Reply #33: A reasonable question

[FrankBooth]

The actions of many democrats after 9/11 has been awful. I don't think there are many on DU that would argue with that. It really comes down to how you think you can affect meaningful change within the party - and I fail to see how allowing George Bush another term will in any way benefit the Democratic party (or America or the world.) If we win, and our dem president turns out to be Bush lite, then we will have to deal with them at that point in time. Dealing with them now, on a point of ideology and within our very limited options, seems incredibly foolish, selfish and short-sighted to me.

I was not happy with Democrats rolling over on war resolution and Patriot Act. I called both my senators to bitch. And even though I support another candidate, I thank the Cosmos for Howard Dean and what he has done for the Democratic party in terms of making the rest of the candidates face their own fears and actions. He forced them to start acting like an opposition party. The worm has turned in the party, thanks to Dean and Kucinich, and to places like DU. There is a politcal vibrancy to the Democratic party that wasn't there a year ago, and that vibrancy has in some part been fueled by ABB.

In my opinion, ABB really comes down to a choice - do I stand rigidly behind ideology or do I sacrifice some of my own personal ideology for the greater good. That is how I see it. Obviously, there are many good liberals and intelligent people on DU who see the situation differently than I. That is fine, but in my mind the evils of another Bush term outweigh any theoretical advantage that a Democratic loss "might" provide. And I am struggling to figure out how a Democratic loss might help anybody.

Most democrats will vote ABB. And I am thankful for that.