I’d like to be enlightened please. Can anyone tell me what the Democrats have managed to do since November 2006? I mean can you tell me if they’ve done anything significant. Important. Like restore our Constitution? Habeas corpus? Defunded the war in Iraq? Forced Rove to answer his supoena? Anybody???
Take the jump, if you care to…
FYI… I’m no longer a Democrat. I have given up on political party affliation. I have decided to be just an American with an American agenda. What does that mean?
It’s like that commerical, “We’re for dogs.” Well, I’m for America. I’m for making my country safe for diversity.
MAKING MY COUNTRY SAFE FOR DIVERSITY. I WANT MY COUNTRY BACK.
And you know what? This is a fucking rant. So here it comes, in no particular order.
I’m for restoring my Constitution. That means insisting that we return to co-equal branches of government. It means that Congress will move on impeachment proceedings against George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. It means that habeas corpus is re-instated. It means that Rules of Military Engagement DO NOT IN ANY WAY ALLOW FOR THE KILLING OF CIVLIANS. That means that when any army is allowed by its state or government to kill civilians, including the United States, it is called terrorism and those leaders are subject to trial before the world court. It means that the president of these United States will not outsource the functions of my government.
Jails should not be profit centers for private citizens. War zones should not be profit centers for private citizens. Health care should not be driven by bottom line and profit. When money is driving decision making, then suddenly there are serious competing interests to shareholders; ie, consumers and the environment. The consumers lose. Poisoned toothpaste and bonuses for canceling policies of sick people. That’s what we get. Is this good enough for you?
And you know WHY I’m not a Democrat anymore? Because they aren’t talking, no, they’re not screaming about these issues. A Democratic president just isn’t good enough any more. Giving me health care is just NOT good enough. I don’t want to be pacified. I want my fucking country back.
Are you getting what I’m saying? Because if any of you fighting over your candidates thinks that is meaningful, think again. We need to be dogging all of legislators and candidates and asking them about habeas corpus and why aren’t they screaming about the Constitution. Why aren’t they willing to put everything on the line to impeach Bush, even if they lose. Why aren’t they willing to do what’s right?
I am NOT for any of the main Democratic candidates. I will vote for Dennis Kucinich in the primary. If he is NOT the nominee, I will write him in.
I insist that YOU and YOU and YOU start demanding these things from your candidate and stop bashing each other with stupid remarks and witty bullshit.
I am not the enemy. Hillary is the enemy if she’s talking about the “new war.” Barack is the enemy if he’s letting wingnuts speak out about gays without slapping them down.
The enemy is one who allows what Bush has done to stand.
The enemy is one who does NOT reverse the outsourcing of our government.
The enemy is one who does NOT demand the restoration of our Constitution.
This is America. Stand for it. Not for a party. Not for a person. But for your fellow citizens. It is up to you and you alone to insist and demand that no matter who gets elected, they adhere to the CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
That’s your job. None of us has done it very well. And no Democrat should expect your vote simply because they are a Democrat.
Let them lose. Go for netroots candidates and focus on 2010.
It is time to stop thinking that a Democrat will make everything okay.
It IS time to start looking to yourself.
It’s about citizenship. Not fucking shopping at the mall. It’s not about fucking Chuckie Cheese or 5000 square foot homes or designer jeans and cars.
It’s up to you. Where do you put your priorities? What do you want. Do you know? Is it just a Democrat? Do you think health care is really the be-all end-all issue of our time? Or the environment?
No. It’s a functioning United States that George Bush has made the issue of our time. It is restoring power to governments that advocate for citizens and not protect the profit-making abilities of corporations.
Block out the noise. See the issues here. When you realize what is important, then it’s not about Hillary or Barack or John. It’s about their plans to restore the infrastructure of our country… the functionality of our government… the repair to our Constitution.
We need to be part of making the world safe for diversity. We must not allow people like George Bush to make it easy for us to blame immigrants, Muslims, and homosexuals. It’s not abortion and prayer in school.
We urgently need to make this country safe for diversity and hope the hell we can give that idea and experience to others.
Because one thing I do know… George Bush and the Republicans AND the Democrats have allowed this debacle in Iraq to kill the word democracy.
It’s time to take our country back.
____________________________________________________________________________
Nov 2006 said NO to Bush
Poll after poll says NO to Bush
The lowest approval rating ever of Congress for NOT saying NO to Bush says NO to Bush
change doesn’t take time. it takes will.
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cross posted at dKos
interesting comment thread over there.
Inspiring!
The Tooth Fairy is more real than Dems. At least somebody usually gets the job done!
Glad you posted this on kos too. It needs to be said again and again. This is an issues campaign, not a candidate campaign. Right now the issue isn’t your issue or my issue, it’s saving democracy.
If we value the rights and privileges granted us under our Constitution, we will call the !@#$ in the WH out and commence impeachment proceedings. Every day, 17 more vets commit suicide. Every day, three more Americans die in Iraq, and 30 more Iraqis die. It takes 120 days to impeach and stop the slaughter, and it is the only moral and right thing to do.
Is there any more interest in impeachment and accountability on this site than on dkos? I am sickened by all the candidate diaries while our democracy crumbles around us.
Does your state have an open primary? Otherwise, I don’t know how you can vote for Kucinich in the Democratic primary and not be still a Democrat?
Me -> confused.
…though you and Jay are both eloquent, passionate, and somewhat persuasive, I don’t think the issues are necessarily divisible in this way — as though political will is like water or electricity, and focus on the one diminishes the other. When we’re talkin’ the finer points of policy, or widely disparate types of policy, fine…but I think the issue is, does one want a society which respects and values its members, or one which uses them up and disposes of them? There are a number of ways to put that, but the crux to me is pretty basic.
I tend to see the erosion of laws around torture, the endless war, and the destruction of fourth amendment protections to be symptomatic of what we were doing _before_ the Bush administration came to power, and before 9/11. We were already warehousing people in prisons (where we abuse them terribly and give them civil death on release) dismantling the social safety net, and doing horrible crap to people in other places. The war on drugs already was confiscating property in a fashion not unlike the secular arm of the inquisition. Bush took it farther, got people to cheer for it louder, and abrogated laws on the books in a visible and profound way. But I don’t know how we can take back what we never had.
Eh, in the end I haven’t a clue. The problem of american governance and empire is one I’m increasingly taking a pass on, like most disenfranchised folks. I do think the American empire will crumble to shit eventually; my great vain hope is that they don’t take too many people with them. In that regard I see the american problem as primarily one of preventing harm.
I do think the environmental issue will be huge, albeit in the context of international governance and refugee management. If all the incoming evidence is pointing in the right direction, we’re going to see half a geological die off in our lifetimes. I don’t think driving a Prius will help much, and neither will carbon caps, much. But it is possible we will be seeing more and more temporary governments, government by warlord, government by UN encampment all over the world, encompassing more lives than exist in the entire US. If I had to guess at the fundamental moral issue of our time, it would be how we (meaning, people and governments) pull that off — or fail to.
Got your other note very cool take a walk under the big dutch sky for me 🙂
How this is going to pan out, just reach for the history texts…
The Egyptians were the first Empire, and the first civilization to build with stone (real buildings, not rock piles and mud huts).
Where is that Empire now?
The Greeks?
Phoenicians?
Romans?
Ottomans?
Spanish? French? British?
The Soviet Union?
Notice how every Empire lasts for less and less time?
America could be the last Empire in this Age, after which, depending on how it goes out (all nukes away?), might be the last for some time.
Of course, America could turn things around and become a force for good and not self-interested murder, mayhem and war…
But, looking at the past Empires…
Not bloody likely…
Man the lifeboats…she’s a goin’ down…
And where the hell am I going to wash ashore?
Who knows?
For many of the same reasons you highlighted above.
But there are some things I do love (channeling Tom T Hall now)…
Dennis in the primary…yes…
…but…I’m still not sure about a write in for November.
I’d hate to think of any of the Repubgnants getting in,
even as bad as the rest of the dems are…could any of us stomach the possibility of a Giuliani, Huckabee, McCain or Thompson???
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in my essay… good god. there are so many bad things, it’s hard to recount them all
the laundry list, the litany, is getting harder to maintain
yeah, and what about the torture? not what i want my country to stand for… why isn’t there a collective rage and scream by the majority of dems…
and pelosi and reid work to squash Kucinich’s impeachment bill…
yeah. vote democrat for a better world. give me a fucking break.
Hillary the enemy?
Great rant, but Hillary the enemy?
Perhaps, but I prefer to see her as a flawed candidate, who if she wins the nomination will have a tough time winning the general. And if she wins the general, will have a tough time getting her adgenda through. But if she does get any kind of progressive agenda through, the country will be better for it.
But President Kucinich would also have a hellova time getting his agenda through.
Congress is key. If you want your country back, we need better people of character (party affiliation notwithstanding) in Congress.
Cheers, oh talented one!
just reading this made me feel better. Plus, you got the dog thing going on — always a good sign. Unfortunately, I now have to go back to book contract hell, where I’m being held hostage indefinitely.