like they are the ones giving in. Surrendering, lazy, or just don't give a damn: pick one.

[IDHow]

33. So true

They can't complain.

[Better Believe It]

58. I think non-voters believed that voting for Democrats didn't bring about changes they wanted and

their economic situation grew worse, instead of improving, so they didn't vote for Republicans, they just didn't vote concluding that their voting in the 2008 election was a useless and meaningless excercise that didn't change or improve anything in their lives.

Most people now don't like Republicans or Democrats in Congress and in fact a "silent majority" sat out this election. Only about 10% of people under 30 voted! They have said: "A plague on both your houses".

I think that's what really happened.

[jgraz]

67. How'd that work on for ya on Tuesday?

The "fuck 'em" approach has been tried, and that's exactly what young voters, swing voters and casual voters said to the Democrats.

[ProSense]

84. They got fucked

They meaning the people who didn't vote and are now complaining.

Don't pretend that people who voted didn't realize that the country, Americans, would get screwed if Democrats failed to vote.

Sitting out the vote intentionally was moronic.

[jgraz]

87. No, not realizing that people would sit out the vote was moronic.

Failed political strategy is failing.

[ProSense]

90. Everyone realized that there were people who

were going to be stupid enough to sit out the vote. For weeks, people were encouraging people not to sit this election out. On the boards, those calls were met with a lot of "who said people are not going to vote?" "That is a straw man." "Of course people are going to vote."

Well, anyone who intentionally did not vote as a means of punishing Democrats is a moron.

[jgraz]

91. Then I upgrade the charge from stupidity to willful negligence

The people who stayed home were not the ones you and the rest of the "sensible" Dems were accusing of staying home. We donated, volunteered and voted (which, I might add, is a helluva lot more than most of your cohorts did).

No, the people who stayed home were the casual voters, the youth voters and the swing voters. And they didn't do it to "punish" Obama. They did it because Obama and the Dems didn't give them a reason to vote.

You can call them morons all you want, but one fact is undeniable: the political strategy you've been supporting for two years just lost us the House. Now what are you gonna do about that?

[ProSense]

97. Right

"The people who stayed home were not the ones you and the rest of the "sensible" Dems were accusing of staying home. "
Cookies for everyone. The point is that people stayed home, not a debate about who deserves credit for voting.


"No, the people who stayed home were the casual voters, the youth voters and the swing voters. And they didn't do it to "punish" Obama."

So what exactly are you arguing? Voter turnout was low as with most midterms. Democrats kept the Senate, and that's friggin good news.

[jgraz]

99. Nice U-turn

So which is it? That a) the "morons" stayed home deserve the disaster they caused or b) it wasn't so bad, we expected this, nothing to see here.

You can't have it both ways.

[ProSense]

101. Saying

this was a traditional mid-term does not absolve the voters who intentionally stayed home of their contribution to the outcome.

This election was a lot more high profile than 2006, that it went down from 2006 is an indication that some people simply decided not to vote.

That is reprehensible.

[jgraz]

102. So, in your world, Obama bears no responsibility for this loss.

He's just a victim in this. :eyes:

[Name removed]

118. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProSense]

124. "He's just a victim in this."

What the hell are you talking about?

Victim?

The President is not a victim. That doesn't change the fact that people who intentionally don't vote and then complain about the outcome are morons.

[treestar]

115. How will it work for them?

[treestar]

114. Amen! They are the ones with no backbone, spineless, craven,

weak, cowardly, submissive, caving-in, failing to fight, etc. ad nauseum.

[flamingdem]

30. UNREC what a pile of negative crap nt

[Catherina]

36. Rec'd. Sadly recommended. n/t

[quinnox]

39. K & R, the Dem party needs a decisive and scrappy leader

not a capitulator-in-chief.

Obama seems to think now is the time for business as usual and compromise (read: give in) with the GOP, but its time for him to wake up and fight for principles, before he is destined to become a one termer and doom the Dem party alongside him.

[MineralMan]

41. Utter bovine excrement!

Heartily Unrecommended.

[jaxx]

50. I think that's bullshit.

The statement is the same ol we've read on here for two years. He didn't do this right and he ought to fire this one and that one, and this is what he ought to say and do.

It's easy to be a backseat driver and not to vote or advocate for other parties....by gawd this is the last straw, if Obama does this or that he lost my vote, if he doesn't say this he's blah blah blah blah.

Yeah, people didn't come out to vote, and people voted for the repukes or the 3rd parties...to make us learn a lesson so we were forewarned. Well hey, they did it and now they're going to hide the fact and blame it all on Obama. Whoopee. He's used to that. People don't want a president, they want a dictator....bush/cheney a la mode. 8 years taught the wrong lessons, and it's a shame that is now the standard demanded for a Democratic President.

[BootinUp]

55. -1 nt

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

65. "Birpartisanship", "Compromise", aka "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em".

Alas, for the Democrats, the voters didn't buy it.

[Andy823]

71. I agree that this is BULLSHIT! nt

[AnArmyVeteran]

78. Bullshit can used for good, compromise with evil cannot.

If you believe compromising away the most important parts of bills is acceptable then what do you truly believe in? At least bullshit can be useful for society, compromising away our future is not.

I would rather have someone fighting for me, than someone selling out to the enemy.

[Scurrilous]

80. Garbage. n/t

[gkhouston]

82. The brown flag of bullshit flies over this post. n/t

[grahamhgreen]

104. What are you willing to fight for?

[gkhouston]

110. Not this melodramatic hyperbole. n/t

[grahamhgreen]

120. But what? Name some things...! We can help!

[JTFrog]

136. No one needs that kind of help. n/t

[grahamhgreen]

141. What do you stand for?

[Number23]

130. Ha!

:rofl: :rofl:

[Born_A_Truman]

131. :)

:yourock:

[dionysus]

147. !!!

:spray:

[ismnotwasm]

88. I don't know dude

I live in a liberal area, and my impression about the reason people didn't vote is the same reason people go to McDonald's instead cooking and eating something decent. Too much trouble to do it given it takes too much time to learn how to make informed decisions.

You are giving people in general far too much credit. If, after Bush, people had the nerve to stay home or not fill out an mail in ballot, I don't know how engaged an electorate we have in the first place. When people are passionate, like so many on DU, it's to hard to understand complacency and disengagement not out of disgust, but out of 'who gives a fuck'

Who does give a fuck, are freaky tea baggers, who are hatefully racist and hatefully heterosexist and stick together like maggots. Hate is a powerful emotion and when it's organized, it's scary powerful.

I like and support President Obama, but even I recognize the cult of personality that went along with his election. And major emotional and ethical issues, for example oh, say two wars (as has been pointed out) weren't even on the table. Repukes and their evil servants teabaggers would have simply played the 'patriot card'.

Hopefully with some of the wingnuts that were elected, Obama is in a position to give them enough rope, as the saying is, and manage a stronger position. Hopefully.

[grahamhgreen]

107. Mandatory crapsurance is the opposite of real HCR, everyone knows this.

[AnArmyVeteran]

126. Well said, and I share your hope about giving the righties the rope to hang themselves.

It's a great opportunity to expose them for what they are and their intentions. I hope when Obama mentioned even more compromise he was really thinking of handing them a noose. If he fails to seize this opportunity too it will certainly lead to total government control by the most radical republicans in our history in 2012, and that will certainly lead to the demise of our country. This is Obama's and our last chance.

[xchrom]

93. Recommend

[grahamhgreen]

105. Hear! Hear! Very well said, sir!!!

[Greyhound]

109. It's getting pretty dirty at this point. Now it;s the dingy grey flag of surrender. K&R. n/t

[Name removed]

132. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[kath]

133. Can I rec this 100 times? PUH-LEEZE????

[NoPasaran]

143. Only if I can unrec 101 times!

What a pantsload :thumbsdown:

[dbt]

135. Sadly, another K & R.

OP describes exactly what happened.

[Poboy]

145. kickity and uppity. -nt

[dionysus]

146. today rant brought to you by Huggies (tm)

[JuniperLea]

148. I hear Huggies stock has gone up...

The Weepy Orange Boner is expected to piss himself frequently.

[dionysus]

149. i've made a killing with diaper stock lately....

;)