General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forumsfreshwest
(53,661 posts)boston bean
(36,224 posts)DisgustipatedinCA
(12,530 posts)unrepentant progress
(611 posts)But given the way things are, I'll probably still be forced to vote for them.
Marrah_G
(28,581 posts)I unregistered as a democrat a few years back.
Autumn
(45,120 posts)Buzz Clik
(38,437 posts)Lady Freedom Returns
(14,120 posts)And I am still a strong supporter of President Obama too!
magellan
(13,257 posts)Liberal and independent, always.
Cha
(297,885 posts)Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)"Were parties here divided merely by a greediness for office,...to take a part with either would be unworthy of a reasonable or moral man." --Thomas Jefferson to William Branch Giles, 1795.
"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." --John Quincy Adams
DevonRex
(22,541 posts)Especially when I know what's going on. The sheer amount of data, the encryption, its classification, storage in the new facility all make it laughable that people's privacy is being invaded.
After all, it could be stored unencrypted, unclassified, in separate unsecured corporate sites belonging to the phone companies.
progressoid
(50,007 posts)LeftInTX
(25,677 posts)The alternative really $ucks!!
octoberlib
(14,971 posts)steve2470
(37,457 posts)pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)Logical
(22,457 posts)Rowdyboy
(22,057 posts)I'm a McGovern/Carter/Mondale//Dukakis/Clinton/Gore/Kerry/Obama Democrat and expect to vote for my party as long as I live. I don't give a good goddamn what anyone else thinks about it, my ideology is set in stone and I have no interest in reconsidering. Hold your breath until you're blue but next to my sexuality my party affiliation is one of the few things I'm 100% certain of. I was a Democrat 4 years before I even realized I was gay.
Skittles
(153,249 posts)Hekate
(90,927 posts)TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)as a Democrat:
http://suffolktimes.timesreview.com/2013/05/39995/southold-democrats-name-2013-town-election-slate/
No, not my picture, but I am mentioned further down in the article.
HarveyDarkey
(9,077 posts)Although I tend to vote for the Dems. I'll have to admit I have voted for a few Independents, and have written in some names occasionally.
Fire Walk With Me
(38,893 posts)1st Amendment protest (of police misbehavior, go figure). It has seen 7400+ of my fellow Occupiers arrested, some brutally beaten, two peaceful Veterans nearly killed by roid cops. This administration has specifically stated in regard to Egypt, that attacks upon peaceful protesters are "unacceptable" (Obama said it). Yet here we are with a peaceful, 1st Amendment citizen movement being subjected to what is essentially domestic terrorism (read the definitions). Oddly, most often in cities with Democratic mayors (Los Angeles, Denver, Seattle, Portland, Oakland, Phoenix IIRC, etc. etc. etc.) Not a word from Obama. Not a word. In well over a year. Well, he DID sign HR347 which makes it a federal crime with up to 10 years in prison for protesting where secret service are at work, and then he gave himself and war criminal W Bush life-time secret service protection. He has also limited the STOCK act, which makes it simpler to keep track of insider trading among Congresspeople. And the record deportations of "illegal immigrants" years and years in a row. The astonishing crack-down on whistle-blowers.
Obama extended the "patriot act". Then the Bush "tax cuts". Then drones. And more drones. Then the execution of US citizens abroad suspected of terrorism, with neither trial nor representation (unConstitutional). Then he signed on New Year's Eve, the 2011 NDAA whose section 1021 allows for the indefinite detention of US citizens with neither trial nor representation. Chris Hedges and others SUED Obama over this, to have it struck down. They did! It was ruled unConstitutional. Obama sent lawyers and they got it reinstated. Then he signed it again. Then the NDRP. No veto of another five years of FISA. Then "DHS", who have spent a trillion taxpayer dollars, say they can seize your electronics anywhere within the United States along the border, up to 100 miles inland, on a "hunch".
Keeping track? That is the effective death of the 1st, 4th, and 5th Amendments to the Constitution. All of this AFTER Bush, during Obama's administration.
Now add the issues which birthed Occupy, social and economic monstrosities which DEMANDED a social movement to challenge them, because politicians most definitely were NOT. None of it has changed. In fact, Obama has continued to both bail out and legally protect wall street, corporations, and the big banks. Period.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022445620
Basically, I voted for Obama. Then he increasingly became revealed not only as not being a Democrat (FDR values), then he is revealed as a wall street lackey, then he appoints a Monsanto executive to the FDA and billionaire Penny Pritzker...does nothing to stop the surveillance state. Increases it. Allows or orders domestic terrorism upon the citizens he's supposed to represent.
I am a radical. To me, this government is illegal, it is unConstitutional through its own support of unConstitutional legislation. It carries forward the neocon and Bush Disaster Family agenda. It is a tool of the plutonomists who run the economy and are taking over the government.
Hear that? This administration carries forward and strengthens Bush's legislation. The Bush who stole one, probably two elections.
Why then in the world am I still here? Because I love this country and its founding principles and wish to spread certain truths intended to cultivate an uprising against those who would negate our very founding principles, be it through voting which at the top levels barely seems to work anymore (wall street bailouts, drones, etc. etc. etc. are simply not things about which we are given a CHOICE, even though it is our money, it is our country), to gather perception and disapproval against the forces destroying this country and the Democratic experiment itself. I would love to see the Democratic party return to FDR values and to provide them for the people of this country whom they are supposed to represent. Yet I only see Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and perhaps Allan Grayson (don't know enough about him yet) doing ANYTHING about these very real issues. Until and unless this sort of shit can be gotten together, I have little hope for government at the top levels.
I DO have great hope for and in the people of this country, who deserve far, far better than they're being given. It's all OURS anyway!
More, in case you missed it, because politicians just don't care:
For more regarding the source of income inequality/the bastards who run the actual economy/are ruining this country:
http://occupyobservations.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-leaked-2006-citigroup-plutonomy-memo.html
Don't understand why I'm here even after all of that? I honestly don't know why some so-called Democrats are here, when they argue FOR the neocon/Bush spying initiatives, argue FOR destroying sections of the Constitution. Because I didn't realize that Democrats were supposed to support Bush and neocon initiatives and to speak for the elimination of the Constitution. It's unbelievable. That alone would frighten me away from the label of "democrat"!! Think what you're doing!
MannyGoldstein
(34,589 posts)Much, much different than today's party leadership, of course.
liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)Sometimes I feel like registering as a Green. I see the idealism of some on here who are true liberals and want to change the democratic party from within, and it gives me some hope and some pause. I think for the time being I may be an unaffiliated or maybe Independent. I guess the name of the party doesn't really matter. For me what ultimately matters are the issues. I will wait and see which candadites run and chose the candadite I think best represents my values. Whichever candadite addresses the issues of campaign reform and fully funding public education is likely to get my vote.
MADem
(135,425 posts)Scootaloo
(25,699 posts)mick063
(2,424 posts)Seems to be the guy I align with most.
Let's just say that like Bernie, I caucus with Democrats and leave it at that.
damnedifIknow
(3,183 posts)Not so much anymore but still hangin on.
longship
(40,416 posts)I learned politics at my parents' knees.
My dad was an Eisenhower Republican, and my mother was always an FDR Democrat. When I started getting political in 8th grade, I dabbled in both parties. I actually saw Barry Goldwater speak at an Economics Club luncheon in Detroit that year. That would have been maybe 1962. (Things get fuzzy back then.)
JFK died when I was in ninth grade. That's when I began thinking more like a Democrat. The Cuban Missile Crisis the year before also had a profound effect on me. I delivered the Detroit News daily for years during those days, so I was always up with current events.
In high school I was pretty much a yellow dog Democrat and have been so ever since.
peacebird
(14,195 posts)I vote for Dems usually, but frequently I find myself holding my nose and repeating " it's better than the other guy"
I wish we had more of Bernie Sanders, and less of the blue dog repukelites
Or maybe I wish our pols had even HALF the chutzpah and spine of the pukes
loyalsister
(13,390 posts).
freshwest
(53,661 posts)The rest will vote for Rand, I guess.
DevonRex
(22,541 posts)Sure as hell not any reason to stick around these parts. We'll have to talk.
temporary311
(955 posts)I'm somewhat farther left than most (elected) democrats, though I usually vote D.
Matariki
(18,775 posts)An American who is concerned about attacks on liberty and the undermining of our Constitution. Attacks on our already flimsy social safety nets solely for the benefits of a small wealthy 'elite'. An American concerned about illegal wars, indefinite detentions, and torture done in our name.
The issues aren't about party. It's foolish to see things simply as a two sided fight or game. You miss the bigger and more important points when you do.
NoPasaran
(17,291 posts)Also not afraid of our government.
PDittie
(8,322 posts)You can call me a Socialist if you like. Hey, just don't call me late to dinner...
mfcorey1
(11,001 posts)boilerbabe
(2,214 posts)sibelian
(7,804 posts)I think the question is what THEY are.