Why is it that the "good" Democrats say we cannot have purity

[Arctic Dave]

of our ideas because it is foolish and we could never get anything done. But they demand purity from the Party for it to function.

This doesn't seem to a problem for the repugs because they are able to achieve their goals. Why is this?

[MannyGoldstein]

1. 18 years of compromise has worked so well, no?

The wealth gap is narrowing.
The economy is vibrant.
We are at peace, at home and abroad.
And my unicorn shits skittles.

[Arctic Dave]

2. I believe you are seeing my point.

We may have a few more people warming seats with a D behind their names every so often but it seems that doesn't really mean a whole lot when it comes to achieving anything substantial for the our ideas.

[awoke_in_2003]

14. "And my unicorn shits skittles"

shit- I didn't even get a unicorn.

[white_wolf]

3. Good question. Here's my take:

Those good democrats are the typical blue dog DLC corporatists who are have taken over the Democratic party and turned into a nice version of the Republican party. We don't have a Left-wing party in this country. We have a borderline fascist party and conservative party. Are the conservatives better than the fascist wanna-bes? Perhaps, but in the end we loss either way. Until we create a true left-wing party in this country things will get worse and worse.

[Arctic Dave]

4. You are probably more correct then people on this site would want to admit.

The "leadership" of the party isn't bad, they are compliant.

[unkachuck]

5. many of the moderates....

....in the Party are heavily invested in our capitalist/corporate system and are willing to defend this corrupt system against Progressive change....

....what the moderates fail to understand is that it's not the Progressives' fault that moderates have been hob-knobbing with capitalists/corporations and that many of our problems ONLY have Progressive solutions....

[Arctic Dave]

6. That is the nicest way of saying "sold out" I 've ever read.

Is it that once they get the seat they only want to cash in and keep it no matter if they turn their backs on their party.

[OHdem10]

7. Several things:

The first and most important is we have 2 different parties
in one. Conservative Wing And Liberal/Progressive Wing
The conservative DLC, Blue Dogs are going to have their way
even to the point of often voting with Republicans.
This automatically means weak Leadership. Compare how the
Republicans almost always vote lockstep. If an individual needs to
vote with Democrats, because of his district, he will go find
a Blue Dog or DLC to vote Republican so his (Rep Leader) gets
his votes.

Because of the serious divisions in Democratic Party we simply
use a laundry list of issues to try to hold everyone together.
Most parties would have a set of principles that overarch the
issues. This is what the party believes and stands for. We
do not have this. Therefore you just work election to election
there are no long term goals. There are no real principles which
guide them. Proof: They would never have gone as far right
as they have. Moderate Republicans. This makes it easy for
us to see them as caving and they do not even recognizes where
they are.

We do not have a party--we are a group of groups. No one
held accountable.

[pnwmom]

8. Many of us feel that if he'd just admitted to his situation

at the beginning -- as did Vitter -- this would have gone away, just as it did with Vitter.

We don't need purity in our reps -- just honesty, intelligence, and a healthy dose of common sense. He only had one of the three.

[Arctic Dave]

12. Yes you do want purity!

This is one of the most dishonest post I have read.

You obviously don't believe in second chances or else you wouldn't have rallied for the last week and grave danced since his resignation.

THATS WHAT PURITY MEANS YOU NINNY. ONE SHOT OR ELSE YOU"RE OUT!

[mazzarro]

15. + 1 - I am with you on that! -- n/t

[pnwmom]

18. No, not one shot. Several shots.

His first shot was his years of sexting and photo-sending. If he had just copped to some degree of that at his first conference -- even just enough to say, yeah, I sent that; and it's my private business -- that would have been enough with me. That would have put him in basically the same category as Vitter.

His second shot was asking Weiss to lie for him and offering his team to help her.

His third shot (and subsequent shots) were calling press conferences at which he lied about sending the photo and blamed someone else.

[Arctic Dave]

22. All part of the same event your holiness.

Don't worry once this is over I'm sure you can find a new democrat to rail against and dance when they resign.

[Zanzoobar]

9. You really want purity?

Say it ain't so, Joe?

[Bluenorthwest]

10. What is the opposite of purity?

Corruption?

[Zanzoobar]

11. Diversity?

I'm blown away.

[Bluenorthwest]

13. Uh no, diversity's opposite is sameness and uniformity.

Purity has a direct antonym in 'impurity' but other words also fit the bill depending on the context. Corruption is one that fits.
How is 'diversity' the opposite of 'purity' in terms of personal ideals? Or in any terms? The dictionary is yours to use, if you are 'blown away', explain how and why. Pure does not mean identical.

[Zanzoobar]

16. LOL!

Work it!

[Zanzoobar]

17. Sameness=purity=uniformity

Stroke it, brother!

[grahamhgreen]

19. The purity argument is meant to distract, it's not about purity, it's about the solutions that work.

Tax the rich
out of Iraqistan
Medicare for all

[McCamy Taylor]

20. There are no "good" Democrats. Dualism is a dead issue in a party that values diversity.

Be real careful of anyone who seems to be saying "that Democrat is good and that one is bad". Black and white thinking is a characteristic of Republicans and may indicate that you are listening to a GOP mole.

[customerserviceguy]

21. This has nothing to do with simple purity

This is about someone who would lie for over a week, when caught would give our enemy a stage, and who does/did something far less comprehensible to both the American people and the sitting congresscritters than simply patronizing a prostitute or committing adultery.

Maybe sexting total strangers with your real name will be the norm in a generation or two from now, but at this point, most people find the concept disturbing.