Stop the third party nonsense.

[genius]

The California Democratic elected officials rallied behind 57 and 58,the total destruction of higher education, pre-school and senior health care in California. The rich have to get their tax breaks. So what if the lives of seniors and kids are destroyed by 57 and 58. The California Democratic elected officials have to back the Terminator. I'm really angry at our leaders, particularly those in CA. But I'm sticking with the only path to beat Bush in November.

We need to get rid of Bush. No one but Kucnich is even close to perfect but, if we don't stay united in the general election, Bush is guaranteed four more years. Let's elect a Democrat in Nobember and, if he messes up in the White House, let's beat him up later. If we do a protest vote, let's make it in the primaries and not when it will kill us.

[Goldom]

1. May I hug you?

:hug:

[sleipnir]

2. We need to wake up the country!

Get rid of the DLC Dems and form a party that actually matters and fights for change. I'm sick of "business as usual" and that's all Kerry and Edwards offer. Count me out now in this next election, I'm done. If this is what the American people want, then perhaps they also deserve another 4 years of Bush. Why not, if we don't want change after the last 4 years, screw us. I'm done and I'll vote third party most likely in Novemeber. At least I don't feel guilty blaming Bush for the problems of the world. I couldn't sleep at night knowing I voted for Kerry after he decides to "invade" Iran or Syria.

[genius]

6. If Bush gets four more years, the only place any of us will be safe will

be in another country. Of course, he might bomb there. Kerry and Edwards are good guys. Look at their records with an open mind.

[DannyRed]

3. The way I see it,

we have a staark, clear, and difficult choice.

We can go third party, or we can take the party back.

There can, of course, be some interplay between those two options...but, honestly, how can you in the same paragraph, decry the odious actions of elected Democrats, who have repeatedly stabbed their constituencies in the back, and then twisted the knife...

And then demand that we "stop the nonsense"?

What is nonsense is continually supporting and enabling a group that acts against our best interest and then demands our vote and support...or else bad things will happen.

Well...bad things ARE happening, and those pushing fear now are responsible.

Let me be clear, I will 90% likely be voting for any given Democrat come November, but I KNOW my patience, and a LOT of other peoples' patience is worn extremely thin.

There are some who think that the BEST thing for progressive causes, for the people, for the poor and minorities is the destruction of the Democrats who stab us in the back and then demand our vote, who scare us with GOP horror stories and then vote for those same disgusting policies in the name of "bipartisanship"...

Maybe the best thing IS to scrap the Democratic party, take our lumps with the GOP and rebuild from scratch.

Some days I think so.

Some days not.

[oasis]

4. I'm writing "me" in on my ballot, then I'll get a candidate I support 100%

anything less would be a cop out.

[genius]

7. I hope you'll be happy with your vote when they haul you off to detention

In 2000, a lot of people voted for Nader. If they had not, we would not have gone to war with Iraq.

[oasis]

9. Please lighten up. I assume you didn't detect the sarcasm in my post.

It was a scattershot dig at the vanity crowd.

[eileen_d]

14. oasis/eileen_d in 2004!

I want a voice in the new world order! ;)

[JailForBush]

5. You need a new message.

This message doesn't play very well among many of us, because it reminds us of past broken promises. "If you support our candidate, you'll be rewarded with reform!" Of course, everyone goes to sleep after the election.

Let's face it, even millions of liberals have come to see the Democratic Party as Republican Lite, and you can't expect them to continue supporting the lesser of evils forever. Growing anger among liberals could even jeopardize Campaign 2004.

So how can this message be improved without compromising Campaign 2004?

For starters, you might want to acknowledge that the presidency isn't the only office up for grabs. You could also do what the candidates AREN'T doing - talk about some issues.

You could make it clear that you don't represent the Democratic establishment by telling us how much you hate Microsoft. Tell us you're sick of Democrats selling public education down the creek - and, more important, tell us how you're going to fight to kick corporations out of OUR schools.

Does this sound self-destructive? Truth is always the best medicine. You could remind people that Republicans have exceeded even Democrats in whoring after Microsoft. Remember: Microsoft was being sued during the Clinton adminstration; George Bush rescued Bill Gates from justice.

As sick as Clinton's Goals 2000 was, George Bush's Leave No Child Alive campaign may be even worse.

You could brainstorm similar arguments surrounding a number of issues. But just telling us that we should rally behind a Democratic candidate because there's no other choice is hardly noble or inspirational. One could even use logic to argue against such a policy: If we automatically support any Democrat who runs for any office, are we making it easier for Democrats to lower their standards? When are we going to break with tradition and do something that's risky yet necessary?

[genius]

8. We may have to sit on them. But they are better than Bush and they'll

listen when he won't.

[donco6]

17. When it doesn't matter if we lose.

"When are we going to break with tradition and do something that's risky yet necessary?"

You seem to be juxtaposing "noble" with "merely strategic", i.e., ah, I'm just so noble, I cannot vote against my lofty principles just for a mere strategic advantage.

I think a more appropriate juxtaposition would be, "I'm so noble, I think I'll light the ovens myself, rather than vote for someone who might keep me out of them."

[Rowdyboy]

10. ABB, my friend, ABB

Screw anything else! I want to live to see the Bush Gang driven out of my house! The People's House. This is not acceptable.

[Virgil]

11. Surely, Mr. Electable is electable

Kerry ran on being electable. Why would you think that he would not be electable now? He is running against the worst president ever.

[DrZhivago]

12. I think everyone here agrees

I mean this is the underground, that the dem party is in much need of reform, and that quite a possibly a third Green/Progressive party would be the answer. But not at the highest level, the only way is to infiltrate a Green Party at the lowest levels on up to Congress, and have it be a swing vote for all major issues. That could only happen at the earliest in 2006.

All of you who say you have given up, you might as well slap that soccerball sticker to the back of your SUV, put on your Faith Hill CD and happyhonk your ass all the way to the touchscreen next november and vote for your boy asterisk.

I'm voting dem across the board in nov, not because I like choosing the lesser of two evils, but because I'm buying myself time here on earth.

[lcordero]

13. and AGAIN I say no thank you

http://www.pressaction.com/pablog/archives/001294.html#001294

[DrZhivago]

15. disappointed are we?

vote for Hamm, he never will sell out unless the price is right

[lcordero]

16. disappointed, no. angry, most certainly

I hold people accountable on past performance. Kerry burned me a whole bunch of times in the past and I will judge him on that.

Bush isn't even a part of this equation and I will not tolerate any scaremongering tactics. I will not be blackmailed for supreme court justices, affirmative action, gay rights, or women's rights.

I'm not asking, I AM DEMANDING that the Democratic Party shape up and shape up YESTERDAY.