The Democratic Party "Big Tent": Right-Wing Candidates Wanted!

[Itsthetruth]

I have seen numerous posts on DU supporting conservative, if not outright reactionary candidates running or considering running for public office on the grounds that we have to "win" Republican (Bush) voters over. They have a point.

If a Democratic Party candidate doesn't agree with progressives on a few "minor" issues such as defense of our bill of rights, women's rights, gay rights, workers rights, an end to Bush's wars, etc., that's all right.

The really important thing is that those kinds of "moderate" Democratic candidates be forgiven because no matter how conservative or right-wing they may be on these unimportant matters they are certainly better than any Republican they run against.

We have to be realistic. If the Democratic party can't win elections with progressive candidates we should support whatever candidates they run no matter how far to the right their platform and position may be. So what if they are anti-abortion? So what if they are pro-Iraq war and for the Patriot Act extension? Who cares if they are anti-union? What's important is that they are elected. After all, we'd rather have a 100 conservative Democrats in Congress finding common ground with Republican right-wingers than none at all. We need to find ways we can work with Repulicans in Congress and at the White House in order to "get stuff" done .... even if it's not the kind of stuff we want. It's far better to "get stuff" done than not get anything done at all.


So we can't afford to have political debates on issues like social security, trade laws, Iraq, unions and other matters that may divide us. We need unity and bi-partisanship more than ever before!

And anyone who doesn't agree with that position is a divisive left-wing splitter who is hurting the DLC and is clearly up to no good.

Isn't that right?

I hope not.

[David Dunham]

1. An 80 % Democrat is better than an 80% Republican, any day!!

Requiring ideological purity is a sure loser for Dems in most of the US. We can only demand ideological purity in very liberal places like NYC and SF.

[Itsthetruth]

4. Right

How about 51% "Democrat" and 49% "Republican? We will be down to tiny percentages of "difference" soon. Perhaps a microscope will be in order.

Better yet, how about running a Republican for President or Vice-President? Wow! That's a "winner". Do I hear John McCain?

[liberalnurse]

2. No, not me......

If I wanted to vote for a republican, there are plenty around. We do not want or need any DINO's.

[LynneSin]

3. What she said

I mean, I'll over look minor issues because I realize there is exactly one person out there who has the same ideology as me and that is, well myself.

But I'm not here to vote for Republican lite - been there, done that and lost anyways!

We can do better!

[Itsthetruth]

6. Let's Write Off Most People

Right. Let's write off those 100 million people, mainly working class people, who didn't vote in the last election. If they are to "stupid" to vote for any and ALL candidates the Democratic Party runs for office let them eat cake!

It's far better if we concentrate on winning over a few million Republican voters by adopting much of the Republicans foreign and domestic policies. And we can get a whole lot more corporate bucks if we do that. Now that's the way to win elections!

[LynneSin]

10. I wasn't sure where you were going with that reply

Until I reread that last paragraph. :D

I have no problem opening up the big democratic tent for all to join in. But we shouldn't be banning abortions, we should be figuring out how to reduce the number of abortions happening every year. But the dumbass fundies have us teaching abstinence only to our children, which btw, does absolutely nothing when 2 horny teenage kids end up in a well, um, horny situation? :shrug:

[Warpy]

5. That's been the philosphy of the DLC for decades.

Tell me, how have they been doing? How many branches of government does the Democratic Party control?

There's your answer. If you're conservative, you're just going to have to swallow the fact that you were wrong about the direction the party has taken for far too long.

Just don't expect any of us to follow you there as you charge blindly down the same road. We know better. The past 25 years have taught us that.

[mzmolly]

7. No your mistaken. Do you have a specific example of WHO your talking

about?

Even Lieberman is pro-union and pro-choice.

This sounds like BS rhetoric to me.

[KG]

8. yep. the dem. party should run a powell/maccain ticket!

it would be a landslide!

dems would be in the WH - abortion would be illegal, the US would bomb evey muslim country on earth, wall street would steal every cent of social security, the air would unbreatable and the water undrinkable, but there would be dems in the WH.

and isn't that what's really important?

[jdots]

9. stick a round ,there are alot of frustrated people here

which means they care.

[papau]

11. You hope not. - and it is not ! :-)

:-)

[lonestarnot]

12. Well then let's just throw in the towel now rhetoric makes my hair stand

on end! No mealy mouth is ever getting my vote. All or NUTT"N!