How do I answer this disheartened Democrat???

[NJmaverick]

I am on another message board. I have been trying to convince this one long time Democrat, that the republican propaganda is wrong. I am trying to tell him the Dems will do a better job and do have a platform. This was his reply.

As for MG, I really do not know what your complete obsession with the 'wonderful' democrats is. I am a Democrate and I simply cannot say they will do better. As said, they probably can't do worse, but they are sure trying.
You state all these wonderful things the Democrats will do once they get into office. How come I haven't seen any of this out of any Democrats mouth yet. These are all wonderful ideas that the current administration has frowned on, but I do NOT see any democrat stepping up saying 'If I'm elected THIS will be some of the changes I'm going to see happen". that was the point of my first post, where the hell is their platform. Where is ONE Democrate come out and said, "when we get into office, things will really change, and this is how........
Sorry but that just hasn't happened. You are so blinded by your hate of republicans and some sort of insane facination with Democrats that you are blinded and not seeing reality. To be honest, it's exactly the same as the republican are now. You proclaim the Dems are independent thinkers. Did I miss something while I was out today. I would say that Dems are more Liberal with their ideas, but to say all these things will happen when Dems get into office is just being as ridiculous as most of the things that come out of the mouths of Republicans.
Unless I missed something in the past few weeks, the democrats have NO platform. Ian was right, the Dems should be clobbering the GOP in these elections. God, the GOP is doing everything possible to give it to the Dems, and they are just too stupid to take it. All they need to do is get up on a soap box and say, When We get into office, there will be XXX changes here and OOO changes there and we promise to do this and that. They can't even agree on what to do with the war. they agree that Bushs plan is wrong, but they still have NO plan of their own. And THAT makes me want to vote for them?????????????.
As I said, I will vote Dem just because the way we are currently going is ridiculous and the CHANCE of change is better than NO change at all, but these guys are just as much the buffoons as the Republicans are. If by some miracle the Republicans maintain power in the House, the Dems should run and hide their heads in the sand and NEVER poke it out again.

[Skinner]

1. Don't bother.

That's not a real disheartened Democrat. Note the repeated use of the term "Democrate."

[NJmaverick]

4. I know this guy he, even met him a few times

He is a democrat, although a conservative democrat. My feeling is if you can't get long time Dems like him excited, especially these days, then we have a problem.

[blondeatlast]

7. And this gentleman is one out of how many conservative Dems?

I know plenty of Reagan Dems and nary a one is voting against the Dems this year.

In fact, they are all as angry as I am.

One person does not a movement make, not by a long shot.

[Vickers]

2. Wait: you have to "convince this one long time Democrat, that the..."

"...republican propaganda is wrong" ???

That just doesn't make sense.

If they are too dull to see that Repukes are trying to ruin this country, anything you tell them will seem like another language.

"democrate"

There goes that tell-tale poor librul spelling. :eyes:

[NJmaverick]

5. My feeling is the Republicans are good at propaganda

So good that some Dems are buying into it. Especially the ones that their news from the MSM.

[blondeatlast]

3. I've said it here before, and I'll say it as long as I must....

The battle BEGINS on November 8, 2006.

If we manage to get a majority in one (or both, God willing) houses, we (as in activists) need to lay out our priorities and call/write/blog/annoy our D congresspeople.

As it is now, the Dems simply have no power to do a damn thing--none, zip, zilch, nada. But if we really want our country back, we are far, far more likely to get it from an empowered Dem leadership than the alternative.

But we can't rest on our laurels; we need to tell them what we want, WHEN we gain a majority.

I'm sick of the polite but uninterested responses I get when I call my congress critters--RRR(Bushbots).

When the person on the other end knows I've given money and boots on the ground in this election, they damn well better pay attention.

I echo the replies above, too--Democrate? "Blinded by hatred of the Republicans" (he/she managed to spell that right, I note)?

[NJmaverick]

6. If we can't get members of our own party excited

Will we be able to do something on Nov 8

[blondeatlast]

9. As I say above--this is ONE person.

And convince me Dems won't be excited if we take one or both houses and some governorships this year.

Hell, I'm in such a red state that if my Senator Bushbot (RRR-Bushlick) wins by a narrower margin, and the polls say he will--I'll be excited.

Give up on this one, he can still be your friend.

What I'm worried about is YOUR lack of enthusiasm.

[NJmaverick]

20. You don't have to worry about me

I have been giving money to the cause and doing all I can to save this Country and the world from George Bush and the Republicans.

[mtnsnake]

21. That is the 64,000 dollar question.

Well said.

[mtnsnake]

8. I share some of his main concerns, especially about Dems sitting back

Unless I missed something in the past few weeks, the democrats have NO platform. Ian was right, the Dems should be clobbering the GOP in these elections. God, the GOP is doing everything possible to give it to the Dems, and they are just too stupid to take it. All they need to do is get up on a soap box and say, When We get into office, there will be XXX changes here and OOO changes there and we promise to do this and that. They can't even agree on what to do with the war.

In that respect, the guy has every right to be frustrated. Our people should be screaming on their soapboxes for sure about why we're different and what we have to offer that the Repukes don't.

[FogerRox]

10. I dont' live on that planet. The Planet I live on, has DEMS smoking the

Repub's in districts that weren't even imaginable 3 months ago. Dr. Deans 50 state plan is a long term one, which also balances the short term need of Winning NOW> DEMs are up in 40 House races, up in 10 senate races. . . case closed.

I really dont know anyone like the person described in the OP, I just don't travel in those circles. I travel in mainstream circles, with positive, mentally healthy people.

[mtnsnake]

14. Yeah, you live on the same planet as all the people who thought we'd smoke

the Republicans in 2004 just because Bush was the most miserable president in US history. Yeah, let's sit back and let the repukes lose all on their own. Do that and we'll be in for another shock, come election day.

[NJmaverick]

24. A scary but very real thought

This was what I was thinking

[PuppyBismark]

11. He is Right!

The Dems have failed at defining themselves. We all reading this Blog understand, but until the message gets into the very thick headed American public, we stand a great opportunity to lose. Of all the messages the Repubs put out there, the only one that is true is that the Dems have not given the public a view of what they will do if elected.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

12. We could issue plans...

Engraved on stone tablets and the repukes would say the exact same thing.

That's their schtick.

[FogerRox]

13. Yeah sure. Welcome to DU. take a stroll, look at the sights.

and don't fuck with the DEM's. They fuck back. Thats why we join DU, we're DEM's.

[mtnsnake]

15. "until the message gets into the very thick headed American public"

Amen and welcome to DU!

[Senator]

16. This attitude is caused by the "leaders" failure to say "Impeachment"

Because without that the DC Dems cannot offer a realistic prospect of achieving anything under "rule by signing statement."

It's just that simple.

There's still time for them to wise up, see that they're being gaslighted by the "backlash bogeyman," and show they have the backbone to actually DO SOMETHING about the only obstacle to any improvement on any front: the never-elected, never-legitimate regime.

No focus-grouped "Six Peppy Point Plan" or "Really Real Security" prattle will ring anything but hollow unless they do.

Tell your friend the change is coming. But from outside the DC/Euphemedia Analstocracy. Voting anti-neofascist in the meantime is a necessary contribution to this slower process.

--

[zbdent]

17. For one thing, ask him why Republicans are asking Democrats for

a plan to get out of Iraq? Bush's plan to get out of Iraq is to wait for at least two Presidents to come into office ("It will be an issue for future Presidents to face."

The Republicans have NO plan, and they have a history of co-opting anything a Democrat suggests, voting it down in Congress, and then pushing through a nearly identical plan with a repuke name on the bill.

[Sweet Freedom]

18. Then

remind him what a joy it would be to live in an America where all sides are presented and given a voice. Kind of hard to know what others have to offer if you aren't allowed to hear it in the mainstream.

Or ask him to cite a republican who has presented a plan for the long-term, then give him a copy of Wes Clark's 100 Year Vision. (Not push Clark per se, but that immediately came to mind.)

[lwcon]

19. My two cents (reposted)

The truth... with swears:

http://vastleft.blogspot.com/2006/10/im-still-standing.html

[Jeffersons Ghost]

22. SIMPLE. NO DEMOCRAT EVER DESTROYED OUR BILL OF RIGHTS...

No Democratic ruled congress EVER gave such gigantic tax break to ONLY the idle rich.

No Democratic president EVER circumvented due-process of law and the GENEVA CONVENTION to such a great extent, by setting up a secret torture camps all over the world and a virtual police state in America.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

23. One of his implications is correct, though

Once the Dems get back into power, they had better hit the ground running with some REAL CHANGE.

If they get back into power and no longer have the whiners' excuse of "but we're the minority," and they STILL don't do anything, the voters will bring back the Republicanites next time around.