Here's Why The Dems Will Lose Big In 2004

[Yavin4]

The Dem leadership, not the rank and file Dems, does not want to be a true opposition party. They want to be a kinda/sorta opposition. Dem leadership is afraid of scarring off corporate donors and the corporate media. That's why they hate Dean because he's forcing the Dems to be an opposition party.

To defeat Bush and the Republicans, you have to take on the power behind them, which includes the media and corporate America. Bush is nothing more than a corporate logo for their plans. We've seen an endless parade of corporate scandals, Enron and Haliburton, and corporate welfare schemes, tax cuts and prescription drugs. Yet, you can always find Democrats that will vote for these schemes.

What do I suggest that we do? First, we must control our emotions. We cannot get overly excited over a defeat and not be overly pessimistic. Second, we have to realize that before we can defeat the Republicans, we have to clean our own house. We have to re-build the Democratic party to better reflect us, the Democratic rank and file. We're in a political war, and we must rid ourselves of the appeasers.

[stevedeshazer]

1. Could not agree more

Hope we live to see it.

Here's to a Democratic Party that reflects the interests of the people...

:toast:

[Zynx]

2. Yes. That's the ticket!

We have to stand up for something again. We need to be Truman Democrats and not Clinton Democrats. We need to be the party of small businesses, universal healthcare, corportate accountability, and individual rights. We need to stop the shift to the right that has been happening. We may not win next year with this, though I think we can, but by outlining these positions we will better set ourselves up for more victories down the road and reclaim majority party status.

[number6]

3. point taken

stop being wishy washy, all candidates should attack Bush,
unity against Bush all the time, Bush has all the dough
and is the incumbent. Democrats trash each other, waste their
limited resources, Bush rakes in BIG money.

[shooga]

4. why is

Joe Lieberman trashing Dean so heavily ?

[UTUSN]

5. To Defeat Shrub & Repukes, First, Stop Attacking DEMS

Alert

[imhotep]

6. you are right

there are way too many emotions flowing right now.
People have attached their existence onto politicians as if they are a savior.
Also the appeasers have fooled many into thinking that standing for something will make us lose.

[Teaser]

7. How many people volunteer for their Democratic Locals?

Just checking...

[UTUSN]

8. Forget "Volunteering", Stopping Attacking Would Help First n/t

[Teaser]

10. Huh?

I don't know if that was aimed at me or not...


But anyway, my point is this. After Goldwater's loss, the Republican party was completely taken over by Goldwaterites. They took over the local party structure, they took over local offices. They forced the national Republican party to reflect their views. They forced it to grow some balls.

As of yet, I don't see us doing that. I hope I'm wrong, but I don't see it.

[UTUSN]

15. My Reply Was to "Original" So, NOT Aimed at you

But if any doubt is there about "attacking Dems" digest this:

******QUOTE*****

"...Dem ... does not want to be a true opposition ... want to be a kinda/sorta opposition ... afraid of scarring(sic) off corporate donors and the corporate media ... they hate Dean ...

... Yet, you can always find Democrats that will vote for these schemes. ...we must rid ourselves of the appeasers.

*****UNQUOTE****

Btw, mods, if a paranoid-or-other-thing(about "DEAN") is mentioned, doesn't it belong in GD-2?

[Melodybe]

24. I do, I do, I do Everyone here should be doing something

to help the dems. For instance, print up 100 copies of an article (Diebold!?!) that you won't hear in the mainstream media and hand then out, or heck, just leave them somewhere. If we all just do one thing to help then we will have no problems talking this country back.

[Nay]

30. This is a good question, Teaser, because I called my local

Dem Party org, left several messages saying I wanted to volunteer, and they never called back AND I never actually was able to get hold of a live person!

This is why the current Dem leadership needs to GO. I live in a state capital, and every state capital (even in repub states!) must have a vibrant and busy Dem office, where someone at least answers the goddam phone. Even if this means the DNC has to set up paid office and activist positions for that office.

They aren't doing their jobs, IMO. They have no organizational skills or, it seems, any desire to invite people in to volunteer.

I am like a lot of folks -- I work about 45 hours a week, have other family commitments, and I do not have the time to take over the local Dem office and make it run right. Nor do I have the money. To me, that is what the DNC is there to do, and they have failed.

[Yavin4]

9. Agreed. Stop Publicly Attacking Dems

When I said that we must replace the Dem leadership one by one, I didn't mean to attack them openly. I meant that we need to become more involved with our various Democratic party offices and push for change from within. Throwing stones at Joe Lieberman or any other Dem will not help us defeat the Republicans.

[UTUSN]

16. & Throwing Stones at Dems-in-General?

"publicly"(sic)

But it really sounds like you're attacking Dems, PERIOD. This is very public.

[kentuck]

11. Yes, we must destroy the Party to save it...

Re-build the Party? The Party is already there. It only needs to be awakened.

[kodi]

12. dem leadership along with the gop is part of the party of washington, dc

they remain, regardless of which party is in power. what they fear is a true grass roots, populist movement that would undermine their influence to make money and their cushy livelihoods.

we ought to do to the leadership of the democratic party what mao did to a vast number of the elite of the communist party during the cultural revolution.. send them back to working in the rice paddies to recover their sense of what the world of the average person is all about.

it worked quite well with deng, and his policies, once he returned to power reflected his experience doing honest work for a living.

[AfroLib]

17. New Cultural Revolution

I applaud this sentiment. Obscene wealth will always exert an insulating and corrupting influence. Our leadership would benefit greatly from a periodic return to labor in the fields.

[newyawker99]

31. Hi AfroLib!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[JVS]

25. Are you sure we should eat the DLC leaders?

[OneBlueSky]

13. this is one of those posts that you start writing and then say . . .

pluck it! . . . ain't gonna be any changes until people stop re-electing their favorite Congresscritters (you know . . . the one's who bring the big bucks to THEIR district) and start electing new leadership . . . it's way past time to "throw the bums out," but everyone thinks it's the other guy's bums who need to go, so they continue to vote in their own . . . which means no change . . .

bummer . . . literally . . .

[JasonDeter]

14. Excuse me but the Democrats won the majority vote in 2000

Nothings changed. The key will be who gets the most voters to the polls. Hope you at least vote.

[newyawker99]

32. Hi JasonDeter!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[arewethereyet]

18. shoot I thought this was another Dean might get the nomination thread

that would be the biggest reason.

[Unforgiven]

19. But Jesus Ch....

I don't think this country can stand 4 more years of this idiot and his circus. Can we?

[Yavin4]

20. Shrub Will Win and No We Won't be able to take Another

four years of this b.s. Most Americans will suffer greatly under a Bush II presidency which is why we need a leadership that will clearly define the differences between us and the Republicans. We can't have Dems that will vote for tax cuts, one-sided international trade deals, and the prescription drug "benefit" because when these things fail, our opponents will just say that the Dems voted for them as well.

[UTUSN]

23. So We Can't Take 4 More Yrs BUT Let's Attack Dems n/t

[wanderingbear]

21. That why the Party needs a shake up.

Out with the old..In with the Progressive.

[FDRrocks]

22. They want money.

For christsakes. Democrats want me to vote for them. I mean... they can't be liberal, because no one will vote for them. Well everyone will vote for far rightwing fucks. They want me to vote for them, even though they support Republican bills. The Republicans don't vote in favor of Democratic bills. Why? Corporate money.

This system is a farce Democracy, and the opposition party has no spine against the real enemy, big corporate interests.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

26. I agree that we must take the party back.

I'm not yet convinced that we're going to "lose big". The odds are against us but it's still almost a year until November and things change rapidly.

The Democratic Party has drifted so far to the right that it is virtually indistinguishable from the pugs. Either it becomes a real alternative or it becomes irrelavent.

[mouse7]

27. Nope.

With the Kurds on our side, we can't lose ;)

[The Backlash Cometh]

28. Dems leaders are afraid of getting their country club privileges

revocated. We should send them Velvetta Cheese and crackers to help them gird their loins for battle.

[brainshrub]

29. Amen!

But I don't think we need to purge the ranks.

Even Lieberman has something to offer the party.