DINO's...

[BL611]

To all of those who love to throw the term around in regards to every Democrat who does something they don't agree with; since many of you believe over half (if not more)of the DEMOCRATS in the Senate are DINO's- are they the DINO's, or are you the DINO?

[SaveElmer]

1. Hmmmm...

Hadn't thought about it that way...it's like an episode of the Twilight Zone

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. It depends upon how one defines the term

If one takes your definition, then the person would be the DINO. But if one defines DINO via certain key positions-opposition in some way to continuing occupation of Iraq, support of right to privacy/choice as federal policy--then I think one would find that less than half of Dems fit this bill.

[BL611]

5. Well now here's the thing

How are YOU the one to determine what the "faithful" Democratic position is? If the majority of Democrats support a certain position- that you happen to not agree with; who is the one who is not a Democrat? You or the Democrats?

[liberalnurse]

3. Your point is??????

:shrug:

We indeed have DINO's in our party. I'm speaking of the ones who back the repugs in Congress with their voted, repeatedly. As a moderate Democrat, I find it essential to identify their shortcomings and confront them regarding such. If they continue with the behavior, that is my signal to vote them out.

[BL611]

10. My point is not that

there are not "DINO's", my point is that many seem to think that the majority of Dem's are DINO's-which seems slightly illogical. Also even "DINO's" who caucus with the Dem's (Lieberman, Nelson) have far better voting records then centrist Republicans (Specter, Chafee).

[Zodiak]

20. Not true

Nelson scored 0 on my rating scale, but 9 Republicans scored higher. Nelson is a Repuke...pure and simple.

defector
voinovich 10
snowe 20
chafee 30
deWine 20
kyl 10
mccain 10
martinez 10
gregg 10
sununu 10
colins 10

That is the sum total of Republican defection of bill passage and confirmations.

Here are the Democrats' scores:

Harkin (Iowa) 95
Boxer (CA) 90
Lautenberg (NJ) 90
Akaka (Hawaii) 80
Corzine (NJ) 80
Dayton (MN) 80
Durbin (IL) 80
Feingold (WI) 80
Kennedy (MA) 80
Kerry (MA) 80 - DLC
Levin (MI) 80
Dodd (CN) 70 - DLC
Leahy (VT) 70
Mikulski (MD) 70
Reed (RI) 70
Sarbanes (MD) 70
Shumer (NY) 70
Wyden (OR) 70
Clinton (NY) 65 - DLC
Obama (IL) 65
Bayh (IN) 60 - DLC
Biden (DE) 60
Dorgan (ND) 60 - DLC
Stabenow (MI) 60 - DLC
Byrd (WV) 50
Inouye (Hawaii) 50
Murray (WA) 50
Reid (NV) 50
Rockefeller (WV) 50
Baucus (MN) 45 - DLC
Bingaman (NM) 40
Cantwell (WA) 40 - DLC
Johnson (SD) 40 - DLC
Kohl (WI) 40 - DLC
Conrad (ND) 35 - DLC
Feinstein (CA) 35
Carper (DE) 30 - DLC
Leiberman (CT) 30 - DLC
Landrieu (LA) 20 - DLC
Lincoln(ARK) 20 - DLC
Nelson (FL) 20 - DLC
Salazar (CO) 20 - DLC
Pryor (ARK) 15 - DLC
Nelson (NE) 0 - DLC

Please, when arguing about voting records, look up the votes first. Do NOT rely on what other DUers say, because a surprising amount of them have no idea what they are referring to, only parroting the talking points they found on another thread.

The truth is: 16 of our Senators vote more with Repukes than they do with us. I reject the idea that we should allow these fools to continue to do this without political consequences. I also reject any idea that it is "wrong" to criticize these people openly in an insular progressive forum.

[BlueEyedSon]

4. Two words: Lieberman. Zell.

[BL611]

7. Yes

If you believe those two are the only DINO's, that is understandable, but when people start putting Hillary, Schumer, Feinstein, in the list until it numbers more then half of the Democratic Senators, it gets to the point in which you are essentially saying none of the Democrats are Democrats, sort of like Bolshevism's "Dictatorship of the people"....

[liberalnurse]

16. Hillary, Feinstein and occasionally, Schumer

are self-serving verses speaking a sincere party voice. They can make a constituent Democrats hair stand up on the back of ones neck with the pandering to the right wing issues...such as the War. I don't believe for one minute they are speaking their true sentiments but are pandering. They give pandering the priority which is what many of us strong progressives cringe.

The Senate for example, did this as a whole on the post 911 votes and the vote into War........They did not vote with their hearts and mind-set not did they listen to us but took the temporary softer-easier way, the pander vote.

[kentuck]

6. "Democrat" is not just a word.

By their fruit, you shall know them.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

17. Surely the party name is arbitrary?

The principles of todays Democratic party have very little in common with those of the party 150, or even 50, years ago.

I think that (in the context you're using it) "Democrat" is just a word, I'm afraid. Democratic principles are just those espoused by the majority of Democrats.

One should be directly loyal to one's principles, and at most indirectly loyal to one's party.

That said, I think that in America at the moment the "yellow dog democrat" approach is the clearly the best way to promote liberal principles, even though there are other parties which espouse them more closely.

[kentuck]

19. That's part of the problem...

Some Democrats think it's just a word and the Party stands for nothing.

[derby378]

8. If a Democrat keeps sticking up for Republican initiatives...

...then he's not helping either himself or the Democratic Party. He might as well go and join the Republicans and at least be honest with himself.

Zell Miller comes to mind...

[welshTerrier2]

9. the last thing this country needs is two republican parties

In the face of their tactics, we cannot move our party or our nation forward under pale colors and timid voices. We cannot become Republican clones. If we do, we will lose again, and deserve to lose. As I have said on other occasions, the last thing this country needs is two Republican parties.

[KarenS]

11. I am a DINO for sure,,,,,

too left to be considered a Democrat although I am still registered as one.

[BL611]

12. Thats perfectly fine

if you think the Democrats are too moderate; I may disagree with you, but thats your prerogative and your entitled to it. My issue is with those that think they are the sole dictators of who is and isn't the member of a political party; when their views are more out of tune with the party then the people they are accusing...

[Capn Sunshine]

14. If That is your issue

try out the real world and get offline. No answers to your qusetions exist here.

Things are more focused in life. Take my word on this.

[welshTerrier2]

15. "out of tune with the party"

that's a very interesting standard ... "out of tune with the party" ...

a recent CBS poll showed that 73% of Democrats want US troops withdrawn from Iraq ASAP even if it means leaving before Iraq is stabilized ...

the Party Chairman just called for US troops to remain in Iraq for as long as two years ... other Democratic plans call for timeframes beyond one year and some refuse to set any timetable whatsoever ... some are even saying we can't leave until Iraq is fully secure ...

is it just possible many elected Dems are "out of tune with the Party??"

[jonnyblitz]

13. same here. I am a DEM in registration only so I can vote

in the primaries. I have always voted for the DEM even though I am waaaay to the left of the party. so, yeah, call me a DINO because it is true. :shrug:

[liberalnurse]

18. Your blood runs blue

no matter what they say.......I reserve the term DINO reference for those leaning or embracing the right when the collective needs them on the Left.