Reply #37: That's the kind of attitude that helped lose Congress in 1994

[Lasher]

Clinton and Congressional Democrats failed to deliver health care reform, and Democrats stayed home in droves. It is good that we can point to other goals and achievements, but as far as I am concerned there is no viable alternative at this time to real support for our social programs in general and specifically for genuine health care reform.

I have been a Democrat my whole life and have never voted for a Republican. I have voted in every single primary and general election when I was eligible, except for my first year in 1970 when I was serving overseas in the Army and never received the absentee ballot I applied for.

I don't think I would ever leave the Democratic party but lately I have been replying to email requests for contributions by saying, "Get back to me when single payer is on the table." And if they pass legislation that ends up being nothing but an exercise in capitulation, then I just might not vote during the midterms. Then again I might vote anyway, I don't know. But I assure you some New Deal Democrats won't, particularly if our objections are dismissed as nothing but 'squawking'.