Has anyone noticed that this has become the anti-DK underground?

[genius]

I've also been told that as many as 60% of DU posters are freepers, some in hiding. Freepers hate DK because he's the only real threat to the Republicans.

How about if we create a national discussion group elsewhere for promoting DK's 08 campaign? That way, we won't need to worry about the du freepers.

[elshiva]

1. Is DK actually running in 2008?

[Mairead]

2. He won't stand in '08 and it wouldn't matter if he did

Because unless we--or people like 'we'--pull our fingers out and start right now building a support machine for him, we'd have a repeat of '03-'04: Dennis half-killing himself while Media Inc. disparages him as a slightly loony 'vanity candidate'.

He spent nearly 2 years pounding his head on that wall. He did it the first time out of idealism, but if he did it a second time it'd be out of stupidity.

[genius]

4. Then we need to start on his campaign now.

[Mairead]

5. I *TOTALLY* agree...but you and I alone can't do it

We need at least a dozen people committed to do a piece in order to have a viable startup team. Eventually we'll need thousands, but we can get started with a dozen. The problem is that we don't seem to have even a third person, much less a dozen.

I'm a fan of post-apocalypse fiction, so some years ago I picked up a book called (iirc) 'Out of the Ashes' by Wm Johnstone. It took me awhile to realise that it was written for a (cough) 'moderate' readership, but I went on reading anyway out of a sort of road-accident fascination. The author repeatedly portrayed 'liberals' as sitting around on their butts waiting for someone else, usually 'the government', to solve their problems. It was a charge I've often heard, so I simply filed it away under stereotypes. But it really become figural for me with a bang when I recently read Thomas Frank's What's the Matter with Kansas, in which he pointed out the working-class people who were putting their personal time, energy, and money into beating the drum for rightwing-promoted changes that would actually be against their interests.

There really does seem to be evidence to support the stereotype that rightwingers take responsiblity for autonomous action while leftists sit around and wait for someone else to come and save them.

I find that disheartening.

[LWolf]

3. I haven't noticed it,

but that's probably because I'm not visiting the GD politics forum.

Frankly, I have very little to say politically on DU these days. I pop in for my personal soapbox (education), and for non-political related groups.

For the most part, it's been made clear to me that I'm on the "outside" of mainstream politics. I don't know whether it is just DU, or the Democratic Party as a whole; but the more time I've spent with them, the more frustrated I get.

Before the primary campaigns began, I never belonged to a political party. While I voted for many democrats, it was always as the least objectionable choice. When this last round of primaries was ready to kick-off, I reregistered as a dem. I was outraged enough with the selection of GWB, and what he was doing to our nation and to my profession, to "join" the party most likely to put an end to his reign. And, there was Dennis Kucinich. For the first time in my 44 years, a politician who spoke from my mind and heart. A man with the vision, and with the integrity, to head the direction I wanted to go. He's a Democrat. So I became a Democrat; I dived into politics, so that I could support him, and support the work to evict GWB.

I'm moving this summer. When I re-register, I'll probably go back to political independence, because I don't like what I've seen while I've swum with the Democrats.

Do you think it is just here at DU, or do you think it is party-wide?

If you create a discussion group elsewhere, let me know. I'll follow it, and be active where I can. That might be the only reason to keep the "D" on my voter registration card.