GET. OFF. YOUR. ASS.

[derby378]

A long time ago, I said that I believed that the only way to retake the party from the forces of compromise is from the ground up. We started in 2003-2004, but the effort got bogged down when the party establishment stepped in and started dictating terms. But in 2006, I said that we needed to start up this process again.

So, we got active. We got somewhat organized. And we handed Congress back to the Democrats.

And what did we get for our trouble? The Democrats on Capitol Hill caved in on Iraq funding to Herr Decider, complete with his miserable 28% approval rating. And they drove Cindy Sheehan, the anti-war version of Helen of Troy, away from the Democratic Party for good.

In short, the Democratic Party may have cut its own throat.

But if you're willing to get off your ass at long last, there is still hope.

I want every disaffected Democrat who is thinking of leaving the party to instead run for precinct chair in your own precinct. Stack your county party organizations with progressive grassroots activists.

In short, I am once again calling upon you to DU the Democratic Party itself.

It's not that hard to do. I promise. Check your county party HQ and learn what forms you need to officially file to run as precinct chair. If the filing deadline has passed, you can still run as a write-in candidate - but you have to tell all the Democrats in the precinct that you are running for precinct chair so that they'll know which name to write in.

There are plenty of precinct chairs who are members of DU. I'm a precinct chair, too. I'm helping organize pro-gun Democrats who might have otherwise voted Republican on the strength of a single issue. And I almost single-handedly defeated a ridiculous motion to open Democratic county meetings with a sectarian prayer.

And all because I got off my ass.

Who's with me? Together, we can send shockwaves through the Democratic Party establishment. We can become the party itself.

[demnan]

1. Is it really that easy?

I honestly don't know but this sounds right to me. I'll give it a shot.

[Crazy Dave]

4. The odds are better if you try than if you don't

:hi:

[Crazy Dave]

2. Another pro-gun "liberal" here

I value all life, human and animal, and I especially value my own life and the lives of my family members as well :hi:

[Bluzmann57]

3. True words.

It is up to us to shake up the party from within. We can't depend on those who are currently in power to do it, obviously. Not sure if I have time to be precint chair, as my job takes a lot of my time, but I can serve in some cacacity and will. Thank you for the post. We all need a prod every now and then.

[gatorboy]

5. Metaphorically or literally?

I do my best work on my ass!

[NightWatcher]

6. we got these guys elected this past year, so why dont we find some good dems

and get them elected using the same methods? We called, sent letters, canvassed, and utilized other grass roots efforts to get these spinless wimps elected. Why dont we use the same tactics to get some good guys and gals elected? Maybe we can focus on the former vets who ran, but fell just short of the win. They will most likely be against the war and they have also seen what a real fight looks like.

Next DU election effort: Vets For Peace. Many of them made it this past time, but more of them are waiting in the wings and need our help. Lets start this now and try to at least a hundred Iraq and Afghanistan vets elected.

[TwilightGardener]

7. BullShi-ite. The Dem party didn't "cut its own throat". I don't

buy into that at all. They don't have the votes right now--Jesus effing Christ. They are working on it. It will have to be a bipartisan effort, and--HORRORS--Dems might not thus get to take all the credit for an Iraq exit plan. I am reasonably satisifed with them. They don't play the PR and rhetoric game as well as R's, but they are trying. And they didn't "drive away" Cindy--she left on her own because of her apparent dissatisfaction with their progress. Her choice.

[derby378]

10. If you don't like my assertions, though, the subject of the OP cuts both ways

If you honestly think I'm full of it, too, then you can become a Democratic precinct chair and try to keep folks like me in line. America is still the "Land of Opportunity" last time I checked.

[John Q. Citizen]

8. It's very easy in many precincts to simply write your name in and become the precinct captain.

Something like 60%+ of the precincts in the country have no captain.

In one election cycle we could transform the party in many many states, particulary rural so called red or purple states.

I did this in my precinct. No one was running, no one was captain, and my one write in vote for myself made me precinct captain.

Of course, some precincts are different.

[Nunyabiz]

9. If everyone got off their ass

and marched on Faux Noise and destroyed it completely so that they cant even make a cell phone call let alone broadcast their bullshit Reich wing Neofascist propaganda then things might change.
Until then we are all just throwing sand in the ocean in hopes of filling it up.

[derby378]

12. First, let's work on getting involved in our own party...

If you really want to get rid of the FOX Noise Channel, burning it to the ground will only make martyrs our of everyone there.

Best way to deal with them is to make them look ridiculous in the eyes of America, and they'll simply dry up and blow away. Hasn't happened yet, but a lot of us haven't been trying that hard.

[Nunyabiz]

28. Yeah right

and what exactly do you think will make these Neofascist look "ridiculous" in the eyes of the 30% of this country (mostly fundamentalist christians) that are like minded & brainwashed to believe every single word these nut bags say?
What is so outrageously insane, beyond ridiculous to you & I those of us that are sane is perfectly logical and exactly what at least 30% of this country wants to hear.

Destroying Faux Noise and then telling the rest of the MSM you are next until you start telling the damn truth will work.
It isn't JUST Faux Noise you know, they are the worst by far but ALL of the MSM is complicit in the 2000 & 04' election fraud.
ALL of the MSM is complicit in covering up all the war crimes & crimes against humanity and the bald faced lies told in order to drag this country into an unjust and illegal occupation of aggression putting us in a TRILLION+ $$ debt.
ALL of the MSM is complicit in covering up the facts about 9/11 & the Anthrax attacks.

So how are you going to "make them look ridiculous" when everytime you open your mouth telling the truth regardless if you have all the evidence in the world to back up what you are saying, all they need to do is either ignore you completely or label YOU the traitor, the tin foil hatter, the crazies, the un-patriotic and various other media buzz words.
It also doesn't matter that WE are in the majority either.

There comes a time when drastic measures need to be taken in order to effect change & considering the Neofascist pretty much have every legal avenue sewn up they aren't leaving much choice.

"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
John F. Kennedy"

[Dr.Phool]

11. I just resigned from my DEC.

I'm finishing up one last campaign, and that's probably it.

[PBass]

13. Kicked and Recommended

All the petitions and demonstrations in the world are no match for getting real liberals into positions of power. Start now, work your way up.

This is better than trying to drag DINOs kicking and screaming, over to progressive positions.

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. I am a precinct chair and I am ready to quit

Talk me into staying.

[derby378]

15. If you stay, you'll be able to take part in the Big Realignment To Come

I can't bribe you with a big, fat kiss - my beloved bride might object. :silly:

But now's the time we need people like you to stay active, now that we're at our lowest point as a party. Hang on tight to the rigging as the storms toss us, and we'll still come out the other side in one piece. Avast, Republican mongrels! Ahrrr!

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. Ah how is your beloved?

Give her a :hug: from me.

Just think, if not for Cindy, we would have never met. I am thinking today of you guys and so many other DUers I have met in Crawford. We're a great bunch of folks.

As for staying in the party, I made a commitment to my neighbor who is a decent guy and is running for state house in 08. I promised to help him. And I will at least do that. But I doubt I will lift a finger to help my Blue Dog Dem congressman. And I deeply regret helping the other Dem congresswoman from Kansas on her 06 campaign, as she has turned out to be as non-progressive as a congress critter can be.

[derby378]

17. She's not doing too well at present, but still soldiering on...

Hard to keep a good woman down, y'know. :hi:

[LoZoccolo]

19. Quit, then.

Let someone with a little more stick-to-it-ness do it. Your precinct needs it.

[proud2BlibKansan]

23. No one else in my precinct is willing to do it

That's what happens in red state hell.

[LoZoccolo]

25. Sorry.

I was being harsh...having a bad day.

[proud2BlibKansan]

26. Yeah me too

Thanks for the apology.

[LoZoccolo]

18. I like your style, but be warned...

...people get really offended when you point out that they are vegetating, and they'll run in and try to argue with you all petty-like to try to get your thread locked...ignore them and don't let it happen to you! It happened yesterday to me!

[derby378]

21. Y'know, I've been vegetating, too...

This is as much of a wake-up call to myself as to everyone else. And a lot of folks learned the hard way that they can't let Cindy Sheehan and codePINK do all the work for them, even with Democrats in charge on the Hill.

[Occulus]

20. Whaat? And miss Gilligan?

:silly:

[Kazak]

22. Too many bones in this closet...

:eyes:

[Cobalt-60]

27. me too

Step one to electability would require the liquidation of 85% of my family.
It wouldn't both Bushco, but I'm a little squeamish.

[crispini]

24. K&R

:hi: