Is it important for Democrats to have core values and principles?

[Ken Burch]

The Repukes have 'em and they never back down from them.
At times we seem to be willing to give them all up for power in name.
Does this work? Do we need stronger principles?

[babylonsister]

1. Dems Rock! Do you have a problem with that?

And yes, I have core values. I am principled, and repugs suck. I don't back down.

[Ken Burch]

8. I'm glad that you do have principles and don't back down...

Don't take the thread title so personally.
I was trying to start a general philosophical discussion.
Nobody was attacking you as an individual.

[Fovea]

2. Attn: DLC.

Read it and weep.
This is where the Democratic Underground takes you to school.

[Maple]

3. Ask again

when you have an understanding of, and principles for, the 21st century.

[Ken Burch]

7. Meaning?

[Erika]

4. Our standards are higher than the GOP

Always have been.

[DustMolecule]

5. Yes!

Yes, we should have strong progressive principles(pro-worker, pro-peace, pro-justice and equality, pro-liveable environment

Live by them and love them!!!! :-) :bounce:

[kodi]

6. what you reference aren't values or principles. they're derivative to them

pro-worker, pro-peace, pro-justice and equality, pro-liveable environment are all applications of a core set of values applied to the real world.

why are you pro worker?

why are you pro peace?

why are pro justice?

why do you advocate equality?

why are you pro environment?

why are those things right and not wrong?

it is of limited value to substitute a check list of political positions held for a consistent and systematic world view that both informs and motivates one towards those positions.

articulate why one should hold all the aforementioned stances and how they emerge from a consistent and rational set of principles. values and principles are "first causes" in politics and need to be identified as such and not misconstrued as their affects.

Locke's 2nd treatise on govenment would be the place i would start and i would work backwards and forewards from Locke's ideas. backwards to ground locke's assumptions in a more universal set of human values unemcumbered by any particular civilization, and forward to show how those values come into play in modern circumstances.

its the old parable of giving a man a fish verus teaching him how to fish. the first may feed your belly for a day, the latter for your whole life.

[babylonsister]

9. Wow! I might vote for you! Tell us more!

You have more questions than answers, but who do you really love or believe in? Dems or our fearless leader or none of the above?

[electropop]

10. Sounds like great think-tank fodder

I don't think we can build campaign ads directly from Locke, but a careful examination and understanding of first principles will help our representatives formulate intelligent consistent positions and statements.

In simple terms: I believe that we are all better off when we take into account those around us, and the world which supports us. Harm either our society or our planet, and we harm ourselves.

We need a TRUE "culture of life," not this BS of supporting the death penalty, while opposing choice, supporting war, opposing the health safety and security of our troops, supporting life artificially while harming those who are alive well and poor. There's no point protecting a fetus if your policies will lead to the death of the baby, the child, or the adult. That's a "culture of death."

[Ken Burch]

11. Interesting insights.

My intent was to put up a series of "broad strokes" overarching beliefs withing which specifics could be addressed later.

[ElectricIron Sweeney]

12. How you going to beat them,

If you can't quit dancing to their beat?

[Ken Burch]

13. That's part of my point. We need our own drummer,

and a damn LOUD drummer at that.

Defensive politics, politics based on waiting for the other side to screw up, politics based on not defining the issues and creating the agenda ourselves, in other words the politics the Democratic Party has unceasingly pursued since the McGovern defeat, doesn't work.