The Democrats Flirt With Self Immolation

The Democrats need to change course and right now.
As a party, they need to do this to save themselves from another humiliating defeat.
As public servants, they need to do it to save the nation and possibly the planet.

Last Saturday King County Democrats heald their Convention near Seattle.
I attended as a delagate.
With the exception of a handful of bright young people that I met, it was a depressing experience.

Here is a perfectly good party, with the machinery to push the proto facists out of Congress and ultimately bring down the KGB White House and they can’t seem to help themselves for love or money.

Without a doubt, it was the the Same old same old.

Democrats began by throwing the full backing of the party behind Republican-lites, panting after soccer moms and Nascar dads, tuning out progressives and their unhappy base.

The unapologetic pro war Senator, Maria Cantwell, theDemocrat who votes like a Republican on key issues 75% of the time hadwallpapered the hall with her posters and provided cheering minions todrown out dissatisfaction and mask silence of the the many who sat withhands folded while party loyalists mischaracterized and praised her.

Dwight Pelz the new Washington State Democratic Chairman gave us the"good news"on swing voters: gains of 3% here and 4% of Nascar dads and soccer moms.

For Heaven Sakes!

71% of voters disapprove of Bush’s job performance!
Aren't theDemocratic leaders the least bit curious about why the other 67% aren'tsupporting the Democrats?

Could it possibly be that the record of Congressional Democrats does not inspire confidence or trust?

Could it possibly be that bad advice, self interest and bad judgement have led voters to believe that both parties are rotten?

Could it be that Democrats are badly infected with beltway blindness?
That they haven't a clue what motivates voters and they don't care.

A rotating cadre of Democrats voted for some of the worst legislation ever conceived.
Legislation so bad that even the hog tied GOP rebelled.

CAFTA and the bankruptcy bill really hurt labor.
Medicare D has hurt not helped seniors.
The budget hurts everyone except the ultra rich short term.
Jobs are being shipped overseas at accelerting rates, affordable health care is a distant dream and the regressive gasoline "tax" is hurting everyone including a wide range of corporate profits.

Did they think we wouldn't notice?

Democrats disgusted women voters by supporting the radicalization of the Supreme Court. Never mind that they took our money last election so they could save the Supreme Court.

Democrats didn't lift a finger to oppose conservative corporate toady Roberts to head the Supreme Court.
The grassroots came down hard when Alito wasnominated.
Even in the face of angry protests, 18 Democrats ignored constituent anger undermined a filibuster that could have ended the Alito nomination.

Progressives and the Netroots, who tend to be the best-informed and most politically active voters, are in open rebellion.

If the Democrats aren’t swelling their ranks with disgusted, duped voters and activating non-voters during a GOP meltdown, they are definitely heading in the wrong direction.
Sadly that seems to be the case.

If the Democratic base isn’t clinging to them like a lifejacket on the Titantic, they should be sounding the alarm.
It appears the leadership is counting on voters having no choice.
Voters always have a choice. They can become non-voters.


If 50% of the GOP aren’t voting Democratic, the Democrats should be asking why not. With America broke, losing a war and listing toward fascism under the worst leadership in its history the leadership should be concerned that Demomcrats are not picking up more support.

A sample of recent headlines is instructive.

Democrats in the California State Legislature may block articles of impeachment?
That’s right folks, the Democrats.
Democrats seems to be buying the GOP fairy story about impeachment boosting Bush’s ratings.
An investigation of the sins, lies and crimes of the Bush administration with daily press coverage is certain to boost those sagging approval ratings, NOT.

Leading Democrat supports Hayden nomination.
GOP shill Senator Feingold is willing to help the GOP put a stake in the heart of the CIA by endorsing the creepy General Hayden, the author of illegal spying at NSA and probable criminal as well as a fan and friend of corrupt war contractor MZM.
The CIA is a civilian organization and it is unorthodox to put a military man in charge.

Democrats ask Kenneth Blackwell to withdraw from Governor's race.
In Ohio 2004, when Democrats walked away from the rigged election that would have madeTony Soprano blush, one of the key players Kenneth Blackwell was rewarded by party support for his candidacy for Governor.
As the election "irregulaties" are beginning to creep out the woodwork, Democrats rightly asked their author to drop out of the race .
Blackwell is doing his best imitation of Bush and thumbing hisnose at ethics and the the rule of law. Democrats are doing exactly what about this? Investigating? Suing?Nope. Begging.

Voters want their country back.
They don't want weak willed accomodationists running a Democratic corporatist machine.

Voters want to be the deciders.
They don't want the military industrialist machine running the country through the Democratic party instead of the GOP.

If the Democrats want to win in November they are going to have to make voters believe they represent CHANGE.
The pale-imitation-of-a-right-wing-extremist-thing didn't work, doesn't work and will not work.

Democrats are going to have to demonstrate to voters that they are going to end illegal wars, drain the swamp, impeach and prosecute the H--- out of the smug felons, Iran Contra creeps and crony ne'er do wells that populate the Bush administration.

If they don't change course 180% pronto, voters will stay home. Low voter turnout favors the GOP.

If elections are close, it makes it much easier for the GOP hackers, corrupt GOP election officials, smarmy GOP political operatives and a complicit media, that the Democrats pretend doesn't exist, to rig and sell another stolen election.

CarolDW