2016 Postmortem

Donald Ian Rankin

(13,598 posts)

123. It's only a club, and not at all a philosophy or a set of principles.

Sun May 8, 2016, 07:03 PM

May 2016

Democrat is an affiliation, not an ideology.

The distributions of views of modern Democrats, Democrats in 1950, Democrats in 1900, Democrats in 1850, etc are widely different, but it's still precisely the same party.

If (and I absolutely don't think this will happen, I'm just using it as an illustration), a party advocating precisely the olicies of FDR, or some other era in the party's history, were to replace the Republicans as the main opposition to the Democrats - as many DUers often express a hope for - then the Democrats would still be the Democrats, and the other group would not be.

Discussions about "who is right" and "who is a Democrat" are much clearer when this fact is born in mind.

That said, at present, it's a club that offers the best opportunity of promoting liberal philosophies and principles in the USA.

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The number of "democrats" on this board who hate democracy is appalling. [View all] Jokerman May 2016 OP

I know trying to overturn the will of the voters is wrong Demsrule86 May 2016 #1

Nobody, especially Sanders, has any intention or desire of doing that. lagomorph777 May 2016 #6

Except for the millions more who WhiteTara May 2016 #31

I disagree with her positions, lagomorph777 May 2016 #37

These are only a few of the epitaphs that are used WhiteTara May 2016 #44

For the record, I'd be delighted to have a woman president lagomorph777 May 2016 #47

Oh, I'm sure that you would have found reasons WhiteTara May 2016 #51

Faults? No doubt. But I have followed them over the years and both have fought for the 99% lagomorph777 May 2016 #66

Epithet. The Velveteen Ocelot May 2016 #108

damn auto fill and spell check WhiteTara May 2016 #112

Her positions and Bernie's positions are closer than any Republican... LaydeeBug May 2016 #49

Oh, I must have overslept - is it July already? The will of WV, CA, OR has been told? lagomorph777 May 2016 #50

Thank you! OnionPatch May 2016 #104

Yes, which is another primary point why our elections are not democratic. MoonchildCA May 2016 #114

your not gas lighting me DLCWIdem May 2016 #64

Perhaps you turned on the gas yourself lagomorph777 May 2016 #67

Wow. Most misguided OP in a long time. Buzz Clik May 2016 #2

Post removed Post removed May 2016 #12

Ok, gloves off. Buzz Clik May 2016 #19

+100 rock May 2016 #27

Ooooooooooo.... Purveyor May 2016 #42

Woohoo! Now that's what I call telling somebody off. And he/she sure asked for it. brush May 2016 #61

Excellent response. Andy823 May 2016 #82

That has got to leave a mark! COLGATE4 May 2016 #113

Nicely done! NurseJackie May 2016 #118

Nicely done. JoePhilly May 2016 #119

So the Democratic Party is a *club* more than a philosophy or set of principles. yodermon May 2016 #14

It's only a club, and not at all a philosophy or a set of principles. Donald Ian Rankin May 2016 #123

I thought third party advocacy was a TOS violation, and that looks like what you're doing. nt Electric Monk May 2016 #17

Until we get a system in place that we can trust, I support caucuses b/c they're harder to steal. Skwmom May 2016 #3

Caucuses in the past have supported the front runner. If HRC had won the caucuses, you'd hate them. FSogol May 2016 #4

Again. Caucuses are harder to steal. The only two she won were Iowa where even the Skwmom May 2016 #21

Total nonsense. n/t FSogol May 2016 #22

It is. She likes them because they worked for Bernie Hortensis May 2016 #40

No machines. Paper ballots only monitored by reps from all candidates. floriduck May 2016 #30

We have a lot of red states right now WhiteTara May 2016 #35

Caucuses are even easier to steal. Hand counts hoping the counters turn in honest results brush May 2016 #65

I've sadi this here before Ferd Berfel May 2016 #5

"Thurd Way" is a typo lagomorph777 May 2016 #9

Post removed Post removed May 2016 #11

Closed primaries do not disenfranchise voters. Adrahil May 2016 #7

Can someone explain to me why Caucuses are bad? I've only voted in one and was pretty democratic. Joob May 2016 #8

Caucuses are bad because She couldn't steal them. The machine did the best it could but not enough. Vincardog May 2016 #10

The only fair election has a Bernie win. I know. WhiteTara May 2016 #36

Show me the ballots. The exit polls don't match on the Democratic side. Vincardog May 2016 #39

There aren't any ballots in a caucus. WhiteTara May 2016 #46

Bernie won the caucuses. They also don't count the individuals hence the HRC crowd's constant "We Vincardog May 2016 #54

Bernie won SOME of the caucuses. WhiteTara May 2016 #63

She's ahead any way you count it she has no need to steal anything Ohioblue22 May 2016 #55

Then why does she keep doing it? Vincardog May 2016 #56

She isn't you are just mad cause your prefered is losing Ohioblue22 May 2016 #59

Because not everybody can devote hours to stay at one mythology May 2016 #33

I voted at noon. And no one has to say who they vote for. Joob May 2016 #45

take too long no secret ballot DLCWIdem May 2016 #68

Well I voted in one and experienced none of that, took 2 hours Joob May 2016 #72

sorry but I will always prefer my mail in ballot primary over our caucus. liberal_at_heart May 2016 #81

Not all caucus elections work like that Mnpaul May 2016 #93

very good DLCWIdem May 2016 #115

I am from Minnesota Mnpaul May 2016 #116

my co-worker was very excited about participating in her very first caucaus DLCWIdem May 2016 #120

Bernie knew the rules up front, so he has no cause for complaint when he's losing. procon May 2016 #13

He was so busy trashing his opponent he couldn't be WhiteTara May 2016 #48

If your candidate was winning based on everything you stated in your OP, asuhornets May 2016 #15

From what I understand Proud Liberal Dem May 2016 #16

Also, MSMITH33156 May 2016 #23

Right Proud Liberal Dem May 2016 #26

Those party rules worked better when we were the majority jwirr May 2016 #25

Yep. Only an undemocratic asshole would argue that the superdelegates should overturn Nye Bevan May 2016 #18

Numerous Sanders supporters have made the property owner argument. NCTraveler May 2016 #20

Sanders voters Turin_C3PO May 2016 #24

They have made the property owner argument. Very clearly. I am taking nothing out of context. NCTraveler May 2016 #29

That's terrible. Turin_C3PO May 2016 #32

Have to agree with you. It's a real eye opener. bjo59 May 2016 #28

"Undergrounders" who are in love with our overlords. nt. villager May 2016 #34

I'm not arguing in favor of any of those things... Blue_Tires May 2016 #38

They are authoritarian elitists. HooptieWagon May 2016 #41

I agree with you on Superdelegates and caucuses LostOne4Ever May 2016 #43

I think there are several problems with the current landscape trudyco May 2016 #79

My candidate doesn't do well when only dems are allow to pick it's party's nom so therefore we need Ohioblue22 May 2016 #52

If you don't allow Independents a say in the primary then don't be surprised liberal_at_heart May 2016 #58

If you refuse to commit to a party don't be surprised if can't vote in their primary Ohioblue22 May 2016 #60

So I guess you don't care how Independents vote in the GE. Good to know. liberal_at_heart May 2016 #62

Then I guess they don't care what type of government they get. Bush's administration worked out very Ohioblue22 May 2016 #70

Well then the Democrats shouldn't complain when they don't get the Independent vote in the GE. liberal_at_heart May 2016 #71

Then indies shouldn't complain when they lose the right to abortions, or voting , net neutrality, Ohioblue22 May 2016 #73

If they had a say in who wins the primary they may be more inclined to vote Democratic. liberal_at_heart May 2016 #74

They can have a say just join the party Ohioblue22 May 2016 #75

Many have, but some states are either making it very difficult or outright switching liberal_at_heart May 2016 #77

In 2012 Romney won with Independents jamese777 May 2016 #84

Independents are now 42% of the electorate and growing. liberal_at_heart May 2016 #86

More People Are Engaged in this election jamese777 May 2016 #89

And most of that is due to excitement for Bernie. If he doesn't win the primary, liberal_at_heart May 2016 #90

No one knows what will happen 6 months from now jamese777 May 2016 #96

We do know they both have low favorability ratings and we know both will fling huge liberal_at_heart May 2016 #97

Don't wait till the last minute to try to switch Ohioblue22 May 2016 #87

Ah, blame the voter. That's great. Why not make them bring voter ID with them while liberal_at_heart May 2016 #88

110,000 changed their affiliation in Oregon jamese777 May 2016 #92

Yes, and Bernie is expected to do very well in Oregon. Like I said the excitement is for Bernie. liberal_at_heart May 2016 #95

It's the voter's responsibility to take care of their own registration, isn't it? Ohioblue22 May 2016 #99

Yes, and it is also the government's and the parties' responsibility to make liberal_at_heart May 2016 #100

States having closed Primaries is not them trying to make it harder for you to vote in them . Primar Ohioblue22 May 2016 #102

Sorry but I believe closed primaries are undemocratic. You will not convince me otherwise. liberal_at_heart May 2016 #105

Of course because you wanted Bernie to win so anything you view as an obstacle to that is bad and Ohioblue22 May 2016 #122

caucus suck MFM008 May 2016 #53

The sour is strong in these grapes Ohioblue22 May 2016 #57

They are making whine. wildeyed May 2016 #111

KNR amborin May 2016 #69

How long have we known about the primary season? justiceischeap May 2016 #76

Take these complaints to the General Election, this is primary time, in fact the Thinkingabout May 2016 #78

Super delegates are elected public and party officials The Second Stone May 2016 #80

A Political Party is a private entity jamese777 May 2016 #83

I agree DesertRat May 2016 #85

Plus... Do the people pushing for change want the DNC to force the states into one-size-fits all.. Henhouse May 2016 #94

If Conservatives or Independents want to join the Democratic party, do so. randome May 2016 #91

I don't want self-identified Republicans ratfucking us -- my only reason for.. moriah May 2016 #98

Following this board, the next fad is only women of 50 and up will be allowed to vote. insta8er May 2016 #101

Nah, they just vote in far greater numbers wildeyed May 2016 #106

When the GOP disenfranchises them this Fall.. Jack Bone May 2016 #103

Seems to me like OnionPatch May 2016 #107

There is a de facto poll tax in some states. grasswire May 2016 #109

You and I disagree on what the term wildeyed May 2016 #110

What's next? Hillary is soliciting Bush donors. Broward May 2016 #117

Yes. Already ongoing. nt silvershadow May 2016 #121