In my never-ending commission of ongoing liberal apostasy, I give you this link I received from “Democrats for America’s Future” via e-mail, which asks the musical question “Why does Don Rumsfeld still have a job?”
And the answer is, because John Kerry ran a horrible campaign flying in the face of the overwhelming majority of Democrats, and the Democrats who abandoned what little principle they stood for (which this cycle, meant one thing: “NO WAR”) in the interest of “winning”, and achieved… neither. Now, we can’t even take solace in defeat. We advanced NOTHING. Oh– did I mention we lost because the Democrats are unprincipled cowards (or worse; speaking of the Democrats’ unbelievable backstabbing of putative standard-bearer Howard Dean in exchange for milquetoast “war hero” John Kerry, no less than Ann Coulter suggested “the Democrats aren’t even man enough to nominate a genuine coward“.
Ah, but Ann the Man is wrong: we DID nominate a coward. Just about the worst coward we’ve EVER nominated, actually. Why? Because all John Kerry has EVER stood for is covering his own ass politically: how else can you justify voting FOR Gulf War II while voting AGAINST Gulf War I? I mean, the other way, both or neither… sure. But THAT WAY? AND ONLY HE VOTED THAT WAY, no less. That alone should have been a disqualifying factor for Democrats, instead of somehow something desirable…
But Kerry was a one-man manifestation of what is wrong with the Democratic Party, and has been wrong for a long time. We have no positive agenda (in Kerry’s case, it was “I have a plan for this, and a plan for that…”) which usually meant “spend more money”. Howard Dean (the genuine coward) said “we’ll restore the lost revenues from the ridiculous tax cuts by reversing them– ALL OF THEM– not just politically ass covering ones that somehow cover the middle class.” Result: Dean had to be portrayed as a madman… by Democrats. (BTW– Edwards also had the stuff: trying to restore the party of the American dream, by noting that the Republicans CHEAT– only the Democrats can assure the fair rules of play that can permit Americans the opportunities to grow prosperous…. and Edwards was a Southerner– the only kind of Democrat who can be elected President, to boot… although, pro-gun rural state Dean had a damned good chance.)
But what did Kerry do? He dissembled. I’m against abortion m’self, but favor its unlimited legality on demand; I’m against gay marriage… except… God… fucking… damn… it!!!
You’re going to be tarred for this shit anyway– have the God damned balls to stand for something. You know what? I don’t really like the idea of two men getting married– but our laws have so many benefits applicable to married couples at this point, that its UNFAIR to deny a same sex couple similar benefits, and if gay marriage is the only way to do it… well, then God damn it, SO BE IT. And you know what? I AM going to raise your God damned taxes– because I’m not going to put our economy into a cocked hat next year, or the year after that, or saddle our children and grandchildren with debt, because WE ARE IRRESPONSIBLE. AND TAXES AREN’T SOME GOD DAMNED FANTASY: THEY PAY FOR THE GOVERNMENT. You don’t like it– you tell me which spending I can cut, o.k.?
Anyway– it may come as a surprise (or not) to most of you that I am far, far madder at Democrats for nominating a zero (or worse, a less than zero) like John Kerry, than I am at the country for reelecting the worst President in living memory. Really. Because this one was easy: all we had to do was nominate a zero. And we couldn’t even do it. We had to go out of our way to find someone who could EASILY portrayed as less principled than Bush. And we achieved it.
Democrats, heal thyselves. We can whine about Bush cheating all we want… this election ain’t gettin’ undone. We can whine all we want about the stupidity of our countrymen; it ain’t gonna make ’em any smarter, and it ain’t gonna make ’em like us or our party. OR… we can burn down our own party structure which has given us nothing but losers for decades (and Bill Clinton, who owes his presidency to Ross Perot, this most ESPECIALLY means you and your wife, my senator), and start over with something that resembles a party with cojones– a party that, when it controlled the senate, wouldn’t dream of letting the President get away with an ass covering vote to commit this country to aggression, or roll over on tax cuts (and just about everything else, except, of course, heaven help us lower court judges who might oppose abortion… like what they think matters on that issue.)
Alrightie then… whose with me…?
tdog
Fuck Yeah!!!! Sick and disgusted by them. I don’t have much to add but could you please tell me why in the hell most folks won’t fight against this soul stealing shit that’s being done in our name. Reading papers and watching TeeVee one gets the vibe that pretty much thangs(yeah) are fucked and all of these wankers are in on it and trying to keep the masses numb and passive. I tell you if I hear Ted Koppel with all proper eurditness try to explain away the blood washing up on the boob tube I’ll puke. Sorry for the screed but Whatthefuckshitpissanalrapeisthis???!!! this
Fuck Yeah!!!! Sick and disgustd by them. I don’t have much to add but could you please tell me why in the hell most folks won’t fight against this soul stealing shit that’s being done in our name. Reading papers and watching TeeVee one gets the vibe that pretty much thangs(yeah)are fucked and all of these wankers are in on it and trying to keep the masses numb and passive. I tell you if I hear Ted Koppel with all proper eurditness try to explain away the blood washing up on the boob tube I’ll puke. Sorry for the screed but Whatthe fuckshitpissanalrapeisthis??!!
Fuck Yeah!!!! Sick and disgustd by them. I don’t have much to add but could you please tell me why in the hell most folks won’t fight against this soul stealing shit that’s being done in our name. Reading papers and watching TeeVee one gets the vibe that pretty much thangs(yeah)are fucked and all of these wankers are in on it and trying to keep the masses numb and passive. I tell you if I hear Ted Koppel with all proper eurditness try to explain away the blood washing up on the boob tube I’ll puke. Sorry for the screed but Whatthe fuckshitpissanalrapeisthis??!!
Fuck n’A. You speak the truth Dogman. I’m a lifelong Democrat but can’t say I recognize the party any more. Theresa Kerry has more balls than John.
But I still think Rove is the anti-christ and would like to see him anally raped with a huge dildo by cuntbreath Coulter, and her in turn anally raped by Rumsfeld who is in turn…….
Hang in there Big Dog, you are an inspiration, and if things don’t get better, History will show how the Repubicans stole our Democracy
I disagree. Kerry already had the anti-war vote. He wasn’t going to get more of the anti-war vote by actually being anti-war. Were there people who stayed home/voted for Bush because of Kerry’s wishy-washyness on the war? Not many. I think the number of people he would have gained wouldn’t surpass the number he lost by calling his vote a mistake.
He needed to chip away the center more, and I don’t know, in this security-crazed panopticon we live in, if that was possible.
Kerry might have been too political a man, but the idea that Bush was somehow not is pretty shocking to me. The worst thing now about the Democratic Party circa now is the immediate tendenct to blame ourselves and our candidates. Except Larry, above, who has justice meeted out finely.
Hey TD, for some reason, Deliverance is my favorite movie for this time of year.
Crabcake has inspired me to do great art. Here it goes:
Weh Weh Weh Weh Weh Weh Weh Weh Weh
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
Weh Weh Weh Weh Weh Weh Weh Weh Weh
Ha Ha Ha!! Happy Holidays
Tom–
We spent four years blaming them (“we wuz robbed”). We had a soft economy and fiscal policies that even conservatives wanted to bolt on. And we had the Iraq war. WE HAD ABU GHRAIB. We had, without exaggerating, the worst president in living memory.
And we lost. By a bigger margin than in 2000.
With all due respect (the lawyer’s sarcastic way of telling you he’s going to say something that you not only disagree with but is probably semi-insulting!) I couldn’t disagree with your assessment more.
Yes, there were a large number of assholes who would scream “support our troops” meaning “support our war”. In fact, my guess is that this group, around 40% of the country, would, as I said, vote for Bush if he knife-raped a nun on live t.v. (while Kerry would only have around 25-30% vote for him if HE knife-raped a nun on live t.v.) That meant that around 55-60% of the country was up for grabs (capable of NOT voting for the asshole New Englander who masqueraded as a Texan); these people were really looking for leadership.
A Democrat who actually WAS A DEMOCRAT could have won this year– picking up virtually ALL of the 60% willing to consider that Bush was NOT Jesus’ personal messenger (if not Jesus Himself).
You know what? I don’t know the numbers, but I’d bet that something like 80-90% of Democrats were against the war– and STRONGLY against the war.
THAT’S ALL WE NEEDED TO KNOW. God damn it– we go in with a candidate who believes AS WE DO ON THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE, or we don’t run anyone at all. How DARE Democrats select someone they disagreed with on the NUMBER ONE ISSUE, because, somehow OTHER PEOPLE may be offended by our beliefs. UNACCEPTABLE. EVER. AGAIN.
ENOUGH ALREADY. Bill Clinton sold us down the river when he gave up AFDC FOR NOTHING IN RETURN so he could claim “I gave us welfare reform.” Agree or disagree with the merits of the policy– BUT THAT WAS A SELL-OUT TO EVERYONE– EVERYONE WHO EVER CALLED THEMSELVES A LIBERAL. And for it, Bill Clinton is NOT– NOT my ideological compatriot. And yet, he is the ultimate liberal darling because “he won” (conveninetly forgetting a funny looking Texas billionaire who represented more than his margin of victory twice running.)
We learn this lesson, and either win because we have sold our agenda and because people like it, or we go down with our integrity intact, period. Democrats have to stand for something besides abortion on demand once and for all– or we will get to live the ’00 and ’04 nightmares every four years, like clock work, forever. (Japan has been ” a functioning democracy” where the ruling party has been in for decades; its really not a problem for the GOP to become the Grand ONLY Power).
We must henceforth run with integrity. Disagreement on minor shit, sure. But not on THE BIG ONE, whatever it is that year (this round being the war in Iraq.) No exceptions, no excuses. And DINOs (Zell Millevolent)– unacceptable. No need to be that big a tent: we stand for fiscal sanity via reasonably progressive taxation, fairness and battling crony capitalism, fair contract and tort laws, no discrimination for bullshit reasons (and this DOES NOT mean affirmative action on any basis besides ECONOMIC status)… and nothing else. National defense has to be– HAS TO BE– a non-partisan matter. Or else.
This year was an abomination. And I fear we will learn nothing from it. And frankly, it is our fault, so I will be blaming us. Thanks for listening, and I’m sorry for “shouting”.
Kim, Baby– you think maybe you could give your people an extra hour of electricity this Christmas?
…wow…just..wow. I had the distinct impression that my screen was changing colors while I read that post, but maybe it was just me…
…Democrats will win again when they have a candidate they can care more about seeing win than they are about seeing the other candidate lose. The party can chip away at the middle with a candidate that stands for things because I believe that the party believes in a lot of things that folks in “the middle” believe in, too. It will require taking the positive stands you talk about, framing the debate and the opposition before the other guy does (no midsummer vacations), and calling bull___ on the prize-fight issues like abortion or gay marriage; the line of scrimage has been drawn on these issues and anyone still undecided about them probably can’t find the voting place anyway. Unless some annointed successor emerges in the next couple of years, the Republicans have lost this year’s “advantage” for 2008 because they will have to find a nominiee also and won’t be able to spend as much time casting the terms of the campaign from the White House…at least that’s my hope…
…in any case, the Dem’s need to become as hard-nosed and aggressive as the Repub’s have been and forget about the hand-wringing and limp-wristed hair-splitting policies; maybe, ironically, it’s time for Democrats to become the new Goldwaterites, demanding that Government be kept off our backs (Patriot Act, anyone?) and out of our bedrooms….
Alright folks…name names. Who would/could/should have defeated Bush and who’s up in ’08? Just wondering.
Who would/could/should have defeated Bush and who’s up in ’08? First part: Howard Dean, MAYBE Wesley Clark, PROBABLY John Edwards, QUITE POSSIBLY Dick Gephardt, Joe Lieberman, Bob Graham, John Breaux, maybe Joe Biden or Evan Bayh… Others– some current or former goernors (maybe Mike Easley of NC, or that guy from VA I keep forgetting…)
Second Part: Al Gore, John Edwards, St. Hillary, and more to come. MAYBE John McCain or Chuch Hagel will cross the aisle…
While I don’t anticipate a Ross Perot scenario, we MAY have some Watergate, or ’29 like scenario costing the Repubs dearly… That’s not how you bet…
To be honest– if we take back the Congress and a lot of governors’ mansions, etc., we’ll get the White House our share of times… IF we nominate someone we believe in (Jack is so right, its not funny; the anybody but Bush mentality almost assured us of Bush’s reelection– perversely– by making us NOT think about “who we like better”.
God knows THEY got who they want: a right wing extremist (on the proper tax cut issues; they don’t really care about much else) they first trotted out as a moderate.
“If given the choice between a Republican and a Republican, the American people will chose the Republican every time.”–Harry Truman
Right on, Dog.
Thanks TD…much to ponder in my cave. Sincere holiday wishes to all.