Never in my (political) life have I been so bitter and disenchanted.

[nonconformist]

And dammit, that's saying A LOT.

I am so fed up with being marginalized. You know, a few years ago I was what one would have considered a "moderate Democrat". My views haven't changed that drastically, but now I'm considered "far-left", only a skip away from being the "radical left fringe".

How the FUCK did that happen?

Everything has moved so far to the right. The far-right fringe (evangelicals and radical neocons) have basically taken over and have a strong voice... meanwhile, the former moderate-left Democrats have been completely pushed into insignificance.

I'm an Edwards supporter, so clearly today is a rough day for me. But the thoughts that are crossing my mind are different than ever before. I'm just FED UP, at the end of my rope. Never in a million years would I have thought that I would even consider not voting, but it's up for consideration now. I just don't feel like anyone gives a shit about me or my family anyway... so why bother?

Out of Hillary and Obama, I do think that Hillary is the right choice for a wide number of reasons. One of the big ones is Obama's insistence on working with the Republicans for change. Are you kidding me? Sure, it SOUNDS nice... it SOUNDS like that approach would be more effective in getting things done. But it doesn't work! How's Congress been doing? We've been negotiating our rights away for years now. You know, Bush doesn't care WHO is on board with all his bullshit, yet he's managed to ram through nearly everything he wants. I think we need a president that knows full well the extent of Republican dirty tricks and knows it might be necessary to take a hard approach. So that, in addition to many other reasons, makes me chose Hillary over Obama. But it's only a preferential choice, not a GOOD choice. Now I have to decide if it's even an acceptable choice... because one can only hold their nose so much when they vote. As far as Obama goes... I just don't know what I will do if he gets the nod. In the end, I'll probably vote like the good little life-long Democrat that I am... which is what they're all counting on. My vote is ALWAYS taken for granted, ALWAYS. The wishy-washy uninformed "middle" and, ironically, fed-up Republicans that are responsible for all this crap and who have shit on us for years are the ones that get their vote courted, certainly not me.

All the infighting is really getting to me too, and it's burning bridges, I'm afraid. I know I'm not the only one that's been completely turned off by a candidate's supporters. Will those bridges be mended by November? I don't know. It's getting very difficult for me to constantly just be a vote to be counted on, no questions asked.

Sorry for the rant... I'm having a bad day. :(

[acmavm]

1. I understand 110% and sympathize. This day s**ks, f**ks, and blows

[thunder rising]

2. Deaniac 2004 ... man I was despondent ... don't rush, it is indeed a mourning issue

I would be devastated if Barack had to drop out. However, note this is a democracy and people vote in two ways. One is at the booth and the other is by donation. John did not have the support he needed to complete the campaign. Personally, I feel he's a good candidate that got into a race with two rock stars. I've been an Obama supporter since he announced. If you have done all you can for John then feel good about the issues that you (through him) raised.

[calimary]

7. Fellow Deanie from 2004. And still an Al Gore supporter. I can relate

to disappointment, believe me!

Good points you made, though, that we ALL should keep in mind, whoever we wind up supporting. If you've done all you can for your candidate of choice, then be proud. You did good. And you helped to drive the campaign and the message. And you/we can't give up on that now!

[sjdnb]

14. I fear O&H will continue down the path of mutually assured destruction ...

leaving us with President McCain. At this point, neither 'camp' has instilled any confidence in me and I hold both accountable for the current state of affairs. JE was the only one who brought any dignity and/or decorum to the primary, to date. And, now that they are going 'head to head', I fear it will only get worse. That's without considering the fact that I don't trust or believe in either one anywhere near as much as I do Al Gore or JE.

I only hope that, if they continue on their present course, either Al Gore (or, JE) will realize just how dangerous that possibility is for our country and get together to save us from that.

[nonconformist]

9. I was a Dean supporter, too.

Another reason why I'm at the end of my rope.

[TheDebbieDee]

3. "Obama's insistence on working with the Republicans for change. Are you kidding me?"

They say that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Everytime I hear Sen. Obama say something along the lines of reaching across the aisle to the repukes, I want to gouge out my eyeballs with a spoon!

[readmoreoften]

4. Yes. The party cares more about gaining pro war anti-gay religious fanatic big business supporters

than its own natural constituency. I'm pretty much done with the Democrats being able to count on me--after two decades of loyalty. Let the country slide into fascism instead of taking another decade to get there.

When the DNC wants my vote, they can court me like they court everyone else. Meanwhile I'm voting local dems only.

you hit it on the nose:

"The wishy-washy uninformed "middle" and, ironically, fed-up Republicans that are responsible for all this crap and who have shit on us for years are the ones that get their vote courted, certainly not me."

[BeatleBoot]

8. Well, On the Bright Side.....

At least Ralph Nader isn't in the race!

...........yet...............

:hurts:

[nonconformist]

22. Yet is right....

He's launched an exploratory committee...

[depakid]

25. "voting local dems only. "

That's the really important part- state and local issues. Triangualtion cost us dearly last time round, 12 years worth of fighting the far right in our own backyards.

The so called "leadership" on the national level is determined enable and lose on issue after issue- and election after election. Nothing much one can do about that- other than withold votes and money from the worthless DINO's, but people can still make a difference close to home.

[and-justice-for-all]

5. My day turned to shit because of the bad news too...

[calimary]

6. You, my friend, could use a little TLC!

So could everybody here, sounds like.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4291436

:hug:

[nonconformist]

17. Thank you.

:hug:

[calimary]

24. A pleasure! I was so impressed with some of the comments.

We all need each other, and we all need to stick together. There's MORE than enough hostility coming at us from outside our own camp. We ourselves shouldn't be adding to it. I understand the heated emotions and passions. But we have to find a way to come together. Eyes on the Prize, guys.

Meanwhile, I think Edwards supporters deserve a break. Feelings are pretty tender, still, even now when we've had almost a day to start coming to grips with this. People need time to grieve. And there definitely is some profound grief out there.

[Truth2Tell]

10. In 92

I worked for the Paul Tsongas campaign. I was young and idealistic and fired up. I loved the guy. I was one of two staff members in Washington State. And we won the state! What a high! Amazing.... And then he dropped out! It took me about four years to get over that and dip my toe back in politics. It's still painful.

[Armstead]

11. I completely relate to the shifting of the spectrum

I've been feeling it for years.

One mega bank or media company or another merges to form monopolistic monsters. And I hear eitehr silence or agreement from the party that is supposed to be protecting the economy.

The minimum wage is allowed to plummet below anything remotely close to a livable wage.

Corporate behavior and economic theories that would have been considered inconceivable in the 60's are now commonplace today.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

12. Me neither. Apathy has never been more appealing. nt

[Thrill]

13. You don't win unless you say you're going to work with Republicans

Period

[nonconformist]

16. I disagree.

Now, that doesn't mean that saying that you will not, under any terms, work with them is a winning strategy. But saying that you are counting on the people that caused this big huge mess in the first place to have a complete change of heart and you will adjust your agenda to their liking is NOT a winning strategy. It's a recipe for failure. A winning strategy is to say that you are open to working with them, but in the end you will do what is best for the country, whether they're on board or not.

And, who does saying that you'll work with the Republicans win over, exactly? Life-long Democrats that have had their head held in the mud for 8 years, or fed-up Republicans that don't like you anyway?

[EFerrari]

15. To tell you the truth, I feel pretty rotten right now but it's not as bad

as watching them steal OH and the horrible weeks after that. I didn't know how corrupt our government was at the time. There have been a lot of reality checks since 2004, most of them painful or disgusting but at least now there's the devil I know.

[nonconformist]

18. It seems that every time I get just a glimmer of hope, of understanding, of inspiration

It's quickly destroyed, marginalized, condescended and mocked.

[EFerrari]

19. The real trick is to hang on to you in the middle of all that manipulation.

It's not easy.

[nonconformist]

20. Which is why I'm feeling this way

How many times can one compromise everything they believe in before they become a robot... and part of the problem?

That's my big question.

[EFerrari]

21. First things first. First grab yourself.

That's not an elegant way to put it, but it's true. :)

[ChiciB1]

23. That's Been My Sentiment All Day Long... But For Me... I Really Feel This

is my LAST STAND! Once a Proud Liberal, I no longer fit in. Time to hang it up.

[eridani]

26. In most of western Europe, Kucinich = mildly left of center n/t

[Hippo_Tron]

27. Have you considered that promising to "work with Republicans" is just a tactic...

To throw them off guard when it turns out that President Obama is a tough negotiator.

Let me put it another way. There is a 100% guarantee that John McCain will not advance an agenda that you want. Obama may or may not succeed in advancing an agenda you want. It seems like a no brainer to me.

[nonconformist]

29. No, actually I don't think it's a tactic.

And I'm getting really sick of just voting against people, not for people. That's not the way it's supposed to be. My vote is taken for granted... they assume that life-long Democrats will just automatically vote for the nominee no matter what. I need some time to think... but I'm just sick of it.

[SammyWinstonJack]

28. Perfectly said and my sentiments exactly!

:applause: I don't think I can vote for Obama, in fact I know I can't. Hillary maybe. :shrug: