What is the goal?

I (not just me personally, but people like me) was told on another thread that "Nothing personal, but I don't like democrats like you. Always using their vote as a threat to pull away and not participate in the goal of defeating Republicans."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1940317&mesg_id=1940663

I found that statement jarring. Not that the OP didn't like me, after all I'm an abrasive sarcastic asshole, and an idiot too, so what's to like? But that the OP thinks that the goal is 'defeating Republicans'.

That isn't actually the goal. It might be a tactic toward the goal, but it isn't the goal. If you think that defeating Republicans is the goal, that indicates that your view of politics is basically that it is a sports contest. I don't blame you for that, the bullshit media system has done its best to make sure that many people are equally deluded, and certainly the duopolistic bipartisan corporate kleptocracy and war party offers little in the way of real and substantial choices. So as long as they remain in control of both institutionalized political parties, it might as well be a team sport.

The goal is to effect real and substantial changes to the current system we live in. It is a very important goal as the system we live in is destroying human civilization. This system has no future, and if we don't change it, radically change it, if we do not engage in a real political struggle to effect meaningful and substantial changes, we and our children will not have much of a future to look forward to. This isn't about which team wins.

Go Sox! A fine sentiment. Go Democrats! Not the point.

Another Repuke SCOTUS appointment will hover over them for the rest of their lives. War with Iran, which the pukes also favor, could see them bleeding in some godforsaken desert. I will vote for ANY Democrat over ANY repug for those reasons. Selfish? Fuck, yeah. But save the world on someone else's kid's watch.

I have three sons ripe for the war machine's plucking. I'll vote reluctantly for the corrupt war party clown they put on the ticket. But I will do so knowing that 1-20-09 is not going to change much of anything. You will do so eagerly anticipating changes that will keep your sons safe, and you will be let down once again.

to WIN the World, but lose his soul? :shrug:

If you don't STAND for SOMETHING, you'll FALL for ANYTHING.

EDIT: I think everybody knows that electing Democrats is not *per se* the summum bonum. Rather they're simply the best tool for a given set of ends. And yes, republicans have set the "best tool" bar rather low.

No, not everybody. In fact this post was, as I noted, a response to a particular comment that indicated quite the opposite, and to a repeated theme here on DU that basically demands team loyalty over all other considerations.