Reply #125: I don't care about moving forward in a cohesive body [View All]

[sui generis]

What I care about is who is leading the pack, and why I should trust their infallible crystal ball now when it's never worked before.

The problem is (since you've thought of everything) that my pack ain't necessarily your pack and we can both use exactly the same words to mean exactly the opposite thing.

The people my crystal ball says will win are anathema to social conservative corporatist democrats, and vice versa. So the issue isn't about us all mindlessly agreeing and getting with the party until we know what the hell the party is about.

Again, reality check. As much as you dislike it, and even if I were ON your side in these particulars, what you don't get is that people think for themselves, and neither you, nor I nor the DLC nor anyone but the person with the best message is going to attract those people to vote for them. So the issue isn't that some democrats aren't getting with the program.

The issue is, what the eff is the program. It's all over the map. Are gays in or out? Is healthcare in or out? Is being a three issue voter better or worse than being a one issue voter? How many issues and who decides the cutoff? Or do you just want to tell us who to vote for and be done with it?

We. Think. For. Ourselves. And that's the way it is.

Here's an exercise: Name the topmost divisive issue you think would cause people to flee or withhold a vote from a nominee or candidate. Don't be shy.

Now here's the solution. How do we get all of our candidates to agree that this issue is not a divisive issue for democrats? Browbeating voters is not the answer.

Fix our ability to address that issue. Believe that issue is a core value of our party. Give people something clear to vote for or against.