Thinking of Defecting

[woosh]

From MA Green-Rainbow to MA Dems, but I'm still on the fense. Seeing Dean make it in as party chair has really inspired me to enroll Dem, but does the party want former greens? I like the green party platform, but my local chapter seem to be more of an activist venue then an organization serious about gettng people on the ballot.

What are people's thoughts?

[applegrove]

1. In a two party state - it really matters who you vote for and who out

of the two wins. You have a chance to bring green issues forward. But come election time you get under that tent help boot the ***holes out of the WH.

Or the WHOLE WORLD IS FUCKED!!

[welshTerrier2]

2. the view from the fence ...

welcome to DU, woosh !!!

i'm sitting on the fence too ... i have been "unenrolled" for years until january, 2004 when i registered as a Democrat ... i just got elected to my town's Democratic Committee ...

but i'm way to the left of the Democratic Party and not very happy with what i've seen ... i joined my town's committee to try to turn the Party on its head ...

i supported Dean for Chair but i think he still needs to prove himself ... his real test will be whether he can give the grassroots a voice in setting the Party's platform and ensuring more dialog between party insiders and the grassroots ...

Dean is very new in the job ... we'll see what happens ... in the meantime, most Democrats continue to fund bush's PNAC adventures ... this is totally unacceptable to me and I won't be a Democrat for long if this continues ...

if i were in your situation, i would take a wait and see attitude ...

btw, i have some very close friends in medford ...

[paineinthearse]

4. similar story

...but I'll always be green at heart. Does that make me a Vulcan?

[woosh]

6. interesting

I'd be interested to hear more about your experience when it cam to party politics. It's funny how the nation thinks N.E. democrats are so liberal, but if any of them met some of the local politicians who are dems like Mayors and State Senators they would really see how conservative these people can be. And this is not a case of "Dean was a conservative in Liberal Vermont" kind of conservative, these people really just use the Democratic ticket to rise to power and could be republicans in any other state.

[ohkay]

3. I'm unenrolled, and if I

don't know a candidate, I vote Dem. You can enrol wherever you like, it's how you vote that counts. If you really want to change something, run for office yourself.

Here in Somerville, only the ONE person who ran opposed (Kerry) on my last ballot lost.

[lukasahero]

5. I was "independent" until my husband pointed out

that you can only vote in the primaries for the party you are enrolled with. I joined the dem party so that I could voice my opinion as to who should be representing me.

I tend to vote green across the board unless I feel there is a real risk of not voting dem. (Risk meaning there's no risk in not voting for Teddy, he's going to win regardless of my vote. This year I voted Dem in every single race because I felt there was too much at stake to risk the possibility of losing anything to the "pugs".)

[Kat45]

7. If you're "unenrolled" you can vote in either primary, just ask

for that ballot. Once you do, you are enrolled in that party. But there is a card you can fill out to change your designation back to unenrolled.

[TaleWgnDg]

8. Yup, if you are a registered voter . . .

.
Yup, if you are a registered voter . . . no matter which party or no party enrollment . . . you can go to your allocated voting place, give em your name and address, then request which ever party ballot you want . . . no problem. And then when done, ask em at the polling place how you can "unenroll" in a political party . . . again, no problem. Another reason why Massachusetts is the best of the best . . . indeed.

[YankeyMCC]

9. Benifits of enrolling

Registering as a Dem doesn't mean you can't vote for a third party candidate if that is what you want.

I encourage everyone to enroll - hopefully as a Dem - but in whatever party that is available who's platform you support.

Enrolling doesn't restrict you as a voter and it sends a clear message about the kinds of things you support because it shows support for a platform not particular members or candidates.

Just my 2 cents.

[paineinthearse]

10. Speaking of platforms.....

You can influence the state party's platform.

See http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=158&topic_id=2626&mesg_id=3239&page=

[Armstead]

11. The more the merrier, I guess

You could be a former Republican, and the Dems would be happy to have you.

[woosh]

12. I sent the form in yesterday

soon to be a registered dem.

[Discord]

13. welcome to the party!

As someone who had been a lifelong independant, I understand your dilema. I decided to join because the dangers of the Repug agenda became more important to stop than standing on my own personal politics. I feel any left of center person in this counrty is feeling the heat right now as the right systematically dismantly the REAL moral fabric of our great counrty. I'll bicker with the Dems after they get back the WH. :P