I hope someone runs to the left of Kucinich in 2008

[iconoclastNYC]

And gets more press. Who's with me? Any nominations?

[blm]

1. Ever check out the lifetime ratings on the 2004 candidates?

.

[iconoclastNYC]

3. No.

What would that tell me? The campaign is as much about getting out the liberal message as it is picking a nominee. I want a wide variety of issues to be discussed. Not just the DLC's approved short list.

[blm]

6. It makes for a starting point - a tool to guage where the candidate stands

and how he/she has used their position throughout their time in office.

And then take it from there -

[PWRinNY]

2. Not just runs, wins!

I'm so sick of everything always meandering to the right, of democrats who compromise and move the center further to the right. A Dem left of Kucinich would really help bring up issues that we need to have addressed.

[BayCityProgressive]

4. Left of Kucinich!?!

He supports socialized medicine, nationalizing oil companies, repealing taft hartley, supports gay marriage and reparations....How much more to the Left do you want!?!? Karl Marx??;-)

Don't get me wrong I love Kucinich, just don't think there is anyone further to the Left.

[PWRinNY]

8. True

I can't think of anyone to the left of Kucinich either. But I really love Kucinich. Wish this country was ready for a real progressive like him in this lifetime.

[iconoclastNYC]

10. Gosh you just explained why I voted for him in 2004 Primary

Yeah.... I like all those things. Especially the bit about the oil companies. I'd expand it to all energy companies tho.

Here's the thing. Get someone out there who's even farther to the left and with some cooperation from the media (cough...Air America...cough).... Kucinich becomes the "moderate".

I'm a dreamer. I do want a solid field of far-left candidates running in 2008 tho.

[Warpy]

5. I really have given up on having someone who is truly left

win either party or popular support. The party has run liberals only when such a liberal has been a sacrificial lamb, as was Mondale when he ran against Reagan. They always go for the mushy middle, and the DLC always makes the candidate sound like a wimp and a conservative and a business as usual do nothing who won't do a damned thing for any working person in the country who makes less than $100K/year. They love the yuppies. They hate people who have JOBS instead of careers.

I will be satisfied, however, with any candidate who sheds the DLC and New Democrats and their kind offer of campaign management help. I will gladly vote for a Democrat who is his/her own person, warts and all. I won't vote for another prepackaged milksop DLC type. I just can't do it.

I know Dean is fighting those bastards tooth and nail, but he's going to need our help at the polls. We have got to get the dead wood out of Congress, preferably through the primaries. Conservatives have infested both parties and it's up to us to get rid of them in ours.

Leftist candidate? Oh, I can dream, I guess. But dreaming aint getting, and I'll be happy just to have a Democrat from outside the conservative wing of the party.

[SPKrazy]

9. Let's Face It

the mushy middle is where most people are, undecided when it gets down to it.

they want some liberal things like a social safety net, services for the ill and disabled, etc.

but they want strong national defense, and economic prosperity.

the day a strong liberal can convince the country they have a plan for economic prosperity and can translate it to people's pocketbooks, and strong on national defense, they might win.

but we have the conservative media, and the real real conservative media to battle against and they will filter the message that a liberal has to where it isn't the message.

So a strong liberal would need more money to buy traditional advertising, but also non-traditional advertising. Like google ads, etc.

And they would need an army of young people to work like bandits to get them elected (like Dean did)

and finally a way to get rid of voter apathy and get people to the polls!

until then, we will get milktoast Dems, and wolf in sheep's clothing Repukes (like Shrub)

and most importantly

UNTIL THEY (WE) SOMEBODY FIXES THE VOTING MACHINES we won't win!

[iconoclastNYC]

11. What gives me hope

Is that the Internet brings people like you and me and thousands more together. When you realize how dominant our point of view you can help but feel optomistic about the future.

Look at what those religious wacko crazies over on the right got. If you want to believe that the progressives are a miniority in our party as the DLC would have us to believe it still means we have tremendous power if we just get involved and excercise it.

[SPKrazy]

7. It'd Be Hard

they might crash in the ditch