Seriously, what do you think is going on here?

[senseandsensibility]

Just a few weeks ago, we had the tiger by the tail. Now "our side" is running scared. They've let themselves be railroaded AGAIN; I think we can all agree with that.

But why? I can't figure out why the Dem leadership is almost gleefully eager to join in with the repug game plan and help the corporate media.

Isn't an election season supposed to bring out the fighting spirit? Does "our side" really not know how to fight? Are they scared? Bought off? Both?

I admit I honestly don't know. But I'd like to hear what some of you think.

[woodsprite]

1. I swear I think some of them are in on it - especially the DLCers

That's why they act like they don't even hear us half the time.

Feeling down tonight. Looks like I have alot of company.

[senseandsensibility]

4. You do.

:hi: I wish we could be more positive, but there's also a time to face reality. And the leadership is failing us. I think we all need to send e-mails to Pelosi and our own representatives. They need to let them know that not everyone is buying their %##@@$!

[Nite Owl]

9. I think they do hear

but they ignore the base. They still think that they can win by satisfying the right. It's not going to happen. The same people telling what to do and say and they haven't won in over a decade, how many times do they have to be hit upside the head to listen? You aren't alone, it's all very depressing.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

2. The simple truth is

That most of them are corporate.

[jellybeancurse]

8. Agreed

There seems to be a serious "democratic gap" in what people want and what we are given. Corporate sponsorship of the government has got to stop.

[Robbien]

3. Two reasons. The DLC and insider Democratic consultants

The Democratic Leadership is so close to GOP views, they have a problem allowing the Democrats to criticise the GOP viewpoint.

Also,

Democratic consultants all told the DC Democrats to sit back and do nothing this election cycle because voters will pick Dems because of their disgust for the GOP. What bull. The bigger problem is that the DC Dems followed this advice and paid big bucks for it.

[jellybeancurse]

5. I know what you mean

It seems like the last few weeks things have really started slipping after what APPEARED to be an upswing. On why the Democrats are the way they are...well....DLC back in the 90's pretty much KO'd the fighting spirit. They always seem afraid to say something that might make them appear less that center-right.

As Greg Palast noted, what do jellyfish and Democrats have in common? They are both invertebrates.

[Suich]

6. Dana Milbank (?) on KO tonight said that

Pelosi and Reid are old-school politicians. They think that all they have to do is put out a press release to counter what the Republicans say and that's the end of it...I agree with him.

[senseandsensibility]

11. Yes, they seem very out of it.

They don't seem to understand that their "press releases" aren't read or heard by anyone. I once saw Pelosi at a fancy fundraiser. She deigned to walk above us peons (who had only paid a thousand bucks a pop to help her party) across a balcony that looked down on the festivities. She was about ten feet directly above us. My hubby kept yelling at her to "give it to Bush, get tougher with the Repugs, etc. She finally acknowledged him and laughed, nodded, and smiled. She just wanted to shut him up. I have gradually lost all respect for her, I'm afraid.

[Individualist]

7. Seriously, government of, by, and for the corporations.

[Botany]

10. Nothing has changed exept that now the media is pushing the story ...

.... that bush and the republicans have bounced back and now are own the attack.

And come November 8th the story will be that the GOP's GOTV (Get out the
Vote) effort was better the dems and that is why they "won." You can not
steal elections if the polls show your candidate too far behind. Expect from
now until November plenty of planted stories about the strength of the repugs.
**************************************************************************************************
I am willing to bet a lot of this cover story is coming from Creative Response Concepts,
of VA .... they do Rove's work. Such as swift boats & Dan Rather.

http://www.crc4pr.com/

From providing strategic counsel to designing your media program to tactical implementation, Creative Response Concepts delivers a full range of media relations services in today’s 24 hour news cycle.

[Sadie5]

13. Contact numbers

for Rangel and Pelosi? Can anyone send them an e-mail or call them? Or do you have to reside in their states?

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

18. No. Call then and give them imput.

[moondust]

20. MSM are ambulance chasers.

And Republicans create far more train wrecks.

[moondust]

12. Does Dem leadership really want to win?

Perhaps they are content with their current status and don't really want the responsibility. ??

[Phredicles]

25. That's been my thought for a while, too.

Being a permanent minority party isn't so bad for these people: They can continue to rake in the contributions the come from being the "opposition" party without having to assume the responsibility for actually opposing anything.

Really, I'm not sure Rumsfeld was completley wrong when he accused Democrats of appeasing fascism.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

31. Right, they're just appeasing different fascists than he was referring to.

[Booster]

28. I think that's it. They are happy with their cushy little jobs and

really aren't working for the people any more than the Repugs. What a shame and a sham our government for the people has become. We need to start all over again and I'm just not so sure I'm up for that.

[scarletwoman]

14. The Ruling Class takes care of its own.

I'm sorry that people still expect that the Democratic party will fight for the common people. There are exceptions, of course -- Dennis Kucinich comes to mind (but I'm having trouble thinking of anyone else). But there's no Dem in any kind of leadership position who hasn't been co-opted and compromised by their need to cater to the real "rulers" of this country -- the corporatocracy/military-industrial complex.

sw

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

19. Agree

Weapons are the biggest product this country has.

[stillcool]

15. I think it's over...

the stage is bare for all the world to see. Getting my head wrapped around the implications is really difficult. The cold truth has been gnawing at me for some time, but somewhere inside me there is still a 'naysayer' to that perception. It's like I'm not ready to relinquish the illusion of "America".

[senseandsensibility]

16. Cheer up my friend

It's not over. There's still a lot of work to do. Believe me, I'm down too, but this Saturday I will still be out stumping for my local Dem congressional candidate.

[wiggs]

17. This has been an important question since before november 2004

when we didn't defeat the worst administration ever. I am worried that elections will not be the way out of this mess. It may come from prosecution (independent investigator) or it may come from someone with unimpeachable insider creds going whistleblower on the administration (Powell, Tenet, generals). Otherwise, I've learned my lessons and will not depend on dc dems as a whole to fully represent me, do their jobs, participate as checks and balances, and take full advantage of the dozens of issues that they are on the correct side of. They have just insisted on squandering opportunities, power, and leverage and I don't understand how so many can keep the faith.

They are smart and amibitious, same as the GOP. They are not naive, stupid, or blind.

[fairplay]

27. Pelosi's leadership no.

Pelosi's leadership DC no. 1 202 225 0100
Reid's office no. 1 202 224 3542
Boxer's no. 1 202 224 3553 She was out there too, defending Bush against the UN anti bush speeches

I called Rangel too, call the capital hill number for all representatives and senators no.

Cap. Hill no: 1 202 224 3121

If the intern, who answers the phone, tells me to call my own state people, I reply that I am a Democrat, I have already called my rep. and senator, and whatever her state rep or senator says or does effects the party I belong to.


I call other states' representatives and senators all the time. I told the Rangle, Boxer and Pelosi people that it is because they are so respected it is particularly disappointing and disgusting to see them so afraid of the msm, the press and the republicans. I remind them that it is not just the republican congress with low poll numbers. Grassroots Democrats give their elected reps and senator low marks also.

I made alot calls about liberal Democrats' slavish devotion to the hard right in Israel. No country is above criticism. Everybody's afraid of AIPAC.
I was equally enraged at the remarks about "thug" Chavez by liberal democrats with right wing koo laid stains on their mouths. Our government helped finance and promised support to those who attempted to overthrow the legal election of Chavez. Check out you map, our tax dollars support thousands of American military in Columbia, which are now locating along the Columbian Venezuelan border. I know Pelosi, Boxer, Reid, and Rangel all know this, if I do.

The only reason I am still registered Democratic is because of Howard Dean.

[ewoden]

21. It is easy. . .

The DLC insanely clings to a delusion that they are still the leaders of the controlling party. As such they have no fire in the belly. They don't see their position as being powerless. They win their primaries, remain in office, and believe in their deluded view that they control something.

Ya gotta get new, young, fire-breathing progressives into leadership in the party. That's how Newt did it with the Republicans. Young firebreathers came up with the Contract for America, like it or not it finally got them CONTROL, not the illusion of control that the DLC thinks they have.

[senseandsensibility]

23. I agree

but they could also just be young at heart. New blood is definitely needed, however, regardless of chronological age.

[Marr]

22. About a year ago, I heard two major Dem strategists on NPR talking about

the Democratic Party's strategy- at least, the one he and his colleagues were pushing.

He said the best course of action was... no action. Just let the Republicans do whatever they wanted to do, and eventually they would piss the public off enough that the Democrats would win by default. Yes, that was really the idiot's plan. The Democrats would inherit power without ever earning it. No effort to inspire support or, god forbid- actually defend the Constitution or the public interest.

I was disgusted. Ever since then, I've been reminded of that interview at least once a week.

[senseandsensibility]

24. Now that's depressing.

Not that I don't believe it.

[teryang]

26. when Pelosi talks tough on 'the war on terra' she makes me sick

I want to here about education, health care, energy initiatives, and a complete reorientation of US foreign policy toward peace. I don't want to hear that national security clap trap designed to support bloated and corrupt defense contractors.

She truly doesn't get it.

[NightOwwl]

29. Woke up today with a sense of impending doom...

Our Dem "leaders" do not seem to know about their base, let alone care about them. They have left us to swing in the wind, alone, without representation.

As I said in another post...what do they stand for? I haven't got a clue.

The only thing they excel at is losing elections.

It stinks, to say the least.

[Cleita]

30. As long as the corporate lobbyists are running our government.

they have every Congressional official in their pocket.

[shadowknows69]

32. I think we've been sold out by a bunch of DINOs

Who are probably being handsomely paid to do so.

[OzarkDem]

33. What are you talking about

specifically?