The Joke is on Liberals

[Phillyindy]

I hate to be Debbie Downer, but everyone laughing at Ted Cruz and the "political suicide" the Republicans are committing with this government shut down haven't been paying much attention.

Look, Republicans have already explicitly told everyone from workers to women to gays to blacks to immigrants to the poor, elderly, disabled and uninsured to go fuck themselves and die, literally, and their base's only complaint through it all has been that they haven't gone far enough!

As most here know, there are two groups of Republicans - the crazies (haters, bigots, racist, abject morons and bible thumping nuts), and the rich and greedy (including those who think they are).

And here's the thing with all of them - they will NEVER be convinced Democrats are anything other then pure evil, and NOTHING Republicans do will EVER get them to vote for anyone but a Republican, EVER, EVER, EVER.

Now it's true, Republicans won't win another national election anytime soon, but they abandoned that strategy long ago, instead setting their sights on controlling local governments, judges, courts and at least one branch of the federal government.

And as we've all seen, with the help of the corporate media, that's all they need to accomplish most of their agenda.

So if you're someone sitting back today and relishing in the "civil war" within the Republican Party and the ensuing "smack down" they are surely going to receive from voters as a result of their direct attempts to sabotage our economy and democracy, I'm hear to tell you to start preparing for bad news in 2014.

Regardless of how all this plays out, not only will Republicans keep the house, polling indicates there's a very real possibility they can also take the Senate. And as for Ted Cruz, he's a national hero to millions now. Laugh at him at your own expense.

The bottom line is nothing is going to change unless liberals grow a set of balls, organize like the tea party, and get real fighters elected who will change the entire national dialogue. Rolling back all the legislative and brainwashing that's been perpetrated on the American people over the last 30-40 years is going to take a massive uprising.

[kestrel91316]

1. Uh huh.

[Rex]

3. I second that Uh huh and motion for a

[pinboy3niner]

9. +2

[LiberalLoner]

116. +3

[L0oniX]

159. +4

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

2. So, what are YOU going to do?

[Rex]

4. Oh I'm sorry, did the liberal kill your pony?

You mad bro?

[Pretzel_Warrior]

5. Well, now we know what handle Karl Rove posts under

J/K

[Hutzpa]

35. haha someone just alerted on your post

they called your sarcasm a personal attack, me thinks this individual is bitter,
but here is the result;

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

ALERTER'S COMMENTS:

Personal attack.

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Tue Oct 1, 2013, 01:42 AM, and the Jury voted 1-5 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: No explanation given
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: No explanation given
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: post is labled as sarcasm
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: So the poster signs up 5 years ago but makes 90% of his posts in the last few months, uh ok. Then he says that he "hates to be a Debbie downer" and then pours crap all over a moment every Democrat is standing in solidarity. Hmm. A little sarcasm is warranted. Leave.
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: Whoever sent this alert is a joker abusing the alert system.
Juror #6 voted to HIDE IT and said: The sarcasm indicator doesn't let you get away with calling another member Rove.

Thank you very much for participating in our Jury system, and we hope you will be able to participate again in the future.

[Phillyindy]

39. Lol, wasn't me. I think these alerts a absurd.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

43. Lol. Thanks for the heads up

So now we know humor is not allowed. Obviously I was stating that this person's prediction was as wildly far off as Rove's 2006, 2008, and 2012 predictions re: the election.

I do know some are lying in wait for me, but I didn't think this post would merit a try.

[Phillyindy]

54. DU drives me crazy with this stuff too

[Walk away]

154. This is why I have never participated in a jury or alerted on anyone.

The few times that I have been judged I never bother to check out why.

[msanthrope]

164. Well, a I-5 leave would indicate that it is allowed. nt

[Pretzel_Warrior]

165. Good point

[Laelth]

110. Juror #4 nailed this one.

Thank you for the research and the explanation, Juror #4. I like it when smart DU members explain their reasoning.

-Laelth

[cyberswede]

142. +1

to Juror #4

[yuiyoshida]

6. We may still see another

Civil War in our life time, as the right wingers attempt to take over. In the next 20 years, our government might be totally changed, to the point, we resemble the old Soviet Union. I hope to hell not....

[Katashi_itto]

104. Agree

[TheMastersNemesis]

7. I Believe That You Are Most Likely Correct. Though I Hope You Are Incorrect.

Because the media is now so consolidated, corrupt and compromised they will be cheering for and helping teabagger, GOPPERS and conservatives. CNN is already gaming for the GOP and imitating FOX and we know they will shill 24/7. Add hate radio and 450 RW talkers and they can drown out all other messages.

The only thing that will help is a change in national mind set and common sense. However we seem to be lacking in that arena. I have little faith that the electorate is smart enough to figure it out on their own.. Add the millions of dollar by the super rich and changing direction will be a difficult slog.

I am like you I won't be smiling until I see some political carnage on their side.

[RobinA]

115. I Believe

the same and hope I am wrong. How many times have we heard predictions of the end of the Republican party as a force, only to have them survive the latest fiasco and live to create the next fiasco. Their demise hasn't happened so far, and there's no particular reason to think that this time is the charm. If they survived the recession of 07-08, something directly attributable to many of their pet policies, they're going to take a lot more than a government shut-down to dislodge. It's obviously going to take something worse than the recession, god forbid.

If I were a fan of political brinksmanship or had a president who was particularly good at brinksmanship, I would say, Yeah, delay Obamacare for a year. Tell ALLLL those people without insurance with their fingers poised over their keyboards to finally sign up for even a little bit of insurance, Oops, sorry, Repubs are shutting down government if you are allowed to have health insurance. THAT might get some attention and change the mindset. "Might" being the operative word. And no, I am not suggesting this, as it's too risky. But I've thought for a very long time that's it's going to take something at least this drastic to force some serious change.

[pacalo]

8. You forgot about the third (& most important) group of Republicans: the corporate benefactors.

Which polls are you citing:

Regardless of how all this plays out, not only will Republicans keep the house, polling indicates there's a very real possibility they can also take the Senate. And as for Ted Cruz, he's a national hero to millions now. Laugh at him at your own expense.

[Phillyindy]

10. Nate Silver has recently said...

Republicans have a 50% chance of taking the Senate. If that doesn't give you an ominous chill...

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

12. That was before the current bullshit.

[Phillyindy]

18. Do I need to run through...

...the massive bullshit pulled by Republicans it was AFTER? You're kidding yourself if you think this stuff will matter. All its done is ENERGIZE the Republican base, fattened their donor coffers.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

23. And you don't think it will energize anyone else.

If you're in Philly it's 1:30 am. You need to get some sleep instead of fighting with people who you claim to agree with politically.

[Phillyindy]

29. You're fighting, I just...

...spoke my mind. And no, if everything the GOP has done the last 10 years hasn't "motivated" enough people, this certainly won't.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

48. You forget 2006

Plus the GOP will lose if they tank the economy. Their corporate benefactors aren't happy with their game of chicken.

[Phillyindy]

55. That we agree on...

A shut down is bad for business. Wall Street will get then in line soon enough.

[truebluegreen]

97. And even the threat of a default is even worse.

Don't you think having Wall St yank the chain of the crazies will have a detrimental effect on party unity? I do. The real Tea Partiers and Libertarians (as opposed to the corporate schills) effing hate the elites, they hated the bailouts and I don't think they will take kindly to having their betters drag them back in line.

We'll see. We are all in now.

[Laelth]

112. +1. n/t

-Laelth

[LiberalLoner]

114. +1

[MADem]

25. That wasn't all that recent--that was three or four months ago.

Before this business, before all the Middle East outreach.

I don't think the GOP are sitting in the catbird seat.

[Phillyindy]

30. If bet what I said happens.

[MADem]

84. Not sure what you're trying to say, but don't bet the farm.

You'll lose.

[Phillyindy]

86. That the repubs hold congress? Book it.

[MADem]

88. They don't "have" Congress. They have the House, and that's hardly a dramatic prediction.

They jerrymandered their way into that majority, and they have a not insignificant advantage. If they keep this shit up, though, they could lose seats.

[Tx4obama]

11. Oh, please! The democrats DO have balls. Obama, Reid, etc have NOT caved.

Btw, IF The House keeps The House in 2014 it will be due to 'gerrymandering' and the 2010 census - not because of democrats.

[Phillyindy]

13. Lol, you must be under 40...

...if you think todays Democrats have balls. Obama is a moderate Republican, hate to tell you. So was Clinton.

[Rex]

17. ...

[Tx4obama]

19. You are wrong once again. I am over 50. n/t

[Rex]

21. Looks like a meltdown, funny just watched another one take place.

Popcorn?

[Tx4obama]

22. Where was the other one? :)

[Rex]

24. Started off well.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023756389

[MADem]

28. You must be under twenty--remember how well that last foot-stomping government shut down worked

out for the GOP, and a little twit named Gingrich?

[Phillyindy]

33. Yup...

...repeal of glass Steagel, NAFTA, etc. Repubs sure paid a price.

And things are WAY worse now, partisan divide doesn't even describe it. With Fox and AM radio and Internet, people are living in complete bubbles of lies and disinformation.

[OmahaBlueDog]

50. ..so a friend from high school posts on Facebook

...one of those BS "here come the FEMA camps" stories. So I post back that she shouldn't worry, and post a de-bunking Snopes link. Then, I'm reminded that there are people in our fair land living in a parallel universe. In my friend's universe, Snopes is an unreliable, George Soros backed tool of the Obama regime.

[Phillyindy]

58. The bubble is impenetrable.

[MADem]

68. The only one I've encountered today, living in one of those bubbles, is you, I fear.

Your facts are out of order, and they sound like a cheerleading pamphlet from the RNC.

Fox is pulling in the lowest numbers they've ever endured, Rush Limbaugh loses markets every week (he just lost Fargo), and his sponsors are running from him like he has the plague. He can only stay on if he's willing to do his ranting and spewing for much less money. He's no longer a hot property, he's more like a warm turd.

The only "talk" that is on the upswing on AM is "sports talk" or "drive time shows." Even Top Forty is starting to crawl back to AM....it's cheaper and it pulls in the same number--if not more-- of listeners. Who listens to AM HATE? Right wing fearful, angry old white guys, and sometimes their wives, that's who, and people who like to yell at the radio. They don't grow their audience with that tactic--they simply try to hang on to the crabby old haters who are invested in their own meanness.

[Phillyindy]

71. Did you actually read...

This OP? Or just get mad at the title? I'm convinced you couldn't have read it, either that or it just struck a chord. It does nothing but rip the right to pieces, while explaining that the real issue is that in the end politically it doesn't seem to matter what they do.

As for right wing media, you are right there numbers aren't great, but in context, they are FAR greater then any liberal media - which there is virtually none of.

The problem is most Americans don't read or watch any news, so all they know is what they "hear", and what they "hear" is right wing talking points parroted by some friends or family and regurgitated by the corporate media. This is why the right has been winning the messaging for years...except for social issues.

[MADem]

83. I read it quite carefully. Your content as well as your tone are problematic.

Aside from the "Abandon hope" gloom and doom 'tude, and of course, the ill-advised flame bait title, your "facts" just don't line up with reality. Republican messaging is fractured--the Tea Party is trying to lead the rest of the party around by the nose, and that isn't sitting well with many of the rank and file. We saw Newt try to pull that shit with the "Contract on/with America" nonsense, and it didn't work for him, either. The only way the GOP was able to achieve executive power was to steal it and shove the nation into war, because "Terra Terra Terra" is a great excuse for shopping a "STFU and accept it" agenda.

We aren't in a "War Without End, Amen" mindset anymore. When our nation is at peace, people care about those social issues that you dismiss--people want jobs, a nice home, decent schools, heath care--and the left has the high road on those issues.

That's why the tide is with us, and not with wingnuts.

[Phillyindy]

85. Well we could do this all night...

...my point was that for years I've watched liberals sit back and mock and laugh at the idiots on the right...meanwhile they have pretty much gotten everything their black little hearts could desire. Corporations have more power then ever, the rich are as rich as ever, the worker is as powerless and hurting as ever, corporate welfare is rampant while the social contract is being shredded.

Obama has pretty much governed as a centrist, actually like a moderate Republican if it was 30 years ago. Liberals have virtually no voice in politics or the mass media. And Republicans have a stranglehold on Congress, and that's not going to change anytime soon.

Doom and gloom wasn't my message as much as my wish that liberals would stop patting themselves on the back over how much smarter they are or how they are on the right side if the issue when its been that way for decades...and it's meant exactly jack shit.

[MADem]

188. I don't think you did a very good job of selling your point.

I think your post sounded more like a put down of Democrats and liberals, and I also think your facts are out of order.

You should know that most people react poorly to that kind of flame bait--your OP reads like you are desiring to get people upset, your use of a sexist term (that has been explained to you here why that's poor imagery to use to get a point across, and that has been discussed on the board here a number of times over the years, yet you dismiss what people say to you) makes you sound decidedly "un-liberal," to put it kindly.

If liberals had "NO voice" in politics, I don't think we'd be seeing federal recognition of equality. I don't think we'd be seeing that Teahadist's Nightmare, Obamacare, either. I think we're doing OK, and imagine how much better we'd be doing if so many Congressional districts hadn't been gerrymandered during the Bush Regime. They're hoisting themselves on their own petard, though--like they did seventeen years ago.

[go west young man]

174. "Your content as well as your tone are problematic."

Sounds like a line from a Kafka novel. i didn't realize Du had it's own thought police. I bet the moderators love "your" constant alerts.

[MADem]

186. Well, a couple of points in response to your attempted put-down of me.

First, DU doesn't have thought police, but it does have Community Standards, a Terms of Service, and an "About Us" page that I suspect you haven't read. If you're not politically liberal then maybe you're in the wrong place. This IS a website for the politically liberal--how do I know? It's written right on the page, that's how.

Here, read this: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=aboutus

When you're done with that, read this: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=termsofservice


Second, DU doesn't have "moderators." We police ourselves via the jury system.

Third, I don't constantly alert--in fact, I often prefer to point out behavior rather than alert on it. I find that if you give some folks enough rope, they'll hang themselves.

When the FIRST resort is the personal insult, it says something about a person.

[SidDithers]

77. Cool story bro...nt

Sid

[pnwmom]

124. This isn't 1960. The Soviet Union is gone and China is liberalizing.

Our own political system, in response, also got pulled to the right.

Obama in today's world is a moderate-liberal, and so was Clinton.

[Phillyindy]

146. Obama is a moderate liberal?

Only if you are defining liberal by today's standards. I'm not going to bother to name all the right wing policies he's either put forth or quietly gone along with.

[pnwmom]

152. Yes, of course I'm defining it by today's standards. Liberal, moderate, and conservative

are all relative terms.

[Phillyindy]

155. That's your problem...

The country has moved so far right that just being against torture, or pro unions, or for regulating Wall Street is considered FAR left wacko stuff.

If this is your barometer, no wonder you think Obama is a liberal.

[pnwmom]

163. I said he was moderate-liberal.

He's moderate on some issues and liberal on others.

Which is why he could get elected in the first place. George McGovern was a wonderful progressive and he lost by 49 states.

[MADem]

14. This post stinks like three day old fish.

If you don't want to come off as a stealth demotivator who isn't all that stealthy, perhaps you might want to stop talking like one. That's friendly advice.

And the "grow a set of balls" comment is sexist and offensive. If I were you I'd find another term to express that thought.

[Phillyindy]

26. All I can say is...

...truth hurts...and calling the expression grow some balls "sexist" is the kind of shit that gives liberalism a bad name to normal, rational people.

[MADem]

32. This is only "truth" if you're a GOP operative, sorry. And we know how "truthy" those assholes are.

And the whole "ball growing" thing is both childish and exclusionary. It's been discussed on this board before--sexist language is like kryptonite in posts in DU--it renders your opinions both weak and asinine.

If you double down on those sorts of tired, sexist tropes, you fly your flag and reveal yourself in a most unflattering fashion.


Don't be surprised if you get a reputation as a consquence, and don't say that no one tried to offer you a bit of friendly advice.

You may think your little bit of "strategerizing" is a road map, but to me, it reads more like a desperate-to-convince wish list. I don't think I am alone in this view.

[Phillyindy]

37. Some advice for you in return...

Get a hold if yourself. Seriously. Grow a set of balls is just an expression, a quite popular one uttered by both intelligent progressive men and women. You haven't some kind of feminist problem with it says far more about you then I.

And stop taking posts on an Internet forum so seriousy. I know you probably like to think there are secret operatives here and its all so important. It's not. It's just one if a million Internet forums. No disrespect to DU, just saying, you guys take yourselves WAY too seriously here sometimes.

[cui bono]

65. You are wrong about the expression grow a pair of balls.

It absolutely is sexist. You may not see it as such but maybe that's because you never really thought about it and dismiss it so casually.

When I went to college our professors had us read the textbooks out loud and substitute "she" for "he". It really taught me something about how everything is worded towards the male side of things. If you never have had anyone point it out to you like that I can see why you have your view on things, but I can guarantee you it is wrong.

Just like all those other things like "throw like a girl" and "man up". It implies that women aren't competent or brave, just men are. I didn't check your profile, but I'm going to guess you are male, and if you haven't grown up as a female and haven't been taught/shown this, then maybe you can allow yourself to absorb it now instead of being so dismissive.

[Phillyindy]

80. I don't see it as much...

...because its not. You have to be one insecure female to feel threatened by such an universally known and used phrase. You must just walk around listening and waiting for anything you can choose to take as sexist.

Like I said, this is the kind if stuff that really turns off most people to liberals. There's being sensitive to obvious sexism, and there's being a self righteous bore.

[cui bono]

92. Why do you think they started making dolls of different races and ethnicities?

Why do you think they stopped calling flight attendants stewardesses? Mailmen letter carriers? etc... etc... etc...
Because there are a lot of people more enlightened than you.

Too bad you are so stubborn and callous you refuse to even try to see things from the point of view of the oppressed.

[LanternWaste]

131. Does the same apply to the N-word?

"You have to be one insecure female to feel threatened by such an universally known and used phrase...."

Does the same apply to the N-word? If not, what is the precise, objective and relevant difference?

[Phillyindy]

156. Lol...yeah...

Using the expression grow some balls is the same thing as using the N word. Why not compare me to Hitler while you're at it?

[bunnies]

137. I bet youre totally cool with calling someone a pussy too.

Balls = strong. Pussy = weak. Sexism? Nah.

[go west young man]

171. Your acting like a wang..

no offense to anyone who may be from China.

[bunnies]

172. Do tell.

[MADem]

70. No, I'm not wrong on this score--you are. You're out of step with the 21st Century and progressive

attitudes.

You seem to be taking my posts awfully seriously, given that you felt compelled to try to lecture me on how progressives think. Perhaps you need to get a hold of your OWN self, hmmm?


I do think, though, that you need to take a little time to study this link.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=termsofservice

And while you are at it, you probably need to look at this link, too:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=aboutus


See, this isn't "just one of a million Internet forums." This is a very particular place, with a very particular culture. If you think we take ourselves too seriously to suit you, well, you've got options. We're not about to change to please you. And you're not going to have too much luck if you continue to be insensitive to the feelings of others here, either.

[Phillyindy]

73. Lol, wow

[bunnies]

138. "out of step".

Heh. Thats one way to put it. One incredibly understated way.

[MADem]

153. I'm endeavoring to remain restrained.

I must say, I'm a bit surprised. That kind of thing is not often seen here.

[bunnies]

157. And youre doing a damn good job.

Im quite certain I wouldnt have handled the exchange so well.

[MADem]

158. Why thank you.... nt

[LanternWaste]

129. Less truth and more prophecy.

Less truth and more prophecy.

Ans sexists do as sexists say, regardless of how you want to rationalize it otherwise...

[Kennah]

36. The OP profile is interesting

Most definitely smells.

Account status: Active
Member since: Thu Sep 18, 2008, 12:11 PM
Number of posts: 359
Number of posts, last 90 days: 309
Favorite forum: General Discussion, 256 posts in the last 90 days (83% of total posts)
Favorite group: Announcements, 11 posts in the last 90 days (4% of total posts)
Last post: Mon Sep 30, 2013, 10:43 PM

[Phillyindy]

40. Lol, more bizarre paranoia.

[Walk away]

162. Announcements??? There is an Announcements group?

Where is it?

[Kennah]

169. It was announced

[Walk away]

184. I missed it...nt

[Chan790]

15. The joke is on conservatives.

They had a chance to lay this one on the Democrats...but they failed to do the things they needed to do...like gag Ted Cruz and figure out how to hamstring the House Tea-Party Coalition enough so they could get close to the middle and claim that they were the only ones making concessions. That was their path to winning this showdown or the coming one on the debt ceiling. Literally the only way out of this for the core-GOP now is for Boehner to throw himself to the wolves in terms of losing the Speakership (if the GOP even holds the House) and use procedural-tools at his disposal to crush out his own party's flank--marginalize the Tea Party in order to pass a sign-able deal.

There's a shutdown and no matter how it resolves, at the polls they're going to carry the blame of it and do the unthinkable...lose seats in a President's second-term mid-term election...the opposition party to the President never loses seats in the second midterm. It's just a matter of how many and how much they can do between today and eDay2014 to staunch the bleeding.

[Qutzupalotl]

69. +1

[1000words]

16. By every right, eight years of Geo. W should have neutered the GOP for quite some time

The fact that it didn't tells me you have a point.

[Phillyindy]

27. Agreed, and when Obama...

Only beat Sarah Fucking Palin by a few % points...AFTER 8 years of Bush and the GOP...that's when I realized the situation was WAY worse then I thought.

[ProSense]

31. What world are you in?

"Agreed, and when Obama...Only beat Sarah Fucking Palin by a few % points...AFTER 8 years of Bush and the GOP...that's when I realized the situation was WAY worse then I thought. "

WTF? It was a blowout election. Seven percentage points and 10 million votes is an ass kicking.

[Rex]

34. Now now! Don't be a Debbie Downer!

He is having fun with this fantasy. Let him roll with it! A clear case of LDS.

[Phillyindy]

41. If you think 7%...

Is a "blowout"...with Obama vs Palin...after 8 years of Bush...then I don't know what to say...

[ProSense]

45. Maybe

"Is a "blowout"...with Obama vs Palin...after 8 years of Bush...then I don't know what to say... "

...you "don't know what to say" because anything would be just as ridiculous as the first comment?

[Phillyindy]

51. Maybe...

You don't realize that nearly 60,000,000 people voted to make Sarah Palin the 2nd most powerful person in the world.

SARAH PALIN.

And that's AFTER Bush, the economic collapse, Iraq,torture, and everything else the GOP did to destroy the nation.

This is nothing short of stunning.

[ProSense]

56. You

"You don't realize that nearly 60,000,000 people voted to make Sarah Palin the 2nd most powerful person in the world.

SARAH PALIN. "

...clearly have a thing for Sarah and Ted.

The 2008 election was an ass kicking. McCain will never live it down.

[Phillyindy]

59. McCain...

...will never live down nominated Palin. But there was no way Republicans should have won that election...hence the perfect time for the first black president.

[ProSense]

61. WTF? n/t

[alcibiades_mystery]

106. Wowsers indeed

[JustAnotherGen]

177. I'm stuck on this guy thinking

Sarah Palin was at the top of IndieTeaPublican ticket in 2008. That's bizarre.

[Phillyindy]

182. That IS bizarre...

...especially considering I never said she was at the top of the ticket.

[JustAnotherGen]

185. Then you admit

It was NOT an Obama v Palin match up? Because you went to great lengths to point out how small a margin he won by in 2008 . . . and you used Sister Sarah Alaskastan in that analysis.

Take what you need and leave the rest!

[ProSense]

47. Also

"Regardless of how all this plays out, not only will Republicans keep the house, polling indicates there's a very real possibility they can also take the Senate. And as for Ted Cruz, he's a national hero to millions now. Laugh at him at your own expense."

...as for that, it says a lot about your perception of the 2008 election and Sarah Palin.

I mean, Ted Cruz is a laughing stock. The asshole is a laughing stock. http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023728367

He hasn't reached "monkey pancakes" territory yet, but I see a trend.

[Phillyindy]

53. Like I said, laugh at your own risk.

[ProSense]

57. There is absolutely no "risk" in laughing at Ted Cruz

He's a dumbass Republican.

[Phillyindy]

60. You are the person I wrote this op for

[ProSense]

67. Don't blame your passion for Sarah and Ted on me.

Own the silliness in the OP.

Seriously, Ted Cruz = dumbass

[Egnever]

62. Sometimes

You just crack me up!

love your tireless efforts to post information but often it's your responses in the sub threads that make me grin like a Cheshire cat.

BTW whats the monkey pancakes thing about? I seem to have missed something.

[Warren DeMontague]

76. the world of deep and profound concern.

Surely you can understand the concerns of someone who is concerned about the many concerning things here to be concerned about.

Frankly, it concerns all of us.

[noiretextatique]

180. best post in ths thread

[1000words]

49. Perhaps some useful information:

I lurked this site for many, many years. I got to know the dynamics, trends and overall "style" of most of the more active members of the DU population. When I finally created an account, there were four members I immediately put on ignore. You have engaged three of them in this thread. I'll let you guess who they are ...

[Phillyindy]

63. I hear you, although...

I don't put people on ignore, or report people, or Anything like that. I don't really get that, especially reporting people - talk about admitting defeat. If you think someone is an idiot, its best to let them open their mouth and prove it.

[go west young man]

173. Good for you.

I also don't put people on ignore or report on people for things they write on an internet forum. In regards to the people you are debating with, I agree, it's the same three. They love to alert, constantly pat each other on the back and always work in a group. It's odd really. You will constantly find the same ones in the same thread. In my mind they are not doing DU a service. They love Obama to the point of making DU a mundane uninteresting place.

[Phillyindy]

183. My guess is...

...it's probably the same person. The same sad, lonely, attention starved person.

[DireStrike]

181. Yep.

I don't but them on ignore, but I never bother to read their posts. Certain people are definitely working pretty hard on this board.

[apples and oranges]

20. Agreed. We should have shut down over gun control

you know, an issue that truly mattered. Fight fire with fire.

[Kennah]

38. Welcome to DU, since 309 of your 359 posts have been in the last 90 days

[Phillyindy]

42. Thanks?

[WorseBeforeBetter]

121. He's been busy at Occupy rallies, but not singing Kumbaya.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023433901#post71

[Kennah]

170. He definitely quacks like a ReThug

[DonCoquixote]

44. I do not agree with you, but

There is a point worth talking about. The 1% want an INCOMPETENT government, and they have bought exactly that. As long as people in the house can go back home, and tell their yokels that they are going to get what they want, these clowns can come back every year, just like WWE wrestlers who do the same damned routine they did back in 1987.

[OmahaBlueDog]

46. Demographics suggested they'd retake the Senate in 2012

Actually, they lost ground. They continue to field candidates who can shoot themselves in the foot.

You and I would probably agree that the public has a very short memory. That said, this crisis will probably determine who keeps the House. You and I also agree that the implosion/demise of the GOP is overhyped and overstated, but I think it's a good bet Boehner's days are numbered.

I think the Tea Party faction really is willing to run the thing over a cliff. Some are convinced Obama/Reid will blink, and others are probably delusional enough to believe that the only way they can save the nation is to collapse the government.

[Skittles]

52. grow a set of balls?

male body parts are not required for courage

[Phillyindy]

66. Uggggggg

[Skittles]

91. yeah uggggggg is right

balls are NOTORIOUSLY SENSITIVE

[Rex]

139. The projection is strong with this one.

I hope they enjoy their stay!

[Skittles]

168. aw I know

I thought about f***ing with them but - you know, with some of them it's not even fun - it's sad

[Warren DeMontague]

72. I know. This could be as big a GOP victory as the last shutdown. Or the Clinton impeachment!

BIGGER!

HELP WATLLLLWEDOOOO?

[Phillyindy]

74. And how would you say...

...things have gone the last 17 years? Would you say right wing economic policies have been winning or losing? What "victory" did the left gain from the last shut down exactly?

[Warren DeMontague]

75. Do you remember the last government shutdown?

I do.

It was a clusterfuck for the GOP. However much you may want to complain about the past 17 years, no way in hell would they have been any better with a Dole-Kemp administration coming in in 1997.

[cyberswede]

144. .

[Warren DeMontague]

78. Thank you for your concern.

[SidDithers]

79. Makes me long for the days of unrec...nt

Sid

[B Calm]

81. LOL

[Tigress DEM]

82. Celebrating the absurdity of the teapublicans at the expense of America isn't our shining moment.

BUT the righteous anger underneath will be what leads to the whole uprising we need.

BECOME AN ELECTION JUDGE - BE THERE TO MAKE SURE ALL THE VOTES GET COUNTED. WE ARE THE MAJORITY, don't let them steal ONE MORE VOTE.

Register people to VOTE. Give people rides.

If you have money, help people in NC pay their poll tax, buy their GOVT ISSUED IDs. It's terrible. It's against the law of the land, but for now it is the corrupt and dysfunctional law of the land - SO BE IT.

IF EVERYONE who is pissed off at the rethugs votes in 2014 and 2016 to put in some reasonable DEMS we will still have work to do, but we'll have people willing to DO the work for once in the full majority.

[DocMac]

87. Where do I trash the thread?

[Tigress DEM]

89. Literally move the OP to the trash can in your own account? Or join in the fracas?

Why ask me?

On the OP there is a place to TRASH THIS THREAD.

[Th1onein]

94. It's in the OP. I'm going there, first. You'll have to wait.

[Flying Squirrel]

90. I gave u a rec so I could unrec the thread ;)

Now if only I could un-kick it as well....

[Kolesar]

101. Phil should go away until next groundhog day

I think your post was darn clever and I am limiting my posts on this thread.

[sendero]

93. As much as I hope you are wrong..

... you might be right. Fact is, the electorate responds to these displays of passion even when they are not sure they agree. There's not much passion in Democratic party (unless you are trying to convince America to bomb Syria, then a bit appears) and the ACA has NOT been sold the way it should have.

Anyone wishing to dismiss your point needs to consider that the Republicans have been, as you say, committing outrage upon outrage for a long time now with little in the way of negative consequence. Why anyone thinks there will be consequence now is not clear to me.

[randome]

95. Even Progressives can be guilty of seeing what they want to see.

I think Phillyindy is right to point out the possibility that this may not go the way we think.

We're all hoping that this time, the electorate sees the light. But we've been down that road many times.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]I'm always right. When I'm wrong I admit it.
So then I'm right about being wrong.[/center][/font][hr]

[FSogol]

96. LOL: Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it!

[Rex]

143. You are assuming they are paying attention in the first place.

The OP is about as brain dead as they come.

[gollygee]

99. Those people would never vote for Democrats anyway

The only people who matter as far as who changes their voting habits are independents.

[notadmblnd]

102. but you forget one thing

there's more of us than there are of them and the gap is going to continue to get bigger.

[Hayabusa]

103. You had me until the last two paragraphs.

I completely disagree with splitting the Democratic party into the mainstream and a far left splinter group. Just like the Tea Party and the Republicans, it can only lead to destruction for us.

[Phillyindy]

147. Liberals need to..

Take the party back from the establishment dems who are basically republican-lite. Liberals are marginalized within the party for this reason. Liberals are on the right side of the issues, but have little to no voice or power.

[L0oniX]

160. We don't need no stinking liberals!

tag added for the humor challenged

On the other hand it can seem like a lot of Dems could care less about including liberals under the big tent. Usually DU liberals end up under the bus IMO.

[go west young man]

175. I believe your on the money.

And it's obvious our side is in denial by how many people have attacked you in this thread. And you are right that anyone who ran against Palin and McCain should have won.... by at least 75% after Bush. That speaks volumes about the messed up nature of the country. Your also correct that true liberals don't really have a voice in the mainstream. Centrist dems do, but not true liberals. I personally believe DU has become pretty much a centrist hangout. A lot of the really good truly leftwing posters have been drowned out since 2008. Maybe that's the nature of the beast after all it's better than a Republican admin.

[TroglodyteScholar]

105. I live in a red congressional district...

And I've encountered some pretty staunch Conservatives who are as disgusted with Cruz as I am.

[Phillyindy]

148. They'll still vote red

[Capt. Obvious]

107. I give this a rec

As there is a lot of truth in the OP.

Your reputation precedes you but that doesn't mean you shouldn't interrupt the songs some are whistling while walking past the graveyard.

[Phillyindy]

149. Lol, my reputation?

[BlueMTexpat]

108. There is NO joke about the current situation. Not at all.

Anyone who begins a thread with such a biased headline and then continues to try to make points by bashing liberals certainly outs him/herself.

While nearly everything that you say about the GOP and their enablers is true, I have a LONG memory of who has "balls" and who doesn't. We do indeed have many of such liberals today, including the Prez. Just to remain sane to keep the country from going completely off course in the face of the greatest political terrorists ever functioning so overtly in the US requires far more courage than you will ever know, or apparently recognize.

I don't agree at all that there are only two groups of Republicans, btw, and know some personally who are every bit as frustrated as I. Of course, I am even more frustrated because they still consider themselves GOP - which defies basic common sense, let alone logic.

[Phillyindy]

150. Your last sentence...

...was the point of the OP

[Bluenorthwest]

109. This OP remind me of Charlie Sheen who kept saying 'I'm winning' as he

lost a million dollar a week gig delivering punchlines and instead simply became a punchline.

[JustAnotherGen]

179. +1

Could it possibly be? I mean Robert Downey Jr hangs out at Crazy Days and Nights. Maybe Sheen hangs out here.

[Laelth]

111. Now, where did that UNREC button go?

Oh, yeah. I opposed it all along. Once again, I am forced to question my judgment.

-Laelth

[wyldwolf]

117. As a veteran of the inter-party wars on DU, I'll give you one thing...

"The bottom line is nothing is going to change unless liberals grow a set of balls, organize like the tea party, and get real fighters elected who will change the entire national dialogue."

THAT has always been my advice/concern/gripe regarding the progressive movement. While the DLC and other centrist groups are ostracized, the progressive movement has thus far failed to organize in any meaningful way to counter centrists in the Dem party and take the fight to the Repugs.

[6000eliot]

119. Why do you have to do all that when you can sit around and complain on a liberal message board?

Isn't that just as effective?

[wyldwolf]

120. there is some truth to what you say but..

I know and respect A LOT of progressive activists who are out in the real world working towards their goals. At the end of the day, though, they lack a power structure or organization to make things happen on the political level.

That really is what made the Tea Party as successful as it has been, although it has always be dysfunctional.

[nadinbrzezinski]

122. You forgot the tea party

Like the Birchers, was created by the Koch brothers. Even the early founders have gone in detail into that. This is a little detail forgotten by most. In the meantime every time the progressives start to get organized, they get infiltrated and destroyed. Oh my god, commies, lefties! Run, and when they do, see Occupy, there is quite a bit of police repression.

This pattern started in earnest with the first red scare.

[wyldwolf]

123. Actually I mentioned them in my last reply

Progressives should have continued building DFA. There was a time when I thought they might make some real inroads.

[nadinbrzezinski]

126. And dfa was formed by whom?

I am being serious as a heart attack. The country *is* progressive. There has been a war on them and leaders by powerful elites starting in the 1920s. Their long game is to create a fascist state. We are there, IMO. And IMO this will be solved, it won't be pretty.

[wyldwolf]

127. I'm not arguing THAT point at all

There just isn't an organized progressive outlet/think tank/movement to fight the right on that level.

[nadinbrzezinski]

133. It takes money, lots of it

And we have think tanks, like Deimos. It is in the field where that organizing is stopped. Recent examples, acorn, occupy. Both were very effective in mass mobilization. Heritage organizes zip, none, not one voter. That is where tea party activists (and Birchers, and others) come in.

You can't have string unions, they might organize voters or something. You can't have Acorn, they did that, among other things, occupy, you kid me...we will have another group emerge, and it will be destroyed. Hell, they will go after the churches soon.

[LiberalLoner]

132. Nadin, when you say "solved" do you mean

We will throw off the Koch brothers soon, or do you mean, solved as in the Koch brothers tighten the noose like Pinochet in Chile and no more open resistance allowed?

I think in the long run fascism does not last but I am very worried about the next five, ten, twenty years...

[nadinbrzezinski]

134. As long as inverted totalitarianism works

They will keep the illusion.

We are already seeing patronages develop.

But solved, I fear a civil war. When all other routes for change are effectively closed, you are left with either collapse under it's own weight, see USSR, or civil war

Neither of those is survivable IMO.

[LiberalLoner]

135. Thank you. I keep thinking this can't go on without an explosion but

Maybe it can go on decades more. Wish I had a crystal ball to see the future.

[6000eliot]

125. We can't "like" posts anymore?

I like this one a lot!

[wyldwolf]

128. Whaddaya think DU is - Facebook? :)

[L0oniX]

161. LOL

[ProSense]

118. Poll Indicates GOP Has Been Deeply Damaged By Shutdown Fight

Poll Indicates GOP Has Been Deeply Damaged By Shutdown Fight
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023758198

Now, stop laughing at Ted Cruz and Sarah Palin, you "liberals."

[JustAnotherGen]

130. [phone]

[stevenleser]

136. With this kind of political analysis in the face of all evidence otherwise...

...can I recommend bowling?

[stevenleser]

140. You and the GOP are trying to tell us their collapsing support is just a flesh wound

[Motown_Johnny]

141. You are confused

The entire premise of your post is flawed.


It is not suicide for the (R)s in deep red districts and states. It is suicide for those in swing districts and states.


Yes, for those who's only worry is a challenge from the right this is a good thing for them. For the rest it is seriously damaging.

[Corruption Inc]

145. Putting a few Bush criminals on trial would do a lot to restore the entire country

Everything else is secondary to democracy and rule of law. People ignore it but we're a country that set up torture camps, conspired to commit war numerous times and have a political body entirely paid off by criminal banks.

Without law the U.S. is just another 3rd world country.

[ann---]

151. True

It's Obama's and all Dems in Congress fault for letting the GOP get away with their antics all this time. The libs are wusses - except for Kucinich.

[CakeGrrl]

166. Nothing's going to change unless people get off their ass and vote D in the midterms. -nt

[Spitfire of ATJ]

167. Pssst!!!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023757117

[Stinky The Clown]

176. the difference is more fundamental

Rs have billionaire backers

Ds do not

[JustAnotherGen]

178. Ted Cruz

Is too wet to step on and too low to kick - and he is going to be the IndieTeaPublicans whipping boy on this.

[SomethingFishy]

187. A gift for you...

http://www.ask8ball.net/

You might as well use it as it's predictions are probably as accurate as yours.

For all you know there will be a massive uprising. Or an alien invasion.
Or more realistically people will sign up for health care, they will realize it's not, as one republicans called it, "The most henious law written in the history of mankind&quot yeah guys like that are gonna last ) Dems will win the house in 2014 and we will have 2 years of unobstructed Democratic leadership.