The meme that not supporting a dem is "helping the GOP" or "preparing for Palin 2012"

[tmyers09]

We've all seen it by now. Somebody who feels disillusioned with a moderate Democrat. It would be hard not to be, what with the watering down of health insurance reform and protection of corporate profits, the lack of regulation for Wall Street, the escalation in Afghanistan. One can be angry when they see an abandonment of what they consider to be traditional party values.

Then, somebody enters the conversation, and lays down a comment like:

"The GOP thanks you for your support." or

"Stay home, and get ready for President Palin in 2012"

The meme that being mad at waffling Democrats is working in the favor of Republicans is, I believe, deliberate, in an effort to have Democrats in the majority who really don't stand for anything substantial. As long as the Democrats are in the majority, who cares what they're for? We scored the points in this "game"! It doesn't matter what a politician says or does, as long as the have a "D" after their name?

I ask you this, what good is a majority if nothing of much importance has been changed? Of course, having the GOP in power would royally fuck us. But as it stands now, aren't we still getting fucked now? A reform bill that delivers millions of new customers to the insurance companies, gift-wrapped with a bow on their doorsteps. The continuation of no regulation for Wall Street and no discernible differences from the policies that brought the economy to the edge. The addition of 30,000 troops into a place where nobody has been able to win, in order to prop up a corrupt government that no citizen there can trust.

We can do better, people. Anybody who sees that isn't working to put power in the hands of the GOP. They're hoping they can put the power in the hands of Democrats who work for the people, not their corporate masters.

[dmallind]

1. If you think the fucking is the same, you deserve the "meme" being repeated .

[tmyers09]

4. Of course it is not the same.

But wanting to change the fucking going on now, is not trying to revert us back to the previous fucking!

[laughingliberal]

13. Yes, this false dichotomy is getting old and meant to shut up the people who point out problems

Are we not the people who could not understand the Repigs marching in lockstep with their leader? So, if we're pointing out problems with any of the Dems we want Palin for president? Those are not the only choices. There is the choice of letting our Democratic leaders know of our priorities and a choice of fielding more liberal candidates against Blue Cross Dogs who are sitting in blue districts. That black and white, "for us or against us" thinking is primitive thinking characteristic of developmental stages experienced in childhood.

http://www.sideroad.com/Self_Help/black-and-white-thinking.html

<snip> When small children are learning to use words and organize their thoughts, it is normal and expected for them to see and express their world in very black and white terms. When a young child feels they are not loved, they feel they must be hated. When a child feels his or her parents don't pay enough attention to them, that child will say, "You never pay attention to me." Developmental psychologists call this primitive thinking.

Unfortunately, under duress, adults often regress to primitive thinking. Adults are most prone to regressing to primitive thinking when they are having a hard time and feel overwhelmed by their own emotions. A regression, in psychoanalytic parlance, is a backsliding from mature functioning and thinking to immature ways of functioning and thinking. For that one moment, when the adult starts relying on the words "always" or "never," and seeing the world in black and white terms, they are slipping back to the way they saw the world as a child. <snip>

[Echo In Light]

2. "America has one political party with two right wings." - Gore Vidal

[bread_and_roses]

5. And he is no less correct today than then (n/t)

[babylonsister]

3. You need to read more:

And fyi, not one rethug voted for this...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=51932&mesg_id=51932

"House passed the most ambitious restructuring of federal financial regulations since the New Deal "

As for health care reform, I don't think the final bill has been voted on yet, so I'm not going to get myself in a tizzy til that happens.

And 'we can do better'. Tell me, who would do better? I'm curious to know who you think might be able to solve all of our ills asap.

[tmyers09]

7. "27 Democrats voted against it."

Does that say anything? Those "Democrats" voted against the people. There's no denying that.

I don't know who can do better. But actively trying to find someone who can, is not trying to put power in the hands of the GOP. That is a scare tactic employed by corporate Dems to try and prevent messing up the status quo i.e. caring first and foremost about corporate leaders.

[babylonsister]

10. And 196 Dems voted for it. I don't get your point. And I don't

know who can do better either. I cannot think of one person at this point in time. But if you do, let me know.

[AllentownJake]

6. On election day on the first November in 2010

People will have a choice between two people, in some rare cases three.

Looking how the political field is going to play out I don't see any cases where my choice would result in me not supporting a Democrat. My choices are:

Specter/Sestak vs Toomey

Onaroto/Knox/Wagner/Hoefell vs. Corbertt

Callahan vs. Dent

Slattery vs. Reichley.


My personal feelings about the President's policies have no impact on these races.

[tmyers09]

8. Exactly! But some people would say that

Trying for Sestak would work to elect Toomey. If Specter ends up with it, then by all means vote for him, but there is no reason to not ry to improve where there can be improvement!

[AllentownJake]

9. I'm voting and volunteering for Specter

Sestak is a disaster from all things I have seen and Specter came out against troop escalation while Sestak did not.

[stray cat]

11. If you don't vote and you normally vote dem - which party do you end up helping?

More power to anyone who will productively fight to put those in office they agree with (even repubs) but its stupid if by being passive or fighting you put in office by default those you most hate.

[NJmaverick]

14. I don't think logic and reason will be effective with this echo chamber

they all want to indulge themselves and destroy the Democratic party. If they succeed you can bet your very last dollar they will not take any responsibility for their actions. They will blame everyone BUT themselves.

[stray cat]

12. I didn't vote in 2000 because I thought there wasn't much difference between Gore and W

I wasn't crazy about either one for different reasons. Big mistake don't you think?