General Discussion

merrily

(45,251 posts)

19. Abandon DINOs and trojan horses if you want to elect lots of Democrats

Wed Dec 9, 2015, 11:33 AM

Dec 2015

The first rule in my book is that we have to stick by the liberal principles of the Democratic Party. We are not going to get anywhere by trimming or appeasing. And we don't need to try it.

The record the Democratic Party has made in the last 20 years is the greatest political asset any party ever had in the history of the world. We would be foolish to throw it away. There is nothing our enemies would like better and nothing that would do more to help them win an election.

I've seen it happen time after time. When the Democratic candidate allows himself to be put on the defensive and starts apologizing for the New Deal and the fair Deal, and says he really doesn't believe in them, he is sure to lose. The people don't want a phony Democrat. If it's a choice between a genuine Republican, and a Republican in Democratic clothing, the people will choose the genuine article, every time; that is, they will take a Republican before they will a phony Democrat, and I don't want any phony Democratic candidates in this campaign.

But when a Democratic candidate goes out and explains what the New Deal and fair Deal really are--when he stands up like a man and puts the issues before the people--then Democrats can win, even in places where they have never won before. It has been proven time and again.

We are getting a lot of suggestions to the effect that we ought to water down our platform and abandon parts of our program. These, my friends, are Trojan horse suggestions. I have been in politics for over 30 years, and I know what I am talking about, and I believe I know something about the business. One thing I am sure of: never, never throw away a winning program. This is so elementary that I suspect the people handing out this advice are not really well-wishers of the Democratic Party.

More than that, I don't believe they have the best interests of the American people at heart. There is something more important involved in our program than simply the success of a political party.

http://www.trumanlibrary.org/publicpapers/index.php?pid=1296

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What Are We Going To Do About DINOs? [View all] Cosmic Kitten Dec 2015 OP

Complain I suppose. The party is a top down model currently. mmonk Dec 2015 #1

OR...starve their fundraising? Cosmic Kitten Dec 2015 #2

I stopped funding the apparatus a while back mmonk Dec 2015 #4

You assumed that you had stopped funding the apparatus. Guess what? The apparatus merrily Dec 2015 #9

I give during the primary process primarily and usually to a progressive challenger. mmonk Dec 2015 #17

I do as well, but learning what is in that post was an eye opener for me. merrily Dec 2015 #18

As I'm sure to most people. mmonk Dec 2015 #20

Our contributions, like our emails and calls, have become irrelevant. Only our votes matter. merrily Dec 2015 #21

Me too. mmonk Dec 2015 #25

The right to petition is meaningless if petitioning does not change one single vote. merrily Dec 2015 #29

True but you might be surprised at what you can do on the local level. mmonk Dec 2015 #37

My local level is Boston. Strong machine. merrily Dec 2015 #40

He's the only one I contribute too! n/t RKP5637 Dec 2015 #43

I contribute to Sanders, but also to others, despite what the post I linked in Reply 9 says. merrily Dec 2015 #52

Yes, but merrily Dec 2015 #10

Whine about them on the internet?...nt SidDithers Dec 2015 #3

It's the DU way. eom MohRokTah Dec 2015 #5

That is SO much more comfortable than having to leave the house... FrodosPet Dec 2015 #89

Possibly Katashi_itto Dec 2015 #90

The republicans will appreciate it. pintobean Dec 2015 #6

The Koch brothers had reasons to donate to the DLC and serve on its board. merrily Dec 2015 #11

I dumped my DNC membership and any contributions in support of the DNC. n/t RKP5637 Dec 2015 #46

You mean the ones who don't support the party platform? whatthehey Dec 2015 #7

I simply don't vote for them. Katashi_itto Dec 2015 #8

I understand. Personally, I'd rather write in someone than stay home. merrily Dec 2015 #13

Thats what I plan to do at the GE. Katashi_itto Dec 2015 #14

I won't vote for any of them (nt) bigwillq Dec 2015 #12

I want liberal Democrats to control both houses of congress. pampango Dec 2015 #15

Abandon DINOs and trojan horses if you want to elect lots of Democrats merrily Dec 2015 #19

Abandoning everyone that DU considers leftynyc Dec 2015 #47

Well, they have a long track record of utter failure. Why should we continue to support failure? nt jeff47 Dec 2015 #55

Do tell leftynyc Dec 2015 #57

You do realize that there is more than one elected office in the country, right? jeff47 Dec 2015 #58

Not so leftynyc Dec 2015 #61

Yeah, that's why those districts used to be reliably Democratic jeff47 Dec 2015 #62

So now we're blaming the voters leftynyc Dec 2015 #63

No, that's you blaming the voters. jeff47 Dec 2015 #64

Perhaps the demographics changed leftynyc Dec 2015 #65

Nope. Demographics actually went in our party's favor. jeff47 Dec 2015 #66

Wait. jeff47 Dec 2015 #16

Isn't that now the largest demographic group in the US? merrily Dec 2015 #31

Yep. And it's only going to get larger, since the Boomers are shrinking. (nt) jeff47 Dec 2015 #34

The ones that use RW talking points to attack other Democrats baldguy Dec 2015 #22

Leave them alone. You need the South. NYCButterfinger Dec 2015 #23

You don't win the South by being Republican lite. jeff47 Dec 2015 #36

Don't run on gay marriage NYCButterfinger Dec 2015 #39

And throw in other dumbass stereotypes about grits. (nt) jeff47 Dec 2015 #41

because human rights mean jackshit there? Skittles Dec 2015 #91

Not everyone wants to hear about it NYCButterfinger Dec 2015 #92

not everyone wants to hear about human rights? Skittles Dec 2015 #93

I will see that hifiguy Dec 2015 #94

mass narcissism Skittles Dec 2015 #95

Lincoln should have let them go back in 1861 hifiguy Dec 2015 #97

John Bel Edwards would be considered Republican lite here. joshcryer Dec 2015 #67

Then you have no clue about southern Democrats. jeff47 Dec 2015 #69

The most anti choice state in the country... joshcryer Dec 2015 #72

Based on a poll about what a woman would do for herself, not force upon others. jeff47 Dec 2015 #74

That Democrat would not get elected. joshcryer Dec 2015 #75

Based on you knowing nothing about southern Democrats. jeff47 Dec 2015 #76

Udall lost because he went for gun control. joshcryer Dec 2015 #77

Actually, picking the "exact wrong example" was the entire point. jeff47 Dec 2015 #78

I happen to have lived in Louisiana... joshcryer Dec 2015 #85

You're using the wrong tense. We had primaries. jeff47 Dec 2015 #86

Sadly, you are right. GoCubsGo Dec 2015 #79

Hell, with the DCCC and DNC we don't even get DINOs ... Scuba Dec 2015 #24

Is that the chicken, or the egg? /nt pintobean Dec 2015 #27

It appears to have been the fucking plan. Scuba Dec 2015 #28

^^^THIS^^^ haikugal Dec 2015 #87

DWS doesn't want to hurt the fee-fees of her Repig BFFs. hifiguy Dec 2015 #96

Lack of real choices in views of the people. mmonk Dec 2015 #30

After they've both been fried to a crisp, does it really matter? merrily Dec 2015 #33

You could follow Trumps lead and kick them all out liberal N proud Dec 2015 #26

Embrace them. NCTraveler Dec 2015 #32

Why would gettng votes from the Republican rank and off piss anyone off, besides Republicans? merrily Dec 2015 #35

The op is concerned about dino's while their candidate of choice is courting actual conservatives. NCTraveler Dec 2015 #38

Not at all. If Sanders had become a DINO in order to get (R) votes, your line would be more direct. merrily Dec 2015 #42

I support Clinton who rightly attacks conservatives. Guess that's why I don't get this. nt. NCTraveler Dec 2015 #45

She attacks conservatives while triangulating policies, so.... merrily Dec 2015 #53

He courts people by explaining his positions and his remedies are furthest away from the Republican mmonk Dec 2015 #49

This. hifiguy Dec 2015 #98

This thread reminds me of Teabagger threads on FR decrying Orrin Hatch as a RINO. MohRokTah Dec 2015 #44

Sentence one: What are we going to do with DINO's!!! NCTraveler Dec 2015 #50

The political naivte is stunning. eom MohRokTah Dec 2015 #51

Not this person. People who really do their homework aren't either. mmonk Dec 2015 #59

"We may all be living in Hoovervilles hifiguy Dec 2015 #99

Go after their families? KansDem Dec 2015 #48

OH OH I know... MrWendel Dec 2015 #54

Encourage them to vote for Democrats. Agnosticsherbet Dec 2015 #56

Agreed TeddyR Dec 2015 #68

And run more John Bel Edwards types. joshcryer Dec 2015 #70

Well since we are most likely going to have one ibegurpard Dec 2015 #60

I'll start with the caveat that I'm not a fan of purity tests TeddyR Dec 2015 #71

What do you stand for? mmonk Dec 2015 #73

Are you asking theoretically? TeddyR Dec 2015 #84

I suggest voting for the Democrats you prefer, in the primaries muriel_volestrangler Dec 2015 #80

Depends. If they're in Red states or districts, support them over repukes. KamaAina Dec 2015 #81

Until DWS is gone, not a penny is going to the Party in general Android3.14 Dec 2015 #82

Most of the DINO's I've seen say they registered just to vote for Sanders Renew Deal Dec 2015 #83

I always tell Democratic national groups to piss up a rope when they call. CharlotteVale Dec 2015 #88