Should the next Democratic president be a "uniter" or more like Bush?

[Poll_Blind]

I'm sure this has come up before but...next go-round a Democrat is likely to be elected president. Should he/she be a uniter, trying to find common ground and walk a more centrist path or be partisan and, like Bush, give the finger to the opposing side and just do whatever we need to to get this country back on track?

A looooonng time ago, I would have voted for centrist but now, now I say fuck 'em and we do what we want- which is likely what we'll need to do to stop the bleeding (both fiscal and literal) which the reThugs have inflicted on this country.

Just wondering what opinions are out there and, especially, if (after Bush's and the GOP's behavior) anyone still genuinely believes that we should take a more moderate approach to try to woo conservatives disillusioned with their party?

PB

[NNadir]

1. The next Dem President - assuming the end of Dieboldism -

should embrace all of the people, faults or no faults.

[pepperlove]

2. * is no uniter

THAT kind of unity wqe don't need.

But yes, we need soemone to pull this country back to the greatness of pre-*

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. The next president needs to be a leader and wake America up

before it's too late. We are buried under at least fifteen years of corruption and machinations from the Republican party and if we don't convince the right-wing voters that they have been manipulated through their fear and prejudices, it means we will have a tougher time of doing even the simple things, like making sure that math and science are taught properly in school, instead of of wasting valuable time in science classes being poltiically correct for the right.

[ewagner]

5. Leadership is the key word

We, as a nation, are more likely to rally around a "leader" than somebody who simple professes to be a "uniter".

good call.

[abluelady]

13. Absolutely, a leader is needed.

A Dem being a Bush is not possible. Even the Dems who act like Republican-lites are smarter than Bush. No Dem could destroy America like Bush has, imho.

[ProfessorGAC]

19. I Don't Need A Leader

I want a smart, efficient and effective adminisrator. Leaders are what morons who vote for Republicans want. I want a solid public servant. I don't need to be led anywhere.
The Professor

[abluelady]

20. I read "smart, efficient and effective" as leader.

You may not be a follower, Prof, but you described a leader.

[ProfessorGAC]

21. Could Be A Leader! Doesn't Have To Be!

An effective administrator doesn't have to be a leader. Certainly, within the halls of the White House, and among the staff charged with running the elements of gov't, the person needs to be a leader.

But, the idea of having a president who is the COUNTRY'S leader, rather than a person charged with the duties of head of state, is anathema, to me. No matter how we slice it, the president is supposed to WORK FOR US!
The Professor

[The Backlash Cometh]

24. Oh, I get it. not a leader, but a professor?

:-) I agree. Gore is what we needed, when we needed him. It's a shame that we're in the era of meanspirited Christianity.

[ProfessorGAC]

26. Very Funny!

Good one, TBC. Yeah, just like a professor, except not so pompous and pedantic. I'm 100% sure you know the type!
The Professor

[The Backlash Cometh]

27. You know what they say about professors.

Those who can't lie, teach.

Well, they don't say it, but they should. :-)

[abluelady]

25. I Understand Where You're Coming From!

Unfortunately, in our system, he doesn't work for us. If that was the case, we could fire him!

[hwmnbn]

4. It should be someone who....

will put these neo-cons in prison, get our money back, and fix our country.

Whether he/she does it nicely or like the devil possessed, makes no difference to me.

[ikojo]

6. In American politics when a Democrat says he/she is a

uniter that means he/she is a DLC Dem and Republican lite. It means campaigning to the right and governing even more to the right.

I say the next Democratic president needs to be as partisan and as for working people as the current pugs are partisan and for corporate America.

I will not vote for anyone who thinks he/she needs to give Republicans equal time. This is why Dems lose, they are perceived as not having a spine!

[T Wolf]

7. Fuck uniting!

If (and I have no confidence that a Democratic victory will happen) a Dem wins the WH, he or she will still face a repuke congress that will do everything to sabotage the executive branch. Didn't people learn anything from eight years of bill Clinton?

And if, by some miracle, we win the House and Senate, I would be greatly disappointed if they did anything to make peace with the scum that sits across the aisle. That way lies the path to further damage to the country.

You cannot deal with the devil. The pukes must be driven back into the hole from whence they came. Any mercy shown to them will only be seen as weakness and embolden them to fight against any attempt to correct the doomed path we are currently on. If they are not completely purged, they will come back. It's not like they contribute anything of value. We can do just as well without them.

I too, want to see them in prison. For what they have done, they deserve maximum time in real prisons, not the country-club the powerful are normally sent to.

[Spike from MN]

8. But...but...but Bush IS a uniter. He said so himself.

Poll_Blind, why do you hate 'Murika?

[Meldread]

9. Give the finger to the opposition. Screw uniting.

We tried that, look what it got us. It's a dog eat dog world and every man (and woman) is out for themselves. If we ever hope to get anything accomplished we have to do exactly what Bush has done - aggressively push our agenda and give the finger to the opposition.

[lpbk2713]

10. The next prez will have to make some tough and unpopular decisions.

In order to straighten out the mess Junior has created. Mainly, the unpopular decisions will involve getting the economy back in line.

[BurtWorm]

11. It's possible that someone could walk a more leftist path

and still be a uniter. Bush's "problem" is that he's all talk--all hat no cattle. He spouts slogans but has no substance to back them up. And he deliberately antagonized the left from day one till now. But a lefty could at least explain his or her actions to the right and ask their forbearance and patience while the natural and political orders are restored to balance.

[TahitiNut]

12. I'd settle for integrity.

:shrug: I'm so tired of political hypocrisy I could ____!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

14. To heck with the next president. 2006 comes first! Republicans go home!

[pepperlove]

22. From your keyboard

to the ears and heart of GAWD!!!!

[faithfulcitizen]

15. a uniter-we are better than them.

and Wes Clark would be great at it!

[gatorboy]

16. I can see a Democrat uniting 70% of the country.

But that other 30+% is hopeless. They'll vote Republican simply out of spite. They could care less about the future of this country. They'd rather treat it like a football game: Us against Them.

[Poll_Blind]

17. Thank you for all the comments! n/t

PB

[leftofthedial]

18. the next President should be an inquisitor

ridding the country of the scourge of neoconservatism, religiously insane fundyism and parasitic corporations.

(S)he also should galvanize the remaining sane civilized people to ensure that the repuke party is finished forever.

[blindpig]

23. we need a fire breathing populist

Fuck the mushy middle, every attempt to capture them fails and further erodes any reason to have an opposition. New Deal 2.0 should be the theme with climate change and peak oil included. If we can't face reality now then to hell with it all, we're all toast.

[Tower]

28. Exactly. n/t

[xchrom]

29. lead on liberal principles and make government work.

once someone -- who is a liberal -- makes government work there won't be any questions about uniting the country.