Democrats need to be as 'honest' as Republicans

[Q]

While it's true that everything coming out of the mouth's of the Bush* administration are outright lies...the Republican party has been very forthright and honest about their intentions over the last few decades. On the other hand...Democrats have become more secretive and hypocritical about their intentions...pretending to represent their base and honor Democratic principles and values...but working behind the scenes to do the exact opposite.

Republicans say that they hate our 'elitist liberal' guts. Nasty, but honest.

Democrats cringe and try to change to please them instead of standing up and defending their principles and values.

--

Republicans said they were going to put 'God back in government' and 'prayer back in schools' and that's exactly what they're doing.

Democrats have called for more 'faith' in government and have participated in weakening the wall of separation between church and state by trying to 'out-God' the Republicans.

--

Republicans said that they were going to end abortion and that's what they're doing.

Democrats said they would protect a woman's right to choose. Now they're backtracking.

--

Republicans said they were going to replace public education with private and religious schooling. They're well on their way in accomplishing that goal.

Democrats are now backtracking and offering their own version of 'voucher' programs that would do essentially the same thing.

--

Republicans said that they would never abide by any type of gun control.

Democrats are giving up on gun control because it's unpopular with Republicans.

--

Republicans say that they're going to put an end to social programs and replace them with 'faith-based' initiatives. Brutal, but honest.

Democrats respond with their own 'end welfare as we know it' programs and have jumped on the 'faith-based' bandwagon.

--

Republicans said they were going to give industry a break and make regulation of pollution voluntary.

Democrats said they would defend and protect our environment. Yet we've heard little from them as our skies and water have become the dirtiest since the industrial age.

--

Republicans said they were going to continue Reagan's trickle-down economy. That's exactly what they've done with their tax cuts and giveaways to the rich.

Democrats brag about balanced budgets, but many voted for the tax cuts for the rich and support corporate over social welfare...even though it's paid for with borrowed money.

--

Republicans bought up all the voting machine companies and promised to deliver the vote in certain states.

Democrats said they were going to 'count all the votes' then turned their backs on that promise. The silence is deafening with no calls for election reform from the 'count all the votes' Democrats.

--

Republicans scream 'reverse discrimination' and promise to end Affirmative Action.

Democrats said they would be the defender of civil rights. Yet they allowed widespread civil rights abuses to go unexamined and unpunished in 2000 and 2004.

--

Republicans decry the 'liberal media' and then proceed to buy up the media so it will reflect only their point of view.

Democrats respond by sponsoring and voting for legislation that would allow the media to be monopolized by Republicans.

--

Republicans promised a large increase in the military budget and they delivered. They make no apologies about attacking Iraq without cause.

Democrats respond by voting for budget increases for the Pentagon...knowing it will eventually mean cutbacks or the end of many social programs. Democrats promise never to use the military for misadventures like Iraq...but they voted for it anyway.

--

Republicans said they would have to crack down on civil liberties in order to fight the war on terror.

Democrats say they believe in civil liberties...but they voted for the Bill of Rights killing Patriot Acts anyway.

--

Republicans have been IN YOUR FACE honest about their intentions. They stick to their principles (as wrong as they may be) and their base can count on them following through.

Democrats have become the chameleons of American politics. There is no principle or value they won't concede for a possible win 'next time'. They can no longer be trusted to keep their word and have become the antithesis of the 'party of the people'.

Sometimes reality sucks.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

[ixion]

1. this has been a progressive trend for two decades...

and in my opinion it will be the demise of the democratic party.

Good essay, Q.

[Q]

3. Thanks...and Merry Christmas to you and yours...

Take care.

[Mark H]

2. By George

(pun intended) I think you've got it.

[RC]

4. Our "Leaders" have sold us down the river.

We need new leaders.
Leaders in tune with the reality of the common citizen.
If the Democratic Party was doing its job, they would be working to take the criminals in this administration and putting them into prison where they belong.
The list of crimes, war crimes and Crimes against Humanity is long and growing longer by the day.

[Q]

5. Yes...and we must stop selling out our children's futures...

...for the immediate gratification of winning a few elections here and there and going along to get along.

Republicans are planning permanent changes in our country that DON'T include Democrats. It's past time to force them to share power in this Democratic Republic.

[indepat]

6. The Republicans have done all this because it was the "Christian" thing

to do: So it's to hell with the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the separation of powers, the separation of church and state, freedom of speech, all this hogwash about promoting the "general" welfare for the welfare of large corporations and the most affluent is what it is all about. Mussolini, having been done one or two better, would be really, really proud.

[Q]

7. Agreed...but we never seem to debate the other side of the issue...

...Democratic enabling, appeasement, cooperation and 'date rape' bipartisanhip.

We bitch and moan about Republicans...deservedly so...but Democrats can never seem to bring themselves to admit that 'we' (or our leadership) have become part of the problem when we sit back and allow tyranny and despotism to take power in America.

We need to stop making excuses for the Democratic leadership and either force them to lead or get out of the way.

[indepat]

8. Q: I strongly agree with your every point: the Democrats have enabled

all this and this enabling, IMHO, was very germane to Kerry having run an extremely ineffective campaign for he could not attack on several major issues in which far too many Democrats had caved, i.e., the Patriot Act, the tax bills, the relegation of authority to one man to take this nation to pre-emptive war, a war not sanctioned by the UN and thus possibly illegal under even our own law, much less international law. I e-mailed my very prominent Democratic Congressman, whom I had given personal support and encouragement, that he had likely lost my vote in perpetuity for having voted to relegate to one man the authority to take this nation to war, a power the framers had clearly intended to rest solely with the Congress.

[Q]

9. It's difficult to campaign against something...

...your party voted for...especially if the vote was in conflict with reality or Democratic values.

The repercussions of this cooperation will be felt long beyond 2004 and Republicans will still be campaigning on bipartisan support for their fascist policies in 2008. This will leave Democratic candidates with egg on their face as they try to explain why they gave the Bushies nearly everything they asked for since 2000.

It will turn out that the best Christmas present Bush* ever had was a gift that keeps on giving: Democrats fearful of of opposing the corporate/church/military state.

[indepat]

12. How sad to recall the words "I regret that I have but one life to give to

my country" when today hardly any politicians seem willing to put even their political hides at risk and have thereby, IMHO, betrayed almost everything this country has and should stand for, have betrayed almost every major provision of the Constitution the framers specifically designed to protect future generations from what has transpired these past four years. But there I go forgetting that hardly a one of them gives a diddledy-damn what any of us to the center/left of center think.

[IStriker]

10. Truthful article and the reason we need to take back the party by...

turning LEFT and getting Howard Dean (the only candidate that I thought came even close to telling the truth in '04 and the reason that the DLC needed to deep six him) elected to chairman of DNC so we can take back our party and stop the lying and losing.

[Q]

25. Perhaps instead of turning left we can just...turn honest?

Who in the hell made the stupid decision to ignore the party's base in 2004? It wasn't a stupid decision for the power broker Neodems trying to transform the party and get rid of what they consider to be the dead weight of the working class and the poor.

But the Neodems know that they still have to pretend to represent these groups. But behind the scenes they're working with the other side to destroy unions, civil rights and most everything else the left has worked to accomplish over the last four decades.

That's why the DLC invented the 'swing voter'...the mythological creature that seems only to appear on election day and gives the Neodems an excuse to move the party to the right.

[w4rma]

11. Repugs have the luxury of being backed by the big corps who have the power

Dems just have us.

And I think Dems should have never picked up the gun control plank. It's a recent addition to the Democratic Party. It was added as a concession to the folks who own the corps who are scared of regular people.

[Q]

16. Are you sure the Dems just 'have us'?

Seems to me that lobbyists throw just as much money at the Dems as the GOPers. Correction...they throw money at the right wing of the Dem party in the hope that they can influence the agenda.

We 'picked up' gun control because no one else had the guts to handle this hot-button issue. But it's a relatively unimportant issue compared to the willful plundering of our treasury and the wanton destruction of our nation's infrastructure.

[w4rma]

17. The temptation will *always* be there. The easy campaign donations.

The trickery of the big media machine. The key to defeating that temptation is by making it easier to go to US for that money and to build up competition to the big media machine that they desprately need for PR to keep their (and therefore, our) power.

I think progressives must work harder at building power stuctures *outside* of government to push our positions. And if those power structures are profitable then that is a bonus. If they aren't then we'll need to find a way to keep them going like Rev. Moon does for his money losing Washington Times.

[Q]

24. The Clintons created the DLC specifically TO work with corporations...

...and take their lobbyist's money in exchange for a more 'corporate-friendly' party and policy. We all remember when DLCer Lieberman scolded Gore for his harsh words against greedy, unregulated corporations. Gore speaking the truth about corporations cost him help from the party in 2000 and a chance to run again in 2004. The DLC-controlled party knew that Gore had a great chance of winning in 2004...which is why they wouldn't support him and joined with the right in smearing him. A candidate that even mentions that he would make corporations accountable has no chance of becoming president in New America.

[outraged2]

13. Very well said, thanks n/t

[Selatius]

14. Some of you guys are sounding pretty militant and angry here

Thinking about going Green if the Dem politicians keep selling you out?

[Q]

15. I've never voted third party...

...and always hope for the best. There are numerous Democrats that could convince me to stay in the party if they were given leadership roles or had a say in the direction of the party. I won't mention any names...but they're the most vocally anti-Bush* and against aggressive wars. They talk about good government for the people instead of 'triangulating' to sell out the party.

I believe the Greens have a great future in America. Especially if both parties continue to deteriorate and work for those who finance their campaigns instead of the American people.

[Pepperbelly]

18. Okay, Q, here's MY platform ...

1. Immediate withdrawal from Iraq.

2. Immediate dismantling of all aspects of SDI.

3. Incremental raising on the ceiling on SS payments over 10 years until it is eliminated.

4. Immediate repeal of Bush's tax breaks for the top 2% of earners.

5. Immediate repeal of the repeal of the estate tax.

6. Immediate 5% pay increase for all active duty and reserve military service members.

7. Revamping of military for defensive purposes and to maintain the flow of commerce among nations.

8. Renegotiation of the Greenhouse Gas treaty.

9. one year tax holiday for those making under $25K per year (all taxes including SS, state, etc.)

10. man-to-moon project for alt fuels/energy independence.

11. re-institute the Fairness doctrine on the airways.

12. raise the minimum wage to $7 per hour immediately and to $8.50 within 2 years.

13. Give notice to WTO re: US participation. We MUST renegotiate.

14. Legalize marijuana (I had to throw this in because it is time for it to happen and the leaders haven't the courage to do what should be done.)

15. All judical appoitments will be cloned from Hugo Black (well, not literally but you get the idea.)

I announce my candidacy for Prez.

[Q]

19. Great platform...

...or should we call it a wish list? Could it be that what you're actually asking for is equal justice and good government? As I read your list I realized that all of these things are possible and couild be accomplished if our government hadn't morphed into a corporate/church/military state. That is...a government that serves only itself.

It's good to see the Fairness Doctrine on your list...as well as the minimum wage, leaving Iraq and tax fairness. It's too bad that you don't have a hundred million dollars for your campaign. Hey...what about public financing for national campaigns?

[Pepperbelly]

20. Shit, Q ... I've got more skeletons than a medical school. nt

[Q]

21. So does Bush*....

...and that didn't stop him from becoming the prez e dent. Of course...you probably don't have the necessary thugs to rough up people who get in your way or a slush fund to bribe the reluctant.

2000 will go down in history as the year when America experienced a bloodless coup and nobody noticed.

Take care.

[okieinpain]

22. funny thing is a lot of people agree with the repugs, even people

who vote democratic. I'll agree with you on one thing dems, are too weak. lay over and play dead on almost anything. we need a whole shit load of carvilles.

you know it's about one of the most dumbest things, that I can think of but the sheeple vote on imagery. dems make the most sense, but the messenger is pretty damn sorry looking.

example: bowles, and those stupid ass glasses. why couldn't someone tell him to get new frames. hell even a drag queen wouldn't be caught in those things.

[Q]

23. I can't think of ONE thing on which I agree with GOPers...

...but they have learned that voters (and campaign donors) expect them to keep their word. They keep their word when they promise to rig an election, trade legislation for cash or allow an industry to pollute if they're elected.

The 'new' Republicans have become the party of crooks, liars and thieves. This is pretty much common knowledge. What's not so well known is that many Republican-like, neocon creatures have infiltrated the Dem party over the last few decades...trying to weaken and destroy us from within.

This Neocon creature became the Neodem...not believing in anything but 'winning'. Like a Grima Wormtongue...their advice is to just keep selling off bits of our soul and chucks of the Democratic party and someday we'll have everything. Meanwhile...the Dem base is wandering away...disillusioned, disaffected and ashamed of their once proud party.

But that's exactly what the Neodems want...a party that can't compete with the Republicans. A party that is so divided and indecisive that it won't commit to taking a stand on any issue.