We can no longer afford ourselves.

[democrank]

It`s simple. We can no longer afford ourselves. Like the multi-billion-dollar monthly war tab in Afghanistan. Like the 2,000,000+ people incarcerated in our prison system. Like our obscenely-inflated prescription drug costs and the equally sickening student loan debts. We can no longer afford these tax loopholes for our multi-multi-millionaires or the CEO bonuses of 13.6 million...or better. We just can`t. We can`t afford to yawn and check our nails when we hear of the deplorable conditions in the projects or the growing lines at the unemployment office or the food pantry. We can`t continue to obsess over Bristol Palin while we willingly ignore homeless children and we can`t continue to post nonsense about Glenn Beck but rarely mention soldiers going through foreclosures.

We can no longer afford to make excuses for Democratic Party leaders who slowly but steadily pull us further right toward their "friends" across the aisle, all in the hopes that "real" Americans who may be watching will appreciate their flag pin and flexibility. As far as I`m concerned, we`ve lost our way. We`ve excused just about everything...including torture. We expect our politicians to talk the talk, but apparently it`s A-OK if they don`t walk the walk because image is everything. Broken promises... expected. Betrayal...normal. Ditching age-old Democratic Party pinciples...totally-2011. It`s a new day, it`s a new way, where political consultants take up the space where principles used to be and focus groups take the place of dirt-honest mingling.

When Howard Dean said he was from the Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party, many of us knew exactly what he meant. It`s even truer today as the center of the party moves steadily right and feeding the hungry or ending the bloodshed in Afghanistan become "leftist" notions. Instead of having principled lines in the sand, we begin "negotiations" by walking two miles inside Republican territority and telling them how honored we are to be there. Then, every now and then we`re thrown a scrap and someone posts a DU virtual celebration...See? See? they do care about us!

I`ve been voting Democratic for way more than 40 years. Here`s my new pledge to Democratic leaders....
Either switch attention from corporate backers to everyday people or you get no check and no vote.

[Autumn]

1. What we can no longer afford are these

lousy politicians. Either go left or get out of the road. K/R

[cameozalaznick]

2. Kick

[cameozalaznick]

3. Please create this as a letter and send it far and wide.

Get your local paper to run it. Send it to all three of your Congressional reps (no matter the party), and send it to the White House. It's very eloquently written. Please promise that you'll do that. Heck, I would even go so far, if you can, to send a form of it to every Congressperson.

[emilyg]

4. k/r

[EFerrari]

5. Obama is not going to raise a billion dollars

from the unemployed, the foreclosed upon or from those trying to hang in until 2014 for health care.

I don't know how much more clearly a signal can be sent.

[cameozalaznick]

6. But after he gets that billion dollars...

What does he owe them? Nothing. He will only be concerned with his legacy at that point. He will never have to run again. The upside and downside of term limits.