Democrats Continue to Self-Destruct

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Damn straight; we know how to pick 'em. GO WISCONSIN! You should all hand over your Congressman-electing to us immediately.

 

As someone who used to be in intel, I find the fact that the president has overruled one of the intelligence communities most important principles more than a little alarming. Especially since I know firsthand how easy it is to get authorization when it is necessary.

 

To me, it's like black or white. I wonder if Reps and Dems would fight for who's Mr. White and who's Mr. Black.
Kids.

 

Actually, most of this thread is . It was originally about the democrats needing better leadership. It was hi-jacked to become a republican vs democrat discussion.

 

When I crafted the thread, Drew, that was certainly a lot of my thinking. But I was also thinking about the notion of a "real" third party. Comparisions are unavoidable on a thread such as this. But it seems that the time has come for apologetic partisans and party loyalties to give way to the larger good of the nation. As we've seen on this thread, as an example, there's no chance of that happening anytime soon....

 

I wonder if a third party could actually be viable in todays political climate. We certainly have no need of a moderate third party. Establishment democrats already fit that description. Who knows? Maybe a party with the cojones to take an unapologetic stance on social programs, campaign financing, and the envioronment would have a shot. We certainly aren't getting any love from the democrats on these issues any more. On the other hand I think a liberal third party may just flop completely or only serve to splinter the democratic party further.

 

Third party?

Did we skip Libertarians? Or what about the Green Party?

The Green Party is a perfect example of a liberal group who's platform is centered around social programs and environmental issues...and nobody cared. As you've already surmised Drew, it managed to mostly strip liberal voters away from the Democrats. It's a complete failure.

I think the Dems are where they are today because they've been engaged in a mission since the last years of the Clinton Administration to stem the tide of American voters to Moderate and Conservative stances. For nearly 10 years the Democrats have been telling us who they aren't...but never who they are. The party doesn't give us a plan or a vision...we only hear how they're organizing a filibuster to thwart the Republicans.

The last time the Democrats had an identity, a plan and a message for Americans was in Clinton's first term. To a large extent they've become negligible in the eyes of Moderate America...and the punch line of a joke to Conservative Americans. I think they need to rethink the party platform and realize that so many of the sacrosanct planks are no longer in accordance with the values and will of America.

 

They have done about as well as the Green Party. While the Democrats were not looking, a large part of the nation shifted to the far right, which left moderates and liberals in a minority. Many Democrats have moved to the right, such as Hilary Clinton, Leiberman and Biden; others stayed true to their liberal roots, such as Feingold and Howard Dean. The Democrats remain divided, hence much of their weakness.

But there are real signs that the nation, after a far right experiment has had such a dismal failure, is beginning to switch back to the center, which is bad news for the ultra-conservative Republicans who have been driving much of the agenda, at least those who are going to be able to keep themselves out of jail.

 

Yet another developement which seems to indicate that the top level democrats are quite dumb: party bigwigs pressure Hackett to drop out from the Ohio Senate race.

And he is quite p**ed off about it, apparently (and with good reasons, I would say)

There may be political reasons that Democrats would do better without Hackett in this race (the other guy apparently has a better shot for winning the seat), but this hardly excuses pushing him out like this. Looking at the bigger picture, they pro bably shot themselves in the foot with this.

 

How about a third party that actually cares about the voters, the constitution, and the right thing to do?
Ok, I'm a republican, but only because I'm conservative. These finance debaucals are making me sick, and the whole Patriot Act made me want to shoot someone! On the other hand, liberal judges trying to legislate from the bench makes me want to do the same!
How about judges that enforce the laws and the constitution? If the constitution doesn't say anything about abortion or gay marriages, and doesn't even really come close, then the judges have to uphold the local, state, or federal law, whichever side it takes.
How about a congress that actually makes a working body of laws and regulations, not one that supports a tax code that takes a PhD to understand? I say, when a bill is proposed, the proposer MUST read it IN IT'S ENTIRETY to the present members of congress (house and senate respectively) and ONLY those that are present at the time or are present for a re-reading of it (by anyone) can debate it and vote. How about a line-item veto power that sends the 'reformed' bill back to congress for approval?
Sounds a little foreign, right? That's because any government that in any way involves ANY people is going to be screwed up somehow. One that is "of the people, by the people, and for the people" even more. All things considered, I think we've done a pretty good job so far, but we need to SERIOUSLY get back on track.
How about everyone here send letters to all of their government representatives (in US or not) detailing out what they expect from a government official, what they would like to see the government do, and what their views on right and wrong are? Anyone in support? Would it make any difference?