What kind of Democrat are you ?

[Blue_Roses]

We have centrists, we have progressives, we have "left-leaning," we have "far left lunatic fringe left," we have DINO's (Zell Miller comes to mind), and the list goes on and on. The tent is so damn big that we need another canvas to hold us all, however, we are all over the map--which is good for tolerance, progression, but doesn't do much for honing in on WHO WE REALLY ARE AS A PARTY.

I have been a Democrat all my life. Just a simple Democrat. No frills. No fuss...born and raised in the south with southern baptist Democratic parents who raised me in a time when they "sheltered" me and my sisters from the ugly world.(or so they thought) Integration started in my school in the 7th grade and my first locker-mate was a black girl who was scared to death of being integrated. She was my first black friend. My "Democratic" parents were nervous as hell. This was all new territory for them. Things like abortion, gay rights, integration, and many other "Democratic" issues weren't issues, because they didn't exist then. Abortion was still illegal, so this wasn't an issue. Gays stayed in the closet and the "leave it to beaver moms" still worked their asses off in the kitchen, and blacks...well, we know the history in the south there. Bottom line...the only issues that Dems were worried about were Social Security for the working class, health care, jobs, and making sure there was enough money to put food on the table. So much has changed--and I'm glad, however, I think with anything that grows and progresses there are "growing pains," and I think that is what is going on now with our party. It seems the question of who we are comes up here alot. I've never thought that much about it before coming here, I just knew I was a Dem and believed in working for the good of the party, believing in issues that helped us as middle and less fortunate America.

When civil rights, abortion, women and gay rights began to take center stage, so-called "Dems" who disagreed moved to the Repub party and so is the history of the "Dixiecrat" Dem and those who are moronic enough to vote for a Republican president who couldn't care less about their struggles.

When I turned 18, I asked my mother why she voted Dem and she said her dad had always voted Dem since the Depression because the Repubs were the "rich man's party." To this day, she votes Dem even if she doesn't believe in everything the party stands for and remains loyal, even as what I call a conservative southern baptist. Her generation is a dying breed. She maintains her beliefs, but doesn't try to push them on others. Isn't that what the Democratic party is? Maybe our motto ought to be "the party of tolerance, acceptance and growth." Actually sounds more like the "values" of the Jesus I was born and raised to know, something repubs have no copyright on and never will.

[4morewars]

1. This is the best explanation I have heard....

A republican will strugle to get up the ladder, do whatever it takes to get up. When he reaches the top he will turn around and pull the ladder up with him so no one else can get up.
A Democrat will struggle to get up the ladder, do whatever it takes, often working harder than the repub, because the Dem didn't cheat. When the Dem reaches the top he will turn around and put his hand out to help the next in line to get up.

:hi:

[Blue_Roses]

4. well said!

it seems we try to make something so complicated sometimes, when really don't we all believe in basically the same thing.

:hi:

[susanna]

11. Well, I love that explanation!

I agree with it 110%. Well done. :-)

[LandOLincoln]

16. I LOVE this. This may be the best, simplest

and most elegant demarcation between Democrat and Republican I've ever seen. The content ain't new, but the simplicity of the statement certainly is.

This is a campaign slogan. This is a winning campaign slogan.

Why couldn't you have come up with this 6 weeks ago?

Not that anyone official would have paid attention...

[greenohio]

21. Have you heard this one:

A repuke views life as a race and he runs as fast as he can to finish first.

A dem views life as a house on fire. He puts as many people on his back as he can carry and races out the house. When he's outside he goes back in to carry out more. When the house is empty, and they're all safe outside, he bumps into the republican who declares "I won."

[blondeatlast]

38. Another excellent summation.

The Democrats need to hire you guys!

[Piperay]

33. Terrific

and accurate. :thumbsup:

[blondeatlast]

37. That sums this yellow dog Democrat up nicely.

I'm committing it to memory.

Thank you for the most lucid explanation of my philosophy I've ever seen!

[lgardengate]

2. Maintaining your beliefs but not pushing them on others....

In a perfect world that is what Dems would be, but think about it...
if someone dares to say they don't believe in gay marriage or they are pro life (Without pushing it but just saying that's what they believe) more liberal leaning Dems are all over them (in a bad way).
I am more "middle of the road" on some issues and i don't have a huge problem with religious minded "middle of the road" folks. That's not always accepted around here.

[serryjw]

5. You may be 'missing soemthing'..........

I have respect for all your beliefs even IF iI don't agre......BUT DON'T TRY AND MAKE THEM PUBLIC POLICY!

[Blue_Roses]

6. exactly...

:hi:

[lgardengate]

15. Dosen't Everyone have the right to advocate for what they

Believe in? I thought that was what a FREE and DEMOCRATIC country was all about.

Or is it only YOU who have that right and those who disagree can (in your opinion) JUST SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP,IN THE BACK, IN THE CORNER,IN THE DARK?

Sorry, but the shouting in your post just wore on my LAST NERVE>
MY RIGHTS EQUAL YOURS SO BACK THE F$ OFF.

If you want to see Facists look at those who only want freedom for themselves. I WILL NOT SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN...EVER!@

[Maat]

23. I guess I don't see all advocacy as the same.

While everyone certainly has a right to advocate their beliefs, I see big differences between advocating for inclusiveness (e.g. same-sex marriage/domestic benefits) and advocating for the legislation of personal religious beliefs on the rest of us (e.g. forcing me with my tax dollars to fund one religious perspective's symbol such as the ten commandments, making abortion illegal).

I, for one, will fight efforts to have my Southern Baptist relatives' views forced upon my Blue state (Cal).

[Blue_Roses]

25. sad because southern baptist do all this in the name of God

which couldn't be further from the truth.

[lgardengate]

29. Actually i'm not a southern baptist or...

Any kind of Baptist.I believe in God and i'm a Christian but i seldom go to church.My family goes. Also,not everyone who shares my values does so because of religion.Most people i know around here are people like me who are not dedicated church goers (my sister and cousin and niece haven't been to church in years except to see someone married. In the south and south/east,south/west those are just considered (by many) to be average "family values". Many don't need a minister telling us what to think to have "conservative" values (some don't even see them as "conservative" because they don't stop to think of what "label" it is.

[George_S]

31. What if Dems tried to outlaw Christianity?

The state takes all the churches and burns all the Bibles.

Would that only be advocacy?

[blondeatlast]

40. I think you are reading far more into what she? said than

was there.

I'm a Christian who keeps my politics and my beliefs isolated from each other, as I think is required of the practice of my beliefs.

And to the EXTREME consternation of many who don't take the time to understand why I feel it's necessary.

I advocate strongly for the divide between church and state for the very same reason.

[blondeatlast]

39. Rethought my comment. Nothing to see here. nt

[Zhade]

34. Your beliefs' influence end where MY rights begin.

I'm queer. I demand equality. Period.

Choice is about not letting women's bodies be subjected to government control.

These are not issues I can compromise on, because to compromise on equality and personal control over one's own body is to give away something you have no right to give up.

[burrowowl]

3. Socialist

type Democrat not DLC repug-like Democrat.
New Deal and laws passed like broadcating fairness, etc. need to be repassed again. For Health care like in France and for DOWNSIZING the industrial-military complex drastically and like Kucinich's idea of a Department of Peace, etc.
Need for public schools, like in Europe, to be equal and not better in rich neighborhoods and run-down in poor neighborhoods.

[trayfoot]

8. Can someone direct me to a list of who is on the DLC? Thanks!

[greenohio]

19. Welcome to DU

http://www.ndol.org/new_dem_dir_action.cfm?viewAll=1

[Zynx]

7. I'm a moderate, libertarian Democrat.

I personally think people should be allowed to do whatever the hell they want to do. Keep the government out of people's lives as much as you can. If they want to smoke marijuana, buy six handguns, and marry someone of the same sex, that's fine by me. I'm not one to say any of that should be illegal.

I believe in balanced budgets and free trade(with restrictions on countries with poor labor standards). However, if there is proper revenue, social programs are needed in order to create equal economic opportunity. I don't believe it is our duty to produce equal results, but we must provide the same opportunities for everyone.

Regarding my personal beliefs, I am a liberal Christian in that I accept all other beliefs(and non-beliefs) on an equal footing, I am personally opposed to abortion, I would never use drugs, I am opposed to gun control, I believe strongly in free speech of all sorts, and I dislike any zealot from either end of the spectrum trying to shove their beliefs down my throat.

[Cats Against Frist]

35. I'm more of a radical libertarian Democrat

And I will vote Democratic, as long as there is a GOP to defeat, but otherwise, I only really share ends with the Democratic party -- not means. I'm egalitarian, advocate, personally for the cooperative, the commune and the union which derives itself from solidarity, but I also respect the individual and the free market -- in other words, I'm a libertarian for both. I'm not super radical, because I still believe in the Constitution, and I don't have any of those terribly nasty traits of some of the more crazy libertarians, like Rand devotees who completely drum altruism out of society, or one of the more lame libertarians like a Friedmand devotee, that believes the market should be free, but in all other aspects, people should behave like right-wing authoritarians and pay hommage to money god. I completly dig the Enlightenment and the idea that we should try to help those less fortunate -- only difference is that I think that it should be a personal decision, and not the decision of the government.

The reason that I think this, is NOT because I'm heartless, which I get accused of, A LOT, but non-understanding state socialist Democrats, but only because I feel that the idea of "government doing for," and "government restraining of" absolves people of their responsibility -- and not just those who are poor, but those who have plenty, and businesspeople and CEOs who owe a debt to their community, not just to their shareholders. And most importantly -- the middle class, whom I believe is the biggest enemy to itself.

I guess I'm more of a Noam Chomsky libertarian, personally -- I love unions -- though I don't advocate for co-ersion of any sort, and I see complete mutualism or anarchosyndicalism as impossible, so I take up with the free marketers, as well.

I positively loathe conservative social institutions, and I am more of a communalist -- I would prefer to see and extended family home or communal family home, rather than the individual family home. I cannot stand consumer constructs, either -- the cycle of work-buy-die is disgusting to me -- and I live like I mean that. It's not just empty rhetoric. I'm in the process of becoming the perfect left-libertarian citizen.

I've been a liberal, all of my life -- my mom and dad are yellow dog, though my dad is more conservative. They raised me to believe that unions are at the right hand of the lord, though my dad has backtracked on that, since he's been overtaken by creeping right-wing propaganda. I had a picture of Michael Dukakis on my wall, when I was 15. I have a degree in Nonwestern politics. I'm a poet. I do not relate to about 95 percent of the population.

That's about it.

[The Backlash Cometh]

9. Indie which leans left as long as the Dem party supports AA.

Otherwise, solid centrist. I support issues that aren't relevant to my personal life, such as pro-choice & gay rights, but, the day the Dem party abandons AA, I can walk away from the others, which will probably see me going rightward.

[Blue_Roses]

13. I don't see that happening and those that try to say it is

are just trying to divide us...look how they already do "wedge" us. When will we learn not to be "bullied" ...

[blondeatlast]

41. My thoughts exactly. This thread goes a long way to

explaining what's wrong with party leadership--we are all about how we are DIFFERENT from each other, not commonalities and common goals.

Therefore THEY can exploit what are really often very minor issues to divide us.

[The Backlash Cometh]

45. Thanks for posting.

I was getting a little disheartened by this newsgroup's infighting and other things. I guess it's time to start putting people in my buddy list to keep track of people that I share the same values with.

[The Backlash Cometh]

44. Thanks, Blue_Roses.

I hope you're right. But I've noticed a lot of new so-called Dems posting from the South. They're calling themselves devout Christians and appear to be Dixiecratic. If the new posters are Dixies (and not freepers) we may be seeing a change in the leanings of this newsgroup.

[LandOLincoln]

17. Okay, 'scuse me for my thick head, but what the fork

is AA?

Alcoholics Anonymous?

American Airlines?

Advanced Artiosclerotis?

[Blue_Roses]

18. Affirmative Action I believe.

[The Backlash Cometh]

46. It shouldn't be a question if the Dems really defined their values.

It stands for Affirmative Action.

[cyclezealot]

10. Enough with labels.

My issues..Single Payer health care, end sell out Trade deals, US adheres to Human Rights as cornerstone of Foreign Policy.

[Blue_Roses]

14. the only reason I give so-called

"labels" is because this is a divisive argument when it really shouldn't be.

:eyes:

[blondeatlast]

42. Exactly! Thank you. nt

[xultar]

12. I'm regular old regular old democrat. n/t

[Forkboy]

20. no kind anymore

[Blue_Roses]

22. then what is it you want?

as a party, person, country...you gotta want something.

[Forkboy]

24. I want what the Dems used to seem to want

now they seem to want cash and KY Jelly more than justice and peace.

[Blue_Roses]

26. Ky? who uses KY anymore?

thought porn took care of that...:evilgrin:

[Forkboy]

27. I dont know these things

Sex with me has always been like the Special Olympics....lots of drooling and everyone is a winner!

Now the pc police are gonna spank me :)

[Blue_Roses]

28. hahahaha

that's called marriage. Sex ended with marriage and became one big drool-

[yellowdogintexas]

30. Liberal Democrat here

Don't want old men legislating what women choose to do with their health

Want good access to medical care or affordable insurance for all

equal rights for all, regardless of race, creed, or sexual orientation

I want good education for our kids, everywhere.

I want a balanced budget, and peaceful co existence with the rest of the world.
I have always supported Democrats for as long as I can remember, and expect to do so until my last opportunity to vote.

[Piperay]

32. Yellow-Dog

I really try to resist labels like left and right, when it comes down to it I will vote Democratic no matter what.

[shayes51]

43. Me, too!

[bklyncowgirl]

36. Democrat by convenience

By that I mean that I'm a Democrat because the Democrats represent the only viable alternative to a Republican agenda that in my opinion is ruining this country. If a strong

My politics are generally left or liberal. Pro environment, Pro worker, Pro equality of rights and opportunity for all. Free trade should be balanced by protection of workers and the environment. I'm generally skeptical of meddling in other countries but I supported Clinton's Bosnia policy and Bush's invasion of Afganistan up to the point where it was pretty damn clear that they were going to let Bin Laden ride off on his donkey out of Tora Bora.

As far as crime and punishment goes I'm pretty conservative. I think criminals of all types belong in jail. Once in jail the low level street criminal types should be given a choice of programs. They can hit the books (i.e.) get an education or they can hit the rocks i.e. hard, physical forced labor. If they choose to hit the books, anyone who is sincerely trying should be given all the support they need. Those who are not trying should go back to hitting the rocks. Corporate criminals should not only hit the rocks but in the best of all possible worlds their wealth would be confiscated and distributed to their victims. If this hurts their families too damn bad. Let the pampered trophy wives work for a living like the rest of us.

OK enough ranting. Just wanted to point out that labes are silly.

[bitchkitty]

47. Hard left on most issues. n/t