Oh, time was I would make the statement that the Democratic party best represents my position on major political issues. That time, I think, is no longer. In fact, in my file of Things I Wish I had Said there recently was a politician - one who is running for president right now, as I pointed out yesterday - who succinctly laid it on the line to the Democratic party after he had received a fundraising letter asking for a donation and support for helping Democrats to stand strong. And here, in Rocky Anderson's own words, was his reply:
Until the Democratic Party shows some spine and draws a line in the sand — that an end to the tax breaks for the wealthy needs to be part of any debt/budget bill — please take my name off your list...How dare you send an email with the subject line "Standing strong"... You didn’t do it on Iraq, you didn’t do it on torture, you didn’t do it on signing statements, you haven’t done it on Afghanistan, you haven’t done it on defense spending, you haven’t done it on real health care reform, you haven’t done it on energy policy and the climate crisis, you haven’t done it on the evisceration of our system of checks and balances through the invocation of the state secrets doctrine, and you haven’t done it on the debt ceiling fiasco. Those who have stood strong in Congress can be counted on one hand — and they have faced nothing but opposition by Nancy Pelosi and most of the rest of the so-called Democrats.Hear, hear!
Yes, my friends in Congress and in the White House: show some spine. I am a liberal and will no longer waste any votes on politicians who do not represent my convictions.
6 comments:
Well, I can't speak for YOUR state but mine has representatives who HAVE voted MY convictions. If they did not, then I do not vote for them again. I don't feel the need to leave my chosen party over it. There are losers in ANY group. I love Ralph Nader for all his work to make our lives better. I did NOT waste a vote on him for president. I do not see how HE would have been able to keep a promise of gay marriage. PLUS, I refuse to hate or dismiss the many citizens who disagree with my views. I want to win their minds, not make them feel they are in a war to be fought. I want them to WANT gay people to be able to marry. THAT takes a special leader. I don't see such a special leader out there in ANY political realm. Social Security? I want people to WANT our seniors and disabled to be cared for just as well as our richest citizen. That takes more than bills and laws. "Lance is a decent guy and I chose him to fight the evil king even though he is 4 ft tall, can't lift a weapon and has no chance of killing the evil king. Sure, we may have 4 years of horror, but *I* feel good about my choice! The Bible says David did it. Maybe he will too!" I have asked my liberal, "screw the Dem party" friends to explain to the mothers of dead Iraqi children and sons all about how if we just keep voting for the ones who can't win because it MUST change the world one day and our conscienous felt better and..." after they wasted their votes, allowing GW Bush to win and RUIN our country along with killing XXXX innocent lives, torturing XXXX innocent people---no, Doug, I can NEVER be a part of that, MY conscienous won't let me.
Diane,
It's simply a matter of principle. The Democrats are no longer the party of FDR, Truman, Kennedy and Johnson. I'm not a "screw the Dem party" liberal. They said "screw me." Now why in heaven's name should I affiliate with a party that doesn't represent my convictions?
I haven't made up my mind about this yet. On the one hand, I'm not a Democrat, I'm a Liberal. Also, I know Obama is a moderate conservative and a corporate Democrat who will sell us out to Wall Street again and again.
But whether I vote third party will depend on who is running against Obama. If it's anyone even a quarter tolerable, I'll vote third party.
Paul,
You nailed it exactly, I feel, about Obama. That is why I cannot in good conscience vote for him. I am impressed by Rocky Anderson and his Justice Party. The Dems and Repubs are too similar now and both more interested in looking out for Wall Street over Main Street.
Hi Doug. I agree with a lot of what you have said in your last few blogs. I am a liberal also but I don't believe there are enough true liberals in this country to get Anderson elected. I looked over his site and really liked what he stated. I just don't know if he could carry the Independents.
I hope you have a good New Year.
Sylvia,
I understand, and I'm sure there is no way Anderson or Stein or any other outsider could win. But I'm looking long range. I'm looking for folks who will address the major issuess that are getting more or less the same answer (maybe different just in degree) from the two major political parties. I know it would take years to break the choke hold that is on the electorate, but if some of these Green or Justice party members could elected to Congress they could serve as valuable swing votes. One thing is certain: the Democrats will go on taking the liberal vote for granted as long as we keeping voting for them just because we don't want to elect a Republican. And there will no incentive for change. Changing that would be the real victory.
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