How can we bring the Democratic Party together again?

[Cascadian]

I know there has been a lot of anger and bantering about between DLC, near-Republican Democrats and those who are on the left and liberal progressives. I know I have done my share of bashing the DLC and those who I feel betrayed the principles of the Democratic Party. It seems, semi-borrowing a phrase from John Edwards, we have two Democratic Parties instead of one.

On one side you have a group of people who are anti-war, anti-free trade, pro-people with jobs as opposed to careers, and pro-civil liberties. On the other side, you have those who seem to rationalize the political shift to the right and want the Democratic Party to be more like what the Republican Party used to be before the Reagan Cons and Neocons took it over. I am talking about things like supporting Free Trade, supporting the continuation of the illegal war in Iraq, the Patriot Act, and even flag burning. Can some pro-DLC person out there explain the reason for the Democrats to lean towards the supposed center which is in reality the right? Also, don't give me this nonsense that this is what mainstream America wants or this is another way to reach out to Middle America. That is bunk!

Those who tow the line of the DLC must be reminded that the Democratic Party is there not only for people who make more than $100K a year and have careers. The Democrats must also be there for those who work in blue collar jobs and must fight day in and day out to keep their heads above water. Some Democrats have forgotten this by agreeing with Clinton's support for globalization. We must get back to helping those who cannot afford BMW's and annual vacations in Australia or wherever.

Frankly, I am tired of this bashing. It is counter to the what we all want. To get the Neocons out of the White House and take back control of Congress. While we on the left have been frustrated with the way Democratic lawmakers have been acting, and understandably so, those pro-DLC people have been doing their best in shutting us out from having a say in the Democratic Party platform. This is disturbing and will benefit only further victories for the far-right. Do we really want this to continue? This party is suppose to be a big-tent party right? How can we meet common ground? I see a slight impasse among many Democrats on both sides. I fear that Neocon animals like Karl Rove will expose this division to the hilt, thus making for Neocon victories in 2006 and 2008.

I suppose part of the reason I have not been posting very much around here lately is because I hate being drowned out by the DLC DUers whenever I post and criticize them. It has been happening a lot lately and I am becoming more than happy to simply "let it lie". My anger towards the DLC is more intense than anger at the Neocons. At least I know what I am expecting from them though the anger is equally intense. As for those DLC type Senators and Congresspeople, I only feel a sense of betrayal and contempt. It just makes it more difficult for me to support and vote for these people back into office. Doing so just becomes an insult to my intelligence as well as those think like myself.

I post this because I really want this be a meaningful and constructive dialog amongst all of us and in the hopes of finding a common ground. It isn't much to ask to look and listen to what everybody has to say. Supporting the Democratic Party should not be about a litmus tests or focus groups nonsense. It should be about bringing ideas and making life better for everybody and making for a better, smarter, and stronger Democratic Party and America.


John

[LoZoccolo]

1. You cut out stuff like this, to start.

On one side you have a group of people who are anti-war, anti-free trade, pro-people with jobs as opposed to careers, and pro-civil liberties. On the other side, you have those who seem to rationalize the political shift to the right and want the Democratic Party to be more like what the Republican Party used to be before the Reagan Cons and Neocons took it over.

You quit putting intentions and thoughts in peoples' heads and start asking them and trying to truly understand them. That's your first job. This might take months.

[Cascadian]

5. That was a part of my frustration towards the DLC.

I suppose it is a somewhat biased opinion but it comes from my angst as well as my fellow lefties.


John

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. clean house in congress. nt

[OzarkDem]

3. Winning will help n/t

[Adelante]

4. Both sides should lower the volume

Stop the name-calling and calls for purges. Seek common ground and it will be found, at least enough to get us through. Call a truce and fight another day when we've taken some power to effect some change in this country. Wasting energy and money on this bullshit THIS YEAR when we actually have a chance is criminal, childish and perverse.

That's what I think.

[AtomicKitten]

8. you, sir, are a mensch

[Minnesota Libra]

6. Edwards is right".....we have two Democratic Parties instead of one.......

....and the ONLY way to unite everyone left of the political middle is for progressives and more mainstream Democrats to learn how to actually listen to each other and learn the word COMPROMISE and then put it into practice.

Example: Right here at DU if a more mainstream Democrat proposes a certain approach to a problem that progressives doesn't like, look out. The mainstream Democrat is flamed unmercifully and put on ignore by the progressives. So in the end it becomes one big "preach to the choir" session instead of a learn from each other experience.

As long as mainstream Democrats are made to feel that progressives demand that everything be their way or, put another way, "Democrats deserve to loose", there probably never will be peace between progressives and more mainstream Democrats. So unless we learn to COMPROMISE progressives as well as Democrats will simply continue to loose elections.

[Cascadian]

9. If we don't start listening then forget it.

Though I do not trust them, I am willing to let them speak and reason why they believe the way they do. But nobody can deny that by backing things like Iraq, The Bankruptcy Bill, Free Trade Agreements, and the further swing to the right of the US Supreme Court make the Democratic lawmakers out to be a bunch of Republican pretenders. I am sorry but it's my take on it.

Like I said, I will be happy to listen to them reason why they think this lean to the right is going to benefit anybody and this country in general. As long as they are willing to listen to us lefties.



John

[Minnesota Libra]

11. "....a bunch of Republican pretenders", You just proved my point, we......

.....have to get past the name calling first and foremost before any other progress is even possible.:banghead:

[Lefty48197]

7. I'm a "DLC apologist"

and I think all the people that keep criticizing US are the ones trying to divide the party. If they don't like "the nominees of the DLC" then they should organize and nominate somebody else.

This is, afterall, a democracy.

Does anybody out there think we "DLC Democrats" are going to "Diebold" the primaries and get our candidate nominated instead of the farther left candidate? (heh heh heh)

Please keep in mind that my political and social goals are much more in line with those of Eugene V. Debs, than those of Hillary Clinton. Back in 1932, I probably would have swallowed my pride and voted for that mad centrist FDR, instead of the pure socialist I would have clearly preferred.

All that being so, I'll still take any ELECTED "DLC Democrat" over ANY Republican.

Plus, I'm still having a hard time forgiving the greens and socialists who voted for their third party candidates in 2000, thus putting GWB in the WH in the first place.

I think that more than anything else, the 2000 election makes it clear why we Democrats/leftists need to remain united.

[welshTerrier2]

10. here are a few fundamental truths

1. we are indeed divided right now
2. a house divided cannot stand - unity is important
3. we lack the necessary processes and forums to hold constructive intra-party dialogs
4. our divisions are deepening, not improving
5. those currently holding the most power need have the most control over creating harmony - if they wanted to do that

turning down the volume or telling people to get in line or blindly support the party is total nonsense ... unity is needed very badly but it has to be real unity ... the best we can do right now is push the party's elites for enhanced communication ... if alienated voters don't feel the party represents them, they are not going to support the party ... btw, all this name calling about "purists" and "extremists" is all crap ... it's absurd to categorize "the left" as inflexible when no real dialog, negotiations or compromise has even been offered ...