Stark's Statement Contains A Strong Message To All of Us in the Democratic Party

[TornadoTN]

Read this:

“I want to apologize to my colleagues — many of whom I have offended — to the president and his family and to the troops,” Stark said. He added that he hoped the apology would allow him to “become as insignificant as I should be” as the House moves forward on critical, divisive issues. Stark then left the podium, wiping away tears as Democratic colleagues surrounded him with supportive handshakes.


When Pete Stark says something that the overwhelming majority of us here at DU, and further, outside of our friendly confines here, wholeheartedly agree with - it's reason for many of us to pay attention. The man simply was telling it in no uncertain terms that our President simply doesn't care for us or our troops - it's all a game of profit to our President.

Now he's being chastised for it and the party abandoned him in the process. In his statement, he says that he should "become as insignificant as I should be" after his apology. Those are some very, very strong words for not only those of us on the left, but for our system as a whole. It clearly means that telling the truth, even if it hurts, is wrong - that these sentiments are insignificant in the political machine that is assembled today on both sides of the aisle.

I'm tired of being insignificant to my party and to my country.

[FARAFIELD]

1. i HEAR YOU

Pelosi, hoyer et al. Are a fucking embarrasment. They wouldnt be in leadership if it wasnt for people power, Stark shouldnt have apologized so thats on him, But man is the leadership of the party a bunch of fucking pussies and you can take that to the bank.

[babylonsister]

2. I read it to mean he just wants to fade back into the woodwork to get

the heat redirected elsewhere.

[TornadoTN]

7. Perhaps, but no member of Congress should feel insignificant

Especially after voicing their thoughts on something so important. We have a leader stand up and take a hard line stand with some very harsh words, only to see him beat back down and into place by our own party. I see that as rendering him insignificant.

[babylonsister]

14. That's precisely what happened. nt

[Whisp]

23. he may also be saying that voting is insignificant.

if members of congress are to represent the voters and if a congressperson feels he is insignificant...

just thinking out loud here.
very interesting word he used, insignificant. It's a deeper message, for sure.

[dmr]

47. Yeah, that's sort of what I was thinking

I'm wondering if he's just using code-speak to say our (monied) political leadership has rendered us as insignificant.

Along with the MoveOn.org slap down in Congress, they are effectively suppressing any and all dissent from their status quo. They refuse to give an inch to progress/grassroots, for fear of our strength and significance will gain a mile.

It saddened me earlier today when I heard him speak. Last week, his words spoke for me. Finally, someone had the courage to officially say what they mean and mean what they say. No fancy words or cutsy facial expressions; just frank words for a horrific era this administration and Congress has gotten us into.

Our country is not free. When one person, an important person, an elected official, cannot vocalize the cries of his constituents, let alone millions of other Americans in this nation on the Congressional floor, our voice is truly not represented. It is time to scare the hell out of them and run other Democrats in the primaries to replace them.

Two things bother me. The first is the campaign war-chests the politicians find more important to build instead of advocating for the American people. Worrying about making the next election while Rome burns. The second concern: what does the admin and GOP, taking full illegal advantage of NSA eavesdropping have against the Dems, other Republicans, some in the media, and other high-profiled people?

[LakeSamish706]

3. I think that most of us here at DU knew those things along time ago...

When he took this country into a war that is total bullshit we knew he was out to lunch... The next venture (Iran) will not be the cup of tea that they might think.. They better be looking over their shoulder's for Russia and China.... And we the people better damn well learn how to duck and cover again.

[HereSince1628]

4. Get in line, everone of us...the Congress has. The major political parties are.

All that remains is for the descenting voices in the base to be silenced. At that point, it'll be good news all the time for Good Amerikans.

[halobeam]

29. Bingo

exactly the message. Exactly the "design". I wrote this on another post re: Stark.. but it brought me right to Naomi Wolf's view of the ten common steps in closing down a democratic society. This is "targeting Key Officials".

Censoring free speech is a serious tipping point.

I wonder if he apologized as to not create another censure to free speech, as they got (Dems gave it, imo) to MoveOn. Does it take one censure to make a precedent, or adding more and more on, make it stronger (obviously not a law student lol). Was Stark taking the lesser of the two evils for our countries sake, (if a deal was struck/apologize or be censured?)

I just keep searching for things to make some sort of sense.

[Harper_is_Bush]

5. No, he meant that he should be insignificant in comparison to what's happening in Iraq.

[TornadoTN]

13. I'm not so sure that is the case, but I respect that perspective

I think those words are measured, it didn't take much to read between those lines. No member of Congress should feel insignificant - or want to be - after voicing out like he did on a very crucial matter.

[bdamomma]

36. geez. Stark feels insignificant or he feels his position feels like that

and * feels that he should be "relevant" but by saying that he is "irrelevant", what a bunch psychological/psychiatric issues these guys have.

[no_hypocrisy]

Peter Stark has the dignity and stature to make me proud that he is a member

of the House of Representatives of the United States of America. He may not represent my district, but in my heart, I will always be a loyal constiuent.

[no_hypocrisy]

6. Dupe. Sorry

[BrklynLib at work]

8. He should have been hailed as a hero...instead he was humiliated.

How very, very sad..for him, for us..and the entire country.

[TornadoTN]

16. I'm writing a letter to him to voice my appreciation - and displeasure

I'm just at a loss right now. I don't want to feel this way about my party, but I've just been delaying the inevitable all along.

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. Why the lets not make waves party

has lost the 2008 elections

Yes, in my view, it is that simple

[robinlynne]

58. And all they ever think about or talk about are the elections. Even here, there is an

entire group of people who think that the path to take is to be quiet and wait for another election to fix everything...
People are still imagining that our election system even works. That their votes are counted, and that "this time" the democrats will win, as long as we don't rock the boat too much.

[napi21]

10. I like Pete, and I know he was forced into doing this appology, but

I wish he would have said something closer to "I appologize for using the word amusement. That was wrong. I waill replace that word with FOR THE OBSCENE PROFITS OF ALL THE REPUBLICANS!"

Perhapse the word amusement was the wrong thing to say, but the rest of his statement was CORRECT!

[Bluerthanblue]

31. ask yourself what

could force you to abandon yourself? And then listen to his words. They are ones of a man who has been forced to sell himself out.

damn-

this government sucks-

[dmr]

48. That million dollar question deserves it own serious thread

The forced position the political process put him in has me down in the dumps. It's not his apology, it is the who, what, when, where and why behind it.

I just called his both his offices offering my sincere wishes.

Rep Pete Stark
WASHINGTON, DC
239 Cannon Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-5065
202-226-3805 (fax)

FREMONT
39300 Civic Center Dr.
Suite 220
Fremont, CA 94538
510-494-1388
510-494-5852 (fax)

[tbyg52]

51. Bingo

The word "amusement" could have been better chosen, but I'm sure he was livid, as am I. And I'm not sure the president *isn't* amused, in a kid-destroying-his-toy-soldiers kind of way.

[robinlynne]

59. saying "for his own amusement" is the same as saying for no reason.

He was just saying that the war is unjustifiable. That the president created the war for a facetious reason.

[tbyg52]

65. Yeah, my mom used to say that too

I know the R's are just grabbing onto it because they can. The whole affair is disgusting.

[Sequoia]

11. Indeed

[Dhalgren]

12. I read it exactly as you did.

Stark was saying that his opinion on this matter was insignificant - and that means ours is even more so. The Democratic leadership is daring voters to not vote for them. They have, and continue, to insult not just the left in their own party, but the Independents, too. I would not have believed that the Democratic Party would be able to find a way to lose to this bunch of Republican criminals, but they are finding a way... :thumbsdown: to them...

[progpen]

15. The Democratic party misleaders have abandoned their constituents.

Maybe it's time for their constituents to abandon the Democratic party misleaders.

[cali]

17. No it doesn't. n/t

[TornadoTN]

18. Care to expand a bit?

I honestly would like to hear why you feel there wasn't a profound message in his statement. To me, its painfully clear, but I would love to be proven wrong.

[cali]

21. First of all, I found his "insignificant" comment

both bizarre and whiney. He didn't need to say that. I'm sure he was pressured to apologize, but he could have done it without that kind of comment. In fact, he could have said he was carried away by his passion for ending the horror in Iraq, and could have sent that message in a better way.

I don't know if you realize that there are actually quite a few dems in Congress who do regularly speak out against bush and the war. The "amusement" remark was kind of inane. If he'd said that bush was sending soldiers to their deaths for oil, I'd bet he wouldn't have raised such a shitstorm.

No Congress critter is going to be intimidated by Stark's having to apologize, or inspired by his initial comments. They already know that there's a way to phrase stuff- and I don't mean it has to be soft peddled.

[TornadoTN]

28. While I agree with the use of the word "amusement"

It still confounds me that there was such a false uproar about it in the first place. It's painfully obvious that we have a President who doesn't care one iota for the situation or the people that are affected or caused by his policies. He has made jokes about "finding WMD's" for which he didn't apologize. So perhaps amusement, while an odd word to have used and perhaps would have been better served by another word, might be the fitting term to use overall.

I still see his use of the word insignificant as being something with a lot of meaning behind it. Stark has a lot of passion for what he does, which is an admirable and rare trait in our Congress. If anything, he should have apologized for the word amusement, and then illustrated what he meant by it. Sure, it might not have swayed the minds of his colleagues who are bought and paid for, but it might open some eyes here at home.

[halobeam]

35. False uproar was to threaten censuring free speech AGAIN.

IMO, he took the lesser of the two evils for our sake. We can't allow censoring of free speech. Have you read Naomi Wolf's latest book? Interesting and chilling.

[Gregorian]

33. I think this is an important point.

We need to stand up and be strong, and smart. I can't say things as well as you do. But I think we need to send our message of ending the war, and how it is a crime in the first place. We need to be smart enough that they don't have the ability to even ask for an apology.

It's too bad common sense doesn't prevail. Because Stark is right about how he feels. But this is a serious game that I am now realizing must be played in a very serious manner.

I'm still just a novice who is learning as quickly as possible. So don't take my comments too literally.

[TornadoTN]

38. Even when we formulate our calls for an end to the war properly

They still denounce us and say we are "Unamerican", "terrorist lovers", etc. etc. etc. ad infinitum. They crow for apologies even when we do it properly. Hell, they even ask for apologies FROM US when the Vice President tells Leahy to "Go Fuck Himself" in the halls of Congress. They are masters at manipulation. We are masters of capitulation.

Your points are spot-on, so I'm not being snarky. I just don't think we can do much with these people if we don't take the gloves off to some point. What do we have to lose? We're damned if we do, damned if we don't.

[Gregorian]

41. I think that's true.

Although we have to avoid any backing down from now on.

I was thinking of something quite disturbing this morning. I was thinking how Bush will be gone, and nobody could be worse than him, so we're on our way up now. And then...

We're watching OUR candidates. And they're watching OUR candidates. I can't even stomach a Republican debate. But they're watching US like hawks. It dons on me that we had better start doing something to keep Giuliani from getting into the White House. Things could get worse if we don't take off the gloves and start knocking these idiots to the ground. It's not our way of operating. I like playing within the rules, and doing so with grace and style. But we're up against some real turds.

[TornadoTN]

42. I'm with you 100%

They won't hesitate to play dirty because that's all they do. While I don't advocate breaking the law (like they did with election tampering), I fully advocate not tip-toeing around these people. Lay it down and on the line. Call a spade a spade. Sure, they will whine and moan about "decorum" and "respect", but that's a sure sign they have nothing to defend themselves with when hit with the truth.

[Hissyspit]

22. Sure it does. Sit down. Shut up. No freedom of speech.

Don't make waves. See post #8.

[cali]

25. Nope. don't agree.

I've heard Bernie and Feingold and Boxer and others, harshly criticize both bush and the war.

[PassingFair]

64. And we pulled out of Iraq, when?

And Feingold called for Bush's censure and got, WHERE?

I'm for STARK.

If he has to go back and apologize for one word, SO BE IT.

His message has been heard LOUD and CLEAR by the American People.

[Cha]

26. Except if you're bushit and ya

say.."Bring It ON"..and get our Soldiers killed THEN there's no CENSURE.

Or if you're the Dick Of Death and ya can tell Senator Patrick Leahy to "Go Fuck Himself" on the Senate Floor and go on fauxnoise and tell the rabid zealots that ya "feel better for it".. you do it with impunity.

It's fucked up.

[truedelphi]

19. He then ripped a knife from inside his inner jacket pocket

And proceeded to dis-embowel himself Hari Kari style on the floor of the House.

WHATEVER!

[Cha]

20. YOu are so right.

That "insignificant" remark takes on new meaning to me..now you've shed your light on it.

I think we need to make Pete Stark, baby, SIGNIFICANT!!

[havocmom]

24. “become as insignificant as I should be” could mean something entirely different...

Should he be 'insignificant' for speaking truth to power? Is that for those without spines who voted to TRY and silence his opinion?

Or is it for US to decide the significance?

“become as insignificant as I should be” ... I read that as an invitation to We The People to be the deciders on what, and who, is VERY significant!

Raise bloody hell that Stark spoke truth to power and it is a message YOU approve of.

They only get to decide how significant he should be if we let them. We outnumber them. Let them know that.

Call in to talk radio and TV

LTTE

Post where ever you can on the internet

Talk it up at water coolers across the nation

Drown out the feeble attempts of some in the House to be the arbiters of SIGNIFICANCE. Let them know they are NOTHING WITHOUT US and if they can't get that message, MAKE THEM as insignificant as your representatives.

I read his statement as a battle cry, not a surrender. But that's just me.

How 'bout YOU? Just how insignificant do you think Stark's message was? YOU are the deciders, not sniveling cowards in Congress!

[TornadoTN]

30. Well, that's one way to look at it

I just see his reaction afterwards as this being something that is deeply tearing at him. But I seriously hope that you are right.

Also, love your Avatar. Go Sox!

[Bluerthanblue]

27. wow- really perceptive post- !- a Freudian slip?- or a subliminal

message to the nation????

this speech disturbs me more than i can say-

[bdamomma]

32. oh this just shits.

how many Dems have apologized for saying the "truth", sickening. Poll numbers will be heading lower now.

[mondo joe]

34. I support what Stark said to begin with - but I understand him now to be saying

it shouldn't be about HIM or even his statement, but about the work ahead.

[spanone]

37. i'm always amazed at how the thugs turn the truth around on the democrats...amazing

and the congress just takes it.

[TornadoTN]

45. We're the party of "just taking it"

We do the leg work while our leaders and elected officials reap the rewards.

[robinlynne]

60. That's what I understood too. I heard "You/congress are making a big fuss about

a word I used. What I said or didn't say is not all that important. You are playing games, doing nothing. This subject
(to censure or not to censure) is insignifcant. The war is what congress should be worried about, not playing little games to make republicans happy.

[Froward69]

39. Ok ill say it

FUCK YOU george Bush AND Cheney. You BOTH have fucked up our military,country and our World Standing! With your Bully tactics! Thats only internationally!

Domestically You Have politicized the Judicial, and The Justice Department. You are The most Vile and Corrupt Traitorous vermin I have ever had the misfortune of witnessing.

YOU rule using FEAR! Thus the terrorists have allready DEFEATED YOU!!!!
You both are Dragging our country down to the level you both wallow!

GOD-DAMN-IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Name removed]

40. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[The Stranger]

43. We were here before the current Democratic leadership had the majority in Congress.

We knew that something had to be done about the Neocon Straussian GOP junta. We thought that working -- campaigning, writing, emailing, calling, caucusing -- to put the current Democrats in the majority would be what had to be done.

Now we see that the road is much longer, the way more difficult. The disease had spread deeper than we had at first thought. Those we thought were put in the majority to change have abandoned us and their Party.

But we are still here.

We must now work again to put others in the place of these that have abandoned us and our Party. We must continue the work to change the leadership, to change those representing us, to dig deeper and eradicate the disease -- to pull it up by the roots and do away with it.

[TornadoTN]

44. Well said

I'm in need of the encouragement.

[KoKo]

46. ...eradicatethe diseas...to pul it up by the roots and do away with it...

Yes...it's much worse than our worst suspicions. Fifteen months of this? and then what....

[truedelphi]

66. And though it's work of great necessity

We are feeling simply worn out.

The media and the very people whose election we ensured tell us that we are marginal and not truly Democrats.

And it often seems that we must find some procedure that we ahve ot previously stumbled upon, as all that marching, vote registering, calling and writing seemingly has accomplished very little.

[MadHound]

49. So what are you going to do about it?

Your options are few. You could try and take the party back, but having beat my head against that wall for thirty plus years, I can tell you that you're in for a long and probably unsuccessful fight. "Changing the party from within" simply doesn't cut it anymore.

That leaves you two options, either joining a third party like the Greens, or staying home on election day. I know which I'm going to do, how about you? If we're not appreciated or wanted in the Democratic party, then hey, I know when to leave.

[TornadoTN]

50. At 28, I should still feel idealistic and hopeful

But I'm just not anymore, not with the leadership that we have today. Democracy is slowing, but surely, crumbling around us.

I'm going to have to put serious thought into what I need to do to try to be at peace with myself and the situation this country finds itself in. I don't like any of the options presented and keep thinking that there has to be a better way, but alas, things definitely aren't looking good.

[Old and In the Way]

55. I've been voting longer than you've been alive.

Call me stupid/naive, but I'm still voting Democrat. Because it's the only game in town. It's now a case of political triage. First, keep the patient alive, then start treating all of the various non-life threatening injuries.

[robinlynne]

61. I'm afraid changing the party from within is the only way out.

[williesgirl]

52. k&r - the Dems are making me totally disgusted.

[never_get_over_it]

53. I am so absolutely pissed about this

that I am beside myself - I don't think he should have apologized in any fashion what so ever - although I think it was sort of a non apology apology - he apologized for offending folks not actually for what he said

I'm sick to death of us apologizing and the repunks NEVER apologizing for anything - phony soldier - attacks on 12 year olds - attacks on 2 year olds - oh yeah lying us into war - breaking FISA law - robbing us blind - outing CIA agents - commuting a criminals sentence before he serves ONE EFFING DAY IN PRISON, stealing our votes - oh jesus the list could go on forever....

I'm disgusted and sick of the enabling Dems - Nancy Pelosi BITE ME - YOU ARE PATHETIC....I've TRIED to be patient - but this is the last straw.....

[rucky]

54. That was the perfect phrase for the occasion.

I think it was just untypically and intentionally self-depricating enough to stand out and make everybody think for a moment. He should never have apologized in the first place, but I saw that comment as a little jab at the authoritarians out there.

[alteredstate]

56. Stark doesn't owe anyone an apology.

[JMDEM]

57. Doesn't take a genius...

“I want to apologize to my colleagues — many of whom I have offended — to the president and his family and to the troops,” Stark said. He added that he hoped the apology would allow him to “become as insignificant as I should be” as the House moves forward on critical, divisive issues. Stark then left the podium, wiping away tears as Democratic colleagues surrounded him with supportive handshakes."


It doesn't take a genius to figure out what happened here. Why in the world would he cry after the speech? Maybe because he had to make a choice between...

11%. 11%. 11%. And they still kiss Bush's ass at every oppurtunity. Bush of the 24% approval rating, and dropping.



Wellstone. Leahy. Dashcle.

[PATRICK]

62. The grim reality

of the grimly determined party in 2006. Progressives did all the right things except look deep into the real committment of the party establishment for this term. Picking centrists, if you want to call them that, and especially establishment loyalists set aside some new primary candidates with prejudice and allocated funds and support stingily to Dean's 50 state strategy. The general philosophy built on all the weak and losing years of the modern party's existence and little of its best qualities forecast that once again they expected, expected to be solidly regarded for caution, legislative counterpoints on domestic policy alone, committee work and not challenging myth or status quo for 2008. That most certainly meant no direct end to the war in Iraq unless the Pretzeldent caved from reason and embarrassment. The ill suited Dems tied themselves to the iller suited, fake Pres. and have not the moral redemption to disengage.

Not shockingly, the presidential vetoes of the nice legislation and the caving of the GOP through its own self-evident corruption, and oh yes, the war lingering on untouched, were not only foreseen but pretty much planned. Not shockingly, the GOP continues to twist and spin in these "traps" quite outrageously, but also with impunity and opportunity to "win" again.

However, as with the predictable disaster of Bush, it has unrolled much much worse. Bad policies, bad politics are revealed as such in its breathtaking incompetence in execution. Bush used and abused his own Congress in consequence of his own failure and our own party leaders do the same. As always the RW loudmouths get everyone's attention as a distraction from incompetence and policy horrors. Anyone speaking the truth or evincing outrage or rational solutions is the bi-partisan threat to a failed national leadership. Harmless little posters on DU still irk the high and the mighty by squeaking the same is Stark in the non-media lit limbo of alternative public forums. Incompetence in the bungled legislative process and the great escapes through Dem committees of new Bush stooge appointees and blatant high criminals. Dems polite to the traitors, enthused with new ones, angry and dismissive and punitive toward activist Dems and reps really speaking the public, non-corporate-filtered mind. The reactions of failures to their incompetence, of even managing to look bad almost without media help in the Turkey resolution and the child health bill. Not quite sure why their fundraising on selective issues is not working as well.

By definition, one dedicated to making such errors will always blame others, especially the least like themselves who are the most competitive threat to their image. Never to those in power no matter how mocking, abusive and physically dangerous and wiretapping they are to them as persons and to the nation at large. If that was not the case they never would have had to be incompetent or so deadly wrong in the first place. The logic of consistency. Of predictable inflexibility in the face of need to change oneself.

Overall, nothing has changed since or before 2006. the party is in dire need of progressive work in itself which is a large answer of the mystery of how it could have happened here. As blind as they will themselves to be to media false imaging they are never blind to personal competition- except the RW kind. We need less corporate influence, better candidates, more independent thinkers, more criticism of the crap and we must once and for all disavow two grand illusions.

The illusion that a Dem victory guarantees a rosy legislative picture than a Sen. Rockefeller taking 20 grand from the telecoms to write off a nation threatening crime. That a progressive, populist or independent Congress will be easy to attain or perfect.

The one truth from harsh experience is that you will get the flaws of the same old but only infinitely worse in powerful application and that you cannot be satisfied to lay back and let that happen. The short haul gets you back to the plate for another at bat. The umpire is crooked and the pitcher is shooting saliva balls. In the long haul everything has to be changed. The diseases of leadership will not be alleviated by the diseases of followership. We all have to be engaged and engage others so that the lowest common denominator is not the top of the garbage heap that once was a viable democracy.

The blind who would lead the half blind depend on weakness and depending on them is certain disaster. Restoring the days when a cynical politician would at least be beholden to the common sentiment and common sense would be a glorious start in comparison to the present. The seeds are already present in the new Congress. We will have to pour more into our efforts to shift the balance of party power toward a better day. That day will not automatically come with the apparent victory of the party itself in 2008.

[Vidar]

63. K&R.