Why I will most likely leave DU after the election

[bluestateguy]

I have been thinking over the last few months about my role and DU's role after the election, no matter what the outcome.

I have enjoyed the time I have spent here for almost two years, and I have learned a lot about politics and government from other posters as well as from alternative, non-corporate sources of media. This is a great place to be for someone who is feeling politically lonely.

But I don't think that it's likely I will be happy here after the election, based on some early indications of what I have been seeing. If John Kerry wins, I'm sure that there will be a short period of euphoria and celebration on DU, but that it will eventually give way to the sober realization that now it's time to govern and that the Republicans aren't going to just go away. Furthermore, I suspect that many people here are not going to cut Kerry very much slack as it concerns the war in Iraq. While I hope to see a complete withdrawl as soon as possible, cleaning up George W. Bush's mess could be a long and complicated process, and Kerry may not be able to just pull the troops out lock, stock and barrell. My position is that no matter who is president next year, this will always be George W. Bush's war, for which he must always bear full responsibility. I really won't have the stomach for attacks on Kerry from inpatient people who will be all too eager to transfer blame from the war from Bush to Kerry. Sorry, but this campaign is taking a real toll on my mental state, and I just won't be able to deal with the carping from the peanut gallery if there is a Kerry Administration, at least not for a year or two.

Which brings me to my next point. What if Kerry loses? Then I am even more certain to leave. If Kerry loses, I see Kerry being absolutely villified here at DU. Few DUers picked him as their first choice in the primaries. I see a long period of recriminations and "I told you so's" from supporters of other primary candidates. I have seen posts here in recent days, which I will not link, implying that some DUers are setting up to do just that on November 3rd. I just won't want to be a part of that, and I won't want to have to navigate my way through the many flame threads on the subject. For one reason, I will just be too upset. If Kerry loses, I'm going to take a break from contemporary politics for a year or two. That has nothing to do with DU, but I will just need some time away from politics before the next election. I have never been stressed out by an election, but I'm feeling it now, and it's only August. If this country elects former Governor Bush, then well, they just get what they deserve, and there's not much I can do about it until the next election. This nation will be in bad shape, and I will just need some time to regain my composure and confidence in the political system again.

[jpgray]

1. Take a break. DU will be here when you want to come back.

If you have a lot invested in Kerry's campaign emotionally, it may be rough for you here if he loses. But I wouldn't have enjoyed seeing everyone who support Dean, Clark or Kucinich bail when their candidate lost. If all those whose primary guy/gal lost left, DU would consist of about twelve people.

[bigwillq]

2. There were only 12 people who supported Kerry

in the primaries here at DU?

Wow, where did you get those facts?
Faux News?:crazy: :silly: :P

[jpgray]

4. Among frequent posters, during the Dean Clark supremacy, it was about 12

In the polls here he usually made thirty to forty, but it was Dean, Clark and Kucinich all the way as I remember.

[bigwillq]

5. My last post was only a joke

But I hear what you mean

Dean, Clark and Kucinich always seemed to have the most supporters here.

Props to the original Kerry supporters!

[jonnyblitz]

9. there weren't all that many. n/t

[Feanorcurufinwe]

17. Kerry supporter roll call thread from last September, fyi

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=360991

[jonnyblitz]

21. they were quiet then..

seems like there were more supporters of other candidates...

[Feanorcurufinwe]

22. We were definitely outnumbered on DU. It was exhausting.

[jonnyblitz]

23. i bet

I also noticed kerry supporters seemed to be the least confrontational..either that or I was too caught up in the Dean vs Clark supporters stuff and was oblivious.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

27. well

I probably made up for a few non-confrontational posters, I think I made some lifetime enemies, at least they show no signs of forgiving me yet...

[DebJ]

3. Either way Nov 2, goes, I will be working on the State Forum

for the next three years to KICK OUT RICK SANTORUM.

We have a meeting in York on 9/27 where a woman who is possibly a Democratic candidate against Santorum will be speaking.

It will take all of three years to roust his homophobic fear driving butt out of the Senate, and I can't wait to start.

I hope that the State Forum for Pennsylvania will hook me up with like-minded people and we can all work together to screen candidates, to learn as much about Santorum as we have learned about Bush, and to kick these jackasses out of Congress.

Kerry can't do it alone.
By the way, I am a Deniac, but above all, I am a liberal and a Democrat. I'm sick of people ruining MY country and I'm going to devote as much time as I can for the rest of my life from city politics on up to TAKING BACK MY COUNTRY. MY COUNTRY. A COUNTRY BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE.

I am going to everything I can to energize our city's lost and uniformed population. Hell, everyone seems to be losing their jobs, maybe I can give them something to do with their time!

DU can serve some great purposes other than venting. It's a magnificent source of information. Ask a question, and Poof! someone has a website. It's a miracle.

I want to strengthen that. So far, I only see one other York person listed in the state forum. I want to expand that.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

8. We can hope he gets arrested on the NJ turnpike, in the

rest area men's room with a little boy. that would do it, I think.

[DebJ]

15. But then, wouldn't an illegitimate child be a result of such

a homophobic union??

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

6. Um. Ok.

[BlackVelvetElvis]

7. We have nearly 50,000 members

I might not agree with some of them but that doesn't change what a great place this is to say what we think. I've learned alot from this site and I wouldn't dream of leaving if I disagreed with someone. That's life-you'll never agree 100% with that many people.
I'd make use of the ignore button if I was bothered. You don't have to take part in any thread that you don't want to. That's the reality.

[Rowdyboy]

10. If Bush wins, I'll take a break....

Check the lounge and meeting room occasionally, but a news boycott for a couple of years. Did the same thing in 1980, and in 2000.

In 2000, we stopped watching the news after the selection, and started watching "Clueless". It was an excellent decision.

[jpgray]

11. How could you tell the difference? (nt)

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

13. I did the same thing.

Well, except for the "Clueless" part. I was so disgusted by Christmas of 2000 that I stopped watching TV altogether. Wouldn't read any newspaper articles about him.

Ug. I don't even want to wrap my mind around it happening again.

[Rowdyboy]

16. We never knew about how horrible the Inaugural was, eggs pelting

the limo and the crowds until we saw F911. It was brand new to me and my partner. We simply refused to watch any news for a couple of years.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

18. Yep us too

but from what I understand, even people paying attention at the time didn't know much about that.

Damn media again?

[Race4Peace]

20. if busch wins, I'll be up there with everybody, but we're gonna use

ostrich eggs instead.

[Murky Waters]

12. Good luck

I have gotten to the point that I almost never post any comments on political boards at all. I just end up pissing some one or another off and a petty fight breaks out.

It is easy to quit making posts, but I'll be damned if I have been able to quit reading. I will go one or two days fine, then the next thing you know, I am back to tracking the news cycles at 4 in the morning. Hitting refresh on a thread with 85 responses. It is sick. Hovering in anticipation over some potential breaking news about this or that. Hoping and hoping. Feeling set up like a bowling pin, time and again.

But THEN:

Nothing's impossible, I have found.
For when my chin is on the ground,
I pick myself up, dust myself off,
Start all over again.

Don't lose your confidence if you slip.
Be grateful for a pleasant trip,
And pick yourself up; dust yourself off;
Start all over again.

Work like a soul inspired
'Til the battle of the day is won.
You may be sick and tired,
But you'll be a man, my son.

Will you remember the famous men
Who had to fall to rise again.
So take a deep breath;
Pick yourself up;
Dust yourself off;
Start all over again.

[jarab]

14. Seems like genuine pain...

My unsolicited advice would be to tune out for awhile. Don't watch any of the convention.... NONE (the visuals are too strong). Read ONE good newspaper.... much less stressful.
Tune out for your own preservation. This strategy has gotten me through this first convention day..... and I feel fine.

...O...

[barb162]

24. I am doing the same as you

and I am purposely staying in the Lounge so I don't have to even read about the RNC. This whole week will be bad for me as I am a news and political freak and I just can't watch a bunch of idiots praising the big idiot.

This is very hard on everyone who loves this country and wants to see it be a better country. Taking a break is very good advice.

[UTUSN]

19. You Left Out, If JK ----WINS---He Will Be Villified HERE, But

we Dems NEED and ALWAYS HAVE stayed. I hope you will, too.

[rasputin1952]

25. I've spent a lifetime fighting against the likes of this administration...

and I will always be there to fight the good fight. Yes, it wears you down, and beats you up, but who else will do it? We here, right now, are the future of this nation. I know that sounds a little sanctimonious, but think of this for a moment; we are not the only progressive sight out there, in the end, we will all come together and beat the machine that is destroying our country. We progressives have no other option.

Who would fight for the homeless and hungry? Who would stand up to the powers that be? Who would try to ensure that every child that is able and willing to get basic childhood immunizations, would get them?

Who will protect our forests and wild lands? Who will protect our oceans and air?Who will be there to pick up the pieces and put this nation back on track.....We will; we always will.

If there was ever an important election in this nation, this is it. Four years of a lame-duck bush on a rampage will obliterate everything this nation has stood for. We would plummet into some kind of weird fiefdom, where the exceptionally wealthy own everything, and the rest of us merely serve them. Teddy Roosevelt saw this at the turn of the century, he took on the challenge, and beat the beasts back into the darkness. Sure, they have popped their little weasel heads out every once in a while, but now they are so arrogant and brazen, they are destroying our nation before our very eyes, and the populace accepts this. Except us, and those who think like us.

So we have to stand, there are no alternatives. We must raise our voices to the new administration, (Kerry :) ), and ensure that they do what is right for the country. I can think of others I'd rather see in Kerry's place right now, but he is the the one who was chosen by the delegates, and the states, so he is the one we should look to. We will be there to help w/the change, and I believe many of the presidential dictates and fiats will be rescinded.

So take a breather, the fight will outlast us, but we must teach those that come after us, that the only way to beat these people, is to stand up to them, and face them down with truth and dignity...:)

[fishnfla]

26. i understand your feelings, bsg

i have heard the rumblings of those who did not support Kerry in the primaries, but dont forget alot of people were just ABB and out of the fray...
also, dont forget DU is not the universe. As Mr Pitt has pointed out, anonymous people posting anonymous thoughts, please take with several grains of salt
Lastly, who will be here to lead the World Series boycott when the A's dont make it?