Reply #87: Thank you Skinner for this…. but…. [View All]

Skinner, you’ve hit the nail on the head in describing what the party nomination system should do, and what it should mean to be a party loyalist.

But not everyone out here who supports Dem candidates is a Dem party member. I’m not a party loyalist, and never have been. Reading this from the perspective of a progressive independent, you’ve described exactly why i WON’T become a Democratic party member. I’m not going to commit my vote to any candidate based on their party affiliation, or their campaign platform, or my cash to a party for ambiguous uses. I can and should have the liberty to place my vote for the candidate whom I best feel will represent my views - and that may be a choice that is independent of the party, or what a candidate may SAY in a campaign. I feel that it is important that I be free of the obligation to vote for a candidate who SAYS one thing when campaigning but DOES otherwise as an elected representative (am thinking of examples of DINOs here).

I’m not one who is wedded to this American illusion of a two-party system. When the system has evolved to where the two parties are Corporate Plutocrat and Corp. Plutocrat Lite, is often appears that voting for either party’s candidate is a wash. What difference will it make, esp. when the CP Lites don’t attempt to provide any meaningful opposition to hardly ANYTHING that the majority Plutocrats do? (For instance, exactly how many filibusters have the CP Lites attempted during the 5+ years of this administration? It HAS to be less than 5! Amazingly obedient little lap dogs, aren’t they?)

With conformance like that by the minority party, I have no regret at all about “wasting my vote” on a progressive third party candidate when the Democrat has proven that he/she isn’t interested in providing me with progressive representation, except for posturing during the campaign season. With more support of a progressive third party, it is true that we may concede the majority to the CPlutocrats yet again, as ugly as that is. But electing CP Lites may not give us the representation that I feel we should have (esp when they are DINO lap dogs); what difference does it make whether my rep is a CPlutocrat, or a CPLite? None, really! Perhaps by supporting a true progressive, the future outcome will be favorable: the minority party could eventually get the message that they’ve been too cooperative with the majority, or perhaps it will help further a groundswell of support for a truly progressive political party. I’ll keep dreaming the latter, because I’m not sold on this two-party system – we need MEANINGFUL choices, and if supporting a third party is a way we might get them, so be it, I'm with them.

Maybe this all means I should not be posting on DU, but regardless of affiliation (or lack thereof), this site has excellent opinion writers and information links, and it helps me stay informed.

Peace.

P.S. By the way Sir, you should be careful not to say “I know we have lots of bomb-throwers on my website…” I know what you meant, but the wackos will eagerly take it out of context. Recommend editing to “I know we have lots of verbal bomb-throwers…” or “verbal assaults”, or something similar. Wouldn’t want anyone accusing you of sheltering terra…. you know, them bad guys.