Are liberal groups forming a circular firing squad?

[FourScore]

DCCC afraid liberal groups are forming "circular firing squad"
by ppl can fly
Thu Apr 02, 2009 at 04:58:14 AM PDT

Chris Van Hollen, the leader of the DCCC, is concerned that liberal groups targeting corporate democrats are creating a "circular firing squad" which could cause the Democratic Party to lose seats in the 2010 elections:

Liberal groups targeting moderate congressional Democrats should "beware of forming a circular firing squad" that could hurt the party in 2010 elections, says the head of Democrats' House campaign efforts.

I've got a message for you, Mr. Van Hollen.

I know, you think you can take my vote for granted. You think you can pander to me at election time and ignore me later, because I have no one else to vote for. You think that I will vote for Democrats no matter what, because I have always voted for you in the past. You're wrong about that.

I am a liberal, and I am tired of being marginalized and ignored by the Democratic Party. I am sick of having spineless leaders in Congress who are afraid to take risks and do the right thing. I am tired of triangulation and phony centrism. I am sick of hearing about change at election time and getting more status quo after the elections.

Most of all, I am tired of seeing these types of headlines:

Leahy Bails on 'Truth Commission' Plan (because republicans will make a fuss)
http://consortiumnews.com/2009/040109b.html

How will the White House make amends for censoring single payer in its Iowa health care forum live blog?
http://www.correntewire.com/how_will_white_house_make_amends_censoring_single_payer_advocates_its_health_care_forum_live_blog

Geithner's plan is filled with loopholes
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_15/b4126020226641.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index+-+temp_news+%2B+analysis

If the Democratic Party leadership continues to follow this policy of completely ignoring the left wing of the party, if they continue to shy away from making substantive change, if they continue to let Republicans dominate and bully them, then they have nothing to offer me, and I'll be forced to vote for a primary challenger or stay home in 2010. If they want my vote, they need to give me a good reason to vote for them. Being just a bit better than the Republicans is not enough.

Mr. Van Hollen, you have control of both houses and the executive branch. You have power, now it's time to use it to do things that are good for America. Please, give me a good reason to vote for your party. Otherwise, I may join the "circular firing squad".

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/4/2/715677/-DCCC-afraid-liberal-groups-are-forming-circular-firing-squad

[HereSince1628]

1. Is van Hollen and his ilk stupid or just arrogant? .

What the hell is "democratic" about the perspective that elites should tell the base how to be?

Why isn't it "democratic" to have the elites listen and behave according to the wishes of voters?

[ShortnFiery]

2. Here! Here! Very well put.

This new "corporations first" type of blue dog democratic coalition can STFU any time now.

Us LIBERALS are growing in number and will not LIE DOWN for your status quo schmoozing any longer.

The time for action is NOW! Not half-assed, *make the pharmaceutical companies and HMOs RICHER* type legislation but TRUE ground-breaking and affordable HEALTH CARE legislation. :thumbsup:

[hendo]

14. Feel free to write up your plan, and get back to us. NT

[depakid]

25. No reason why he can't be both

and quite possibly corrupt to boot.

[GoesTo11]

3. Perhaps if we purge the DINOs there won't need to be a circular firing squad.

[hendo]

4. America is not that liberal. If we purge the DINOs, the republicans would control both houses. NT

[GoesTo11]

5. Hence no need for a circular firing squad!

And the trees shall be made equal
By hatchet, ax and saw.

[Winterblues]

6. Are you suggesting there is not much difference between the Parties?

:shrug: I see help for the ultra wealthy and the "people" being taken to the cleaners once more. Is that the BIG difference we were led to expect?

[hendo]

9. the big difference is exagerated by the people who wish that it existed.

edit: it is a system of centrists with a few fringe elements on the right and the left. But by and large, it is a system of centrists.

[cascadiance]

18. "centrists" a *fancy* word for CORPORATISTS!

These folks aren't for any segment of the population's interests other than the corporate lobbyists that hold the purse strings for their campaign contributions.

I would say there are many issues, if they were framed properly, which these "centrist" politicians, and our "centrist" media won't allow to be framed properly, would unite many of the 95 percent of Americans left out of the financial boondogle these guys use for themselves that might be considered "left" or "right". If things like:

1) public campaign financing.
2) single payer health insurance.
3) a REAL flat tax for payroll tax instead of the regressive one we have now.
4) a more progressive income tax schedule to stop wealth redistribution to the top that's been happening for the last 20-30 years.

were framed properly by a media that didn't owe its existence to corporate profit, we'd have the DINO's heads thrown out immediately, and have a pretty heavy majority. But it is the corporatists last means of keeping control over our government by asserting that there is a *false* segment of citizenry in favor of these so-called "moderates", "centrists", "bipartisans", that are corporate wolves in "centrist" sheep's clothing.

If you really wanted some "moderates" in the Democratic Party that could appeal to conservative PEOPLE, and not to corporate lobbyists, you wouldn't have pushed out folks like Paul Hackett like was done earlier. He's the prototype of someone that works for people, even if he doesn't agree with every left-leaning position on issues that there are. But you DON'T have people like Paul Hacket as your "moderates". They are in my book, and in many others on the left that are opening their eyes, CORPORATISTS!!

[Romulox]

8. It's hard to understand the point if you have to become the enemy to defeat him

[hendo]

13. there are those here who would refer to him as a DINO, thus becoming his enemy. NT

[Oak2004]

15. America most certainly is liberal when polled on the issues

Tell me-- where is the constituency for more giveaways to the rich? The constituency for more private health insurance? How big is the constituency that wants to protect George Bush and Dick Cheney from prosecution because laws should not apply to the rich and powerful, only to the little people?

The only "constituency" for this agenda are the rich and powerful and the political insiders of America. Yet that is the constituency the Democratic leadership wants to serve.

[hendo]

23. but which version of liberal are they? NT

[Occam Bandage]

11. "If we shoot the guys on the other half of the circle, we won't be circular any more!"

Good idea!

[Romulox]

7. Question: why don't Centrists ever have to worry about offending the Left?

:shrug:

[hendo]

12. because the centrists are in the majority.

don't worry though, they rarely worry about offending the far right either.

Then again there is the fact that the far left is deeply divided on core principles. You would be hard pressed to find a hard core union auto worker who is supportive of hard core environmental principles, or a liberal hunter who agrees with the anti-gun nuts.

[Romulox]

20. Obviously they are not, or else they would not feel the need to bully the Left into acquiessence

In other words, if the "centrists" could win elections without the Left, they wouldn't waste their time trying to shut us up and make us fall into line (See, e.g., GD:P).

[hendo]

22. yup, they cant win without the left, but the left cannot win without them.

It's the whole lesser of two evils argument.

[NaturalHigh]

24. Bingo!

[hendo]

27. Huzzah! NT

[depakid]

26. Well, that's just a false statement of fact

That's been disproven by the data time and time again.

[Echo In Light]

16. Because the left is at odds with the dominant, vested, right-wing corporate interests

...its aims and ideology

[FiveGoodMen]

19. Remember the Dem primary debate picture that had all of the candidates except Dennis...

...because they put him at one end of the line and cropped him out of the picture?

First, they make sure that the left has no representation.

Then, they count on our votes because the only alternative is (a little) worse.

That's why they don't care about us; they've made sure that we have nowhere else to go.

[Occam Bandage]

10. They're liberal groups. Of course they are.

[NJmaverick]

17. True, wouldn't be liberals if we were not our own worse enemies

[bvar22]

21. Circular firing squad ?

It is long past time for The Left to start shooting back.

It is NOT about the Person, or The Party.
It IS about The Issues.


*I am an advocate for PEACE.

*I am an advocate for Single Payer Universal HealthCare.

*I am an advocate for Equal Rights and Equal Protections for everyone...NO Exceptions.

*I am an advocate for Universal Free Education through graduate levels to anyone who wants it.

*I am an advocate for Organized LABOR.

*I am an advocate for strict regulation/oversight or Nationalization of Banking, Lending, Investing, Energy, Transportation, Trade, Communications.

*I am an advocate for limiting the size and power of Corporations and leveling the playing field so Mom&Pop can compete with the Big Boxes.

*I am an advocate for Local Ownership.

*I am an advocate for Public Financed Elections and Instant Runoff Voting.

*I am an opponent to the concentration of Wealth and Power into fewer hands.

*I am an opponent to Corporate Personhood.

*I am an opponent to the MIC.

*I am an opponent to the occupation of other countries.

*I am an opponent to "Free Trade".

*I am an opponent Republican/Corporate influence INSIDE the Democratic Party.

I am an opponent to the failed ideology of "Centrism".


It makes little difference which Political Personality occupies the White House, or which letter they have after their name.
When our politicians move TOWARD these goals, I will praise and support them.
When they move AWAY, I will work AGAINST them.

I will be supporting InterNet based groups that are targeting the WORST "Centrist" offenders and financing their opponents in the Democratic Primaries 2010.