Clearly the DLC does not mirror its constituency -- so what do we do?

[MsMagnificent]

In reference to They Want War By A. P. Short on the front page of DU:

Can anyone please list suggestions of actual actions, addresses, people, groups, phone numbers, etc. we all can use, individually and in groups of any size. Does anyone know of any organized groups for the express purpose of taking back our party? If not, isn't it time for such, MANY, to be started?

For one, is MoveOn still ready to take back our party? If not, who else?

This is even more important than fighting the Bushit non-plans and his unconstitutional escapades -- a house divided cannot stand, much less be effective in fighting the Reprobates!

We need to rebuild our house AND uncover it's firm foundation!

So, HOW do we get our own party to LISTEN TO US?

& if they won't -- how do we fire them?
ALL of them; the DLC, DNC, etc etc etc

This, to use a 90's phrase, is totally bogus.

[mattclearing]

1. What constituency? n/t

[MsMagnificent]

7. Constituency = Democrats = Us

And I don't mean Republican lite -- if it walks, talks and sounds like a Republican it IS a Republican

[mattclearing]

44. Seriously.

Because I don't know anyone that donates to the DLC, personally, money, time, or otherwise.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

2. Who, exactly, are their constituents?

And can you prove the people who elect DLC members are not mirrored by their representatives?

[MsMagnificent]

14. Historically

Democrats have stood for, among many other issues, Civil Rights & Equal Opportunity for ALL Americans irregardless of their color, gender, creed, race, sexual orientation, etc. This and others are DEFINING planks in the Democratic Party platform -- it is who we are and what we fight for and what we have ALWAYS fought for.

IF the true majority now indeed desires to go to the 'dark side' (IMO) and. for example. revoke a woman's right to choose, then they should quit and just become left-leaning Republicans.

Or, if there are so very many that they can change what the Democratic Party has stood for for decades, we (at least I) 'Lefties' can leave.

Otherwise, we can just keep losing
but more importantly, we will go against what we feel is the right thing to do for ourselves and our fellow citizens just for a 'win'.

If "constituency' is the wrong term, well then I was wrong -- it sure sounded right to me. Kindly educate me -- what, then, is the proper term?

On edit:
Perhaps it is too late already. Instead of us working together to consolidate &/or join a grassroots base instead of just preaching to the choir here, many of the posts are simply argumentative or deriding. I'll be the first to admit my grammar can be tortuous, something I am not proud of ...but still it is true and it happens to be woefully innate. Unfortunately I write the way I write.
But I do not think even with the verbiage I chose, the meaning is incomprehensible.
It is, IMO of course, a sad thing to deride the spirit of the post when the focus should be on the actual issue of the recent Democratic Party Culture of Losing and its suck-up(s) to the Republicans, something which the official Democratic Party appears to have endorsed.

[cestpaspossible]

17. You are persisting in the misunderstanding

that the DLC is, or has some connection to, the Democratic party.

[MsMagnificent]

18. If "Democrat" is in their title...

...even if not aligned with the DNC, does it matter?
YOU know that, but does general America?

And, I truly believe, that counts -- it counts against how the Democrat Party is perceived. Thus, as Democrats, it becomes our issue which we have to deal with.
Or keep on losing because of untrue but well-saturated RW repeated punditry aligning the two groups.

When did Truth ever stop the Right Wing cheerleaders?

[cestpaspossible]

20. Yeah, the facts matter, reality matters.

Using false premises leads to false conclusions.



My specific advice is to support the Democrats you agree with, ignore the Democrats you disagree with (till primary time), get involved with your local Democratic committee, support groups like moveon and dfa, and save your attacks for Republicans.

[MsMagnificent]

27. Attack?!

Jebus tap-dancing Kee-rist, voicing an opinion and asking for help & suggestions about a REAL problem we Democrats face every day
--an opinion which is FAR from being solitary--
is viewed as an ATTACK?!

Wanting to change, more rightly bring back our party to the high standards it has stood for for so very long is an ATTACK?

Besides, what good is perception, even if it is held by millions, compared to what YOU and a few others know as facts?

Oh sorry. My bad. Democrats, the DNC and the DLC, along with every other group which uses in its title " *.Democrat(ic).* " are perfect.

WHAT was I thinking? We're ALL wrong!
A quote comes to mind, please bear with me as I never took Latin and I can't find the source book (I believe it's a Poe quote) but it's something like:

De mortuis nil nisi bonum.
Say nothing but good of the dead.

I'm sure I'll hear about what an ignoramus I am, but with what our party as "achieved" these past years 'dead' may be a proper descriptive word... so why bother to even try CPR, eh?

Anyhow, you better write A.P. Short about her/his attack on the sacrosanct Democratic party too... I'm sure s/he will want to retract that article, else be called a traitor.

:eyes:

[cestpaspossible]

28. Thou doth protest too much.

All I said was that we should save the attacks for the Republicans as part of a general laundry list of suggestions. No hyperbolic defense of yourself is necessary.

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[burn the bush]

21. yes, don't you just love it when people get all over you for writing

something incorrectly rather than addressing your statement. Some people just look for something to bitch about. Your post is fine. I had no trouble reading it. (but then again, I, like you, write the way I write.)

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

23. Constituency is a group of people who elect someone

For example, the citizens of Massachusetts are John Kerry and Ted Kennedy's constituents.

And I think the "spirit" of your post is completely misplaced. The Democratic Party is not some mystical group. It's you, and it's me. It's anyone that wants to join. Want to make a change in that group? Vote for the most liberal candidate possible in the next primaries. Don't have any options in your primary? Run for office yourself. Be the change you want. "Constituency" was an important term in your post, even if it was misused. A Senator or Congressman's constituency defines who and what they are as an elected official. When an elected official stops mirroring his or her constituents, they have an opportunity to replace them. Unfortunately for you, you want all elected officials, whether they are yours or not, to mirror what YOU believe, and that's not going to happen, nor should it. Don't blame the Democratic Party for your desire for fascism.

[me b zola]

39. MsMagnificent...

I find you MOST magnificent!!!

I agree with your premise, with the slight exception of us as being the left. All of those wonderful TRADITIONAL DEMOCRATIC VALUES are not left at all. That is just is propaganda tactics that the right have successfully labeled us with to give the average American the perception that we do not represent their values (a HUGE lie). The fact that the DLC are also using the same propaganda slander against the Democratic Party (what is left of it---no pun intended) does cause one to question their intentions & motives.



TRADITIONAL DEMOCRATIC VALUES ARE AMERICAN VALUES!!!!!




peace

[wyldwolf]

3. fire them?

First, the premise is wrong. Democrats DO listen to their constituency. Take the recent bankruptcy bill and the Dems who voted for it. While the mood of the party was against it, individuals like Joe Biden who voted for it listened to their constituency. His homestate employs MANY MANY in the credit card industry.

Also, remember, a Democratic elected official also represents Republicans. Their first job is to serve their constituency and not tow the party line.

Also, you can't fire the DNC (or the DLC.)

You can only vote against them.

[MsMagnificent]

19. Please

you knew the meaning behind that statement, yet you want to argue semantics.

Have a ball! Here's a fiddle, Rome is burning.

[wyldwolf]

22. please yourself

As has already been demonstrated to you in this thread, you have a very naive notion as to how the political system works.

[MollyStark]

45. We don't have to accept the way the system works

We need to change the way the system works even though some people dn't like the idea. We don't have to support DLC candidates. We can run good people against them in the primaries.

[iconoclastNYC]

4. Ignore the DLC and support MoveON, DFA, ACT, etc...the new soul of the DNC

[LynneSin]

5. Advise by someone who has a DLC senator (which btw, isn't Biden)

Tom Carper is DLC. Now I know how the state of Delaware works and it's very unlikely we'll get another democrat to run a race against him in the primaries. And the repukes might find a decent candidate to run against him, but without a doubt Tom Carper will be back in office.

I'm a little peeved at Carper for going around the state and actually promoting some of Bush's SS plan. There are a few other items I could mention, but then again Carper has been good with women's choice, activist judges and the environment. He's ok at best I suppose.

First and foremost - I will never EVER vote against a democrat in the general election even if there is a 3rd Party option unless I know without a doubt 100% that my 3rd party vote will not allow a repuke to win. Utlimately it's about outting republicans, Carper may be DLC but he's still a democrat who can be counted on for a few issues.

Second - I will not waste my time and/or money campaigning for a DLC candidate either. My time is limited and so is my money. I want to do everything to regain Democratic control and I feel that my Time and/or money can be used on races where I know we can make a difference in 2006/2008.

Which ultimately means the only thing I'll ever do for Tom Carper is pull a lever for him every 6 years until he retires. Maybe if I lived in a really large state where my neighboring state is several miles away, I'd take more interest in ridding a DLC democrat. But I look at Pennsylvania and I think of the horror that is Rick Statorum and I remember that Pennsylvania is a 20 minute drive away. I take a look at Maryland and I realize that their governor is a horrible repuke and he needs to go PLUS Sarbanaes is retiring from the senate leaving an open slot that could go to repukes and I remember that Maryland is a Forty minute drive away. And I also consider New Jersey that is going to have a tough governor's race in 2005 and possibly a tough Senate race in 2006 and I remember that New Jersey is 15 minutes away over a bridge.

We have to set priorities. Incumbant DLCers are going to be tough to get rid of and why should we waste time when there are republican and open seats that we should focus on getting real democrats running in the race!

[justicebuilder]

6. Here's a few suggestions

The first thing you have to do is adjust your thinking about what the party is. "How can I get the party to listen to me" is a question steeped in the assumption (encouraged by the DLC and other corporate folk) that "the party" has some existence outside of its membership. Reminds me of MOS DEF - "people talk about hip hop like it's some giant living in the hillside, coming down to visit the townspeople. We are hip hop. You, me, everybody."

You are the party. Getting people to listen to you is fine. But also realize you have the power to take direct action.

Then comes the hard part. The long part. The generational part. Political action starts locally. What issues affect your local community, now and in the future? What could local/county/state citizens or their government do to address those problems?

If you come up with some answers to these questions, go talk to the relevant representative about it. If he/she won't take action, look up the election returns from your rep's last victory. Find out how many votes you need to make the nut. Find a candidate (start by interviewing yourself.) Take the bum's seat.

Organize, organize, organize. Do you have friends who think as you do on a given issue? How many? Where might you be likely to find more such people? Go find them. Get every one of them to go talk to your congressperson about it.

Fight battles where you have a chance to win them. Can you or I convince the entire country that Joe Lieberman is the enemy of the true Democratic party? No. Can you or I convince 300 people in your or my hometown that another vision of the future is possible? I don't know. I plan to give it a shot. You should too.

Trouble is, this solution takes a long time. I'd love it if there were a quicker way. There isn't.

That's why I'm running for city council this November. Fortunately I live in a small municipality, so I only need a few hundred votes to win. I'll bet if most people looked it up, they're in the same situation.

One progressive sitting on a city council somewhere isn't much of a force for change nationally, I'll admit. But a whole army of us, sweeping across the nation, coordinated over the web, with a coherent message, well, it's something to imagine, for now. Someday, perhaps, something to experience, and rejoice in.

Best I can do. Good luck.

APS

[tsuki]

11. HOO-RAH.

That's exactly right, and the way the Republicans started after Nixon.

Good for you. I wish I could vote for you.

[justicebuilder]

15. Thanks tsuki.

I wish you could vote for me too. Actually, the house across the street from me is up for sale. You should come to the open house this Saturday!

Hmm, unfortunately I can't tell you where I live. Oh well...

[cestpaspossible]

16. What an excellent post.

One of the best I've ever read on DU.

Good luck in your city council race and don't forget to hit DU up for donations -- you should add a link allowing people to do so to your sig...

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

24. Excellent, excellent post. I wish I could nominate just this.

[cestpaspossible]

25. That's just what I wanted to do! nt

[MsMagnificent]

31. Thank you

I will (and have) followed your suggestions, but I was actually hoping I'd get NAMES of actual groups and join them. I mean, it's not like we elect the DNC right?
Nor the DLC but that's a GOOD thing :D
(I was even hoping there would actually be a group like that within DU itself that I hadn't heard of.
Silly me. : )

So the question is who does the DNC et al listen to and how does one, even how does a group, make one/itself heard?

Somehow I don't think the DNC will listen to one voice, but it appears I am one of the very few to be worried, no matter how many articles come out saying the same thing.
A Fortean event perhaps? Who knows?
Looks like in actuality I'm pretty much alone in thinking the current Democratic Party is leaning (and leaning strongly) to the right which does not reflect the long-standing Democratic principles.

And doing that just to win.

To me, changing your principles merely to win feels like cheating, but then again the consensus is what do I know? :rofl:

[cestpaspossible]

32. Yes, if you become active you can help elect the DNC

I was actually hoping I'd get NAMES of actual groups and join them. I mean, it's not like we elect the DNC right?

The name of the group to join is the Democratic County Central Committee in your county. Precinctmen and precinctwomen elect Central Committee officers, including State Committee men and State Committee women. State Committee men and women elect their states National Committee men and women. And that's who the DNC is. The Democratic National Committee men and women elected by the respective state parties. Convince enough people at each of those steps in the process to vote for you and you can be a member of the DNC.

[MsMagnificent]

34. Me?

Nah... according to you guys I'm a fascist.

And I wasn't thanking you

:hi:

[cestpaspossible]

37. Yes, despite the attempt at flamebait, you.

You can be a member of the DNC because the DNC is in fact elected by the active membership of the party. So if you were to become active in the Democratic party, you could conceivably become a member of the DNC, and then anonymous messageboard posters could angrily confuse you with the DLC.

[MsMagnificent]

38. "Flamebait" is repeating exactly what others have said to me?

Not even accusing anyone nor in turn calling any other poster a Fascist -- just repeating what you called me.

So you guys can fling it but can't have your own words pointed out to you, much less take it?

Fascinating.

[cestpaspossible]

40. No but falsely claiming that I called you a name

that in fact, I did not call you - that is flamebait.




Not even accusing anyone nor in turn calling any other poster a Fascist -- just repeating what you called me.


That is simply untrue.

[cestpaspossible]

8. We try to understand what we are talking about, first.

The DLC is a lobbying group with NO constituency (look up the word constituency, please), and no connection to the Democratic party whatsoever.

PS, have you ever heard of Democracy for America?

[Q]

10. Speaking of 'understanding what you're talking about'...

...how can you say they have no 'connection' to the Democratic party? Many of their membership is comprised of elected Democratic officials. Isn't that a connection?

They have more direct influence over the party than most know or would admit. But don't ask a DLCer about this. On the one hand they say that they're responsible for a 'winning strategy' and on the other they say that they have no 'connection' to the party.

The facts show that they have as much influence in the Dem party as the Neocons have in the GOP. But neither of these groups actually broadcast their involvment. They work in the shadows to influence policy and steer the agenda of both parties.

The Neocons and the New Democrats are the driving force behind the Iraq 'war' and occupation.

[cestpaspossible]

13. eyes rolling....

.how can you say they have no 'connection' to the Democratic party? Many of their membership is comprised of elected Democratic officials. Isn't that a connection?

No it's not. It is a good example of faulty reasoning, but it is not a connection between the DLC and the Democratic party. Many of the members of the VFW are also elected Democratic officials but the VFW has not connection to the Democratic party. I am a member of both the Democratic party and Democracy for America, but Democracy for America has no connection to the Democratic party.

They have more direct influence over the party than most know or would admit.

That is absolutely, 100% untrue. False. Unsupported by any facts whatsoever. If you wish try to show facts that do support your contention, be my guest.

[tsuki]

9. I, personally, think Chairman Dean is listening to us. He cleared out

the old from the party headquarters, brought in new, and has uncovered a lot of problems. (If you get a chance, watch him on CSpan when he was in TN.)

Secondly, I don't have time to mess or fight with the DLC, so when I got my please give to the DLC letter, I hand wrote the following (from memory.)

Dear Mr. Carville,

I am from the "Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party." All my donations go to my local and the DNC.

Thank you, but I cannot contribute to your party.

Sincerely,

XXXXXX

[MsMagnificent]

26. I in no way meant to disparage Dean

I am elated he's there!

But, other than a few GREAT statements, I don't see much change in the DNC so far.

I have already mentioned here that the reasoning (now mostly forgotten due to our silence ) behind our Democratic Party positions on issues is made conspicuous (to me, at least) by their absence. For example, our rationale for issues like Pro-Choice should be plastered EVERYWHERE -- especially on the front pages of the Democratic National Committee website! The reasons should be repeated and repeated so often it should become a meme -- that Democrats do NOT delight in abortion but the only other alternative to unwanted pregnancy, once it's outlawed, will be exactly what it was prior to Roe vs. Wade. Many bloody, painful deaths not only of the fetus but of the woman all due to backroom, coat-hanger abortions.

Whenever a Reprobate starts screeching about Dem's loving death, is our position --a position FOR the well-being and health of American people-- put forward in clear understandable and RESEARCHED terms backed-up by hard facts? I have YET to see one rebuttal against the crap that falls out of the Republican's mouths.

A meme?! It's treated as a fucking secret for God's sake! As are the 'Why' of many of our other positions. The Republicans attack, and for response we don't explain WHY we're on one certain side... the only responses I've observed consistently are either silence or the right wing of the Democratic party suggesting we think and become more like the Republicans!

So the current message is:
Fuck doing what is right -- let's just WIN.
Right?

Well, if that's the way it's going to be... I'm out.

[tsuki]

41. I am fighting the "let's not make waves and speak in poly-syllables

in my local. It is not about who is smartest; it is about who can deliver the message. We have got to WIN on the local level before we move to the National level.

Like Dean says...we have to connect with that 27% that have always voted Dem but are now voting Repub. Those people who are being scared to death by the Repubs,

Job fear
Child fear
Molester fear
Education fear
Terrorist fear
Bankruptcy fear
Future fear

but we the Repubs listen to you and we are moral and our moral values will take care of you.

NO...WE MUST SAY to them, fear is not the answer, hope is. And we must provide a vehicle for that hope.

[justicebuilder]

12. This thread will be instructive

In this thread I tried to describe, in a limited way, what political action is. You will also no doubt get many examples of what political action is NOT:

Political action is not sarcastically sniping at people.
Political action is not feeling smugly as if you know more than other people.
Political action is not indignantly railing against things that in reality are of no concern to you.

And many more...

[paineinthearse]

30. DLC does mirror its constituency

Its constituency is DINO's / republicans light.

The best defense is a good offense. I say forget the DLC and focus on mobilize the grassroots.

:kick: the DLC

[MsMagnificent]

33. Yes, but HOW is the question

Seems to me there should be a nationwide group --which can still be grassroots, it doesn't have to be local or small-- to 'officially', vocally and LOUDLY counteract the blah that issues from the mouths of those who want to turn our party into Mini-Republicans. Those who aren't afraid to give voice to WHY the Democrats support certain positions. Without refutation or any lasting rebuke we've let the Republicans wrongly define us, in the media and elsewhere, for far too long.
They say 'Democrats love death' and we say: nothing
THAT, IMO, is why our Party has lost so many Americans -- all our press is bad not only from the Right Wing pundits but just as much due to our silence. You would think, the way the official party and high-ranking elected Democrats act, that the reasoning behind our positions should be disseminated through God knows how -- osmosis?

It's gone on long enough.

I'm searching but I haven't seen any, hence this thread. We have no voice, and we desperately need one. All kudo's and respect to Al Franken, but it's just not enough.

[paineinthearse]

35. Have you looked into DFA or PDA?

For DFA, go to www.meetup.com and search for local DFA groups.

For PDA, watch their video - http://pdamerica.org/video.php - and/or go to their website.

And then there is the old fashioned method. Join and become an activist in your town/ward dem committee.

[MsMagnificent]

36. Thanks for the links!

Looks promising!

I did get a chuckle out of the syntax on the MeetUp page:
What are you interested in?
...e.g., Knitting, Elvis, French, Yoga

Hope they're ready for Politics, I'll let religion alone
:D

[orleans]

42. email them, write them a letter, make a phone call

tell them:
No Paper, No Hand Count, No Vote!

Ban the Machines!

that's the only way we can win back our party.

(or we could start a rumor that the democrats are going to hack into the tabulators and alter the vote--maybe the republicans will sit up and consider an attempt at fixing the evoting problem if they think dems are planning to "fix" the election----like they did!)

[Hippo_Tron]

43. My advice on handling the DLC, make them take the backseat of the party

Nominate a progressive nominee and steer the party's platform away from the DLC agenda at the next convention. No reason to kick them out and no reason to encourage them to stay. They can support us or they can support the Republicans, it's entirely up to them.

[mrgorth]

46. I am a lefty,

I supported Dean and I lean pro-life. Stop calling me a repuke or any other synonym.