We're All Democrats, Right? Right?? Right???

[Mr. Ected]

Sometimes when I read the criticism of our party on DU, I have to pause and ask myself that question. Of course, the answer is clear: we wouldn't be posting on DU if we weren't Democrats. And the best place to air out our frustrations with our own party is right here, on a discussion board for people of like minds; people who believe in the Democratic Party; people who long for a return to the ideals and policies once proudly trumpeted and adhered to by our duly elected Congressmen and women.

And yet, there is a sense of despair afloat. When our Democratic leaders in Congress seem to be distancing themselves further and further from our ideals, keeping their powder dry, taking impeachment off the table when that table had yet to have even been built...we look for alternatives. Yes, yes, yes. Dennis Kucinich is an endearing figure. So is Chris Dodd, Joe Biden even. But egads...the field we're running for 2008 is frightening. Flame me, Hillary lovers, Obama lovers, Edwards lovers. But my sentiment is far from isolated. And you know that, too.

What do you do when the two party system fails you? I remember hearing the Republicans chastising each other before the 2006 elections...how much the Republican Congress had shot themselves in the foot, and how poorly they had worn the mantle of their decrepid party. And I also remember hearing many of them saying: "Still, I'd vote for an ineffective, lying Republican over a Democrat any day".

Are we down to that? Are the Congressmen and women who have let us down in the most egregious way since January still the representatives of choice? The answer has to be yes. But that makes us all accomplices in the crime of unaccountability.

[MethuenProgressive]

1. As a Democrat, I'll vote for our nominee, no matter who it is.

The best way to make Progress is to win back the White House.

[emilyg]

3. Amen.

[MNDemNY]

10. .

[depakid]

2. "...accomplices in the crime of unaccountability."

This is why many people have left the party (though they may still support the lesser of two evils- or if they're fortunate, their Reps may actually have a few progressive bones in their bodies).

[Viva_La_Revolution]

4. Progressive Democrat, Socialist Democrat, Fiscal Democrat,

or my personal choice, Independent Democrat. Just because I vote for them 95% of the time, does not mean I can't think for myself.

Dissent is healthy, imho.

[Virginia Dare]

11. Agreed, I could be described as any one of those on any given day..

what I could NEVER be described as is a repub, and third parties have nothing to offer me personally. Of course that doesn't mean I don't think they have the right to exist.

[T Wolf]

5. Right. But SOMETIMES the feeling I have is

Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice, shame on me.
Fool me again and again and again, just shoot me in the fucking head and leave me out of it.

But, in the end, especially if things are looking like a landslide (not saying it will), there will probably be a lot of one-arm voting, with the other hand firmly grasped on our noses.

Because we are Democrats, which means we are basically hopeful about the future.

[yella_dawg]

6. My screen name is no joke.

I vote straight-line democratic in every election.

But sometimes it's hard.

[H2O Man]

7. Grass roots

progressive democrat.

[Virginia Dare]

8. No, we're not..

obviously by the unsubstantiated bashing that goes on. Those aren't Democrats doing that. I'm not talking about constructive criticism either so please don't anyone start that "GO TEAM" bullshit.

[Stinky The Clown]

12. Brava

[Atman]

9. I'm not so sure.

I still call myself a Democrat. But I don't see ANYTHING the party is doing that represents me, or any Democrat I know. I see a bunch of assholes who seem far more intent on protecting their campaign contributors than their constituents. Fuck, who the hell ARE their constituents? I doubt they even known. I think Harry and Nancy's constituents are big business. I think Hillary's constituents are defense contractors. None of these people seem to understand the "representative" part of "representative democracy."

I'm beginning to wonder, though, if in fact we aren't all being played. Who is pulling the strings...we can only hear what the media tells us, and the media is part of the fat-cat corporate constituency funding the lying candidates. Maybe their intent is to DIVIDE us, so that we branch off and vote third party, giving them a plausible explanation for a cross-dressing mob lackey like Guiliani to be "elected" to carry on their war against democracy. We mean nothing to any of them. It's all become a game of nest-feathering, let the rest of us eat cake.

So, to answer your question: Are we all Democrats? I don't think anyone knows anymore. We're all FUCKED, I know that much.

.

[nightrider767]

13. DU is great

And proof of the miracle of internet connectivity.

But isn't it time that we moved to the next level? As good as DU is, isn't it in reality just a bunch of people with common views chit-chatting? Isn't it true the affect we have is very little on the grand scale of things?

Why can't we break through the glass partition that separates us from the real world?

Wouldn't it be way better if we were in some way able to have a real impact on things. How many people are a member of this board? Thousands? Why can't we make our views known and have an impact on things? Why can't our polls be delivered to actual Congressmen and women. Why can't we do the same with petitions with thousands of electronic signatures?

Is there a leader amongst us?

I think that most of the frustration we feel is that in the progress we make in educating ourselves, we ultimately realize that we have no impact on anything.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

16. We ARE the real world!

It's the Beltway that's living in fantasy land.

[shadowknows69]

14. You don't have to be a democrat to post here

But, yes I am.

[Xipe Totec]

15. I'm happy with my congress critter

Stephen F. Lynch, representing Massachusetts and the 9th District in the United States House of Representatives

http://www.house.gov/lynch/biography.shtml

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

17. Seems to me we all claim to have the same position.

It's all just a matter of how vigorously we want to stand for that position.

[laststeamtrain]

18. I'll vote for the Democrat when they need my vote. They don't always.

Clinton/Dole '96? Bill didn't need my vote.

Gore/Bush 2000? For some very odd reason Gore did need my vote. He wasn't a very good candidate you know? His running partner was repulsive.

Instant run-off would be an improvment.

I'll decide where I stand about '08 sometime during the summer of '08.

John Kerry was very disapointing to me. Why didn't he talk about Iran/Contra, BCCI, etc?

I'm not a Democrat but I vote for them often.

I don't believe in ghosts but I'm scared of ghosts.

There should be a labor oriented Social Democratic Party. More people would be walking around with some money in their pockets. It would be good for business.

[NoPasaran]

19. I'm happy with my representative

Congressman Lloyd Doggett

And I'll proudly cast my ballot for our Presidential nominee next November, WHOEVER it is. (Although I strongly expect it will be Hillary Clinton.)

[AlCzervik]

20. i am now considered a "Far lefty' democrat.

[Dhalgren]

21. I have been a Democrat for 35 years, but I am not any more.

I am now an Independent (leaning Socialist). The Democratic Party doesn't represent me any more - hasn't for a long time. Will I still vote for some Democrats? If I can find one who is honest and represents what I believe this country needs - then yes. If not, I'll go elsewhere.

[TahitiNut]

22. Nope. I'm an independent liberal.

I've never been a member of any political party ... and I never will be. I'm loyal to values and principles, not some partisan calculus.

[mike_c]

23. who is this "we" you speak of....

I'm an ex-dem. Voted dem since Jimmy Carter, but not in 2004. I'm Green now, and I vote for progressives, many of whom are in fact democrats.

[Mr. Ected]

24. "We" Refers to You and Everyone Else

Who read the OP.

[cali]

25. You may not realize that you called Obama, Osama. n/t

[Mr. Ected]

28. OMG, Cali, My Stomach Just Turned

I just pulled a FOX news. Unintentionally.

Dammit, dammit, dammit.

Thanks for pointing it out. And despite my criticism of the man, he is stellar in many, many ways.

[cali]

29. Don't think twice about it.

I knew it was unintentional.

[EFerrari]

26. I'm not a Democrat, although a former Democrat.

I switched my reg when not one Senator would stand with the Black Caucus in 2000. That was a bad day.

I usually vote with the Democrats in federal elections. I'm a leftie first, and a party member second.

[MuseRider]

27. Nope. n/t

[LWolf]

30. No.

DU's "who we are" clearly states that it is a board for Democrats and "other progressives." So no, DU is not "all" Democrats.

Among Democrats, there are core groups that are very different. To some, being a "Democrat" means party loyalty above all.

To others, being a "Democrat" means working with the most obvious group to achieve change or progress on issues. For this group, it's no disloyalty to hold the party accountable for that, or to put issues before party identity.

I am not down for that. I won't vote for an ineffective, lying Democrat any day. I won't vote for the Republican, either. It's not an "either/or" choice. Those that spin it that way ARE accomplices in the crime of unaccountability.

I am no accomplice of corruption or dysfunction.