Will, good article at Truth Out. But I question a couple of parts.

[madfloridian]

http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/080304A.shtml

It was well done, but you seem to suggest that Dean (and Kucinich as well) move out of the picture. I do not think that will work. You appear to be implying that we must put our candidates away now, as we do our toys when we are through.

I say the prybar you say to insert in the crevice is not going to work without the voices of the ones who inspire. Dean and his spirit and his mouth are accomplishing so much, and he will not be put on the shelf, so to speak. His gift is the way he inspires.

In all due respect, it sounds like as though you are repeating Clinton's line to fall out of love and fall in line. I doubt the party will work that way anymore. I hope I misunderstood. I think things have changed now. You seem to feel that we, their supporters, will be using the prybar, but that they should step out of the picture. We can vote for Kerry, and we can support candidates for congress as well. The two are not in conflict.

Here are the quotes I refer to:
SNIP..." That's how progressives can change the Party. That's how progressives can fulfill the hopes, dreams and goals of Howard Dean and Dennis Kucinich. In order to do this, however, the men and women who supported these candidates need to thank those candidates, bow deeply before them will the greatest respect and gratitude, and then put those two candidates on the shelf.

And then they need to find that seam in the Democratic party, stick the prybar in, and heave. The seam is 2006. Put the Kerry administration in a place where they desperately need a national progressive push to take back Congress, make sure the organization is there to deliver that Congress, and then hand Mr. Kerry a laundry list of legislation to be passed by the new Congress."END SNIP

I believe 2004 will see a difference for a congress for Kerry, not waiting until 2006. I believe seats will be picked up this year. If I misunderstood, please correct. Not trying to argue, just saying we aren't going away or putting them on a shelf.

Neither of them are a threat to Kerry. They would be serious threat if they stepped out of the picture or we put them "on the shelf."

[madfloridian]

1. It is not necessary to "kill the Buddha" at all.

"Because the progressive base still holds these men sacred, and because these groups still identify themselves with those lost campaigns, the energy that could come from such a melding is falling to ashes due to infighting that is, basically, an extension of the fighting in the primaries. (No, the energy is not failing, it is waiting until Kerry is elected.)

American progressives need to do three things.

They need to kill the Buddha. They need to leave aside the candidate they were following with such devout energy and hope. They need to remember that they, the people, are the point of the exercise, the power players, and not the candidates they followed."END SNIP

Sorry, we can not do that. We have donated to Kerry, we will put a Kerry sign in our yard, we will most certainly vote for him and never criticize like good Democrats. However, our money and energy will continue to be invested in the projects of Democracy for America.

Dean is a not a Buddha, he is going in another direction now by supporting local candidates, campaigning for them, giving them funds. He does not need to be on a shelf. I take issue. Dean and Kucinich are not hurting Kerry.