Dean/Clark people - we need to keep this a "people powered" Dem Party

[kerry-is-my-prez]

where it is financed by the little people NOT by PAC's and special interests. The "little people" have taken over (look at all the money that was raised by the Dean and Clark camps). Things will never be the same - in my opinion. You can't put the Genie back in the bottle once it's come out...

IMO - whoever gets the Dem nom. we need to make ourselves known by funding him in the General Election. That is the only way to have any influence. Whoever "lines the politicians pockets" gets the influence.

In the future, however, we should carefully find an electable candidate and support them.

The little people have started to take over this country and it's scaring the bejesus out of BushCo. They're trying to imitate the Dems by starting up grass roots orgs around the country. The Repub. Party - financed by Corporations and fat cats doesn't look nearly as attractive as the Dem Party - funded by the "people" and they know it - they have a huge image problem.

[xultar]

1. I agree, we do need to keep it people powered...

the RW media's crucifiction of Dean and ban on Clark have again given us a media crowned frontrunner and Dem darling.

Don't let the media select our nominee. We need to keep the people in the Democratic party. That is what is funny Clark registered as a Democrat because he...said democrats care about people.

Though Dean is calling Clark a republican I don't hold it against him anymore. Isn't that funny. Why is that?

[Taeger]

2. Ultimate Campaign Finance Reform

$100 per person, per candidate, per organization, per election cycle.

This would be the great equalizer. Candidates would have to appeal to the masses for their money instead of to PACs and special interest groups.

[Taeger]

4. Furthermore....

Rebuttal Doctrine:
Any campaign ad would buy half as much time for a rebuttal for registered opponents. Campaign advertising would have to be made public 2 weeks before airing so that the opposition could form a rebuttal. This would end alot of the baseless lying that goes on in political advertising. Campaigns would have to focus on facts and reason instead of spin points.

[mmonk]

3. correct

[Raya]

5. Kerry is the LEAST OBLIGATED to anyone. No Big Union, Big Money, Big Edors

or big endorsements that Kerry had to depend on or do deals with
to get where he his. He depended on his "Band of Brothers," long-time supporters, and his own back-pocket.

Won't it be great to have a President who didn't have to make back-room deals!

[dogman]

10. Sarcasm, right?

Who do you really support?

[LuminousX]

13. ROFL!!!

[TexasSissy]

6. Too late for this Clark supporter. Dean has been vicious to my

candidate, even though he wasn't (and isn't) the frontrunner. There is not much in common between these two campaigns, now, to bring them together.

I will never, ever vote for Dean. I will vote for any of the other candidates, however, whether it's Sharpton or Clark or Kerry or Edwards.

[edzontar]

12. Kerry has been worse to both Clark AND Dean...

And Clark opposed the war, like Dean....so let's not lose our sense of priorities.

Clark folks' attacks on Dean in these forums were perhaps the most sustained and vicous of them all, but I am prepared to forgive and forget for the good of the country, and to stop the Dem-Lite Bush-enabler Kerry.

You should be too.

[swittersnc]

7. amen amen amen

but it can't be just about financing.
the grassroots has not been built by the democratic party. the grassroots has been built by one, perhaps two insightful candidates who see the problems with the party and how those problems have alienated so many voters.
if you want to continue making the party "people-powered," it has to start at the most fundamental levels. organize your precinct, participate in county-level party organizations. the movement that's been started is not going to be sustained unless the party is changed from the bottom up. getting a dem elected to the presidency this year is critical. but no matter who that person ends up being, if we stop there, pat ourselves on the back and sit down, the best we can possibly hope for is 8 years of control of the executive branch. but if every person on this board worked their precinct, worked their county, then the face of the party changes completely. we could start regaining seats in both houses of congress, reclaim local and state offices and institute real, lasting change.
it's not glamorous work. it's pretty thankless work. it's not fast-paced and won't get much, if any media coverage but if you're committed to real change, it's the work that has to be done.

[teevee99]

8. i'll never go back in the bottle, that's for sure.

i pissed about this country being controlled by greedy corporations, crooked lfelong washington residents and special interests.

hopefully clark or dean get the nomination, but if they don't, let's keep the meetups and merge them to keep fighting for our country.

[sandnsea]

9. Are vets and firefighters people?

Translating online organization to offline action is what the vets do. They are just as much "people powered" as any group mobilizing any other campaign. People seem to forget that Kerry had very little money, 6 months of attacks, no momentum. Just him and vets and firefighters and people power.

[dogman]

11. What has been done for them?

By voting for Bush programs and missing 72% of the votes I fail to see what he's done for them. How many of them could fall back on a 6 million dollar mortgage?