Molly want's dems to grow a spine or she's giving up on them.

[MSgt213]

Sorry if this has been posted already but she makes some great points and is dead on in my opinion.

My opinion Molly Ivins : Demos need to grow spine
My opinion Molly Ivins
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 01.21.2006

I'd like to make it clear to the people who run the Democratic Party that I will not support Hillary Clinton for president. Enough. Enough triangulation, calculation and equivocation.
Sen. Clinton is apparently incapable of taking a clear stand on the war in Iraq, and that alone is enough to disqualify her. Her failure to speak out on Terri Schiavo, not to mention that gross pandering on flag-burning, are just contemptible little dodges.

The recent death of Gene McCarthy reminded me of a lesson I spent a long time unlearning, so now I have to relearn it. It's about political courage and heroes, and when a country is desperate for leadership. There are times when regular politics will not do, and this is one of those times.

What kind of courage does it take, for mercy's sake? The majority of the American people think the war in Iraq is a mistake and we should get out. The majority (65 percent) of the American people want single-payer health care and are willing to pay more taxes to get it. The majority (86 percent) favor raising the minimum wage. The majority (60 percent) favor repealing Bush's tax cuts, or at least those that go only to the rich. The majority (66 percent) want to reduce the deficit not by cutting domestic spending, but by reducing Pentagon spending or raising taxes.

The majority (77 percent) think we should do "whatever it takes" to protect the environment. The majority (87 percent) think big oil companies are gouging consumers and would support a windfall profits tax. That is the center, you fools. Whom are you afraid of?

http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/112291

[BayCityProgressive]

1. I'm sorry but...

I will support Hillary over a Republican any day of the week.I'm not saying I would vote for her in the primary for sure, but hey, she has a 95% rating from ADA as a liberal. She is pro-choice, for the most part supportive of gay rights, she is far better on tax issues than another G.W. Bush.....she has voted against all his tax giveaways. She is far better on Healthcare issues, she supports affirmative action. She opposes social security and medicare privatization. She is good on the environment. She is supportive of unions. No, she isn't perfect but some people make her out to be so horrible. Someone as liberal as most of us will probably never become president. A Boxer or Santorum(far left or far right) will probably never be president. Bush will hopefully be the closest to the Right we ever have to come.

[MSgt213]

2. I think Molly's main point is not what Hillary supports but the message of

the democratic party over all. There is none right now. Hillary is in a position to bring the demos on message and she is not doing it. I like Hillary and I would vote for her, but if our leaders don't stand together and say enough of the bullshit. Then its a losing battle and a wasted vote because the republicans will get on message with whatever clown they prop up says.

They will tell lies together if they need to because all they want is the power to rape this country. Nobody can tell me the Iraq war was right, necessary, just or for fucking democracy and that we shouldn't pull out and save lives now. Nobody. I fucking mad because its like we are fighting the stupidest guys in the room and losing to them on every turn.

[Warpy]

3. Not me. I won't participate in my own financial destruction

or the continued destruction of my fellow citizens through insanely shortsighted and corporatist economic policy.

Senator Clinton would have to mend a whole lot of fences with working people before she'd impress me as anything but just another Goldwater Repug.

[longship]

4. I will, too. However,

If Hillary somehow manages to obtain the nomination in 2008, we'll be fucked. Senator Clinton cannot win the White House under any conditions likely to happen between now and then. This is especially true given her posture on Iraq. But even if she moves away from this position, the Repugs will crawl to the polls, if necessary, to see to it that she loses.

But I'll support her and work for her if she gets the nomination. But I'll also go on wondering why the Dems have put up another guaranteed loser for the most important position in the country.

[davidwparker]

5. Collusion

>>>>
But I'll also go on wondering why the Dems have put up another guaranteed loser for the most important position in the country.
<<<<

I won't wonder. If the Dem party cannot find someone more appealing than Hillary, then it's called collusion. In 2004, when security is a big reason for people's votes, they ignore Clark. When the grassroots was screaming Dean, they sabotage him and go with Kerry.

The Dems had better pull it together by 2008 and if Hillary is the nominee, I'm writing in the Dean/Clark ticket and then, when asked about my party, I'm answering Green.

I do not want another WTO/NAFTA signing Clinton in the WH.

[mrgorth]

17. AGreed

!

[demosincebirth]

7. Well said.

[Jacobin]

6. Why? what's the difference?

she wants MORE TROOPS in IraqNam for cryin out loud.

I do not understand

[SpiralHawk]

8. Go Long on election reform, Dems -- or you are toast

"Do it all, go long, go for public campaign financing for Congress. That is the only reform that will work, and you know it, as well as everyone else who's ever studied this..."

[TankLV]

9. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Molly, As usual lately, you have it 100%

correct.

She gets as better every day as dumby and ALL repukes get worse.

This was her best yet.

[formernaderite]

15. Molly...one of the few media icons that actually voices what WE think

sorry, I'm tired of the Clintons pushing the party to the right, and watching us lose the legislative body as they plunder for power.

[bigjohn16]

10. Let me get this straight we should hold the Dem's accountable and...

... not just vote for the (D) after their names? Well thats just crazy talk.

[guidod]

11. Who says she's even running?

The only ones I ever hear talk about it is the MEDIA. We're suppose to believe them on this? I won't waste my time listening to those idiots.

[dorktv]

12. Well I know that most of the Dems running for congress support

major change.

And the group I belong to has enough people to make a splash when we go public.

[Andromeda]

13. Molly, you are right---and, you are wrong.

I love your passion and your down-home way of expressing yourself but, mercy sakes, you just haven't noticed that the Dems are growing spines all over the place. Places you wouldn't even expect.

The main thing that's been hog-tying the Democrats is the fact that they have no power! This is very important and I know you don't miss a thing, so you must have noticed that Howard Dean, Harry Reid, John Kerry, Al Gore and others have been hollering to the rooftops about the corruption of the Republican party.

Scooter Libby has been indicted, for heaven's sake, and I'll bet a dollar to a donut that Karl Rove will be indicted too.

Bush has been playing fast and loose with our Constitution and in a recent poll, over 50% of Americans think he should be impeached! Far cry from the adulation he received from his "victory speech" on the Naval carrier where he pranced around in a uniform under a banner that read: "Mission Accomplished."

Hillary Clinton does play politics; I'll give you that. She has too. They all play politics. No politician worth his/her salt will take a stand until they know which way the wind blows. Sounds calculated, but trying to outmaneuver the Republicans is difficult because they don't play fair! So Hillary has to make every sound bite count. When she says anything it is deliberate and meant to get a reaction. She will come out against the war eventually. There are a lot of things going on now so she has to make every move, every gesture and every word count.

Her last comment about Congress being a plantation got exactly the reaction she wanted. She didn't apologize either like some other Democrats have done.

Timing is everything. Some Democrats are holding their water until the time is right. You just wait until next year and you're going to see a political battle of words that will singe your eyebrows.

It's starting now.

[mmonk]

16. Only if she is forced too (Hillary)

but the organization she is a proud member of and supports is in love with the neocon strategy. Do you have any evidence that any criticisms she comes up with concerning bush foreign policy isn't just playing politics with a liberal base?

[cyberia]

14. I'm not voting for any candidate, regardless of affiliation

who takes corporate contributions. If you want the country run by big business, just sell it to them and get it over with.

[geiger]

18. Read Susan Estrich's new book: The Case for Hillary Clinton

I understand where Ivins is coming from, but this book changed my mind.