Hello,
I don't know what exactly to write except I landed here in search of the name of the author and man who briefly was involved on the Detroit city council in an effort to assist turning it around.
I only remember hearing him being interviewed on a Chicago radio station but don't remember his name. What was planted in my spirit was his words to paraphrase "Without wealth there is no power".
I'm asking if anyone can help me find his name and maybe put me in touch with him. I am not being evasive to be decietful. I am clinging as best as I can to neutral truth. I had a powerful dream last night and "after shocks" until this moment. I'm trying to just roll with it not control or alter it. Something saying to ask and be quiet and listen.
Posted by O. M. O. at December 22, 2007 02:40 PMThat's right P, the Party is us, and it's time the weak and frightened, like Reid and Pelosi, step vout of the way. Primary challenges is one way.
Posted by Duckman GR at December 22, 2007 02:55 PMThe feedback from my readers is always such a gratifying act of enlightenment and confirmation of my worldly, insightful work.
Posted by paradox at December 22, 2007 02:56 PMparadox, I hear you. We have a two party system in this country and it's worked for the most part. If criminals inhabit one party more than the other...well we have elections (assuming the criminals havn't rigged them to the point of no return and the 06 elections indicate that that is not the case yet) to correct it. The question I have is do the people have the will to correct it, or has everyday high tech high def, maxed out life in the 2000's just taken the "I care and I'm gonna do something about it" out of the equation. As I see it, we have the GOP, which to a great part relies on the votes of the Southern whites (which for the most part are still racist to varying degrees) and the national Evangelicals (which are also predominently white) to keep them in office, furthering their goals of White Government (support the rich, screw everyone else). Then there are the Dems...a real Big Tent. The Democratic party is really the only refuge for all of our citizens who don't wish to fall into the White Government...but rather want to be in a government for all the people, by the people...and wherever that takes us is where we decide on our own. A Big Tent is much harder to control than a small tent, but it's our Tent and our job, as you point out, to make it what we all want it to be. Like the racists who have no other choice but to vote GOP, the rest of us is stuck being Dems because it's not GOP....two party system. And yes, an Independent choice is fine, but until I see results to the contrary, futile.
Posted by T2 at December 22, 2007 02:57 PMDuckman! How good to see you! I wasn't talking about you, of course, it was the fist good soul that wandered in.
Merry Christmas! Have fun!
Next year is a hot one, brother. Finally.
Posted by paradox at December 22, 2007 02:58 PMBite me, paradox. Just because *you* fail at finding alternatives doesn't mean the rest of us have to join you in that failure. There are a lot of us who get more inclined to tell someone to f-off the more that someone tells us what to think and do. Good luck in your journey, in the mean time, Bite me.
Posted by Nash at December 22, 2007 03:13 PMI talked to Jesus and the Gypsies
I don't know Para., but He is rather poor at right field, at least according to the scouting reports.
"We are the party, the party is us, it’s our duty to change it, and there is no other alternative."
Please do change the "Party."
The "Party" needs to return to reality.
"The feedback from my readers is always such a gratifying act of enlightenment and confirmation of my worldly, insightful work."
Paradox, is that you?
Posted by Bagley at December 22, 2007 04:38 PMthere's a guy on the exit ramp who I throw a few bucks to when I'm forced to use the new Wilson bridge.
Why hasn't the emperor of us all, Norquist Fucknozzle, not named this bridge Reagan? Surely Nancy and Harry would jump to it. Otherwise the terrorists win.
Posted by Sharkbabe at December 22, 2007 05:54 PMYour thoughts tie in beautifully with the message and the vision of Howard Dean: "WE have the power."
Thank you for posting this.
Posted by Susan S at December 22, 2007 07:11 PMGood post paradox. Should stimulate debate.
I'll try.
Is it the old solidarity vs. progressives splintering discussion? Do you stray the pretty close to "You are with us or against us." faux dilemma? Is it not a Theory X vs Y argument? In more emotional terms, a Stalinistic party vs a Trotskyite party?
Perhaps. What do we got?
Dean may bray "Grass Roots" all day long but while there is not one poll on the DNC web site, while feedback and comments are edited to be only positive or raise approved issues, we have a top down, back room, bosses controlled, managed democracy Democratic party. But Theory X and Stalinism have been shown not to work. Besides, even before the proofs they were ethically and usually morally repugnant.
Not one poll on candidates' web sites either.
Grass roots? Get real.
But I'm with you, paradox.
We should forget all our differences and vote Democratic no matter which solipsistic, uninformed, power hungry, greedy, unethical, ineffective, manipulative, triangulating piece of offal gets nominated, assuming one of the leaders [sic] gets DNC & NYTimes annointed, approved and nominated because otherwise someone worse will get to be president.
Solidarinosc!
Posted by jaynicks at December 22, 2007 07:26 PMjaynicks,
Polls mean jackshit. We are influencing the party with our day to day, neighborhood organizing. By making tools available to us (Votebuilder database, online organizing tools, Democratic literature, etc.) Dean is helping us gain control of our party at the most basic level.
I can only speak for Florida, but our state Democratic party, under the leadership of Karen Thurman, has given the progressive netroots/grassroots a seat at the table. She and her staff ask for our input and our help while being responsive to our calls and supportive of our efforts.
All of these things seem different from the past as far as I'm concerned. As long as Dean (and the Deaniacs) remain involved with the party, we are on a path to reform.
Posted by Susan S at December 23, 2007 05:48 AMI agree with you on the second point in fact that is what concerns me about the vehemence I see regarding Hillary Clinton on DailyKos. On the first point, I think about that endangered species, the Moderate Republican, who did see himself getting several standard deviations away from the rest of his party while maintaining his policies. Not that I am sorry for him but it still seems like a counter example of your first point.
Posted by marc sobel at December 23, 2007 07:23 AMFunny, as many of y'all are for HC, you seem to say Republicans are supported by white folks only, that's the very same group that supports HC. Seems Obama gets the majority of the black vote in the polls and Edwards gets a balanced support, as represented by Seven for one here, and in several polls.
Vote for Hillary, vote Republican lite.
Posted by peter at December 23, 2007 08:37 AMbagless Bagley: The "Party" needs to return to reality.
wow, you can always tell a right-wing troll by the massive amount of PROJECTION
Norquist? a type of person the guillotine was invented for
Posted by gay veteran at December 23, 2007 08:47 AMThe trolls are, in fact, pointless, no matter what they say, who cares what they say, they support traitorous, lying, fascist corporate pigs (spelled G-O-P).
P, you seem to have attracted quite a bunch of idiots with this post, some of them even show their racist selves, which is why they are particularly pointless.
After listening to Leader Reid on Friday NewsHour, I can only way that we really need to pressure him to either step it up, or step it away. God, what a pathetic performance. He's taken talking softly so far throughout his nervous system that it includes taking action with a feather, if that. Jeebus on a great big reciprocating stick.
Ji Jitsu my ass. We could win 8-10 seats but that wimp will settle for 4, instead of going after those 10 so that the Democrats can break the republicans back and restore our representative democratic republic.
Posted by Duckman GR at December 23, 2007 09:26 AMparadox, in the unlikely event you succeed in turning the Democratic party into a party of progressive ideals, it will be the Democratic party in name only. The Dems have flirted with progressive ideals from time to time, most notably in the 30s and 60s. But overall it's still a corporatist party.
You're right. There are currently only two political choices in this country. But that's only because we've allowed ourselves to be fooled into believing there are no other choices possible.
Posted by abi at December 23, 2007 10:17 AMSo funny, all these cries for a representative democratic republic, with only Democrats doing the representing. In other word, OUR way or the highway. Duckman is so George Bush now.
Duckman George Regent.
Posted by peter at December 23, 2007 01:18 PM
Let me understand you, paradox. We can take it as agreed, can we not, that we are to fight for a progressive and humane United States of america, can we not? That is, we would like the country we inhabit to adopt democratic and egalitarian values, helping those in need and olimiting the power of the wealthy.
OK.
And then in order to do that, the only alternative is to fight for a progressive and humane Democratic Party?
--because there is no other alternative?
It is a very blinkered view of the world.
We could lose in the fight for a progressive Democratic Party. Then what?
Or we could win, and then the Democratic Party could lose.
If you don;t mind, I will continue to proceed in the direction which is indicated in the first paragraph. My effort is to work for the improvement of the country, not necessarily the particular party which you find best of all. There may be quite an unexpected variety of ways of doing that, some partisan and others non-partisan. Some ways might involve an organized movement, and some might be individual.
From my perspective, I would find it highly unusual that your methods would ever yield "success" : a political party does not usually produce progressive changes in a political system. I'd expect more success if i were to agitate for another Great Depression.
But never mind historical precedent. I'll just stick with the philosophic frame. To promote a more progressive U.S., do what you can to promote a more progressive U.S. There is no advantage to restricting yourself to a group of corporate shills (but hey, if that's what seems best to you, be my guest!).
Posted by mmeo at December 23, 2007 02:59 PMI just finished reading Krugman's new book, "Conscience of a Liberal" and I highly recommend it as an aide to helping change the Democratic Party.
I especially like how he strongly says to win that we have to become partisan, and fight. Yes, the current leadership is not doing that. But here is where Paradox is absolutely right, it is up to us.
All of the crap I am hearing here is more I do not want to get my fat but and do anything about it. I understand cynicism very well, but if you cannot get up and fight when they are crapping on our constitution, then when will you wake up and quit watching Tom & Katie, and amusing yourself to the death of America. (apologies Mr. Waters)
First, off every Dem who is voting with the corporatist bush dog reps and traitor senators time after time, Primary them, get more better democrats. Yes it pisses of the DLC, but that is the corporatist's, isn't it? That is the power we have, and it takes money, time and a concerned, partisan citizenry. Where are ya, too lazy to fight??? It is time to save the country, before it is too late.
Primary the bad dems Primary the bad dems!!!
Posted by kcbill13 at December 23, 2007 07:05 PM"We are the party,"
No you aren't.
"the party is us,"
No, it isn't.
"it’s our duty to change it,"
It's your duty to shut the fuck and vote for your masters and better, pissant.
"and there is no other alternative."
Und Der DLC uber alles! Fuck you, jack.
Posted by AlanSmtihee at December 24, 2007 12:08 PMY'all are some sad, sad motherfuckers.
Posted by at December 25, 2007 09:01 PM