Message from the lunatic fringe wing of the Democratic Party.

[democrank]

Okay. I`m from the Extremist Wing of the Democratic Party, bouncing along through life with the wierdest views known on the political spectrum. NO TORTURE. No hunger in America, no homeless vets, no oil giants writing energy policies, no immoral invasions, no pharmaceutical kingpins writing Medicaid drug policies, no CEOs making 450 times the average worker`s wages, no voting machines without paper trails. I want an end to pork barrel spending until our national debt is paid down, an end to any and all connections between church and state. I demand serious programs to address rehabilitation for drug addicts, an overhaul of our pitiful foster care system, and an end to hunger and homelessness. I want public financing of political campaigns, a reasonable reduction of college loan interest rates and a comprehensive alternative energy policy. I want the formulation of a Mideast Peace group lead by Islamic scholars and a conservation group committed to resolving water resource shortages. I`m interested in a revitalization of America`s manufacturing industries and targeted mentoring programs. That`s a "leftist" for you, always hovering in lalaland, head in the clouds and clueless as all get out.

I`m looking at a smoldering pile of debris where my country used to be. It smells to high heaven.
Reeks of apathy. Inaction. Smells like dirty backroom deals, quid pro quo. Wonder if average citizens will wake up long enough to save it?

[driver8]

1. You speak for me, democrank -- excellent post.

May I post this on my Navy veterans board? There are a lot of freepers there that just don't get it.

[AtomicKitten]

2. The wreck that once was our country is visible from places

other than the fringe. I try to talk to people when I'm out and about, and I'm constantly pleasantly surprised that people are really on point. I feel confident that once the election process is secured, people will come out in droves to effect a change in the status quo.

[midnight]

3. Well, that makes two of us.

I was at a Wisconsin leaders of tomorrow awards ceremony for high school kids and each award recipient stated their goals of being a leader in the community. Most of them were going to be serving the community via volunteerism. But one young man wanted to spread an understanding of Islam. There was a strange energy in the room.

[quickesst]

5. I get...

the same reaction in the construction field. These guys are pissed. Unfortunately, with thirty someodd dems voting for dubya's torture program, it seems we're not getting much help from our elected representatives. I fear it may be left up to the people, and that may come too late. I believe if we lose the mid-terms, it's all over. Hope not, but damn. Thanks.
quickesst

[Nimrod2005]

4. Well said...nt

[acmavm]

6. So what you're saying is that if you're TRULY compassionate,

responsible, motivated, socially conscious to the needs of others, willing to share, unwilling to sit in a corner and cower and whine, and recognize that everyone deserves a crack at things like housing and food and medical care, you're part of the lunatic fringe?

Well then, so am I.

And I love the song by the same title too.

[lapfog_1]

7. I agree with all that you said, with one exception

"no voting machines without paper trails"...

should simply be "No voting machines"!!! Let's have paper ballots and multiple hand counts (even if we have to
hire illegal immigrants to do the hand counts)

(I've programmed computers for 40+ years... I was a hacker before there was the term "hacker"... paper trail
is only useful if it there is a hand count, so why not just do the hand counts FIRST)

[etherealtruth]

8. Great job expressing sentiments we share ...

My question: Who can argue with that? Why aren't those common goals for the entire country?

[zeemike]

9. I have been accused of being a part of the lunatic fringe

But I did not know it was true till now.
So be it. I guess it is the sane peoples red badge of courage, so wear it proudly.

[MadHound]

10. Hey, I stand out there on the fringe with you. The sad part is

About twenty years ago we were the bedrock, the base of the party. But sadly, the party has moved so much to the right, we're now the lunatic fringe, standing for basic human rights and dignity, while our so called leaders continue to sell us down the river.

Makes one wonder why we're still here:shrug: I'm having to rethink things a lot these days.

[democrank]

14. So right, Madhound.

We were the "bedrock, the "base." We cheered over every union victory, we marched in support of social justice issues, we came out in droves to protest immoral wars....and stayed there until our troops came home, we rewarded substance over style and didn`t rely on milquetoast pundits to do our bidding. Backbone wasn`t something we wished for, it was something we had. We faced off water hoses and riot gear without batting an eye and we didn`t have to hire a consultant or a focus group to decide where we stood.

Today, true Liberals are The Leper Wing of the Democratic Party. We`re asked to go along to get along and forget this crazy idea of standing for something. Just grab a yellow ribbon magnet, a flag and state how anxious we are to torture our way to victory on election day.

[ms liberty]

11. Get thee to the Greatest Page!

I'm mad, bad, and dangerous to know - I'm a Liberal Democrat!

[Anita Garcia]

12. Extremist wing meet angry liberal - Hi! k and r

[durtee librul]

16. labels aside...

We all want to be caring and compassionate becuase there will be no future for any of us, much less the rest of the world, unless we are.

As far as our 'elected' officials, I think the time has come to toss every damn one of them out and just start over....we can start with the folks who attended the WI Leaders conference.....

the folks in DC do NOT speak for the majority of us any longer, they only speak for who pays them the most dollars under the table. Is that a cranky statement to make? yep Is it a true statement to make? 9 out of 10 say yes. Their actions speak louder than words. Pelosi and Reid can lead the parade as far as I am concerned. They both suck.

I travel on my job all over our wonderful country and I can feel an undercurrent. A year ago (pre-Katrina) everybody was Bush bush bush stay the course, kill the terrists...etc. NOW, not so much so anymore. Most just want this crew OUT and the sooner the better. Reasons vary and some are just personal while others are more 'left leaning' and others are just plain vindictive. Bottom line however is that something is brewing in the USA...

TOrture - the average American does NOT condone torture. Personally I don't understand why they just can't give the guy a shot of whatever chemical that is and sit back and let the guy babbble away - no pain, he just goes to sleep when the drug wears off and wakes up nice and refreshed (no, not in his final resting place either). So I'm naive, I only know what it does when I have to have a medical procedure and how my doc tells me that he knows more about me than he EVER wanted to know! LOL!!!

IRaq - well, the cat's out of the box on that one and many people who can remember see Viet Nam all over again only worse.

Personal Rights - again, people don't like to be spyed on and if they knew (and some do) what the REAL reason was for the 'spying' program, it'd stop or they'd all run to the dollar store and buy green laser sticks....personal perversion only goes so far and I would bet my infamous dollars to donuts, Bush and Rove have 'home movies' of Joe Citizen. How scary is that to think that Rove's wandering eye sees somebody he'd 'like to know better' and just orders the FBI/CIA/DHS to get him some video of that person at home.....Popcorn night for Alberto, Rove and Bush at the WH.

The list could go on and on....but again, the swell in the little towns (and also the larger cities) I visit is that it's game over for the current crew.

One can only hope.

[Lerkfish]

13. I'm right there with you then, I guess. If you're extreme, then so am I

God give us more extremists!

[dapper]

15. I need to use that...

as my tag line for all my personal email messages.

until then, I will K&R!

Dap

[Totally Committed]

17. EXCELLENT POST!

I wish I had more than one measley vote to give it in praise!

Thank you for writing it, democrank.

TC

[ClayZ]

18. We, in this house, share your views! K and R

:kick:

[Gman]

19. You radical, you!

Such subversive thoughts so early in the morning!

[i miss america]

20. Nice to meet you. I'm from the Radical Extremist Wing that believes

we are all entitled to free speech without the fear of wiretaps and being called a terrorist or enemy combatant. I don't think my local library should ever be forced to tell the government what books I read and my ISP should never disclose what websites I visit for news and information.

And yeah, I smell the same thing you do.

:hurts:

[fed-up]

21. Count another commie, pinko, radical extremist here!!! n/t

[mtnsnake]

22. "I want the formulation of a Mideast Peace group led by..."

That's one of my favorite parts of your message. If only Democrats would be brave enough to suggest something to that effect without worrying about coming off as weak. It would go a lot further toward establishing real peace in this world than any alternative methods of killing and maiming on the part of the Bush administration.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

23. That's one of the ones I disagree with, actually.

"Including", definately. "Lead by", absolutely not, unless it's purely advisory.

If one side or the other is leading a group, it won't come up with a mutually acceptable solution.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

24. That's one of the ones I disagree with, actually.

"Including", definately. "Lead by", absolutely not, unless it's purely advisory.

If one side or the other is leading a group, it won't come up with a mutually acceptable solution.

[windbreeze]

25. I didn't realize I was part of a "lunatic fringe"...

by wanting those things, but I guess that's why some people look at me strangely when I express my opinion?? I used to cry tears of joy and pride when seeing our flag, or hearing our national anthem....now I cry tears because the joy and pride is gone..
windbreeze

[Auntie Bush]

41. I hear ya Windbreeze!

Now all we have to do is get all our candidates to say in there ads is
"I'm xxxx xxxxx of the lunatic fringe party and I approve of this message.

[Javaman]

26. Dang, I guess I'm a extremest kook too.

soooprise, soooprise, soooprise. LOL

[Blue Diadem]

27. WOW Great post!

You speak for me my friend!

K&R

[Greyhound]

28. Haven't you heard? We're not welcome in the party any more.

All of us silly, stupid, naive, liberals have been directed to STFU and go stand in the corner until they need us to vote.

[LoZoccolo]

29. What have you done for the 2006 elections? n/t

[Mountainman]

31. More than likely the poster will vote Dem. I know that's not enough for

you who are out every minute of every day insuring that the election goes the right way.

[LoZoccolo]

32. I don't think I understand what you're saying. n/t

[Mountainman]

30. Be careful your going to turn green then watch the shit get thrown at you.

[izzybeans]

33. To the Gulag with you Mr. Trotsky!

We will have no such nonsense in this country!

Damn you and your humanity.

;)

K and R!

[L0oniX]

34. Get off the crack pipe dude ....nothing short of a full scale rebellion

is going to bring this country back to the people. We need to take it back by force but we are all fear full cowards. We are afraid of the snitch nark lurkers here and at our work and on our phones and internet isp's. There's no way our elected congressmen and senators are going to actually do what we want unless we pay them just like all the other corporations do. Too much Capitalism and not enough socialism is what has ruined our country. We all have to care about our fellow human beings more than the love of money and that's just not going to happen in America where our president and cronies lie to the people. ...The Great Satan! It's all about lies from the father of the lie ...Satan!

[Cascadian]

35. DAMN STRAIGHT!

I am with you, pal!


John

[Keseys Ghost]

36. Right on!

K & R

[Poll_Blind]

37. YES! K&R n/t

PB

[flaminbats]

38. you radical!!

didn't you know?..cutting taxes, wasting money, corporate welfare, a President elected by appointed delegates, fighting wars but not paying for them, a government that throws women in prison for having abortions, a government that doesn't defend us from terrorists, a government that gives money to creeps like bin Laden..and then claims that complaining is unpatriotic!

[TankLV]

39. You'll get NO disagreement from me!

Couldn't have said it better...

[ProudDad]

40. I'm with you too but...

I'd add an END to the phoney "war on drugs" which is fucking up my town

I'd end the phonier "war on (a noun) terror" which is fucking up the world!

I'd also add Single-payer health care with a clinic in each neighborhood and an END to medical "insurance" companies.

I'd add a COMPLETE END to corporate welfare including eliminating the tax deduction for "advertising expense" for any corporations grossing over 10 million dollars!

I'd add an onerous carbon tax on polluters -- this would elimate payroll and Medicare taxes for real people.



This would all be a good start...

[Old and In the Way]

42. "Wonder if average citizens will wake up long enough to save it?"

If the average citizen gets his constructed news from the tube, he'll never have to worry about it. He won't be informed.

Maybe we can help wake them up - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2852652&mesg_id=2852652

[doctor_garth]

43. you're not a Democrat

by your own definition.

Like Gore Vidal always says, there's only one party in America today with two wings, the conservative wing, known as Democrats, and the reactionary wing, known as Republicans. You don't qualify for either.

[NMMNG]

44. I guess I'm part of the Lunatic Fringe too

I wonder if Red Ryder will do a song about us.

[sazemisery]

45. now is the time for all good (wo)men to come to the aid of their country

[ninkasi]

46. I will proudly join you

on the left. There is no better place to be, because all of the things you have listed are things I truly believe are essential for us to return to the America that our Founding Fathers envisioned. After all of the things America has experienced as a country, I will not huddle, whimpering, in a corner while the corrupt right-wing gang slashes and burns everything we ever held dear.