I'm tired of democratic activists being thrown under the bus...

[YoungDemCA]

...by the institution that is the Democratic Party.

I'm tired of having to vote for "the lesser of two evils" to have my vote count.

I'm tired of having to hold my nose and vote for Republican lite.

I'm tired of every progressive promise being betrayed, broken, and sold down the river.

I'm tired of the military being stretched to the breaking point, and of a Democratic President continuing and expanding the polices of a Republican President.

I'm tired of this President's utter indifference to the plight of LGBT Americans.

I'm tired of this Party embracing everything the Republican Party stood for, in many cases going further to the right than Ronald Reagan,

I'm tired of having to negotiate for unemployment extensions by agreeing to huge tax cut extensions for the wealthy.

I'm tired of the false choice between the two right-wing parties.

And most of all, I'm tired of vesting my hopes in the Democratic Party.

[randome]

1. 'Utter indifference' to LGBT issues?

You can make the claim that things haven't changed as quickly as many would like but that's a hyperbolic statement.

[DiverDave]

74. Uh-Huh, and what, prey tell, has changed?

Hyperbolic? They are PEOPLE just like you,and deserve the same protections under the law that the rest of us enjoy.

And don't tell me DADT, that did NOTHING for the average LGBT.

[Selatius]

2. It's easy to pull the Democratic Party leftward. You just need two billion dollars.

Then, you can condition those campaign checks on them doing what you want, but then again, that's the problem facing this country, isn't it?

[bluestate10]

3. OK.

I am an avid democrat that supports progressive democratic candidates with money and my vote. I contributed several hundred to Elizabeth Warren and plan to contribute up to the maximum and get out and pound pavement for her. Warren is a progressive's dream, I am a moderate. If Warren wins, I will be blissful. If Warren doesn't win, I will be unhappy, but unaffected financially or otherwise. I lived under Reagan and the two Bushes. I loved seeing Bill Clinton elected and loved Jimmy Carter as President. But I am educated and am a scientist that has not been unemployed and have accumulated solid assets. I get inducements from republicans to join them and get asked why I vote 100% democrat, I say fuck republicans, abeit more graciously than I wrote. Why do I give a story that the hot tempered will call bragging? Because at my core, the values that I stand for are important to me. I can support a progressive with vigor, even as they say stuff that I don't agree with or vote in ways that I am not thrilled about. Why would I support a progressive that I don't agree with on many issues? Well, the alternative IS worse and will be destructive to my core values in the final analysis.

[DevonRex]

4. So, who are you voting for

since you don't like anything about the Democratic Party?

[arcane1]

5. One word: LOCAL!!!!

Change doesn't start from the president on down, it starts in your local city/county government, your state government, your mayors and supervisors and commissioners and judges and school boards, on up!

And, of course, your senators and representatives in DC.

Even the most perfect progressive president would not be able to accomplish much with the current congress we have.

[DevonRex]

8. Sorry, but he's sick and tired of the whole Democratic Party, which he calls right wing.

So, he's not voting for Democrats in any election, local, state, federal or galaxy.

[bluestate10]

40. Yeah. That worked in 2010. nt

[DiverDave]

75. How do YOU know?

the poster is telling how they FEEL, not how they will vote.
Can you tell me who's gonna win in the 5th at Hollywood park?.

[cliffordu]

87. Ouch. That galaxy vote is the one that's going to leave a bruise.....

How ya been??

[DevonRex]

88. I would have said

universe, but maybe there's a galaxy far, far away...

[url=http://www.cosgan.de/smilie.php][img][/img][/url]

I'm good. You?

[cliffordu]

91. Awright, ya know, keepin on keepin on........

[scheming daemons]

6. I'm tired of democratic activists throwing a GOOD President under the bus

...

[white_wolf]

12. Why do you think activists are attacking this president?

Maybe, because he isn't as good as you think. Face it, he has governed as center-right President, so don't expect a lot of people to be too enthusiastic about voting for him, even though most people will simply because we have no real choice in this country. Sure, Obama will get my vote, but not because he's earned, but because this country gives us no choice.

[scheming daemons]

21. A) Because they're not happy unless they're unhappy B) he's gotten more progressive things done

...than any President since FDR.

C) He's been a damn good President, by any modern standard. At least a solid B to B+.


The activists bitch because that's what they do. You can't please everyone. But on the whole, he's been better than any President since at least early LBJ ('64 to '65).

[white_wolf]

42. What progessive things has he done?

The cornerstone of his healthcare bill is a give away to insurance companies that originated with the Heritage Foundation. He could have at least fought for single-payer or a pubic option. He could have vetoed the extension of the Patriot Act. He offered cuts to social-security, we are just lucky the Republicans didn't take him up on that offer. Seriously, if he is the best president since the 60s, that speaks volumes about how messed up this country is. Once again, I'll vote for him, but don't expect me to do anything more than that. He is a center-right president at best.

[scheming daemons]

47. You know the list by now.. .. you're being obtuse

...

[stevenleser]

94. Most aren't. Not even a majority of the political activists on DU attack him. nt

[SidDithers]

7. More "lesser of two evils", 'not a dime's worth of difference' bullshit...

Sid

[DevonRex]

10. He actually says the Democratic Party is right wing.

Interesting, isn't it? And apparently several people agree with him. Again, interesting.

[SidDithers]

18. Interesting in an "OMG look at that car wreck, what a horrid scene. Oh the humanity" kind of way...

Sid

[DevonRex]

25. Yeah

like that.

[LaydeeBug]

108. Sometimes, it just has to be said.

The OP specified where this consternation originates. I agree with most of it, sans the last sentence.

[bluestate10]

32. Sometimes I want to let progressives experience the

rightwing sewer they would be in if not for moderates that side with progressives. It feels like being the kid in school that respects everyone, but has a weaker kid constantly slapping him or her across the face because the thoughtful kid does not overtly take their side. I am at nearly the Michael-Fredo stage with progressives, but I will bite my tongue and not only support with money, but with my feet and ultimately with my vote and anyone that I can convince to vote as I vote. I can't wait until the day when rightwingers have been forced back into the basement, locked in and I can settle my differences with some of the more obnoxious progressives.

[GeorgeGist]

84. I guess it's a good thing ...

for you and Sid that progressives aren't running this country.

[WonderGrunion]

97. Sid is Canadian

It really wouldn't affect him much.

[stranger81]

89. Sure, and sometimes, I'd love to let you moderates experience

what this country would be like without progressives have fought for and won -- no help, I might add, from those standing in the center of the aisle. Like laws prohibiting child labor. The eight hour work day. The five day work week. Etc. etc.

If you really think progressives owe staying out of the right wing sewer to the ever capitulating middle, then I'd sure like to have some of what you're smoking.

[DiverDave]

76. Dude give IT up!

chearleading for a guy that is in bed with the god damned enemy is sorta CREEPY.

And what part of giving away the store to wall street is DEMOCRATIC?

[SunsetDreams]

81. It shouldn't surprise you

to find supporters of the President on Democratic Underground. Your call for "Dude give IT up!" is likely to not get any takers here. What we really need is less hyperbole such as "cheerleading for a guy that is in bed with the god damned enemy" for example. Obama has not given away the store to wall street. One doesn't need to look very far really to find that is untrue, and at best hyperbole.

President Obama signs most sweeping Wall Street reform bill since Great Depression

Obama Outlines Credit Card Reforms I probably don't need to tell you that not only did he call for Credit Card Reforms, but he signed it into law.

The President has made mistakes to be sure, and he hasn't given us everything that we want. I would hardly classify him as sleeping with the enemy. Not even close.

[DiverDave]

83. Thats why there are none in jail

and the banks are BIGGER then ever.
I still lost my house, and I HAD a job.

Yeah, that helped me alot.

He just wanted the money.
Change the lobby laws and take money out of elections.
He is NOT doing that.
I will vote for him, you think I want romney?
I dont have to be happy about it.
And neither does the OP

[DiverDave]

99. Um, like, ok man

but what about this:
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/how-wall-street-killed-financial-reform-20120510?print=true

So take you snide tude and...well I wont say.

[SunsetDreams]

105. Um, like, ok

I guess you really proved it then. Thanks for submitting an opinion from a reporter.

[YoungDemCA]

82. The brand name is all that matters....

...doesn't matter what the actual policy is.

[rug]

11. Hurry, tell him Romney would be worse.

[SidDithers]

20. Hurry, share your anti-Obama hidden link with him...nt

Sid

[rug]

24. This one?

http://www.kpbs.org/news/2012/may/07/fallen-camp-pendleton-marine-disapproved-war-afgha/

[SunsetDreams]

30. I wouldn't characterize that as ANTI-Obama

but that's just me.

[rug]

43. I wouldn't either.

[SidDithers]

55. It's this one...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/125134044#post17

Sid

[rug]

58. At random,

here is one of its links.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8674179.stm

That anti-Obama?

[SidDithers]

60. No, the link you posted in the hidden post is...

that's why it was hidden, remember?

Sid

[rug]

62. And that link is full of links like this, remember?

Glad you think it's not anti-Obama.

Here's another, at random.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/22/AR2009072203281.html

[SidDithers]

64. You can random all you want. You still got a post hidden for posting a link...

to an anti-Obama site.

I'm surprised you're having so much trouble remembering. It was only a couple of days ago. Did you need to see the jury results again, to refresh your memory?

Sid

[rug]

65. Oooh, a hidden post.

Brush up on your history, Sid. That site was a response to a puff site that is deliberately incomplete. It hardly makes it "an anti-Obama site", much though you relish that phrase.

Here's another of its links, at random.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/10/world/10tapes.html?_r=3&partner=rss&emc=rss

[bluestate10]

34. Nader clones under many leaves.

Take nothing to be one other than the ability to shove your head deeply up your fanny and ignore any rational evidence that you're wrong and/or misguided.

[bighart]

90. Sid, no disrespect intended but I see you reply this way when these types of posts appear

but don't see you offering any alternative view point.
I think the point the op is making is that when we vote for change we actually expect change to occur. Is there something wrong with that? That isn't to say that some change hasn't occurred, it was bound to regardless of who won the election. Much of the change we were promised, open and transparent administration, closing gitmo, progressive legislation regarding health care, has not occurred and will not occur. And don't use congress as the reason, leaders lead, politicians don't, and I feel we got a politician not the leader we were promised.

[crunch60]

9. As a liberal activist, I have lived through McCarthyism, the Civil Rights movement,

the Women's movement , the Vietnam War, the Kent State atrocity, and never gave up being a activist. That's what we do. If someone tries to throw me under a bus, I will crawl out and continue. These battles are never over. The truth one speaks, might cost him his job, friends, and family. So be it. Everyday we win some battles, and everyday we lose some. So the struggle for Justice. fairness, and equality must continue.

[hairy krishna]

28. Tread very carefully, my friend

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NDAA_2012

Totalitarism: it's what's for dinner...

[jberryhill]

13. I loved that scene

[Chorophyll]

15. I just posted this on my Facebook page the other day.

I never get tired of it.

[SidDithers]

23. The late, great Madeline Kahn...

"Taffeta, darling!!"

Sid

[Chorophyll]

14. You do know this is Democratic Underground, right?

Just checking. It's a big internet out there.

[DevonRex]

22. I'm wondering why he called himself "YoungDemCA" in Jan of this year

when now all the sudden he's sick of the Democratic Party completely. It's absolutely certain he won't be voting for any Democrat in any election after writing all that he just wrote. Strange to name yourself after something you hate, isn't it?

[SidDithers]

26. We should have a tombstone pool...

so we can take bets on PPR dates.

Sid

[Nye Bevan]

31. Good catch. "YoungLeftist" or something like that would have made more sense. (nt)

[DevonRex]

35. Yup.

[Chorophyll]

79. Obvious troll is obvious. nt

[LASlibinSC]

16. Sounds like you have

a lot of passion. Support you local politicians or perhaps run for a local position yourself. Don't shut down!

[Nye Bevan]

17. McCain talked about the US being in Iraq for 100 years.

Obama has ended the Iraq war.

So yes, very little difference there.

[SunsetDreams]

19. I'm tired of "the lesser of two evils" Meme

[hairy krishna]

36. I used to spout that one out like a robot

until this wise man told me: "No, it's the EVIL of two LESSERS." Love that.

[SunsetDreams]

38. hmmm yeah ok

[hairy krishna]

41. Hey look! It's you again!

One sentence-Sandy!

[SunsetDreams]

49. Guess you got me there

I guess I will do my best to advance to questions. Who is the EVIL of the two lessers you are talking about? If it's two lessers, there must be a more...who or what would that be?

[SunsetDreams]

50. Oops I guess I advanced the questions too late.

Sorry

[SidDithers]

52. "Hey look! It's you again!"...

Seriously, you can't make this shit up.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=profile&uid=284328&sub=trans

"Repeat zombie"



Sid

[pinboy3niner]

57. That's what MIRT said

[DevonRex]

59. *snort*

And where is our hit-and-run original poster, anyway?

[SidDithers]

61. Nailed it!...

nothin' but net.

Sid

[SunsetDreams]

63. Now...Now

seriously he could have meant "Hey look! It's you again!" as a greeting after I replied to his reply to my original post to the OP. Phew, I don't know about you but just typing that made me dizzy.

[brooklynite]

27. Unrec

Thanks for sharing your rant...would you care to specify? President? Senate? Congress? State Legislature? Dog Catcher?

Is there a specific Democrat you're unhappy with? Or is it the the entire field?

And if you're tired of vesting your hopes in the Democratic Party, why are you complaining at DEMOCRATIC Underground?

[DevonRex]

33. "I'm tired of the false choice between the two right-wing parties."

I think that pretty much tells us what we need to know about Mr. "YoungDemCA".

[hairy krishna]

29. Right on!

It's utterly true and so very sad. But what do you expect from the Material World--sunshine and unicorns? I have heard theories that is is actually hell. Interesting...

[SunsetDreams]

37. Right Off!

[hairy krishna]

39. Um...you made me click for NADA?

But it's understandable because you have no real case to be made. It's just siss-boom-bah on automatic. Sorry, sister. Ain't gonna cut it anymore!

[SunsetDreams]

44. I'm sorry I MADE you click

I have to do a better job of keeping that power in check.

[pinboy3niner]

51. At least you know now that it works on repeat zombies...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=profile&uid=284328&sub=trans

[SunsetDreams]

54. ...

I knew it was a matter of time. I truly believe in conserving energy when possible and I worked really hard today. My fingers needed a rest

[ProSense]

45. Another

"I'm tired of the military being stretched to the breaking point, and of a Democratic President continuing and expanding the polices of a Republican President."

...say anything list of complaints. You're worried about the "military being stretched to the breaking point"? What the hell does that mean?

The President ended a war and recently announced the biggest restructuring/reduction of the military in decades. The other peculiar thing about that statement is its focus on the military and not the excessive military spending.

"I'm tired of having to negotiate for unemployment extensions by agreeing to huge tax cut extensions for the wealthy."

Well if people stopped pretending that both parties are the same, Republicans wouldn't have the numbers to hold legislation hostage. States wouldn't be trying to recall asshole Governors.

"I'm tired of the false choice between the two right-wing parties."

No difference, huh: http://thinkprogress.org/security/2012/05/07/479229/house-gop-military-cut-programs-poor/

HRC President Stresses Romney’s Anti-Gay Rights Positions

Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese stressed that President Obama and Mitt Romney are far apart on gay rights on MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports” Monday. Though Solmonese would like to see Obama be more forceful on gay rights, he stressed Obama’s accomplishments to expand rights, and how far ahead of Romney those actions are.

We’re going to step into a big trap if we get all focused on the distinction between the vice president’s words and the president’s and don’t focus on the difference between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney because the difference between the president and Gov. Romney could be not be more stark. He signed a pledge to pass the federal marriage amendment. He doesn’t believe that we should have repealed ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell.’ And to me, you know, what I hope the community is mindful of and I think we are smart enough not to lose sight of this is the fact that this is not about Barack Obama or Mitt Romney. It’s about us. And these elections are a choice.

The Human Rights Campaign endorsed Obama’s re-election bid last year.

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entries/hrc-president-obama-way-better-than-romney

Lesser of two evil is bullshit, always was.

[Honeycombe8]

46. Activists don't run the country. They have a part to play, which is activism, not running a govt.

By definition, an activist cannot be a good governor, since that requires compromise, taking into account the best interests of everyone, as well as teh country as a whole. That is not an activist's purpose. They push the envelope, agitate, protest, push. Usually on one or a small handful of specific issues.

It's good to have activists. But they will never be front and center in forming general public policy in a government. They can't be. That's not their purpose.

[JI7]

48. i don't believe you are a Democratic activist

people who actually are understand things can be difficult. you just sound ignorant of the workings of govt and politics to me.

[tabbycat31]

53. Are you involved at your local level?

All politics is local. I don't know if you follow baseball or not, but the way baseball's minor league system works is a good comparison to how politics works. Baseball teams scout high school and college players to play for their minor league teams, which are later a farm system for the big league team.

Now to compare this to politics, local and county elected officials are the high school/college teams and the local Democratic parties (and the GOP for that matter) will look to them to run for state legislature. State legislatures are the minor leagues of politics as many members of Congress get their start in the statehouse.

In my own county, all of the candidates that appear on the primary ballot (as we don't have contested primaries) are voted on at the county convention. Getting involved locally and at the county level gets you a vote at the county convention. I don't always agree with the candidate that is chosen (this year I did not), but it's the process and I will accept who the county backs. Being involved locally also lets you meet the candidates and get to know them. I now have a Congressman that I can to go for any issue (even though I was redistricted out of his district) and is on a first name basis with me. Without my local involvement, he would be just another guy in Washington.

[DevonRex]

56. "I'm tired of the false choice between the two right-wing parties."

I doubt very much that this guy is voting for Democrats at any level.

[tabbycat31]

68. I was like that too

In fact I was very anti blue dog in 2010. Then I started working on campaigns for a living, and end up on a coordinated campaign with a blue dog on our ticket. That Blue Dog won his re-election by less than 1000 votes, and having been to that part of the country where I worked, I am very convinced a progressive could not have won that seat.

The Democrats are a big tent party, and people need to embrace that. The only way to change things is at the local level.

[dionysus]

70. but he had an extra big bowl of trollios for breakfast, it seems...

[DevonRex]

71. Haha.

Breakfast of champions.

[treestar]

66. Look at the bright side

Really, if all you do is choose to see the dark side of everything, it will be very tiring. After that rant, you have no where to go but some obscure third party and the work to get that party into power is going to be well, tiring.

[DevonRex]

67. Must be why he didn't tire himself out replying.

He's saving his energy up to work for whichever third party he chooses. On edit: Or rather, already chose.

[Union Scribe]

72. Why would anyone bother replying to a swarm?

Isn't that the point? Drown any OP out with a big rush of ridicule and insults?

[YoungDemCA]

93. Seems like a big rush of ridicule and insults is par for the course around here....

...for those who object to the mainstream ,status-quo political process.

[dionysus]

69. bye. don't write.

[badtoworse]

73. Don't let the door hit you in the ass. - nt

[sufrommich]

77. I'm tired of reading "both sides are the same" on a

forum that supposedly supports democrats.

[Codeine]

78. Then go somewhere else.

Stop wasting my bandwidth.

[JoePhilly]

80. Drive bye.

[DevonRex]

85. "I'm tired of the false choice between the two right-wing parties."

That says it all right there. Sorry you don't understand it.

[YoungDemCA]

92. I don't understand "it"?

And what, pray tell, is "it"?

[DevonRex]

95. So sorry. I replied in the wrong spot.

Sometimes posting on an iphone doesn't work out well.

[cliffordu]

86. Then don't 'vest' your hope in the democratic party.

Who cares??

If you REALLY feel the way you claim you do, run for office and show us all how it's done.

[WonderGrunion]

96. Considering you are bragging about being a disruptor over at Old Elm Tree

This poster is ARDENT15 over at Old Elm Tree. They have a post in their private forum about how happy they are over disrupting DU. I sent a TOS alert to the admins for that reason.

[AtomicKitten]

100. !!!

The concerted effort to disrupt DU is well-known (shout-out to the trolls at OET).
It's up to DU admin to deal with it appropriately.

[SidDithers]

101. Well done...

I thought it smelt like outraged elm around here.

Bitter former DUers are funny.

Hi Naja

Sid

[DevonRex]

102. They're so easy to spot.

Thanks.

[Number23]

106. No surprises there

He hit every note in the "Trolling DU" checklist.

Edit: Although I'm really shocked that OET still exists. I haven't heard anyone talking about that place in forever. Thought it was dead.

[Kaleva]

109. It appears to be near dead.

Last time I looked not long ago, there wasn't much going on there.

[lunatica]

98. Whatever...

[guardian]

103. [phone] K&R

n/t

[polichick]

104. Me too - that's why after decades of Dem activism, I am now unaffiliated...

imo we have one corporate party with two faces - like good cop, bad cop - and it serves to divide the people so that corporations/Wall Street/the 1% conquer. Better I think to be CITIZEN ACTIVISTS rather than party activists.

The hope is in grassroots activism like Occupy and in our social media connected worldwide network of citizen activists.

That said, Dems remain the lesser of evils and I'll vote for the president in November - even though this "democracy" still doesn't have verifiable voting and neither party seems to want it.

k&r

[Vidar]

107. K&R