All I want is for the Democrats to watch my back -- without a knife in hand [View all]

[Armstead]

I regularly rant and rave here about how angry and frustrated I am with the Democratic Party, particularly its "Centrist" pro-corporate faction....And, yes, President Obama.

This latest crap about Net Neutrality crystallized the bigger problem to me -- and made me see it in very simple terms that applies to All issues related to Corporate Power and to the goal of Economic Justice and Democracy.

It boils down to this:

I'm an average person. I've got a life. I get busy with that life. I am willing (and enjoy) following and being engaged in bigger issues in my own tiny microscopic way. But for the most part, I have to focus on my own work and all the other personal stuff involved in life.

That's why I want the people who I support in politics and government positions to represent me.

I have my role, they have theirs. When they say they will watch out for my interests -- and will represent my opinions and philosophy and values in DC -- that's what I want and expect them to do. Just do the job they were hired to do. And do it in the way they said they would.

I'm merely one of many people, so I'm realistic about that. I know they're not going to do exactly what I want, how I want, all the time.

But I DO expect them to do what I want on the most basic level of consistently representing my needs, beliefs and basic goals for the direction we should be going as a society. Even if they occasionally fumble or do something I don't agree with, I can "forgive and forget" if a politician is generally consistent and honest and is an actual Liberal and Progressive.

I DON'T want to have to always be worrying about the people who claim to represent me. I don't want them to be actively working against my interests and beliefs. I don't want to feel that it's necessary to continually look over their shoulder to make sure they're not stabbing me in the back.

I DON'T WANT THEM TO BE HELPING THE WEALTHY AND POWERFUL TO BE TAKING FROM ME AND MY NEIGHBORS. I don't want them to be assisting the Corporate Oligarchs' relentless push to make our lives harder, and to undermine democracy to further a relentless drive to build private empires and enrich themselves beyond the pale of human decency.

I expect the GOP to do things like that. I expect the GOP to be shitty and push for things I disagree with. But I also expect the other party that is supposed to represent the political philosophy that competes with CONservatism to actually be an alternative to that.

I HATE It MORE when it feels like Democratic politicians are just as bad for me as the GOP.

I ESPECIALLY HATE IT when they claim to be for policies that are good for me and the majority of my neighbors, and claim to represent what we stand for -- but then turn around and do the opposite.

LATEST EXAMPLE; Claim to support Net Neutrality but appoint a corporate insider and lobbyist to run the agency (FCC) that is supposed to regulate the industry they are a shill for. And thus pave the way for the fox to guard the henhouse and turn the Internet over completely over to the bastards.

Why do that? Why should we even have to ask?

I LOVE THOSE DEMOCRATS who are honest and who are Liberal and Progressive. I Love those Democrats who walk their talk. And that also means Democrats who understand that Liberal/Progressive Populism is a MAINSTREAM set of American principles and values, not some little "fringe faction" who have to be placated and condescended to.

That's ultimately what we need more of. Ultimately, we need more Democrats who say they will represent us as Liberal Populists in a broad sense. And then, by God, actually represent us when they get into office -- NOT be sticking the knife in our backs.