Do you think Code Pink's tactics against Pelosi help or hurt the cause?

[seriousstan]

Poll question: Do you think Code Pink's tactics against Pelosi help or hurt the cause?

War Protesters Camp Out At Pelosi's S.F. Home
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=local&id=5113461

Pelosi Watch...Camp Pelosi
http://www.codepink4peace.org/article.php?id=1851



CODEPINK plans takeover of Pelosi’s office

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/codepink-plans-takeover-of-pelosis-office-2007-03-22.html

[Monkeyman]

1. Go after the right people the Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats

All this has done is give the right wing ammo. Look Democrats losing support their talking points

[Stinky The Clown]

2. I admire them

I also think they hurt the cause with this specific tactic.

[BlueCaliDem]

33. I admire them too, but I disagree that they "hurt" the cause.

It never hurts to continue to remind our representatives we haven't gone away.

It's good to keep them all on their toes, and to show the repubes, and reich-wingers that we progressives, liberals, and Democrats have the sense, and aren't afraid to disagree with one another from time to time, and not be "Stepfordish" in lock-step with our representatives, like they are.

Hopefully, through our actions they one day might wake up, and learn something? :shrug:

[JuniperLea]

3. I strongly agree with Monkeyman and Husb2Sparkly

They beat me to it, naturally:)


:hi:

[shain from kane]

4. How can you not promote free speech? Besides, it's THEIR cause. You are responsible for

your own cause. There is no one cause.

[Marrah_G]

25. The question was not if they had the right to speak out

The question was do you think it hurts our party. I support their right to say whatever they want, but I don't agree with their tactics and believe they are causing far more harm then good.

[MnFats]

5. it is a distraction.....what gets the air time and news ink? the real issue?

The GODDAMN WAR?
the u.s. media is NOT going to go with issues related to the war but instead, the news anchors will trill: "meanwhile, these sorta kooky people turned up to demonstrate today! "

I know I probably sound like an oppressive asshole but.....we need to concentrate on the issue at hand!

flame me. i'm ready.

[PhilipShore]

6. Other:

I don't think it helps or hurts the cause, but rather is a waste of time.

The only media attention that matters is media attention that gets covered in all the media, TV, Radio, Newspapers (on the front page).

We liberal/pacifists know the tricks of the trade to get media attention -- but generally, media attention is the last resort -- we like door to door selling of our ideas, it is tactically much more useful.

[EFerrari]

7. I disagree, Philip. Code Pink enlists us one by one.

Then we network and then we start local actions.

This is how snowballs get made.

It's not pretty or neat but it's just physics.

[PhilipShore]

17. Have you ever read about Quantum Physics?

Change can occur in sub atomic particles that are not seen by the eye; and which can affect other particles, anywhere in the Universe. That world is unmeasurable, yet its force is more powerful then all matter in the world, it is the same energy that creates a Atomic bomb.

That same principle works in the psyche, soul, spirit of man and is part of each thinking individual: If one simply wishes the world to change; that has the same affect on the society, culture, or country that one lives in, in a unexplained manner, then actually trying to change something in a measurable way i.e by demos.

In other words -- the world can change; just by simply mediating, or turning off the TV, etc. :)

[Morgana LaFey]

23. Yeah, that's exactly how I congratulated myself when the

Berlin Wall fell. I thought, "Wow! Look what all that meditating and visualizing peace we've done did!" And I was right, or half-right.

It still took people doing things in the mundane world for the wall to fall. Didn't it?

We each have our place, and sometimes that's straddling two worlds. If your role is meditation, then what the HELL are you doing here? Or do you know what is your role in it all?

[PhilipShore]

28. My guess

If your role is meditation, then what the HELL are you doing here? Or do you know what is your role in it all?

Meditation in action

[Bill McBlueState]

30. I've read about quantum physics

And while what you're saying sounds pleasant, your words are not those of someone who understands quantum physics.

Wikipedia has a good introduction: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Introduction_to_quantum_mechanics

[EFerrari]

42. I have a dear friend who has tried to get me to study up.

And have resisted. Maybe that's been a mistake. :)

[cali]

35. It looks more as if they're turning people off.

Honestly, and for the tenth time or so, if Code Pink is turning off this many DUers, how the hell are they effective. At this point, I could give a shit about Code Pink, where once I admired Medea and others.

[seriousstan]

39. The poll has never been lower than 3 to 1 against, generally 4 to 1

And as you pointed out, THIS IS THE DU!!!

[EFerrari]

8. The question is skewed. Code Pink's actions aren't against NANCY

they are against funding this illegal occupation.

You've put up a strawman, imho, because most CPers are from her district and are her supporters.

There is a very important difference.

[seriousstan]

11. They support her by protesting at her home and office?

That's a funny way of showing support. They may support her personally, but they obviously don't support her actions.

The poll is also showing that the vast majority of DUers replying to the poll don't support their actions. I also don't think that means the Duers don't support CP, just their actions. It should be noted that the DU is EXTREMELY biased toward CP, and still think this is misguided.

[EFerrari]

14. I have no contract to agree with Nancy on every issue.

Should I desire such a contract, I'd register Republican.

And, you are exactly right. I (who do not speak for CP in any way) support her personally but cannot support this action. It's possible to do both.

Frankly, I'm very clear on why this Halliburton fest should be defunded immediately.

[Dr Fate]

9. Which cause- Partisan cheerleading, or ending the war?

They hurt the first one, for sure. The second one- I'm not so sure- the jury is still out.

I think average citizens will find their positions less and less radical as the months and years of this war wear on.

[bread_and_roses]

22. My question exactly. (n/t)

[mrdemocrat78]

10. I'm gonna tell you what; and get mad if you want to

I met my first "left wing loon" (sorry; god I hate that phrase), yesterday. I never thought I would use that term cuz as a blogger myself, I know I am way way way left, but some people are just impossible to please. It has been 2-2.5 months? right? Give her some time. I think they are doing wonderful. We all know congress moves slow, but they are doing a great job. I just wish more people had a little bit of patience.

[EFerrari]

16. Who is impossible to please?

The people who know we were dragged into this war by falsehoods?

The people who have lost children so Bush cronies could stuff their pockets just a little longer?

?

[CreekDog]

46. Don't blame Pelosi for Bush's/Republicans' Iraq war mess

That's our point.

Some folks seem to act like Pelosi is the problem here, but Bush and those who support the war are the problem. Pelosi got just a majority to vote for a deadline for withdrawal, and she couldn't have kept that majority if she defunded the war and withdrew the troops immediately.

The fact that we don't have the votes to cut off all funding and bring troops home tomorrow is not something Nancy alone can create a veto proof majority for. In fact, she cannot even create a bare majority for that.

Yet her skills put the House on record as supporting a withdrawal/end to the war that was sooner than Republicans, Bush and even some blue dog Democrats wanted and her clout with folks like Barbara Lee, among others, who opposed the resolution, freed up enough progressives to vote for the Iraq Supplemental.

When you run down Pelosi's efforts to end the war, you are running down your most effective and powerful opponent of the war.

Let Kucinich run the politics of this and we will get an embarassing set of lost votes to stop the war and to stop funding of it.

When Lincoln attempted to end slavery, as right as he was, it did not happen until the Union won the Civil War. Being correct is not a strategy. Making something right requires a strategy, not just sincerity.

[noamnety]

21. I'm not interested in giving them more time to fund halliburton. (nt)

[The Count]

12. Love them but wish they'd protest those voting against. Pelosi is the good guy

[soothsayer]

31. dunno. is she doing questionable things?

[proud2BlibKansan]

37. But she is voting to fund the war

Hence, they are lobbying her to end the war.

[Mojorabbit]

13. I love what they are doing

Their purpose is antiwar and they are holding true to their purpose.

[AtomicKitten]

15. I support the idea but am not sure Pelosi is the appropriate target.

[goodhue]

18. It doesn't hurt

[BayCityProgressive]

19. it helps

I am sickened by so many people here. Once a Democrat gets in we are supposed to fall in line like zombies and just expect they will do the right thing? The track record isn't too good on that! If you really think this war is a crime against humanity you should be pushing to have it ended NOW and not only focus on Republicans. The Democratic Party is giving Bush power to wage war and kill our children and Iraqi children for another year and a half and even then Bush will continue this war. This is a sad and pathetic bill. Protest ALL who don't back immediate withdrawal. ALL.

[TreasonousBastard]

20. A tactical error on their part...

and just makes them irrelevant if they keep attacking our allies for not working fast enough or being perfect enough. Gives grist for the other guy's mill and doesn'r recognize the way Congress works, or that the Democrats are deeply divided on how to unscramble this egg Shrub has given us.

And I think they picked the easy target-- they be hauled off to Gitmo if they blasted into a minority leader's office like that.

[mmonk]

24. What cause? Ending the war? Most likely helps.

[SaveElmer]

26. Marginally hurt...I don't think too many people take them seriously...

Or have never heard of them...

So I don't think most people care...

[unkachuck]

27. definately helps....

....somebody has to kick this system in the ass....

....all I've been hearing are excuses why Dems can't do this or the Dems can't do that....hell, most of us have been working/waiting our entire lives for this political system to accomodate some meaningful change...

....we get a little movement this way, a little motion that way and then nothing....face it, surface politics in this country is just that, surface; an academic palor game with no real value in most peoples lives....it's flim-flam, a shell game inwhich most peoples interests are destined to loose....

....go after them, for all real leaders will make the numbers happen....all real leaders will make meaningful change happen....all real leaders will make that change positive for the people who put them in office....

[proud2BlibKansan]

29. What cause?

Ending the war or promoting the Democratic party?

[Bill McBlueState]

32. both, maybe?

I would've voted the same either way.

[IndianaGreen]

34. Too many Democrats want to keep US troops and bases in Iraq in 2009 and beyond

I have even seen DUers argue that keeping a military footprint in Iraq means that the war is over. Nonsense! The fact that this argument comes from politicians that criticize Bush's management of the war, rather than the morality and legality of the war and occupation of Iraq, is indicative that we have a problem within the Democratic Party.

Code Pink knows that ending the war means ending a US role in Iraq, period. Code Pink is right!

[proud2BlibKansan]

38. Amen

Why is this so tough for DUers to understand?

[demobabe]

40. It is the presentation

What's seen is a liberal group going after the Speaker of the House.

Promotion wise: Progressives are upset with Democrats.

In the media and polls: Democrats are not effective. Democrats are losers. They don't do what they say.
CP is trying to hold Bush accountable for his actions with the bill. Do you think Congress would pass a bill that didn't include war funding and only had anti-war measures?

The votes aren't there, folks... why is that so hard to understand?

[seriousstan]

36. Morning kick

[ends_dont_justify]

41. Blind Archers

Good aim but bad targets.

If more people showed america it's bad for republicans to START the war, maybe democrats would feel more comfortable doing the right thing. The democratic crowd is more about doing the right thing when they feel it has support (from observation).

[Maddy McCall]

43. Such is the cycle of history. People love the rebels when the opposition is in power...

but when their party comes to power, they start to despise the very rebels that they used to adore.

I won't vote in this poll--I may not like what Code Pink is doing, but I'm smart enough to know that it isn't really that much different than anything else they've done heretofore.

The shift to demonization of Code Pink, who DUers used to adore, is fickle--and typical.

[mahina]

44. You have to define the cause to answer this question.

We have already found out what results when we don't hold our govt accountable. I appreciate Nancy Pelosi, but you have to support them when they are helping and resist them when they need it, like now. And it helped.
I support Code Pink 100%. Women for Peace! Men too~

[CreekDog]

47. Code Pink did not give us Speaker Nancy Pelosi

I actually wonder how many of them actually voted for her, which is interesting since she won with something like 82% of the vote, meaning her extremely left leaning, antiwar district, supported Pelosi.

But everyone (nearly) knows that Pelosi cannot end the war on her own and cannot end it tomorrow.

Except for Code Pink --they don't seem to know that.

[a_viable_option]

45. Not that I care about them....

...but it hurt their voice.

[JI7]

48. it doesn't help the cause

but i question what their cause is. and i'm thinking their goal is not getting actual change and being effective in it.

if their goal is just to bring attention to themselves and not get change then i guess they are helping THEIR cause.

[johnlal]

49. Depends on what "the cause" is

Is it to promote the Democrats, or to convince legislators to end the war? Nancy Pelosi is the Speaker of the House. She is a fair target.