I'm sick of voting for people who aren't Democrats.

[Barack_America]

Don't get me wrong, I still get out there and vote for the "D". But, with the exception of true Democrat local candidates, any enthusiasm is long gone.

I find myself voting later and later in the day. I've got young kids, work too much, etc. Plenty of excuses not to show up. Maybe next time I won't, who knows? Why should I continue to up-end my schedule, and my kids', just to stand in line and hold my nose?

Sad, considering several years ago, I was donating, canvassing, registering voters, phone banking, etc.

Oh well, plenty else to keep me busy, working my ass off trying to get my family ahead and secure my kids' futures. Really not much time to think about these things anymore anyways.

I wonder how typical my situation is? Thanks for reading.

[frazzled]

1. I'm sick of reading complaints like this

That's what is depressing me and making me want to put my fingers in my ears and not listen to politics anymore.

You know, if the candidates don't live up to your impeccable standards, and you care that much, you should just run for office yourself and stop depending on others to do the job for you.

[Barack_America]

3. Are liberals still welcome to run for the Democratic Party?

Or are you suggesting I switch to 3rd party?

[snooper2]

4. liberal or socialist?

is there even a line anymore around here?

[SolutionisSolidarity]

6. Maybe you need to purge us from the from the Party like you did in the 40s/50s.

At least then we'd stop hearing about how awful it is when people are being purged, when you're the one doing it.

[snooper2]

8. luckily I wasn't around in the 40s and 50s, those decades sucked ASS!

Well, except for the curves, the curves were good but everything else sucked

[ChisolmTrailDem]

15. That is one beautiful machine. nt

[GGJohn]

18. HA!!!

I'll see your Chevy 2 wheel drive and raise you my 55 Chevy 4X4.

[Candymae]

49. Absolutely beautiful

By far one of the most beautiful things that came out of the 50's. So this is totally off topic, but my husband was wondering if you would be willing to contact us about this beauty. He is rebuilding one and would love to pick your brain. ([e-mail])

[Barack_America]

11. Just a liberal.

I can't even imagine how despondent I would be if I were a true socialist.

[mattclearing]

13. I think you're dodging here. nt

[treestar]

29. Yes, because then you could have happiness

And eagerness and enthusiasm and bring left wing issues to the fore. They are not going to get anywhere if you stay home. You would just be opting out. If you find yourself so far left that the Democrats don't do it for you, then how do you expect to see what you want happen by staying home? Help the Greens or the Socialists get some traction.

People whine there are no third parties as if they should develop out of the woodwork. they develop because people believe in the issues they represent and do something about it.

I really don't get the attitude that if you give up and stay home you are going to get anywhere. That won't change the Democrats. You have to be involved or you don't get a say. It's ridiculous. The Democrats are not going to come hat in hand begging you and promising to be more liberal. Why do people think that will ever happen? Drop outs are just that - drop outs.

How does you staying home get single payer? If you think the ACA is not enough, why sit home and watch it go down too and we go back to what we had before? Makes no sense. If you really wanted liberal change, you would not threaten to drop out, because you'd know that's one way you will most certainly not get it, not even too slowly.

[BarackTheVote]

10. What impeccable standards?!

Is it so wrong to think that the opposition party should have... opposing views? Is it so wrong for democrats to loudly and proudly carry the flag of FDR's New Deal reforms that paved the way for an American Golden Age? Is it wrong for democrats to crow social policies that have worked well pretty much everywhere they've been implemented worldwide instead of kowtowing to economic theories that are proven failures? Is it wrong to want politicians who will actually work for people, rather than suck the corporate teat? It's horribly cynical for Democrats to think they can pick up progressive votes while acting like Republicans!

[frazzled]

12. Is it so wrong to ask people to stop romanticizing the virtues of the past

and hyperbolizing the purported horrors of the present?

A goodly number of FDR's Democrats were a bunch of churlish racists, and Roosevelt's record itself was not unblemished. It was no "Golden Age": people suffered economically, were interred in camps because of their ethnicity, were separated in housing, education, and the military because of their race. Social Security was small and restricted in its initial form--it excluded most African Americans and women, and there were no cost-of-living increases until decades later.

Yes, it wasn't perfect then ... yet true progress was made. And it isn't perfect now, and we can still make steps toward progress that are far superior to the regression that Republicans give us.

Your purple prose failed to move me.

[BarackTheVote]

14. All hail our new oligarchical overlords!

surely, once we have established an eternal American aristocracy under the benevolent rule of the Captains of Industry, they will take care of their wage slaves, and we shall all, at last, have peace and security!

[frazzled]

16. Is that what I said?

No, it is not.

Stop listening to the voices in yr head.

[Recursion]

37. DU doesn't like talking about the white supremacist aspects of the original New Deal

Or, if they have to, they try to find a way to view it as peripheral rather than the core element of the coalition-building that got it passed.

Personally I don't think the right answer 80 years ago is going to be the right answer today...

[LiberalElite]

19. Excuse me - but

I don't think it's having "impeccable standards" to want a candidate that represents your views.

[treestar]

27. How many of your views should they represent?

How much identicality can you expect from another person? And one reprinting everyone else in the state/district, especially the other Democrats?

[LiberalElite]

33. I'm not saying 100% nobody agrees with me 100%

but the third way or no way does not work for me. I as a Democrat have by and large NOT been represented by the Democratic party ever since Clinton. But I and others like me (read: liberals) are stuck because of the holy sacrosanct two-party system

[treestar]

34. If you really believe that the Democratic party does not reflect your views

Is there a party that does? Is the Green party good enough?

http://www.gp.org/index.php

How about?

http://socialistparty-usa.net

http://www.cpusa.org/communist-party-usa

Here's even an organization of Democrats

http://www.pdamerica.org

That last is people really doing something, banding together to move the party left, I assume.

[sabrina 1]

20. And there is the reason for 'complaints like this'. The REFUSAL to HEAR what people are saying.

The arrogance towards the working class when they ask only to be heard.

Keep doing this and next time the turnout will be even worse.

Did you ask this voter what might help him/her to become the enthusiastic voter and political activist s/he once was? Does anyone CARE about the people who have lost their jobs to outsourcing, lost their homes because of Wall St corruption, do you wonder what happened to the millions of Americans who were VICTIMS of that massive crime? I know one of them personally and have taken the trouble to try to find out what happened to others.

Maybe if people who seem so angry at VOTERS would, instead show even some remote compassion for them rather than these constant attacks on them for SPEAKING THE TRUTH about the issues that are their primary concern, the turnout might have been better.

So long as the insiders in DC trash the voters, the voters will respond by focusing on their own local elections where they at least can exert some influence. But anyone showing any interest in why so few show up for national elections, will figure out that the American people, from all sides of the political spectrum, have lost confidence in their government.

[Thinkingabout]

32. I am waiting to hear the great response from the Republicans just

elected, I wonder how long it will take for them to pass minimum wages, to assist in the student loan restructure. Yes, they did not hear the votes for the Democrats and interrupt this as meaning two thirds of the eligible voters really don't care what happens. BTW, McConnell is already on the band wagon to make sure these things does not happen.

[sabrina 1]

40. Why was a minimum wage bill NOT passed back in Jan of 2009? And if THAT is what Dems

take from this election, then they clearly did not look at the results. Did you?

Voters went out and voted on Ballot issues in their local elections. Progressive issues WON. What you are saying is that I, who am not an elected official, know more about this election than the Dems in DC.

Thanks, that was exactly my point. Voters in this election focused their energies where they would have an effect and succeeded, LOCALLY.

Maybe you should send the election results to those Dems you say will totally ignore the results, or worse, 'misinterpret them'.

There is no way to misinterpret the results of this election. What it said was 'WE SUPPORT PROGRESSIVE ISSUES but we don't believe YOU care so we voted LOCALLY and won.' There, simple, no way to misinterpret, but definitely a way to ignore, if someone simply doesn't care.

[Thinkingabout]

41. Where was your progressive candidates?

[sabrina 1]

47. Did you pay attention to the election results?? Across the country?

We did not have a Progressive candidate in NY, we had Cuomo, or the greater evil, Cahill. Cuomo won, thanks to the voters who held their noses knowing they were casting a vote for Fracking and Big Corporations, but the other one was simply too crazy to consider. We had Schneiderman, the US Att who fought the banks, a supporter of OWS and a fighter for the people. We were lucky to have at least one politician on the ballot to vote FOR. He won, thanks to the voters you are so angry with.

Progressive Candidates AND ISSUES manage to hold their seats, thanks again to voters who stick to their principles. Blue Dogs and DLCers/Third Wayers, tend to lose, every time.

[RiverLover]

38. OMG Great post!! x1000! ~nt

[treestar]

28. They are trying to discourage Democrats

They know GOTV is the Democrats' problem. Some may be truly buying into it, but in election midterm season, I agree, they certainly worked hard to discourage others. And did not let up for the election season as they are supposed to.

[SolutionisSolidarity]

2. You might get my vote with a "Lesser of two evils" argument,

but if I don't have any enthusiasm for it, I can't convince anyone else to vote. Third way types think they can get by with hired guns doing the volunteer work, but if you want to reach the people we need to vote, it requires people talking to their friends and family and getting them out. It doesn't really matter, because apparently the party would rather lose with the third way than win with left wing populists.

[BarackTheVote]

5. Even if you lose as a Turd Way

you still win because you get that tasty tasty corporate money

[JI7]

7. you shouldn't vote for people that make you sick

[Barack_America]

9. The only one that made me physically ill was Land...

..and I most certainly did not vote for her.

For the Dems on the ticket, there was no physical reaction, just a general lack of interest or hope. Kind of like eating dry toast of questionable mold status. If it's all there is on the plate, I guess so.

[True Blue Door]

17. Then you should spend more time participating in primaries.

That's where the real choices are.

And never fall into the self-immolating fallacy that says having imperfect options is the same as being powerless.

People who genuinely have no power know the difference, and envy your complaints.

[wavesofeuphoria]

21. Primaries can be just as BS.

In NY, Cuomo wouldn't even debate Teachout. He controlled the primary. Like a big corporatist toad.

[True Blue Door]

22. I'm not a New Yorker, so I can't speak to that primary.

But I'll go out on a limb and take a wild guess that someone named "Zephyr Teachout" didn't wage a brilliant campaign.

[wavesofeuphoria]

24. WTF? Educate yourself before you make such a guess.

She waged a great campaign ....

you know what ... not even going to bother with you.

[True Blue Door]

26. Where's the evidence she waged a great campaign?

You seem to think the quality of a campaign is independent from its results. It's not a work of art - it's an attempt to make something happen.

[wavesofeuphoria]

30. How's this for a person with a weird name? smh

How Zephyr Teachout Taught Democrats a Lesson in Democracy
http://www.thenation.com/article/181565/how-zephyr-teachout-taught-democrats-lesson-democracy

The Nation's Sarah Jaffe writes:
No, Teachout didn't beat the incumbent governor with the $35 million war chest, but she took nearly 35 percent of the vote Tuesday night, enough to leave a sizable gash in his left flank and do some permanent damage to his hopes of running for national office one day. She won nearly the entire Hudson Valley, a swath of the middle of the state, and even got 54 percent of the vote in far north St. Lawrence County, according to The New York Times’s election results maps. She took over 10,000 votes in the state’s capital, Albany County, compared to just over 6,000 for the governor. The 62.1 percent of the vote Cuomo garnered is among the poorer performances by an incumbent governor running for re-election in primaries since 2002—a figure that hovers somewhere between the tenth and fifteenth percentile of victory margins, according to FiveThirtyEight. That's pretty bad—the median percentage by which a governor won re-nomination was over 90 percent.

[True Blue Door]

31. Okay. Good enough for me!

[treestar]

23. Who did you vote for that was not a Democrat?

I voted for a Democrat for Senator, Chris Coons, is he not a Democrat? John Carney for Congress, he's a Democrat. I voted for Democrats for State Treasurer, Attorney General, Auditor, and have no reason to believe they were not Democrats.

[bigwillq]

25. So don't.

There's always other options. You just have to decide if it's worth exploring those options depending on where you live.

[muriel_volestrangler]

35. Which state? Michigan? (a guess from the Detroit Tigers logo)

Schauer doesn't sound too bad:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Schauer

Protested 'right-to-work' legislation, working for jobs in a green economy, supported a rise in the minimum wage.

[RiverLover]

36. Me too. Fake Dems seem like the only option though

They say what you want to hear when campaigning and then when elected, they do the opposite, but triangulate & try to color it pretty to appease.

President Obama has been one of the biggest disappointments of my life. I was a volunteer for him in the 08 campaign. Then he was elected and appointed Timothy Geithner as Secretary of US Treasury, and boom. I knew we'd been had. I voted for him again in 2012, but only as the lesser of 2 evils.

[WhiteTara]

39. Then get out and RUN! If that's not possible,

find someone and work like hell and get that person elected. Until then, please go do something constructive...floss, read a book, take a walk, smile at someone, anything but complain about your complaints.

[RiverLover]

44. So this site is only for people who accept fake dems w/o Q just b/c of the (D) after their names?

They can do anything & its OK, just as long as your side "wins"?

[wyldwolf]

42. Here's why 'progressives' can't get elected and would rather hang on message boards whining

... because you can't organize... because you hate campaign money... so you're in favor of campaign finance laws... but you can't get any passed because you can't get elected... because you can't organize... because you hate campaign money... so you're in favor of campaign finance laws... but you can't get any passed because you can't get elected... because you can't organize... because you hate campaign money... so you're in favor of campaign finance laws... but you can't get any passed because you can't get elected... because you can't organize... because you hate campaign money... so you're in favor of campaign finance laws... but you can't get any passed because you can't get elected... because you can't organize... because you hate campaign money... so you're in favor of campaign finance laws... but you can't get any passed because you can't get elected... because you can't organize... because you hate campaign money... so you're in favor of campaign finance laws... but you can't get any passed because you can't get elected...

Wouldn't is be so much simpler if someone would just appoint "progressive" leaders so they wouldn't get their hands dirty running a campaign?

[LondonReign2]

45. And there he is, our very own Rush Limbaugh

trying to make Progressive a dirty word. Republican Trojan Horser Third Wayer, ahoy.

[RiverLover]

46. x 2

[LondonReign2]

43. What you'll hear from our conservadem friends here is

that so long as they stick a D behind their names you are a traitor if you don't support them no matter how many Koch brother approved positions they support.

You see, even right-of-center "Democrats", they'll claim, (how, exactly, can a Democrat be right-of-center, i.e., agree more with Republicans than Democrats you ask? Well, they can't yet we have tons here pretending they can), are better than Republicans, even though their policies are to the right of 1980's Repubs.

[Rex]

48. They also support a neo-liberal front group that infiltrated our party.

But yeah, no doubt they are here in good faith.