Two Different Mindsets at DU

[Ms. Toad]

25. I believe you're being a bit disingenuous here.

Last edited Tue Apr 1, 2014, 06:11 PM - Edit history (1)

The distinction is pretty clear - a primary alliance to people (e.g. the Democratic Party) v. a primary alliance to values (regardless of who holds them).

Those primarily allied to values don't have "teams" - except to the extent that they are a useful tool to implement certain values and, when people perceived to be on the same side are working toward (or implementing) policies inconsistent with the values, they are subject to criticism.

Most of the time I vote for the democratic candidate - but not always. I typically don't work for candidates or parties, but when I do it is usually on the D side of the slate. I worked my tail off supporting Obama in the 2012 election, as an observer during the entire absentee voting period and a member of the war room in one of the counties perceived to be critical to his election. I did that, not because he was a member of my "team," but because I believed it was critical to retain the ACA. I have worked for one Republican judicial candidate - because he was a wise, old-style Republican and the court needed the benefit of his wisdom on the bench - and the stability of having at least one judge who remembered what they did last term; his opponent for a position on the state appellate bench was an extremely inexperienced sacrificial lamb put up by the Democratic party solely to have a Democrat on the ticket.

My political energy primarily goes into working in favor of (or against) particular policies - regardless of who aligns with those policies. Most of the time people who align with the policies I am working toward are Democrats. But I really don't care what party they belong to.

If you don't see that distinction in the discussions on the NSA - just to pick one example - you are not very attentive.

Those who found collecting data on U.S. citizens during the Bush years, and but now find it perfectly acceptable beause Obama (until very recently (supported it) favor team over policy. Those who consistently oppose it, even though it is now (until very recently) supported by Obama favor policy over team.