Well...I've been a loyal Dem for so long ..Carter, Clinton and JFK Assassination.

[KoKo]

BUT...I start to wonder..

WHY IS IT that Repugs ALWAYS FEED AND GROOM THEIR BASE...just like NOW! ...and Democrats seem to always talk to their FDR base (which most DU'ers don't remember) and then "THROW THEM UNDER THE BUS?"

Why is it that our Dem Hopes and Dreams end up in "COMPROMISE" when we take back the Presidency or CONTROL the House and Senate?

Why is it that folks like that Carville SNAKE with his Repug Wife seem to always come in and "muddy the waters" and turn Dems on Dems and make US sound Weak when in fact what we are "up against" is weak with failed Foreign Policy and Social Issues...folks who sold the Working Class down the River and allowed influx of masses to take our jobs while the BEST JOBS got OUTSOURCED TO INDIA and ELSEWHERE.

I wonder why our Dems are such Pragmatists while the RW manages to get the JESUS PEOPLE...and issues that RESONATE MORE with the American Voters than we DEMS seem to do. (Caveat: I am a Christian..but no longe "Church Goer" because of Iraq but that doesn't mean that my principles aren't with MY PARTY over help for the poor and give a leg up to those seeking.

BUT...when the RW "Chamber of Commerce" allows Illegals to come in and take jobs for LOW WAGES that I shouldn't SPEAK UP about this! It goes back to Democratic SUPPORT for NAFTA and now CAFTA that seems to always WORK AGAINST THE DEM GRASS ROOTS who are for FAIR TRADE/RIGHTS FOR LABOR and RIGHTS TO UNTAINTED FOOD/DRUGS amd ACCESS TO DECENT HEALTH CARE.

What is Going ON out there? :-( I can't remember a Democrat (since the assassinated Kennedy's) who
STOOD UP TO THE RIGHT WING the way the REPUGS FEED AND CARE FOR THEIR COCKROACH BASE!

If you have EXAMPLES ...PLEASE POST. I voted for every DEM including FIRST VOTE FOR JFK...I've SEEN IT ALL..and IT ALL IS THAT DEMS CAVE...while REPUGS RULE through EVER EVIL/ILLEGAL TRICK IN THE BOOK!

:shrug:

[Colobo]

1. "Carville and his Repug wife"

I'm glad love is more important than politics. That's the way it should be.

[defendandprotect]

2. Mary Matalin in White House; Carville no threat

Most of the Dems are owned by the same people who own the Repugs --

QUOTE . . . Why is it that folks like that Carville SNAKE with his Repug Wife seem to always come in and "muddy the waters" and turn Dems on Dems and make US sound Weak when in fact what we are "up against" is weak with failed Foreign Policy and Social Issues...folks who sold the Working Class down the River and allowed influx of masses to take our jobs while the BEST JOBS got OUTSOURCED TO INDIA and ELSEWHERE.UNQUOTE

Re Carville . . .
Do you think that given the Bush neo-con cult mentality that they'd have Mary Matalin in the White House and married to Carville if it was any threat to them . . . or not working for them?

[dajoki]

3. You are so right...

we always end up on the short end of the stick. Our Dem lawmakers seem to be in a never ending cycle of "compromising", whether we control Congress or not. I too have been a lifelong Dem, with no intention of bailing, but I also have never been so disgusted with my party as I am now.

[Uncle Joe]

4. The Republicans own the mass corporate media,

so naturally the media will only echo their talking points. If a Democrat criticizes another Democrat, it will spread like smallpox on the MCM. One barometer, you can use when reading or viewing MCM "news" notice who they give the last word to, I would be willing to wager 8 out of 10 times if not more, the Republican or conservative pundit will be given the last word.

As Al Gore has stated, television is still by far the strongest medium, more people depend on it for their information than anything else.

Regarding pragmatism and faith, I agree with another Al Gore analogy, and I'm paraphrasing here, he said reason, faith and fear are like the game "rock, paper and scissors" reason trumps faith, faith trumps fear and fear trumps reason. I believe in general whether it's just my perception or not, Democrats have appealed to the logical or reasonable, while Republicans have aimed at the faithful and they now have combined with the fearful, of which the MCM has been more than happy to stoke to an even higher level of anxiety. This of course makes it much easier for the Republicans to get their message out, thereby framing the debate, because reason gets left out of the equation.

Many of the Democrats in power are intimidated by this obvious propaganda machine and are reluctant to take it on. I believe the worm is turning in this regard, but it will take more time. In the meantime, I believe it's critical for us to fight to retain net neutrality because if the MCM neutralize the Internet; the last vestige of true democratic debate, we will truly be in a world of hurt.

[welshTerrier2]

5. even beyond "throwing us under the bus"

i think the party leaders were genuinely shocked at the vehemence of the reaction to their last Iraq vote. i'm sure they understood many of us wanted something far better than we got but i also think they believed we would understand that "they didn't have the votes" to override a veto.

the short-term issue is that they threw us under the bus on this issue ... the long-term problem is that there is so little communication between those we elect and their constituents that democracy becomes a farce.

maybe if our reps got out and talked to "we the people" once in a while, nightmares like their last Iraq vote could have been avoided ... before we demand that they represent our views, maybe we should demand some good old fashioned democracy ... how can they represent us when they barely communicate with us?

[illinoisprogressive]

6. Agree. i love your post. it speaks truth.