Democrats and Republicans Priorities

we used to have Sunday dinner there every week. At dinner he would ask us "current event" what he called "democracy" questions. We all studied, read papers (no internet obviously) because we wanted to know the answer when asked. He gave me a lust for our democracy and keeping current. I do miss him...

Back then, Democrats cherished and protected the safety nets.

I still think with everything as it is a Democrat is still a much better choice than any Republican they can put up. No, it is not perfect, no, it is not FDR's time, but all in all I still think we care more for others than they do.

Put as much lipstick on it as you like. The argument that it is less horrible than what Republicans would do is getting very, very old.

Indefinite detention, "kill lists" and drone wars, pre-emptive war as administration doctrine, spy centers for mining or surveillance of all phone calls and email without a warrant, invasive, internet-censoring and "cybersecurity" measures like ACTA and CISPA, military drones in American skies, coordinated violent crackdowns against peaceful protesters, bailouts and settlements for corrupt banks, new pipelines and drilling and selling off the Gulf of Mexico, corporatization of our schools, escalation of the war on marijuana while bankers walk free, growth of prisons-for-profit, installation of corporate agriculture into our FDA, making permanent tax breaks for millionaires, and austerity budgets in an economy that has already impoverished its middle class.....These are not moderate or centrist positions. Not by a long shot.

These are extreme corporatist, neocon, and police state policies, not "centrist" or moderate at all. And they are coming from corporatists in both parties.

The list of new appointees from our Democratic President is a Who's Who of corporatists and neocons. From a defender of corrupt banks at SEC; to a supporter of "Kill Lists," torture, and telecom immunity at the CIA; to a Monsanto VP at the FDA...We are moving into very dark times in a wholly bipartisan fashion.

And now we are looking forward to an unprecedented, life-altering assault on our fundamental safety nets. Have you seen this new incarnation of the BIPARTISAN Simpson-Bowles? Because this is about as ugly as it gets (link to article in post):

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2424895

People need to get their damned heads out of the sand and quit denying what has happened to our government, in both parties. We have a SYSTEMIC problem of corporate money driving policy. And it's not going to change until we acknowledge that and decide to force it to change.

because they not only don't care at all but actively seek to inflict agony as their top priority, it is a bit like using the Klan as a measuring stick to demonstrate another group isn't a racist organization.

Our values and goals cannot be determined by what depths the TeaPubliKlans are willing to sink as long as Democrats don't sink lower. The choice is false and borders on nonexistent. Lack of perfection is beside the point, we are dealing with humans, there is no such expectation but it is easier to see wrong track. If you are off on the wrong track, it isn't particularly meaningful to identify more fucked up as a rationale to keep doing what you are doing wrong because you are still fucking up badly.

...

Democrats see the glass as half-full. Republicans see the glass as theirs.