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In reply to the discussion: Ralph Nader: 'Cowering' Democrats face defeat [View all]MADem
(135,425 posts)deal elsewhere.
Here's an idea--try working from within. Try getting out there and supporting local candidates to your liking. Or run yourself. That's how you make change--incrementally.
When I look at 2000, I see one of the most brilliant disinformation campaigns on record--run by the GOP through their front man, Ralph Nader. Anyone who was stupid enough to vote for that clown shares the blame for Bush. His reputation preceded him, but too many "I wanna believe!" acolytes thought that they would be "cool" and "edgy" and "different" by going with the "unique and quirky" guy because, like, dude, he's like, different, ya know? He's not, like, all corporate and stuff, dude. All these people had to do was scratch the surface and see what "Saint Ralph" was all about (all of the information about him WAS available back then to anyone with a mouse and a computer and an internet connection) --but they were too busy patting themselves on the back for being "ahead of the political curve" and they helped all of the voting machine riggers and vote suppressors and voting list purgers and the Supreme Court to give us eight years of hell.
You know, that GOP base doesn't always get what they want, either. Nor do the far righties or the centrists in the GOP. But they somehow find a way to tolerate even an unattractive party line and/or they have an ability to take a long view.
I find it funny how so many people who call themselves progressive cannot, themselves, take a long view. It makes me wonder sometimes, particularly when the perfect is made the enemy of the good--and always, always in an election year--never in an off year. I will tell you this--the people I have met, here in the real world, who insist that they are HYPER liberals and ultra progressives, and who complain the loudest, often as not do not vote, and some aren't even registered. When I say WTF? I get told "Well man, the parties are all the same....!"
Yeah....right.
So why even waste time with them? They just like the attention, they aren't helping. They're like those fake "undecideds" that the networks drag out every four years to poll about who they're gonna vote for, who sit there with their finger up their nose going "Gee, I dunno--I liked what this guy said about X, but I like the other one's hair!" The truth is this--anyone who is "undecided" in this election, or the one four years ago, or the one eight years ago, is a fucking IDIOT. And the people who will withhold their vote because they aren't getting everything they want? They're dumb as posts, too. The lines are very clearly drawn--either you are voting for the "Sanity" ticket, or the "Batshit Crazy Fundy Hellhole" ticket. Pick one.
I think the lesson of 2000 is this: spend less time kowtowing to people who aren't going to help you anyway. Refute their shit and tell them to participate in the process instead of complaining about it. Get out that REAL base--the ones who vote for Democrats, reliably, year in, year out. Reach out to registered voters who are independents. Register people who support the party. GOTV on election day. Speak frankly and honestly about what we hope to accomplish, and don't make bullshit promises that won't bear fruit. Be real.
Being real, though, doesn't mean you'll necessarily get what you want.