Reply #26: "lack of a forum for this speech" [View All]

[welshTerrier2]

man does that hit the nail on the head ... that's one of my favorite issues ... i really think the country, and also the Democratic Party, needs a major infusion of democracy ... it's bad enough that so many of our citizens are turned off and don't vote or participate in the process ... but it's really bad when institutions like our political parties don't give them adequate forums to express and exchange their ideas ...

as for some of your other points, i don't think Sirota is "the one to define these terms" ... he's providing his opinion on how different people in the Party view the issue of corporate power and its effect on our citizens ... i think he's done a great service raising this important issue; it doesn't mean anyone has to agree with him ... he claimed no such authority ...

i think, from what you wrote, that Sirota would classify you according to his definition of a "liberal" ... you focused your remarks primarily on "those who have been 'victimized by circumstance'" ... those Sirota would label "progressives" would agree with your views but would take it the next step ... they would also want to focus on who was doing the "victimizing" and they would call for changes that would make it harder for the "victimizers" to do what they've been doing ...

where you seemed, if i understood you correctly, to focus on the results of victimization, Sirota would argue that progressives would also focus on the causes of victimization and on punishing or restraining the victimizers in some way ... again, the terms are completely unimportant ... where you put your focus is what this discussion is all about ...