11 Threads critical of Dems, 2 threads vs. Republicans...

[ShaneGR]

Oh, DU, where have though gone? This page contains MAJORITY anti-Dem threads, with only two threads critical of Republicans (And those are relatively minor.

Et tu DU? Looking like FreeRepublic around here lately.

[ComerPerro]

1. Quite the contrary

If this board looked like FreeRepublic, you wouldn't find a single anti-Dem thread.

I mean, come on. Its a given that we despise Bush and Republicans. If we didn't, we wouldn't be here (except, of course, those who come to troll).

I would prefer to see threads that attack Dems over just a bunch of mindless fawning.

[AP]

4. What we should have are threads talking about the issues.

What do people think the issues are today?

[MAlibdem]

8. Same as it ever was

But we need to point out how issues are related, so Republicans can't cherry pick the income tax.

We need to incorporate trade policy, social security, health care, tax policy, and the deficit into a comprehesive strategy for boosting the economy, reducing the deficit, and ensuring people have social security and health benefits.

[blondeatlast]

33. Precisely; the "slippery-slope strategy" works very well for our opponents

[Warpy]

10. The issue of the elephants in the room

that the party leadership is ignoring should be posted. I'm sorry if that issue offends you, but Democrats have always been very independent folks not given to falling in line behind the leaders they are given.

Once we get a leadership that isn't ignoring those elephants in the room, we will be unstoppable, as this independence of thought not only identifies the problems, but also leads to their solutions.

However, until this happens, expect to see party leadership lambasted, excoriated, and thoroughly villified. They deserve it.

[AP]

20. What makes you think I'm offended?

But so long as you mentioin it, I'm not so worried about democratic leadership. I'm more worried about Democratic "followership." Rather than focussing so much on hating the leaders, we could be our own leaders and just do the right things. Take your cues from the leaders if you need to, but take responsiblity for doing everything you can to get the economic, political and cultural power to flow down to the people.

[itzamirakul]

24. This SOUNDS good, but

now matter how hard we work to pull the grassroots together, if the leadership is doing nothing worthwhile...if the leadership is taking credit for work they are not doing..if the leadership is just asking for more and more money and showing nothing for it...then I draw the line. Now matter how hard the grassroots activists work, in the end, it is the LEADERSHIP that goes on the talk shows and gets the media focus and attention. And if the leadership is not speaking the same language as the grassroots base, then all the work in the world, "don't mean a thing." Focus on the leadership is ALL important right now and if some have to be criticized, then so be it. And if it upsets you, then just put yourself in our shoes and see how upset WE are.

I understand that at the meeting Saturday, the exec. committee of the DNC fell all over themselves congratulating that useless piece of shit, McAuliffe for developing such a strong grassroots base. Well, he didn't! He stole the idea from Dean and MoveOn. He did NOTHING original. He went on talk shows and talked out of both sides of his mouth. He hired consultants for Kerry who were known losers. And you want us NOT to criticize the leadership? Well, I don't know about YOU, but I am not going to just keep sending my money to someone who does not speak the same political language that I speak.

Unless the DNC cleans itself of the DLC stranglehold, they can just throw away the databases they begged from everyone else, cause we won't be there for their daily emails asking for money.

[ComerPerro]

13. I have been focused on two issues, primarily

1) Taking out fundie, tax exempt "churches" that are really nothing more than an arm of the Republican party. They elected Bush, and I really feel that any church leader that pushes a political agenda is committing tax fraud. I am not anti-religion. I am just tired of all this "God told me that if you don't vote for Bush you will go to hell" bullshit coming from preachers.

and

2) What would it take to start pushing fringe right-wing issues into the forefront of media discussion. For example, a parent complains about a Christmas pageant in public school that makes several specific references to God, Jesus, and Christianity. The school decides to change the pageant to something less religious, and all we hear in the media for the next few days is about how liberals want to "do away with any public mention of Christmas".

I want to start exposing right wing extemist fringe positions, and I want to hear them discussed in the media as though they were views embraced by the entire Republican party. Two examples:

-Some fundies want to do away with Santa, because they feel he takes away from Jesus. So: Republicans want to ban Santa.

-The MNF/Desperate Housewifes mess. A thread here links to an article that uses this promo to show how our values have been eroded by thingslike interracial relationships. So: Republicans want to ban interracial dating (this mantra could be aided by reminding people that Bush, in 2000, spoke at Bob Jones Univeristy, which at the time had a ban on interracial dating).

[AP]

18. It's good to have a focus...

If religion is your focus, I'd also think about another angle and that's encouraging people who do care about religion (but have those feelings misdirected towards RW chruches) to have their religious impulses channeled towards more liberal avenues.

Support churches that want to address poverty and want to challenge fascism.

[ComerPerro]

21. That is a goal, yes

Right now, though, we need to stop the bleeding.

I have actually been attending church quite regularly. I have been going to one a week, trying to get a feel for the general outlook, philosophy, and views of both the leaders and the congregation. Im trying to find some that embrace progressive, populist, liberal values.

You know, kinda like the values that one guy always talked about... what's his name.... oh, yeah.. Jesus.

[IronLionZion]

5. and it's more interesting than cat pics n/t

[JohnOneillsMemory]

31. or sports....

Corporate-owned TV sports is a tool of fascism.

Distraction circus plus socializes males with mock wars.
Very ugly shit.

[mandyky]

6. Besides which

Congress is out and not much is going on, except the DNC chair thing.

I think many of us are still in shock over the election or working to get votes counted. Right now we are sorta in limbo, until after inauguration, etc.

[MAlibdem]

2. Attacking dems?

Or introspection? We just lost a Presidential race, a few Senate seats, and a few house seats. We didn't lose by much, but with the backlash at Bush, we should have won by a lot. So we need some introspection, some time to think about where we are going as a Party and how our core values are represented in our policies and our politicians.

We need to refocus on issues and substance. We need to build a platform that offers solutions and reform. But to do that, we need to put everything on the table, and look at each issue and where we stand on them. Personally, I don't believe a shift rightward is necessary, if anything to the left on economic issues. I consider myself a reform Democrat. At the moment, I want Dean to be DNC chair, and if he loses I want him to run for Senate and be Whip (and quite a tounge whippin' he could give anyone who crossed the party, im sure).

[JohnKleeb]

30. Why would you want Dean to run for the senate?

Jeffords and Leahy are fine as is Sanders in the house.

[IronLionZion]

3. infighting and disorganization is the foundation of the Democratic party

silly rabbit

If we started being united and organized, we may actually win! Can't have that now can we? :eyes: /sarcasm off

That and the old "clean the log out of our own eye before flicking the dirt from someone else's".

[Us vs Them]

7. Republicans are boring and predictable.

They are not worth debating, only observing cautiously.

My fellow Democrats, on the other hand, I love engaging in debate . Because it is from the differences that arise that we can learn the most.

[CrownPrinceBandar]

9. Why don't you provide links........................

to said threads so we can judge for ourselves?

[ShaneGR]

11. Uhh, the front page of DU Politics?

Kind of obvious.

[Forkboy]

12. Can we add this to the list of ones attacking Dems?

Looking like FreeRepublic around here lately.

Try going there for a few minutes then come back.You'll realize how stupid the comparison is.

[cdp]

14. The Dem message isn't connecting with people

that it SHOULD connect with. We need to figure out why, and what to do it about it.

[madfloridian]

15. I guess you mean criticism of them for backing off.....

from Michael Moore and his activist movement.

from a woman's right to choose her medical treatment. (They are thinking of not being for that anymore.)

from the civil unions bill stance. (They are backing away from that issue....best not to confront it)

There's more, but I don't want to be critical.

[mandyky]

19. LOL

MF, you crack me up!!

[Guaranteed]

16. We're attacking those Dems who vote and agree with the neo-cons.

What's the problem?

[Forkboy]

17. "Sacred cows make the best hamburgers"

Abbie Hoffman

:)

[IronLionZion]

25. Do sacred cows make sacred hamburgers?

:silly:

[rman]

22. critical of Dems - which Dems? RW Dems or progressive Dems?

As you might have noticed it is the DLC-type politics in particular that is being critizied. And then of course there are pro DLC Dems who critisize progressive Dems in return.

[sampsonblk]

23. And this one makes twelve

Just because a thread is critical doesn't make it "anti-Dem." Makes as much sense as the Bush admin calling Iraqi insurgents "anti-Iraqi" or "anti-freedom."

[Lefty48197]

26. Well, if YOU don't support MY candidate in 2008, then you're Bush lite.

Who needs enemies?

[dogman]

27. By definition, that is the difference between us and them.

We allow discourse, they follow the leader.

[kentuck]

28. Don't confuse the two....

war-loving, corporatist-hugging, tax-cutting DLCers with other Democrats. It ain't gonna work this time.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

29. Shane, you are sounding an awful lot like the people

during the Vietnam War who said, "Why are you protesting against LBJ? Why aren't you in Hanoi protesting against Ho Chi Minh?"

Democrats are the ones ultimately responsible for how the Democrats behave, and hence a matter of controversy. Being against Republicans is a given and non-controversial, so why discuss it?

[blondeatlast]

32. I started a pile-on of W yesterday; inviting DUers to cleanse their

souls and fight the REAL enemy.

I got 17 brilliant responses, then it sunk like a rock.

:wtf:

[Q]

34. Whew...looks like...

...the 'moderates' are starting to get worried that their DLC has finally been exposed for the corporate shills they are.

With information comes the ability to form opinion based on critical thinking. It's a given that the DLC prefers that we simply follow like sheep to the slaughter...but progressives will no longer sit back and allow the 'new' democrats to lead the party into the abyss.

We're critical of the leadership because they want us to forsake everything that convinced us to become Democrats in the first place. Worse...they have betrayed the party and the American people by turning their backs on their duty to uphold the law and to use checks and balances to keep the executive branch from attaining too much power over the other branches of government.

They have failed us miserably. We want new leadership and it's our right to demand it.