Why can't the Democrats be Democrats?

[racaulk]

Democrats are lying. To themselves. As a lifelong, donation-giving Democrat, and a staunch and proud liberal, I have, alas, had it up to the gills with my party.

<---snip--->

And that is what I expect of my representatives in Washington--especially in this time of near-theocracy in our country. I want to hear Democrats stand up and loudly and passionately and clearly state that they are pro–human rights, pro-gay rights, pro-same-sex marriage rights, and pro-choice!

And while they’re at it--evolution and global warming and the Big Bang are not theories! Oh, and thunder is not the angels bowling. I want to hear the Democrats denounce the Republicans’ attack on the poor! Denounce this administration’s handling of every single domestic crisis and issue since the White House was taken in the political coup of 2000.

Democrats have to stop being verbose or thoughtful or strategic. They shouldn’t be standing on the sidelines waiting mutely for the Republicans to self-destruct. They should be furious! Bush and his cronies have destroyed our country--our international credibility, our human rights standing, our military pride, our economy, our educational system, our health care, our workforce, our environment--all while making themselves and their pals rich! And they’re so damn obvious about it! Adding insult to injury, Bush then has the nerve to announce that we’re “addicted to oil”? No! Really? As if Karl Rove had just invented the idea that morning! Gore was talking about alternative energy sources back in the ’90s! And idea that seems to have only just now occurred to Bush. Of course, Al wouldn’t campaign on it, due to some moronic advice from “Democratic consultants” who seem to have some kind of magic wand that turns every viable candidate we have into mewling kittens.

<---snip--->

Link: http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail.asp?id=31335

[gizmo1979]

1. Exactly on the money.

Stand for something God damit!

[Demeter]

2. These are the New Democrats

The ones born on third base who thought they hit a triple. Just like Dubya, and just as dumb, but not anywhere near as nasty.

They just aren't political animals. They are herd animals.

[Yogi]

3. I feel

the Democratic Party needs to stop trying to court republican’s votes by moving to the center, they need to move further to the left and win the support of the nonvoting public.

[depakid]

4. That would be the way to win

By standing up for traditional Democratic values again.

Unfortuhnately, there are about a dozen members of the party who might as well be Republicans.

[Yogi]

5. I know,

thats that's the sad part about it.

[Oak2004]

6. I wonder if the clueless Dem leadership

understands the depth of anger in this country, or the gravity of the many crises this nation -- and its civilization -- faces. It's not just anger among "the radical fringe blogosphere" or however it is that they are dismissing the Democratic Party's base these days, but among ordinary, not especially politically attuned, Americans. We may not all be well informed, and we many not all be able to describe in depth the multiple political, economic, and environmental crises we find on our doorstep, but something like three out of four of us know something is going terribly, terribly wrong.

When I look at the Beltway leadership, numerous historical parallels pop into my mind. None of the parallels are favorable. If the Democratic Neocon-lite leaders in Washington continue on as they have been, they are going to be surprised by a revolt the likes of which killed the last major American political party who tried to be both everything and nothing in the face of a grave constitutional crisis (the Whigs).

And that's if they're lucky enough not to have anything profoundly catastrophic going on in the background during their Surprise Wakeup Call from America: I can think of many more parallels with much uglier endings. Kerensky continuing the Czarist war, 1917, (Hillary, is that you??) is another example that's crossed my mind.

We're at a tipping point, living at a time future historians will be examining and reexamining for centuries, and perhaps millennia. Everyone feels this in our bones, except, it seems, the Froms, Braziles, and Liebermans of the Democratic Party.