I have been writing about the shame of the Democratic Party here for quite some time. Recently I have been saying that we need a new party, that people like Russ Feingold and even Howard Dean stand no chance in today’s DemocRatpublican dominated party. I was hoping that Dean would start a third party when the mainstream Dems cooperated in offing him in ’04 and nominating that travesty of a candidate John “Small K” kerry. (ANYONE who could not beat as transparently bad an opponent as George W. Butch is either incompetent or an outright fraud, in my considered opinion.) BooMan has taken me to task for this, echoing the common wisdom that third parties are doomed in America.
I disagree.
The Information Age changes EVERYTHING.
However…recently on another thread where I had voiced this kind of opinion (Feingold Crushes Chris Wallace in Fox Interview) someone asked me “Arthur: are you a lapsed-Dem or a never-was Dem?”
This got me to thinking.
And here is my answer.
Where do YOU stand?
Has the party left you, or have you left the party?
And considering the Liebermans and Schumers and Small K kerrys and such that are running things…if you have NOT left…
Why not!!!????
Read on…
Am I a lapsed-Dem or a never-was Dem?
I think that question should be asked not of me, but of the Democratic Party.
I supported Gene McCarthy.
I supported RFK.
I have supported every Dem who during my lifetime showed even the slightest signs of being against the growing corporate establishment and its international policy of economic imperialism in ANY form.
ESPECIALLY through aggressive war.
Covert OR overt.
I supported Howard Dean. If he’d run again I would support him again.
And I now support Russ Feingold.
And John Conyers too, while I’m at it.
Listen…this is a party that ran Joe Lieberman for national office!!! THAT should be enough right THERE. This is a party that did not sufficiently contest the 2000 election results,almost unanimously backed this totally bullshit invasion of Iraq, then chose Small K kerry and John Ritter…I’m sorry, John Edwards (They are equally insincere and unimaginative, Only Ritter was a better actor. And he stunk!!!).)…to run in 2004, and refused to stand up the SECOND time when Bush was so incompetent that they COULDN’T throw the election sufficiently and it had to be stolen again.
Lapsed?
I don’t think so.
The Democratic PARTY has lapsed.
Into a coma.
And if they do not wake up…soon…they will be as forgotten as last week’s ball scores.
They are now totally irrelevant.
Do we really need TWO crooked, conservative parties?
I think not.
Throw ’em out.
They are yesterday’s news.
They are redundant.
NewParty ’08!!!
Time For A Change.
(C’mon, Russ. You can do it!!!)
AG
Power concedes nothing without a demand; it never has and it never will.-Frederick Douglass
Let’s talk.
Really.
If you truly care enough to be reading and writing here….how can you possibly support the one-party/two names system in power at the moment?
Corporate Party Left and Corporate Party Right.
Really…
Let’s talk.
I am curious.
Rec this up and let’s see how people justify supporting a party that has become the designated loser and/or kinder/gentler NEO-neocon party.
Or…let’s just throw in the towel.
LIEBERMAN FOR PRES IN ’08!!!
What the hell.
May as well just get it out in the open.
Where are you people REALLY at?
AG
I like your diary, and agree with a lot of what you say.
There are deep, suppurating, gushing wounds in the fabric of the nation, and those wounds are faithfully reproduced in every political party…particularly in the mainstream parties, and most particularly in the Democratic Party.
I know we have had harsh words in the past…whatever – this is too important to let our dislikes or past tiffs interfere in the conversation.
Let me introduce myself: I became politically aware around age 5, when Carter was running for Pres, when my parents and extended community were very active in the Ant-Nuke movement and referendum drive in Maine.
My politics are informed by a mixture of
I have long been a bitter critic of the Democratic Party, specifically the “centrist” coalitions like the BlueDogs and the DLC. Clinton made me so fucking angry I could spit, and still want to. The unquestioning support of Clinton by so many that were ultimately betrayed and stabbed in the back by him and his coalition made me so sad – NAFTA, GATT, Welfare Deform, and so much more….
My political leanings and tendencies lead me away from the Democratic Party.
What keeps me inside, working at a grassroots level takeover from the local committees on up, is the bare, simple, and sad fact that right now, in the current moment, there simply is no other vehicle of any potential use in regaining a foothold in the governmental structure for working people, minorities, the poor, and women.
Is that vehicle deeply flawed, running on two cylinders and continually subject to attempted hijackings by reactionary fuckheads?
Yes!
Is there any other viable choice for immediate action? I don’t think so.
Should a viable alternative arise out of the combined and collective awakening and action of the above-named disenfranchised groups, would I jump on board and help with all my ability?
Yes. A thousand times yes!
Right now, working people and etc are primarily either a) apathetic, or b) invested in working with Democrats.
We on the progressive Left, greens, socialists, and so on, do not have the voice, pull, or ability to attract those people to our movement.
Why? I do not know – in years past, the Wobblies, the DSA, the CPUSA, the SPUSA, and so on were able to gain significant numbers and membership and drive significant activist movements.
We have splintered, fragmented, fractured, and suffered mass desertions.
Why?
I do not know.
But here we are, and something must be done, soon.
First of all, I have voted and supported the democrats in the past, but that has changed. After the Medicare D(isaster) fiasco, and so much bull about “reforming” so the program actually works, I have come to the conclusion that it both (dem support and reforming of Medicare D(isaster)) are impossible.
From what I have found, the current dems in office do NOT want to fix/overhaul Medicare D(isaster), they would rather preserve it. The preservation of a program that does not work to its stated objective, i.e. relief from ridiculously high rx costs, takes priority of health care reform for this country.
With that in mind, the only true health care reform is the adoption of a single-payer health care system, so people are not denied medical treatment. (As this is an issue that directly effects me, I will admit to having more of an interest in it than the average person who has 1/2 way decent health insurance.)
And, is the democratic party seriously advocating a single payer health care system? No. So, my concerns as a citizen and registered voter are not being heard nor acted upon by any of the congresscritters that are supposed to represent me.
On that note, the Greens are advocating single payer health care coverage. Russ Feingold is also. And, in all honesty, I would have to think twice about supporting him in a candidacy for President, unless he ran as an independent, as that would make it a whole new ballgame.
The current crop of democrats? Completely worthless! Support a single payer system, and I’ll think about it. Fact of the matter is that I was willing to give the democrats a chance until the Alito confirmation–that was it, as I have had it w/their carrot and stick approach. From what I have seen, they don’t care about anything other than getting re-elected.
I am sick of being lied to seeing DINO’s running for office in the hope that things “may” be better. (Or being told to wait until whenever, but that is another story.)
Do I want to see the non-responsive democratic party dissolve? If that is what it takes to get a single payer system in place, disability rights being advocated and enforced (as opposed to unfunded mandates), and an increase in SSD/I benefits (and other programs) that a person can actually live on w/o having to go w/o some basic necessitites, then yes I do!
of single payer universal health care.
I have not read up on the details…but it certainly sounds like a good step forward.
I think that we need to try and distinguish between the state and local level party organizations and the DC leadership, consultancies, and various “blocs” when we talk about the Democrats.
There is a lot of gold mixed in with the chaff.
My personal ideal is to work as hard as I can with those golden types at the lower levels of the party and EITHER a) help them gain more voice, power, and control in the party; or b) gain enough of a good rapport with those folks so that if and when a viable alternative to the Dem Party infrastructure emerges, they would be willing and able to consider joining with ME, since I have spent so much time working with THEM.
Flies with honey, I guess.
Not impressed.
And what if it doesn’t?
Don’t tell me there aren’t businesses who will decide that paying the fine is cheaper than providing insurance. (In other words, the fines are too low.)
And that does absolutely NO good to a person who does not live in MA and can’t afford to move. Call me a cynical realist, but, single payer means just that, single, as in one, payer.
Maybe there is where you live, as you put it, gold mixed in w/the chaff, but, here in MI, I see nothing except DINO’s and DLC types running for office. And I refuse to support them in any way.
DINO and DLC types – could be…there are all too many of them.
How hard have you looked? (Honest question, not intended as an attack or sarcasm).
If for nothing else other than potential recruiting, you should try attending local Democratic Party meetings in your town, county, district, precinct.
Have you?
If not, try and see. If so, my sympathies – it’s a long slog.
The incrementalism represented by the Mass. Health Care thing is deadening…but have we got a viable alternaive?
Yes, I have.
recruiting, you should try attending local Democratic Party meetings in your town, county, district, precinct.
Been there, done that. And, as I said, absolutely no luck. They say one thing and do another, such as stated earlier, supporting DINO’s, and DLC bullshit. And, as stated, all they do is want donations. And, if any dissatisfaction w/what is going on is expressed, some will actually say something to the effect of (paraphrasing here), “If you don’t like it, vote republican.” Hell, might as well be doing that w/all the shitty candidates they support.
And, as I said, there are too many flaws in the Mass. Health Care thing to make it truly effective. Have to go w/a nationwide single payer plan, as opposed to incremental reforms. From a historical perspective, that approach does not work.
Right now, third party is the only way to go, in terms of inflencing the dems. And if they say “No, no, no”, this must be done piecemeal (as opposed to listening to those who support them) and self-destruct in the process, that could very well be the best thing that ever happenned, after all the bs they have pulled.
Look, I used to be a very loyal democratic voter, although I never registered (for a combination of reasons). In fact, my late uncle (who was very active in politics) ran for a major county office as a democrat. (A person would have to be in their 50’s-60’s to remember that. I have actually started to consider the possibility of throwing my last name around a bit, although it would probably be more effective if I lived in a different county.) In fact, there was a local election awhile back and I was so disgusted by the choice of candidates that I wrote in my name!
The previous movements did not have the potentially unifying tool of the internet.
Nor to some degree did they have the herd/stampede mentality of the mass media as it exists today.
Run those two tools together correctly along with a unifying dominant personality…Feingold now, Dean then OR now if he wished to do so?
Success.
Without these ideas?
Business as usual.
Until the Third World runs us down by dint of superior numbers and the energy generated by real need.
Our choice.
So far…WRONG choices.
So it goes.
AG
P.S. Our previous run-ins?
Even God forgives.
Why should I be any less?
But run your psycho/anger shit on me?
Call me an anti-semite?
One more time?
Fuggedaboudit!!!
Previous movements did not have the potentially unifying tools like the internet, instant messaging, and so on – you are correct.
But, unfortunately, what we are seeing at the moment – and let’s hope it changes – is that these unifying tools have not resulted in greater unity or growth of the Prog/Left movement.
Why???
I agree about the potential for explosive growth in some form of progressive populism…I hope that it does not require some unifying “leader figure” but it probably will given human nature.
As for the previous, well, my anger was not psycho, it was genuine, and quite sane. Let’s make a deal: you try and measure your words on that topic, and I will make every effort to measure my responses and discern your intent, rather than responding to my reading of your words.
Cheers, and peace.
Dan
OK…
AG
4 1/2 hours…prime time PM east to west coast.
3 recs, only a few comments.
Y’know what?
I think y’all are ashamed of yourselves.
W/good reason.
I am ashamed of you too.
In 30 years, the words “Good American” will mean what
“Good German” means now.
Good DemocRats.
Repent.
For the judgment is upon you.
And it ain’t gonna be pretty.
The tyranny of the weak.
The sleep of the bourgeoisie.
Trance on.
And good night.
You ought to be ashamed of yourselves.
You are cowards.
The blood of millions will be on your hands.
For what?
$3 gas?
Shame.
AG
3 recs, only a few comments.
I’m really shocked at that–thought this was a good diary and worth more discussion.
Keep ’em coming, Arthur, people will listen (eventually–hope it is not too late when that happens).
A good diary about a subject about which most of the “good Democrats” here feel ashamed.
With good reason.
They know better or they wouldn’t be here.
They just lack the courage to jump off the cliff with the faith that they will indeed fall up…NOT down…if they do.
Time to take the risk.
Elsewhere here there is a front-paged post up about how Kerry Wants Out of Iraq; Bush Wants to Bomb Iran.
About how the Dems are the good guys, the Ratpubs the bad guys.
And it is utter bullshit.
If Small K kerry wanted out of Iraq:
A_Why didn’t he run on that platform?
B-Why did he support the invasion?
C-Why didn’t he run a better campaign?
D-Why did he run to Europe after the (stolen) election results were over and send little letters home about how it was time to move on
for “the good of the country” while John Conyers and others whaled fruitlessly away at the truth of the matter with no little or no support from the rest of the party?
E-Why did he not stand with Russ Feingold for censure?
And on and on and on and on…
Crooked and/or cowardly and/or stupid as the day is long.
FUCK these motherfuckers!!!
It’s too late for this halfway bullshit.
I suppopse it’s OK when things are running on an even keel. Business as usual…the hustlers run the farm while real people have better things to do.
But no longer.
We are about to fall as a nation.
About to be cyber-fascized.
Fascism as enforced by media brainwashing and techno-spying.
And kerry is TOTALLY discredited.
I do not care WHAT he says.
He is just the kinder, gentler face of the same corporate system. ON THE EVIDENCE OF HIS REPEATED ACTIONS. He and the others like him need to be eliminated just as badly as do the Ratpublicans.
DemocRats and Ratpublicans.
The DemocRatpublican Party.
HOPELESS WITHOUT A REAL ELECTORAL REVOLUTION.
NEWPARTY ’08!!!
ANOTHER goddamned idea whose time has come.
AG
Time to take the risk.
No guts, no glory!