democratic underground key values

[liberalcapitalist]

I am not a card carrying Democrat. I am a progressive and the vast majority of Democrats are centrists or even moderate conservatives. I thin that democraticunderground should be a place where we can discuss problems with the Democratic Party and alternatives-- Green, Natural Law, etc.

HOWEVER, I feel that there is one and only one key value that everyone here should share: ANYONE BUT BUSH!

I don't hold it against those who voted for Nader in 2000. No one could have known just how horrible Bush would be. Four years later, it is time for all of those left of center-- regardless of how far left-- to unite behind the Democratic nominee no matter who he or she may be! When I see threads such as "I will not vote for Dean," or "I'll never vote for Clark," etc., I lose a lot of hope. We can put all the effort we want into making sure our candidate gets nominated, but once the nomination is official, we ALL must support the nominee. NO MATTER WHO IT IS, he/she will offer a substantively superior alternative to Bush on EVERY SINGLE ISSUE-- even Lieberman-- and NEWSFLASH: A third party candidate is NOT going to win.

This is DEMOCRATICunderground.com, and while the open discussion of all progressive platforms should be encouraged, if you're not going to do whatever it takes to remove Bush, what the hell are you doing here???

[Selwynn]

1. Ok, 7 post guy should tone down the lecturing :) :) :)

... welcome! :toast:

[liberalcapitalist]

11. maybe it takes someone w/ 7 posts

To talk some sense to you guys caught up in silly online vendettas and personal disputes??

[Trajan]

16. This is like ....

One man, standing below a mountain of boulders, tossing each and every one to the top and demanding that none tumble down ...

ANY man who thinks he can come into such a vast forum like DemocraticUnderground.com, and insist everyone walk 'lock-step' in ideological unity or philosophical perfection, is plainly deluded ....

Get a grip; .... Human nature is what it is: you arent going to change a single bit of it .....

[jiacinto]

2. Good question

But see some people want to "heighten the contradictions" in the vain hope of starting a Marxist revolution.

[Selwynn]

3. "As opposed to my brilliant idea which is _____________"

I'm still waiting for that blank to be credibly filled in.

[Andy_Stephenson]

7. I have him on ignore...the only one I have

on ignore...But I can guess what he said. It is all Naders fault right?

[charlie]

10. Reeeal close

But see some people want to "heighten the contradictions" in the vain hope of starting a Marxist revolution.

[Kool Kitty]

5. Huh?

[WilliamPitt]

4. Coupla things

1. How do you know you're a Democrat unless you debate the positions with Greens, libertarians, and fellow Democrats on the other side of the spectrum from you? Answer: Your knowledge is crude sophism if you can't defend it within the progressive community, and so that ability to defend is crafted here.

2. This is a website suffering from a massive case of Group Dynamics. People are contrarian here. Mostly they are contrarian to stick it to people who pissed them off on another thread. Out in the flesh world, there is vast unity of purpose and an overwhelming adherence to the ABBA philosophy.

3. Welcome to DU. Use this place as a whetstone, and remember that things in the flesh world are a lot different.

[liberalcapitalist]

8. i think you misunderstand me

Mr. Pitt,

I'm NOT saying that debate between Greens, Libertarians and Democrats should not be fostered and encouraged here; I'm saying that this is DEMOCRATICunderground.com, not progressive or liberalunderground, etc., and the fact is that if people really do take their "I won't vote for so-and-so" to the ballot box, then they will be able to continue their contrarianism for another four years-- assuming, of course, that they're even allowed to.

[Trajan]

17. Fallacy of Accent ....

democraticUNDERGROUND ?

DEMOCRATICunderground ?

Chuckles ....

Yeah ... right .....

[fla nocount]

15. Good post Will. We might fight amongst ourselves,

but we move in mass. What's in a name anyhow? I like the sound of contrarianunderground though or maybe curmudgeoncorner.com

[rucky]

20. ABBA?

I ain't gonna vote for no stinkin' Swedes...

[bearfartinthewoods]

21. travel is an eye-opener, ain't it?... <grin> eom

[George_Bonanza]

6. My most key value

Is understanding. I believe every side of the political spectrum that's not criminal in intent deserves serious listening to. So I will respect and listen to conservatism, as long as it's not war-mongering, hate-filled Religious Right neo-conism, which is criminal in intent. I will listen to socialism. I will listen to capitalism. And so on. It is so key that we do not become what he abhor, which are intolerant non-listeners who are absolutely convinced in their own self-righteousness.

[canuckagainstBush]

9. why?

The thing that scares me is that the American political centre has drifted so far to the right.:thumbsdown:

[fla nocount]

12. Lieberman.........even Lieberman?

If faced with that choice I might throw it on the wall and see if it sticks or I might have to stay home. There's a certain amount of culpability that goes with voting (don't blame me, I voted for...).

I probably would vote for Joe though just to see what would hatch. But a Lieberman nomination would be the death knell of the party. Many of us would probably go Green and join the local militia.

[kodi]

13. i am more concerned about how people arrive at their decisions here

often around here it reminds me of when i sit with alleged baseball fans who root for a team because of the color of their uniforms instead of because they have informed insight of the players' abilities and the beauty of the game itself.

but if one wishes to deal with "values" we can start by examining what is formost important to us and then extrapolate from a foundation of beliefs that uses logic and reason instead of employing blatant, ill-informed emotionalism when assessing particular situations.

of course, such pragmatism is to be shunned by the ideologues who stalk the site waiting for diogenes to find them.

[Basurero]

19. Diogenes? I'd be happy if Buckaroo Banzai dropped by.

From what I've read, many (most?) people on DU are interacting without the constraints of interpersonal awareness of the nature of the sender or receiver. Thus, there are limitations when it comes to accepting new info from an unknown source.

When one person has an idea that is foreign to another, the first typical reaction is to reject the idea because it does not fit in with what is already known. It's like prejudice, where people are afraid of the "other" based soley on appearance.

What's great here is the sincere desire to get at the Truth. That's always possible when we remember that we all are equal. That's a real Democratic value. That's the source of Democratic unity and strength.

Now, for a good old fashioned party, where IS Buckaroo these days? Any Hong Kong Cavaliers still around? Tex, is that you?

[FDRrocks]

14. Yes we should rid ourselves of Bush...

but I am on the edge. I am sickened by the move to the center by the only true opposition party. Run a left-centtist or Dennis, I will vote Dems. If they run a centrist after the next far-right repuke swing, I will oppose the Dem's to the full!

[Q]

18. Boredom compels me to reply:

- You're judging a book by its cover.

- Wait....can't think of any more cliches. Never mind...too early in the morning for this shit.

Will: "coupla"?