Why we are card-carrying members of the Democratic Party?

[kentuck]

Poll question: Why we are card-carrying members of the Democratic Party?

[Drunken Irishman]

1. I didn't get a card. WTF?

[leftstreet]

3. I didn't either. Is it like the grocery store 'reward' cards?

Can I build up points?

[Arctic Dave]

2. I know why I'm a Democrat but I think our elected leaders do it because they like rolling over

and having their tummies rubbed by the repugs and corporate masters.

[FreakinDJ]

4. Dems = Better Paying Jobs for AMERICANS

Ever since RayGun Ronny started his "Trickle Down" - Piss On the Working Class Shit, this country has been in a down hill slide

[Ian David]

5. Other

Because even if they don't always live up to it, our party's political platform doesn't embrace ignorance, racism and failed economic policies as its goal.

[murdoch]

6. Not a card-carrying member of the Democratic Party

I can't recall ever voting for a Republican, but I am not card-carrying Democrat. I'm not a registered Democrat and thus I don't vote in Democratic primaries.

I have voted for a number of parties - Green, Working Families (which the Democratic Party in New York endorses). Nader in 2004. I think I've even voted Socialist Workers Party or Workers World Party or something. And of course, Democratic.

For me, a party that stands for something is more important than one that does anything to win an election.

From 1946 to 1981, Italy was ruled by a prime minister from one party, yet the left won more in that time period than anyone in the US did.

[Better Believe It]

7. Who has a membership card? Anyone?

[PSzymeczek]

10. My voter registration card

identifies me as a Democrat.

[Better Believe It]

19. You're a registered Democratic voter but aren't you a member of the Democratic Party?

[blindpig]

34. I got one!

Seeing as I've been accused of it so often, might as well....

[Liberation Angel]

8. so i can vote in primaries since i would never vote rethug

in my state if you are an independent you can't vote in party primaries

dems are usually better than rethugs

[doc03]

9. There are membership cards? n/t

[jberryhill]

13. Seriously, WTF?

Who is getting these cards?

[sweetloukillbot]

16. Have you never registered to vote? n/t

[dysfunctional press]

18. in illinois, we don't declare a party- we're just registered voters.

[sweetloukillbot]

22. Ah... Interesting.

Seriously I didn't know - I've always had a registration card that said Democrat (or Green for a brief time period).

[jberryhill]

26. Yeah - we get a little slip of paper that wouldn't last a week in a wallet

You got a card?

[sweetloukillbot]

30. Yeah, it's about the quality card stock of a social security card...

I don't keep it in my wallet except when voting - it'd last more than a week, but probably not more than a month or two...

[Better Believe It]

20. I'm not telling! Bet you don't know the secret Democratic Party handshake!

[dflprincess]

11. I'm beginning to wonder why myself

Once upon a time I would have immedieately picked "So we can help people AND make this a better country". And that is why I, and I'm sure, most of us here call ourselves Democracts.

The problem is, that while the party and it's candidates pay lip service to this attitude, most of them no longer try and follow through on it.

So why do we continue to call ourselves Democrats? :shrug:


Check out this commentary by John Marty (a DFL state senator and candidate for governor). He makes some great points about what's wrong with things.

Pragmatism makes bad policy

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

12. You left out "Lesser of two evils". Though even that is sometimes in question.

Fortunately, there are more than 2 options on my ballot.

[waiting for hope]

31. +1

[Robb]

33. Not exactly card-carrying, then. nt

[bigjohn16]

14. Other.

Because I have no other viable choice for now.

[Edweird]

15. Good question.

I work for a living. The Democratic Party, at one time anyway, was the party that looked out for the people that kept the country going day-to-day. Apparently things have changed. I guess since the republicans have gone flat out batshit crazy the 'New' Democrats seem to have filled in the shoes of the 'old' republicans. I find it unsettling and disheartening.

[Thickasabrick]

17. Because "I've got mine" just didn't work for us as a platform nt

[defendandprotect]

21. Because there is no other viable alternative . . ..

until other liberals/progressives decide that doing the same thing again and again

and getting the same results is insanity!

We've known for more than 40 years that corporations were buying government and

corporatism was taking control here --

[NoUsername]

29. Exactly.

The Dems take it as a given that the progressives/left will vote for them because we have no other alternative.

It's way beyond time to let them know our vote is not a "sure thing."

Then again, since the PTB control the voting machines, that process needs to be addressed first. Without election reform whereby ballots are cast on paper and those paper ballots are hand-counted, with the hand-counting being video-recorded in each and every precinct and open to view by the public, the poor and working class will never have a chance. Such is "Democracy" in the good ol' US of A.

[Historic NY]

23. Sometimes I wonder about this place.....really I do.

[Motown_Johnny]

24. so we can vote in closed primaries???? None of the reasons you listed

necessitate being registered as a Democrat

[alarimer]

25. I'm not.

And will not be again unless they can enact TRUE progressive policies and stop coddling rich fucking assholes.

It will take banning corporate campaign contributions at the very least.

[neshanic still]

27. Sometimes the scanner at Safeway accepts it for a "Clubcard Savings."

[yurbud]

28. other--to keep them from becoming the other corporate white meat

but they are trying awfully hard to get there.

[old mark]

32. Make the US a better place to live for its people, and a place people from other places still

want to come to.
Opinions are fine - voting Democratic is necessary.

It amazes me that some here seem to think that the answer to the current GOP practice of holding us all hostage to their sick program is to not vote in elections, thus ensuring more republicans in Congress or local office. Who thought up that idea?

Rec'd.

mark