I donated until it hurt in 2008 and now that hurt is going untreated

[Caution]

I haven't posted to DU in over a year, but this news is the last damned straw. I just called the DNC and left a message for the chairman (a first for me). I'm appalled and disgusted. I worked as hard as I could to ensure that we didn't see a repeat of the Bush/Bush/Reagan years and here we are. A Congress completely controlled by the Democratic Party and we're unable to pass legislation that makes any sense, that every poll shows the public actually wants and that is simply the right thing to do. I'm frankly disgusted.

I'm at my wits end. I hate the idea of abandoning the party and not donating to a cause that I believe in and just as importantly donating to a party that is NOT the Republican Party (I don't agree with a single plank in their platform and they make me sick to my stomach). I don't know how I can continue at this point. I want to be a part of the process. I want to do what I can to push a progressive agenda that helps those who have not been as fortunate as I have been.

I grew up in public housing. I attended a public school for high school and college. I worked my tail off and got a good job and was incredibly fortunate through tough times. I have a good job now and am thankful to have one. I helped my parents buy their home and was there when they moved in. The pride in their eyes was something I'll never forget. Through it all we've known that if not for the programs and policies pushed by the Democratic Party through the years we would not have been able to drag ourselves out of poverty.

Now? I don't know anymore. The party abandoned their principles to appease Sen. Lieberman. A man who isn't a member of the party. A man who has done NOTHING to further a progressive agenda. Why? Honestly, I can't figure it out. It smells of pure politics. The Democrats have been unable to seize the debate and the initiative and have been outflanked at every turn by the damned GOP. They feel like they have to pass some bill, any bill in order to not look like what they are. Ineffective in the face of the Republican Party and their extremely small but very loud voice. They made a terrible opposition party during the Bush years (the GOP is now showing us how an opposition party should act) and now they are making a terrible majority party (a "super" majority party at that).

What happened to standing on principle? What happened to appealing to what is right?

My mother has cancer. She's getting treatment and doing well and fortunate to have health insurance (for now anyway). What about all those who aren't so lucky? Where is the safety net? Where is FDR when we need him? Where is Kennedy when we need him? Where is the President that I donated time and money to?

Where is the Hope?

[varelse]

1. What happened to standing on principle? What happened to appealing to what is right?

That is now referred to as "purity" and it is considered both delusional and harmful to progressive goals.

[msongs]

2. to be "standing on principle" ya gotta have principles first nt

[readmoreoften]

10. You got that right.

[MinneapolisMatt]

3. You wrote exactly how I feel.

Exactly. You are not alone. I don't know what to do either.

Being gay, I've tasted this pill before...

[spartan61]

4. Excellent post!

You put into words what so many of us are feeling.

[juno jones]

5. K&R! n/t

[Frank Booth]

6. I feel the same way.

The Democrats have betrayed this country. And just because the Republicans have been doing it for decades doesn't make it ok.

[LooseWilly]

7. It is rather ironic that the HCR bills, as they stand now, will make the poor poorer...

than Bush policies ever did.

Mandated health insurance is going to be an awful burden, and subsidies, assuming they're implemented at all, will now amount to give aways to the Health Insurance Industry.

I was doing better being ignored by the Republicans than I'm liable to do under the "care" of the Democrats. Painful and ironic... I should've saved the monies I donated to Obama during the campaign to help pay for the private health insurance that I gave up as unaffordable 10 years ago... which I'm now going to be required by law to pay at the new and improved rates with the income from my new under-employment status job...

[Raine]

11. When they send me begging letters to donate

to their campaigns I'll answer that it went for mandatory insurance and I have none left to give to them! :mad:

[info being]

8. Yeah, that's why I didn't donate much

There are only a few Democrats worth any of our money and Obama isn't one of them.

[Raine]

9. I feel your pain

because I did too and now all I feel is betrayed, used and humiliated. :-(

[snot]

12. IMHO, we've been used and abused. Maybe we need a statute

that says no member of Congress shall be allowed to earn/receive more, in money or other benefits, than the mean average of that received by U.S. residents not employed by gov't.

[ima_sinnic]

13. it seems the only thing we can do is fight at the local level

I remember reading back in the 80s how the Gingrich scum were infiltrating school boards and other really low political positions with the goal of working their way up--and here we are--they finally fully emerged from their pods with bush2.

I'm 63, so I don't expect much in my remaining lifetime besides incredible civil strife, but I have faith in the younger generation--there are idealists/visionaries/progressives running for local offices, they need to be supported and nurtured.

Nothing will change until corporate sponsorship of candidates is eliminated, and I'm hoping the new generation getting into politics (Rep. Patrick Kennedy (RI) comes to mind as a forerunner, and I know there are more in the House) will be astute enough to finally fix that.

[piratefish08]

14. Me too. I won't make THAT mistake again.

[shireen]

15. i'm one of the fortunate people

but my heart aches for everyone out there who is suffering in this economic crisis.

i know that my luck can change at any moment, and that i am just a couple of paychecks away from landing in the street and losing my health insurance, which would be a death sentence for me. Many of us who are employed are in similar situations.

All of us deserve better.

[niyad]

16. can't rec, but will kick for this oh-so-true post