In the long run I have faith in America’s ability to return to the path of rational and enlightened self-interest.
Objectivism as state foreign policy.
That says it all.
No wonder we're fucked.
Posted by idiosynchronic at September 3, 2006 08:47 AMI can't stand oversimplifications of a person's political position (Breakfast Club ring any bells?). How we define our selves depends upon the issue. Rather than some two word sentence that defines us, why not simply state "some issues I might be perceived to be Conservative and on some issues I might be perceived to be Liberal, but irrespective of the label I am generally on the side that promotes better government, which more often than not is the liberal position."
Posted by William Jensen at September 3, 2006 10:18 AMIf I had to offer 1 sentence as to why the Democrats seem to have no policy (seem, I said, we do have policies, it's the "majority of the majority actions that killed our impact) :
" Well, Excuuuuuse me if I wasn't ready, in time of "war", to fight my fellow Americans to preserve my (our) American Rights."
Posted by Richard W. Crews at September 3, 2006 12:21 PMThis whole thing is a myth. Really.
There isn't a "Left" as there used to be, the Socialists or the Communists of the last Century. This is just non-existent in today's America. The small groups of Socialists are really not any impact in today's political discussions.
I am not "Left" in that respect, I am very center, as are most Americans. But compared to the extreme Right that the neo-cons have imposed on us, I appear extremely Left.
We are the majority of Americans. We desire what the majority of Americans desire.
We want clean air and clean water. We want good public schools. We want fair wages and an opportunity to move up. We want Unions and fair labor practices. We want access to and guaranteed healthcare, for every American. We want our jobs kept here and we want our Corporations to be held accountable to the people and to the treasury - to not have tax loopholes and be able to hold their money and profits offshore. We want fair tax policies. We want a real Foreign policy that involves talking to people. We want a fair press that reports the truth. We want an open government accountable to the people. We want our laws upheld and the Constitution to remain intact.
This is what the majority 90% of Americans want.
This is not the Left. This is not "Socialism" - this is mainstream fucking America.
This is what the Democratic Party has stood for since Jefferson. This is what we need to bring back to the consciousness of the people.
This "far-Left" crap is a fucking myth and we need to regain control of it.
Posted by Anjha at September 3, 2006 12:46 PMIt's amazing how close 'folks' on dese internets are getting to the truth....
But not quite yet.
There's a reason the 'Democrats' don't want to attack the Republican foreign policy.
They are being paid not to.
Until a majority, a big one, realizes that the 'folks' who own the 'folks' they've elected don't care if they live or die we are not gonna see any substantive change.
Fortunatly the Cheney Administration has screwed up so badly that the curtain has been ripped from Bush the Fabulous Oz.
Now we will see....
Posted by A.Citizen at September 3, 2006 02:41 PMIf you want to see what techocratic thinking will get you, consider the Vietnam war.
Posted by Rich at September 3, 2006 03:45 PMYou are historically right to distrust Clinton Democrats. They are the anti-thesis to Nixon-Reagan-Bush Democrats, and when a Thesis goes, so too does the Anti-Thesis.
What we need is a new Thesis, a new political Myth, http://www.danablankenhorn.com/2006/08/the_need_for_a_.html and the place to look for it is right here, in this medium. http://www.danablankenhorn.com/2006/07/this_weeks_clue_4.html
We need a transformation, a new way of looking at the world, and you're using it right now.
Posted by Dana Blankenhorn at September 3, 2006 03:50 PMWe need more people calling bullshit on the Democrats.
The failure of the Dems to oppose the Iraq War was driven by military ignorance, political cowardice and fealty to the Israel lobby.
Democrats like to pretend that we can get out of this fix by merely avoiding the big mistakes.
It's not that easy.
If the Dems get in power I'm afraid they will be completely indecisive and inspire a backlash of even more racist, xenophobic, pro-Armageddon, pro-war Republicans in the near future.
But to criticize U.S. policy toward Israel is anti-semitic....
Posted by Carl Nyberg at September 3, 2006 04:01 PMThe problem with most of you liberals is the fear you put into our hearts and minds everytime you parade your fruitcakes in the media. Hence, most of mainstream America is fearful to vote for your party.
The democratic party has been hijacked and that is clear no matter how hard you try to spin the details.
In the last election you had a few nuts you tried to shove on us for president. You had a multi-millionaire try to pretend he was "just one of us and feels our pain" and this tactic backfired.
Now you will give the same selection of nuts to us in 2008 with all hopes and bets on Hillary Clinton which is universally despised.
Can you give us some decent selections and maybe we might start voting for you again. until then we vote for the lesser of the two evils.
Posted by snoopy at September 3, 2006 04:42 PMCan you give us some decent selections and maybe we might start voting for you again. until then we vote for the lesser of the two evils.
In that case, please explain any vote for George W. Bush.
Posted by Repack Rider at September 3, 2006 04:52 PMI'm a Democrat and I don't plan to vote for Hillary or anyone like her. Ever.
The Democratic Party has been hijacked and Bill and Hil are part of the problem.
The problem I have with Snoopy's post is how anyone can, with a straight face, ignore the fact that George Bush is yet one more multi-millionaire who wants us to believe he's "just one of us and feels our pain".
The man is a spoiled pansy-ass brat who would have been laughed out of any bar I used to drink in. His qualifications for office are what? That he ran three oil companies into the ground and had to have his Daddy's buddies bail him out? That the Rangers' organization knew better than to let him anywhere the money? The ranch is a phony, the accent is learned, Midland TX looks just like Connecticut with sagebrush. Ride a horse? The man can't stay on a bicycle. Couldn't finish a four-year hitch in the Guard. Got yanked off active fiight status. L-O-S-E-R.
He's screwing you, your family, soldiers and Marines, me and all of us. He's going to leave this mess in 2009 and waltz away without a care in the world. Story of his piss-poor excuse for a life.
Snoopy? You, sir are a damn fool.
Posted by farmergiles at September 3, 2006 05:55 PMExcellent post, Soc. I've already decided to abstain in '08.
If you want to see what "Democratic Values" (i.e. the Party's values) are, just look at the Roll Call vote on the Bankruptcy Bill over at the Senate's website. You'll see Democrat after Democrat voting to (1) make it harder for Americans burdened with debt to declare bankruptcy without having to pay nearly all of it back and AT THE SAME TIME (2) making it EASIER for Corporations to declare bankruptcy. We all know what happens then, Corporations continue paying their executives 30-40 times the average worker's salary - even while entering bankruptcy - and then reduce benefits for workers and SHOVE THEIR PENSION OBLIGATIONS ON TO AMERICAN TAXPAYERS.
DLC Democrats have a long track record of implementing their true cause, which apparently is to ensure that Corporate Rights trump Individual Rights as written into the law. Letting Corporate America run amok across the entire world is just fine and dandy in their book, never mind that in the 3 years of the latest "economic expansion" since 2003 our Corporations have been hoarding capital instead of raising salaries for workers, creating jobs in America, or investing in capital improvements. Are you better off than you were 5 years ago? Guess what, it's not all Bush's fault, it's not all Clinton's fault, and it's not even all the fault of Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda - much less the faults of the perennial bogeymen leaders of impoverished second world nations like Sadaam Hussein, et.al...
The Average American's deteriorating financial situation is a direct result of the decision making on the part of ALL OF YOUR EMPLOYERS and their associated financial concerns. They dictate policies like NAFTA and they dictate market conditions (i.e. the current "Oil Bubble" that is being created).
Just because Democrats are slightly better at balancing humanitarian concerns with the needs of the Military-Industrial complex doesn't make them a viable alternative. Even if you did somehow convince "Democrats" to support a true Progressive candidate, they're already gerrymandered into a losing scenario come election day anyway.
Posted by Tampa Student at September 3, 2006 09:32 PM