2008 can easily be the end of the Democratic Party.

[styersc]

The Democratic Party has always been a coalition party, made up of proud, diverse groups that band together to gain the power of cooperation. The middle class Unionized Construction worker throws in with the Gay Law Professor and the single mom and the urban environmentalist etc., etc., etc.,. We have gained by appreciating each other and realizing the contribution each of us makes. We have weathered the bigotry and hatred of those who would oppress any one minority by banding together.

If we allow these ridiculous character assaults to divide us, in the end, the harm will be irreparable.

It is ridiculous to think that the Clintons are bigots or that Obama is sexist or that Edwards is a rich hypocrite, and all of the other ridiculous slanders that are going around.

We are only two votes into this process and we are at each others throats????

The people within this community who are cursing others in our community had better remember the times that we have stood as allies and won the few and far between battles that we have been able to score in the near past.

We had beter remember that at the end of this process, we will only be left with each other.

Please lets return to the nuances of policies, all of which are far better then the the policies of party that will ultimately try to stop us next fall.

Please lets stop hitting below the belt, return to honest and sincere debate and remember that in the primaries we are arguing with FAMILY!!!!

[madeline_con]

1. Family arguments, or any other

between those who have an intimate relationships, are more passionate.

Poliltics is an ugly game. We need to toughen up.

[moodforaday]

2. And you don't think...

We are only two votes into this process and we are at each others throats????

And you don't think this was intended? Looking from a distance, this was utterly predictable. I may be crazy, but it seems like a perfect setup to me. In this election, you can be either sexist, or racist, or both. And while there are plenty of people like you, who won't accept this, there are enough to fall right into the trap.

Diebold is another can of worms thrown right at you all. Just think about it - after 8 years of hand-wringing and much serious investigation done by many people, with convincing and consistently scary results, a highly important vote is decided by Diebold machines. And none of the Dem leaders seem to care.

I don't believe there is much left to coincidence when it comes to selecting a president - or a candidate for one.

ed: typos (not all of them, I'm sure :)

[Muttocracy]

5. off topic - like that quiz in your sig file - just found it and took it n/t

[Marrah_G]

3. Thank you

Unfortunately there are people here that are dead set on inflaming things from all sides.

They hurt our party and this country in the long run and more local level they are destroying our DU community.

[Kahuna]

4. I fear this too. If the Clinton's scorched earth campaign against Obama

keeps on as it has it can split African Americans from the Democratic party. The republicans have got to be loving this.

[scarletwoman]

6. I won't shed any tears. I think the Democratic party needs to be split up.

The leaders of the Democratic Party don't fight for US, they fight for personal power within the System.

I want a party that fights on OUR side, not just a mildly kinder, gentler face of the plutocracy.

sw

[styersc]

7. President Fred Thompson, President McCain, Pres. Romney,

President Huckabee, which one sounds best? Sort of wonder what sort of Supreme COurt Judges that President Thompson or Guliani will seat?

And remember when our coalition falls apart, they get the legislature as well? And state houses.

I can't believe that we will allow our abundance of great candidates to become a crippled, impotent party and the entire country is turned over to them without creidble opposition.

[scarletwoman]

13. How about "Impeachment is off the table"? How about Al From of the DLC crowing about

Single-payer health care being kept out of the debate?

There's a class war going on, in case you haven't noticed. A party that's not fighting on OUR side is not a party that merits any loyalty from the People.

And by the way, if the only way you can keep "our coalition" from falling apart is by playing the FEAR card, then you aren't worth any support.

I don't buy it from the Bushies, and I sure as hell won't buy it from the Dems.

sw

[ChiciB1]

15. I'm With You... I Want Some Place To Turn to After This Election...

The top two is all I hear about every SINGLE day, and the MONEY & POWER Brokers have placed their bets!

I want a country that represents THE PEOPLE... not a country that IS NOW AND WILL BE run by BIG MONEY all over again!

[scarletwoman]

16. The only way we will have "someplace to turn to" is if we create it ourselves, from the ground up.

Progressives need to form a movement OUTSIDE of electoral and party politics. As long as we keep compliantly settling for crumbs from the plutocracy, we will remain powerless.

sw

[still_one]

19. Before I start that move, I will give it one more chance in 2008

but that will be it for me, and I will be right behind you.

If we win Congress and the Executive branch, and continue the same policies of the last eight years, or even further the agenda of Bill Clinton which included:

signing into law the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act which effectively repealed the Glass-Steagall Act.

Laying the foundation for NAFTA

Pushing legislation which gave us the telecom act of the 90's

Pushing legislation which provided anti-competitive merges to occur

Pushing legislation like the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996

etc. etc. etc.

Thank goodness Clinton didn't get the line-item veto which he pushed. Can you imagine what bush would have done with that?

[scarletwoman]

22. It's not either/or. There's no good reason not to be building a movement outside of

electoral politics NOW.

Vote or not vote, it really won't make much difference until We the People stop letting ourselves be co-opted into playing the game by Ruling Class rules.

sw

[still_one]

8. The truth is the Democratic party has changed over the years

The slurs are only a distraction, but when it comes right down to it its the ISSUES that divide us.

The Iraq war is a huge issue that divides us. Those that voted for the Kyle/Lieberman amendment believe we should maintain a permanent presence in Iraq as long as Iran is "perceived" to be a threat. There are those who believe otherwise

The country blindly followed the Democratic leadership at the time into Viet Nam. The country blindly followed the republican leadership into Iraq. Both incidents were based on lies, and both could not have happened without bipartisan support

After Viet Nam, the War Powers Act was created to have Congress provide oversight to the executive branch for undeclared wars.

The IWR undid that oversight, and removed the accountability from Congress over the executive branch for undeclared wars.

The Patriot Act removed more oversight from the executive branch, and provided a pathway for illegal spying on its citizens, along with due process, and rights we took for granted

It won't be character assaults that divide us, it will come down to those that value the Constitution and law, and those that don't

[styersc]

11. And remembering history acurately, we ran an anti-war candidate

in 1972 in McGovern and were soundly defeated. But with persistence and focus we ended the war by ending the funding. The Democratic coalition turns as slowly as a giant ocean liner but it will turn.

We have to stay together. We are all interested in doing what is best for the country. We have differences in how fast and how far we go but unless we have players in the game, we can't play. If we weaken ourselves by beating each other down with Limbaugh/Hannity like tactics, then they win.

[still_one]

17. Unity is fine on some issues, but some issues there is no compromise

You indicated we ran an anti-war candidate in 1972, and we were soundly defeated. Perhaps the reason the Democrats were defeated in 1972 was because Johnson and the Democratic leadership started that damn war, not so much because George McGovern was anti-war.

I will leave the Democrat party if they become anti-choice, and I will leave the Democratic party if our candidate wins, and continues the same policies of bush

When our party begins to move in a direction that it is difficult to distinguish them from the opposition, there is a problem

It isn't here yet, but it has been going in that direction

[bunnies]

9. Power of cooperation?

Is that the gist you get from the anti-liberal, anti-Dean DLC? Me, not so much.

[Yael]

10. Arguing with family can be the worst

you know you will be forgiven, so you take shots that you normally wouldn't in genteel company.

[styersc]

12. Oh my God. Its like you know my family.

.

[NWHarkness]

14. You think this year is bad???

This has been a cakewalk compared to many past campaigns. I know it seems ugly of late, but I don't think we are in any danger of breaking up the party. The vast majority of Democrats will rally around whichever candidate prevails.

[EFerrari]

18. No, 2008 is going to be a high water mark for the Democratic Party.

The kind of year you tell your kids about.

Buckle up.

[still_one]

21. and if we win a clear majority, it will even be more critical what the Democrats do

That will determine if the Democratic party is a viable party representing the people's interests or not

Hopefully, we will get a chance to see

[Thrill]

20. If the Clintons stop attacking and play fair

Everything would be fine