Dancing with the Devil that Brought Us

While researching some facts I previously posted in 2004 to buttress an argument another DU'er was making, I found the thread but discovered myself absorbed by other information contained therein. As I read those thoughts of 2004, I was overwhelmed with one salient thought -- it's so amazing in our Democratic process how we spot the plays of those who attempt to thwart the preferences of the Democratic base for a candidate or a position on an issue, yet we fail to adequately meet the opposition and quash it. The consequence of this failure is that four years later when we cycle once again through the same maneuvers launched by those politically opposed to us, we face those same plays and utter not a comment on the familiarity of the replicated pattern.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Samantha/2
Sat Jan 17th 2004, 11:05 PM

If you do not have the time to review the thread, here are some egregious points:

* * *

"This thread is intended to be a thought-provoking question about who runs our party, develops our strategy and manipulates the results. Once you have arrived at your answer, think further about these questions: how much does the collective preference of the Democratic base count as opposed to the will of those who control this party; and, if you are idealistic enough to think the sheer will of the Democratic voters determines our candidate, are the following points mere coincidence?"

* * *

" ... A public split has occurred between our former candidate, and actual winner of the popular vote, Al Gore, and the Democratic Leadership Conference. The latter is a Democratic think tank gently moving the party to the right for some time now. The DLC encouraged its membership to speak out against a Gore run in 2004, thus discouraging a candidate who previously garnered 74 percent support among Dems, to not run. "

* * *

"The Clinton element of the party (Hillary in 2008), the media, Republican shenanigans, conservative Democratic elite -- these all comprise components of Stop Dean. These are the same elements that contributed to eliminating Gore, who some argue had the best shot at taking out Bush*, having done it once before. Eliminate Gore, eliminate Dean, keep eliminating until we get the one WE want. "

* * *

"Is all of your political passion focused on your candidate of preference, or do you ever stop to wonder: do we have some of that same Rehnquist mentality within our own party, the mentality that dictates we the people are just too stupid to make this all-important decision so the elite among us must do it for us?"

(End of quotes)

For a note of background, the thread I was previously reading happened to be commenting on Harold Ford's remarks pertaining to not dwelling on the past with regard to Iraq, simply focus on the future. But if we take this message to heart from my fellow Tennessean and salient DLC supporter, do we not make that same mistake about which historians warn us? Paraphrasing their words, those who do not study the mistakes of our history are doomed to repeat them.

Perhaps we simply suffer from political attention deficit disorder.

So what have we learned in the last four years? In my opinion, the DLC contributed to the Stop Dean effort of 2004, it unashamedly contributed to publicly asking Al Gore not to jump into the race, it continues TODAY to ridicule those progressive candidates promulgated by progressive DemocraticUnderground participants, for instance, Kucinich, for the benefit of those who unquestionably have held a grip on its political direction over the last number of years. In an effort to coax those reading this thread not to engage in a flame war over a specific political figure, I will name no names but I believe many of you can discern for yourself who those prominent figures are. The question I prefer you to answer is this: if you find yourself sinking into a quagmire of apathy toward the direction our Democratic party is going, if you find yourself disappointed over the positions championed by the apparent front-runners, as an example, his or her positions on the threat to preeminently attack Iran, what responsibility do you and I play in this propagation of political business-as-usual when we failed in the past to deflect these maneuvers and seem to be gaining no ground today in thwarting the same shenanigans? Are we so immersed in our own political preferences, candidates and issues, that we cannot lift our heads to see beyond our political tunnel vision to grasp what is happening to our process?

Why do we continue to dance with the Devil that brought us to this pathetic position we find ourselves in now instead of cooperating to exorcise that darkness from within our core?

The question is merely a prompt for one to think about this dilemma. Could that failure to be more introspective about the cause of our condition be the root for our inability to cooperate with each other for the benefit of the collective Democratic good?

I personally believe that might be it. Stop Dean, Stop Gore, Stop Edwards, stop or perhaps even stomp anyone within the party who does not fall in line and vote for the candidate the corporatists among our leaders propel to the front of the line.

I personally do not plan to dance with the Devil during 2008 because I cannot reconcile with my political conscience stepping up to the ballot and voting for positions I totally do not sanction.

And when the music stops, do we simply ask ourselves how did we get here in the first place? Or do we take a closer look at ourselves and attempt to discern what we must do to cease bogeying with the Boogie Men and Women who snap their political whips at our feet?

If you read the statistic that 72% of the American people are "in a funk" you know why I posted this thread. I think apathy is a virus that is spreading among many Americans previously engaged in the politics of this government who are now lethargic about the choices we have and the issues our candidates are assuming.

It's meant to address the division among those of us who constantly patronize this site who cannot seem to find common ground. I hope this thread will start us analyzing why this is and how we arrived here.

Well worth the read.

their thoughts on the subject. I think it would be very therapeutic. We need some healing and some unity.

"Second verse, same as the first.
Should be getting better, but its still getting worse."---anon


Excellent post.
K&R

"Second verse, same as the first" -- That's my point exactly. As I started to do my research mentioned in the first paragraph of this thread, I was so struck by the similarities between what happened during that election time frame, and what is happening now. And the words you have quoted summarize that thought precisely.

Do you have any suggestions as to how we break out -- or should I say -- break away from this rut? And thank you for your response! I wish more DU'ers would give this problem some thought and some response.

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results.

Liberal-baiters would do well to consider shutting the fuck up.

saying America is run from the top down by the elite. I guess he and I as well as you are in total agreement. Thank you for your response. Hopefully, we will get a few more.

This is particularly meaningful considering what we are watching in the primary process before a vote is ever cast.

It's also the reason I have stubbornly dug in my heels and refused to be marched towards the pre-chosen candidates.

the party elite puts in front of us after "eliminating" those we truly prefer. Whenever this touchy subject arises on this site, there are always a host of people who play the guilt card on participants who state they will abstain from voting by implying to do so is to in effect cast a vote for the opposition. Omitted in that accusation is the fact that many voters on the other side seem to be planning to do exactly that same thing for the same reason. How many times have we heard the Republicans are so dissatisfied with their choices, they are constantly casting their net out for a better candidate, even at this late date?

And I personally believe that is why so many DU'ers feel desperate to coax Al Gore to enter this race, because he has such a similar outlook on the issues that in no way comports with many in the field now. And I also believe that the combined dissatisfaction on both sides of the political aisle is the precise reason we see such low voter turnout on election day. Both Republicans and Democrats do not feel comfortable voting for candidates whose positions they do not condone; and they know to continue to do so will only encourage the party elite to make this important selection for us -- that being who shall we run -- counting on the fact that like sheep, we will "fall in line" and vote for that person rather than contributing to a party loss. How many times will the conformists among us continue to do exactly this, not recognizing that by doing so, we compound the problem within the party rather than protest by not supporting the elite's choice?

Any thoughts on this? And thank you for your response.

I hope you will read my thread posted earlier at a very bad time and share any thoughts you might have on the subject.

Sam