If You’re a “Liberal” or “Progressive,” Here’s a Must-Read
December 7, 2009 at 2:46 PM 2 comments
Anyone who says he or she cares about the working class in this country should have walked out on the Democratic Party in 1994 with the passage of NAFTA. And it has only been downhill since. If welfare reform, the 1999 Financial Services Modernization Act, which gutted the 1933 Glass-Steagall Act—designed to prevent the kind of banking crisis we are now undergoing—and the craven decision by the Democratic Congress to continue to fund and expand our imperial wars were not enough to make you revolt, how about the refusal to restore habeas corpus, end torture in our offshore penal colonies, abolish George W. Bush’s secrecy laws or halt the warrantless wiretapping and monitoring of American citizens? The imperial projects and the corporate state have not altered under Obama. The state kills as ruthlessly and indiscriminately in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan as it did under Bush. It steals from the U.S. treasury as rapaciously to enrich the corporate elite. It, too, bows before the conservative Israel lobby, refuses to enact serious environmental or health care reform, regulate Wall Street, end our relationship with private mercenary contractors or stop handing obscene sums of money, some $1 trillion a year, to the military and arms industry. At what point do we stop being a doormat? At what point do we fight back? We may lose if we step outside the mainstream, but at least we will salvage our self-esteem and integrity.
Entry filed under: Democrats, Including Blue Dogs & "Liberals". Tags: .
1.
ChrisH | December 8, 2009 at 12:17 AM
I struggle with this. I’m no longer a “proud Democrat” and about 300 times a year I say to myself that I’m voting third party next time if they don’t get it together, but the thought of handing any high office to Republicans always keeps me in line. I’m not pleased, and there aren’t many bright lines between the two parties anymore (I blame weak Dems for moving right), but there is still a better ideology imho, and better policies enacted by Dems. Just not nearly enough. I;m still saying “wait and see, give it more time” with the Obama administration, but I am not nearly as happy or relieved as I thought I’d be by now,
2.
PMC | December 8, 2009 at 12:53 PM
Never vote third party…
People, by nature can only choose between two things and in politics that is what the primarys are for. I don’t care what party those two candidates are from DEM, REP, IND, GREEN, etc…I just want there to be two choices in the end.
If we ever wind up with 3 strong parties, this country will implode. You could theoretically wind up with a President, Senator, Congressman, etc with only 34% popular vote.
The reality is, in most cases, no one individual in the government can do much of anything, including the president. Beyond that, anyone looking towards the government for answers or to make their lives better is a complete idiot.