Do you understand that a Kerry win is only the beginning of the fight?

[Q]

- This is especially true if the 'fascists' keep the courts, house and senate for any extended period. They will make it very difficult, if not impossible, for Kerry to govern. We saw the beginnings of this agenda in the partisan impeachment of Clinton, fraudulent 2000 'election' and the exile of the people's choice.

- RWingers have spent literally decades building up an 'empire' that can't be dismantled in four or eight years of a Democratic presidency. In fact...it can't be dismantled at all if more Americans don't come to an understanding of what they're up against.

- Democracy absolutely depends upon a free press and independent journalists willing and able to keep government and corporations accountable to the people. Rush Limbaugh, Fox News and the end of the Fairness Doctrine ushered in an era of media working directly FOR the Republican party and not in the interest of the people.

- The neocons, religious fanatics and fascists won't lose their grip on this nation when a Democrat becomes president. They will work to drive him out of office by any means necessary in order to return their own leadership to power. They can and will do this ONLY in the absence of a free and independent press.

- As Democrats interested in democracy and civil rights, we must keep up the pressure to restore a free press and a government of, by and for the people...even after a Democrat is elected.

[WonderGrunion]

1. Absolutely

Check out Howard Dean's Democracy for America movement.

He's trying to win the state houses, county commisioner's offices, school boards and local governments at all levels.

I'd post a link, but my HTML sucks.

[Thurston Howell IV]

6. Just cut and paste it

No html skills needed for posting links.

[Ravenseye]

7. YES!

This is something that people have ignored for so long, and it's great that Dean is leading this fight.

The majority of government in this country occurs on the local level, but people just don't seem to care. The Republicans control this level of government and thats a bad thing.

More DU'ers should run for local offices. Lots of time they are part time and you dont' even have to leave your regular job.

[Libby2]

2. Tip of the iceburg

I actually will feel sorry for him if he does.

He has a monumental task ahead of him...and so do the next several presidents.

Thanks to the neo-con fundy idiots.

[kayell]

3. Oh yes. *sigh*

[Eloriel]

4. Well said and very important

I feel there are many here at DU and many more across the country who, while desperate to replace Bush, will be so relieved with a Kerry administration that they will slump back into complacency. If that happens, a Kerry administration will be merely, as I've said before, a pleasant respite -- just as the Clinton administration was a pleasant respite in the Bush Dynasty.

This country is in serious trouble, and no single 4- or 8-year Democratic administration can fix it. In fact, one of MY worries is that most of those in Washington as our "elected leaders" don't themselves recognize the peril we're in.

[Thurston Howell IV]

5. Absolutely, win or lose, the fight will be a long one

I started an anti-Bush blog a few weeks ago to become part of a progressive grassroots effort to counteract Bush's reelection. If Bush wins, the site goes on. But if Kerry wins, I already have the beginnings of another blog in place that will try to help push a progressive agenda into the mainstream. I see the second blog as something I will be working on for at least the next 15 years.

I'm very hopeful that the move toward a right-wing, fascist state will be stopped soon and progress back toward sanity and democracy will begin to be seen. The signs are all around -- DU is an example of grassroots efforts to stop the madness. There are many more that have begun in the last few years.

[BiggJawn]

8. I know this much. I won't have to listen to Gush Pfleghmball...

Because there will be NO lack of Dildo-Heads parroting on a daily basis what the Oxy-Kid says is wrong about PRESIDENT Kerry...

Had it during Clinton, or as the DH's still call him, "Klintoon"...
The White House IS just the First Step.

Speaking of Religious Fanatics, look to your local elections this fall. School boards, town councils, muni offices. Look for Domminionists trying to get a toe-hold into the process that way. Do you have a woman or man running for school board who home-schools their kids? Why? Why aspire to control the school if it's not "good enough" for your own kids?

See how this works?

[doubleplusgood]

9. To borrow a phrase

...from a previous decade, we are in "a long, twilight struggle" with the truely evil forces of the Radical Right. This country wil need to go through a 21st century equivalent of a "de-Nazification" program, as done in Germany after WWII. The Republicans have spent 30+ years building up an infrastructure of think tanks, religious groups, lobbying organizations, media outlets, etc. to push their agenda, to get a virtual stranglehold on much of the American electorate, at least in terms of getting people to view issues through the distorted prism of neo-con ideology.

Air America & numerous internet sites are a good start, but we also need (amongst other things):

- Some unabashedly "liberal" cable networks to provide balance to Fox, MSNBC, etc. corporate "news" outlets ("Al Gore TV" where are you?)

- A restoration of the Fairness Doctrine in some form, to allow for opposing opinions to be heard on the same channel.

- On the religious front, we need to have some left-leaning media preachers to counter what I like to call the "vengeance" Christians...rightwing wacko televangelists who seem to focus most on the more vengeful & apocalyptic aspects of the Bible.

- Public financing of ALL political campagns, including initiatives

- Replace electoral college with Instant Runoff Voting.

[Thurston Howell IV]

21. On the same wavelength

A liberal cable network would help a lot, as well as getting liberal/progressive commentators and hosts on regular media.

Also agree on the religious front, we need to counterbalance the right. I have a lot of philosophical issues with religion in general, but it ain't going away anytime soon, and there are many religious folks who are our natural allies -- Gandhi and King come to mind immediately. We need to be more accomodating to religous liberals and moderates, so that they feel they can work with us in a more organized way, and so they can mobilize their "troops." At the same time, it is important to point out the excesses and hypocrisy of the right-wing christian element in politics. It's a delicate balance which I don't believe I've acheived yet, though I recognize its importance. At least I've come to realize that it isn't wise to make blanket condemnations of religion.

Another element is being more aggressive/ambitious in the agenda we seek. Some key elements are:

- Energy independence in a way that innovates with new, clean technolgies -- thus aiding in protecting the environment, creating new, high paying jobs, and helping to take pressure off our foreign policy (oil is our heroin at the moment, and we can't just stop cold turkey).

- universal healthcare

- living wage for full-time work.

[leesa]

10. Yes. Fully understood. We need to replace nearly our entire government

They have nearly all aided and abetted the illegal wars and have all fought to hide their complicity in 9-11. We would probably be left with five or six Representatives if all the traitors were suddenly weeded out.

[Kanary]

11. I'd feel much better if even DUers recognized this, let alone the rest of

the USians!

It's like pulling teeth just to get DUers to write an email about a good job of reporting. It's IMPOSSIBLE to get DUers to write or call about poverty issues.

Yes, indeed....... it looks dismal.

Kanary

[Selwynn]

12. Congressional races are more important than the white house

But they get half the attention.

[madfloridian]

13. I am reading Dean's new book now, and he intends to keep fighting.

It is an excellent book, not fancy, just plain talk. I was going to post a super review of it by Kevin Phillips, but then I realized all hell would break loose here at DU.

Isn't it a shame that we are so afraid of hearing criticism that one can not post a moving review by a great writer, Kevin Phillips?

Dean intends to keep holding the Democrats accountable for the corporate nature of the party now. So do we.

[Kanary]

14. It's a shame indeed.

There's a very good article on commondreams.org about this campaign being very similar to the Humphrey-Nixon race, and what Kerry needs to do to pull this out, but I wouldn't dare post it on DU.

The RW has shut up the Dem politicians, and we get mad about that. DU has shut up a large portion of the DU population, and that is just fine.

:crazy:

Kanary

[Eloriel]

25. Let all hell break loose -- please post it.

Or, barring that, send me the link by PM for goodness sake.

[madfloridian]

34. Guess you saw it.

:hi:

[BlueNomad]

15. Yes

agreed. Everything you say is true but one step at a time. I wouldn't want to be John Kery for all the money in the world. Sadly, he is going to have his plate full, but as a citizen I am desperate. I'd vote for Sponge Bob and Patrick at this point and worry about 2005 later.

[Beam Me Up]

16. The Conditions that put BUSH* et al in power will still be in place

even if Kerry wins.

Until we have a clear understanding of what these "Conditions" are, precisely, we won't get anywhere.

For example, *if* PEAK OIL is a reality that is going to *dramatically* effect our economy and way of life in near term, THAT IS A NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE. And if that is a fact, then it is a *fact* regardless who occupies the White House or whether Democrats or Republicans have control of congress. This reality will have to be faced and we're going to have to ask ourselves some very difficult questions about the very STRUCTURE of not only OUR society, but HUMAN society.

Frankly, I'm not optimistic. I hope and pray that there are 'white hat' good guys in the military and intelligence agencies and other areas of government that see what is going on here and can help us stop it. But I see very little evidence of this. Mostly what I see the last remaining 'super power' having been hijacked by oil barons and those who 'own' the apparatus of the 'National Security State'.

As has been said many times, they didn't steal a Presidency, murder 3,000 citizens (making it look like a terrorist attack) and launch a two front war in the Middle East just to give up because the MAJORITY of people in this country don't like it. These people are RUTHLESS and they will do whatever it takes to stay in power, IMO.

[cosmicvortex20]

17. I agree, but...

I think if the party wants to appeal to the masses more, their going to have to jettison a LOT of non-sensical baggage.

These little internal ideologies like communism, socialism, and fascism cant fly with our party. Cut loose the extremist and it will go a long way towards appealing more to more people.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

18. Uhhh...you have the anarchist avatar.

As someone with an anarchist viewpoint, I've seldom been identified as a "moderate".

As to cutting loose the "extremists", look at well the "moderates" of the DLC have done in the last couple of elections.

[Karenina]

19. HALLO Q!!!!!

:hi: :loveya: :toast:

[Zen Democrat]

20. Of course. The struggle for liberty and democracy is NEVER over.

[kohodog]

22. Kerry: Going Backwards Less Quickly

But at least he will put his foot on the brake and perhaps our Constitution will still have meaning. Or perhaps he will get in office and be the "most liberal President" in 100 years. (we can hope)

Whatever my misgivings I am behind him 100% given the alternative. This is life and death folks.

Let's get Kerry in, and the house or Senate and we can start to make some changes.

[phish420]

23. completely correct

My hope is that we get atleast one house of congress as well and there is a stunning turn around of the economy, as we can not have a different Dem candidate for 8 years.

[Sheldon Rowan]

24. Absolutely agree

I expect President Kerry to be the object of a vicious Clinton-style attacks starting from the minute the results are certified. The only thing that would silence the reptile right wing would be if the R's lose the House, the Senate, and the Presidency. In that case, the mainstream R's might need to distance themselves from the wackos.

Sadly, regardless of anything Kerry will have a bloody mess in Iraq to deal with, and he could end up being attacked both by the reptiles and by his more dovish supporters. I've really looked forward to being able to take a break, but I don't think I rally should.

[kimchi]

26. Oh HELL yeah!

Once your eyes are opened, it is best to not go back to sleep, but to jump into the day.

You are right in that the battle will continue; and we won't have a chance to be complacent.

[proud patriot]

27. Yes

after Kerry wins will be a dangerous time
especially for those of us who have been very
active .

[951]

28. Who cares we'll worry about that WHEN Bush is gone n/t

[Q]

29. There's nothing wrong with planning ahead...

...instead of allowing things to happen and THEN respond to them.

- We should also have a 'plan B' ready if Bush* cheats his way back into office.

[GoldenOldie]

30. It has to start with the local school boards

and then clean up the State Legislatures. Just take a look at Texas and what DeLay helped them do there.

Arizona finally has a great Govenor, Janet Napolitano, yet she has to deal with the Neocon wacko right.

This entire country can use a good scrubbing.

[KoKo]

31. Yes...Q....understand...long road forward with many pot holds along the

way...maybe worse than potholds...barriers.

[flaminbats]

32. naturally..

George Wallace, Barry Goldwater, and Richard Nixon were only the beginning for the neocons. For those who left the Party in the sixties George Wallace was the first step to becoming Republican. For those neocons who supported Nixon or Goldwater in the primaries, this was a battle won by those whose greatest fear was seeing Nelson Rockefeller get nominated. Once Republicans like Rockefeller and Ford were no longer a factor in the GOP the neocons began focusing on battles at the state and Congressional level.

Carter won every southern state in 1976 except for Virginia, some conservatives voted for him only because they considered it a protest vote again Ford..who had beaten their hero in the primaries. :cry:

These same southern neocons returned to the party when Reagan was finally nominated. In 1992 and 1996 many neocons voted for Perot not because they agreed with him on the issues, but as a protest vote against George I and Bob Dole.

Whether Kerry wins or loses..this is only the beginning of a larger battle for realignment, one liberals must win if our democracy can survive in the coming decades.

[AmerDem]

33. Alot of work indeed.

So much damage to repair, it can't happen over night. Slow and steady wins the race!