Revitalizing The Democratic Party

brianlux

So much of the focus on AMT these days is on Trump and the Republican Party-- and for good reason!--  but I also think it would be helpful to talk more about the Democratic party and how to revitalize that party. 

As I see it, here's what it all boils down to these days:

-Trump has made a mockery of the presidency and a joke out of his party- at least those who continue to follow him.

-As a result, a lot of people are prediction a big blue wave in the next election cycle. 

-If this blue wave does not occur, a lot of people believe (and I think for good reason) we will be up something worse than shit creek.

-To make the blue wave happen and be successful, lasting, meaningful and truly progressive in the best sense of the word, the democratic party needs good, solid leadership and candidates worthy of our support.

I've been critical of the democratic party in these pages plenty of time, and I believe justifiably so, but what we've seen become of the Republican party has amounted a constituency willing to support a good number of elected officials who are often widely described as racist, homophobic, xenophobic, misogynist, jingoistic, thugs, Bible thumpers who have little or no moral or spiritual character, or any combination of those traits. 

I'm more of a Green Party kind of guy myself and I hope we see more Green Party elected officials in the future but right now, flawed though many Democratic politicians may be, we need to make the blue wave a reality and give the Republican party a big  time out and hope they get their collective asses back on track by making an effort  to give a damn about the planet that sustains them and learn to be more respectful of their fellow humans (and if you question that last statement, tell me how so  many people can support the recent kidnapping and trafficking of children of people trying to seek refuge from South America?).  And yes, I would like to see the Republican Party eventually emerge as a body that truly wants to end injustice, favors peace, strives to end hatred, reverse ecological collapse and the dying of the oceans and so forth, but that day is a long, long way off.

So, I would like to suggest we start talking about the democratic candidates we believe show the greatest interested in things like taking better care of the planet that sustains us, working to end racism, demanding equal pay for women, focusing more on peace than on war, challenging and working to reduce sexism, homophobia, xenophobia and so forth- in other words, true progressives. 

Who are they, how can we support them, what should we do to encourage them to represent us well and fairly? 

mickeyrat

I'd prefer both the current parties be blown up and added to the ash bin of history.

we need greater willingness to back ideas that benefit the american people as a whole,  not your fucking party. Centrists. Pragmatists. Realists. Show me those people.

Meltdown99

After Trump ... the bigger will be how to fix your democracy...

vaggar99

Thanks for creating this thread.  We got Beto O'Rourke here in TX running against Ted Cruz for Senate.  seems like a long shot though...

josevolution

It’s all about who to trust both parties are corrupt and not trustworthy , it will be up to the voters to start voting for candidates that really care about this nation and not a figurehead who just wants to amass a fortune on our backs !

brianlux

I totally agree that there is corruption in both parties and that we would do well to move on from outdated systems that continue to feed the wealthiest, destroy the environment, and are self-serving.  And I could be wrong, but I think the first step to moving in a better direction is to reverse the stronghold of the Republican party that predominantly elects people who don't believe in climate change, who steel children from their parents, who want to build wall (with no regard for species migration or humanity), who are racist, etc.

vaggar99 said:

Thanks for creating this thread.  We got Beto O'Rourke here in TX running against Ted Cruz for Senate.  seems like a long shot though...

I hope your long shot pulls it off somehow!

We have our won long shot going here in El Dorado county for our state representative.  We've had highly conservative Tom McClintock in our district for a long time with little chance of being voted out but there is some hope here that Jessica Morse may prove to be a strong contender. McClintock has ties to Trump, and has money funneling in that way but Morse is doing well also.  One of the statements she made that I like is, “First and foremost, I’m a public servant and he’s [McClintock] a politician,”

Morse is a long shot but so was Trump.  We need to work hard to make this happen.

brianlux

What about Joe Kennedy III?  Seems like a good guy from what I've read. 

josevolution

brianlux said:

What about Joe Kennedy III?  Seems like a good guy from what I've read. 

I’ve wondered about him just don’t know enough about him I’m not sure the Kennedy name is looked at the same way it once was ..

brianlux

josevolution said:

brianlux said:

What about Joe Kennedy III?  Seems like a good guy from what I've read. 

I’ve wondered about him just don’t know enough about him I’m not sure the Kennedy name is looked at the same way it once was ..

I wondered about that too.  Just the little I've read seems good though.  He was in the peace corps, friends say he cares about people.  Seems very smart.  Might be someone worth watching, see how it goes.

Meltdown99

Do you really want another Kennedy running for president?  

josevolution

Meltdown99 said:

Do you really want another Kennedy running for president?  

If he’s qualified I don’t see why not but like I stated the Kennedy name could be the issue as evident by your response..

Meltdown99

josevolution said:

Meltdown99 said:

Do you really want another Kennedy running for president?  

If he’s qualified I don’t see why not but like I stated the Kennedy name could be the issue as evident by your response..

They just seem kind of cursed when they become president or run for president...

josevolution

Meltdown99 said:

josevolution said:

Meltdown99 said:

Do you really want another Kennedy running for president?  

If he’s qualified I don’t see why not but like I stated the Kennedy name could be the issue as evident by your response..

They just seem kind of cursed when they become president or run for president...

There’s a lot of truth to this ^^^ he might even believe it himself...

Meltdown99

But you never, maybe this Kennedy will go for it.  I would think in a country of 330+ million finding good candidates wouldn't be so difficult...

what dreams

Jennifer Wexton in Virginia 10 is set to defeat Barbara Comstock for her House seat. Comstock is the epitome of the Republican party's anti-American values.



I just visited the Virginia Democratic party's website to review for my response here -- hahaha -- and the first seven words of the Welcome message stood out to me -- "The Democratic Party of Virginia is united . . . "  I think that's the key. I've been involved in local party activity for most of my adult life, and I've participated in the transformation of Virginia from red to blue. Sure, some of it comes from a  demographic change, but it also comes from people just working their asses off to get out the vote. In all the meetings and encounters I've had with volunteers and paid staff, I've never been involved in one squabble about which candidates are more progressive, or discussion about party corruption, or who has sold out, etc.  The people on the ground are concentrated on WINNING, we show up where we are needed and can do good, and then we go home to our families and regular lives.

I truly believe that the vast majority of Virginians and Americans believe in what Democrats stand for -- economic justice AND economic growth, civil rights for all, care for the environment, etc. -- but they haven't been motivated to vote because of all the mistrust that gets sown over allegations of a corrupt system (some founded, but not all). I totally understand people's disaffection for parties, but I'd like to suggest here that some of the despair (blanket statements like "They're ALL corrupt, blow up the parties" for example) just suppresses the vote. We need to encourage people to overcome their despair and get involved. The people who actually work on the ground are normal folk who understand that there is a difference in what the two parties stand for, and they want to be on the morally correct side.

Look, we are living with the consequences of a president whose goal as a candidate was to blow up the party system. It's not really working out for us as a nation, I think we can all agree. We just need to be careful with our despair, is all I'm saying.

Have a good day, everyone! It's gorgeous here in Virginia.

brianlux

what dreams said:

Jennifer Wexton in Virginia 10 is set to defeat Barbara Comstock for her House seat. Comstock is the epitome of the Republican party's anti-American values.



I just visited the Virginia Democratic party's website to review for my response here -- hahaha -- and the first seven words of the Welcome message stood out to me -- "The Democratic Party of Virginia is united . . . "  I think that's the key. I've been involved in local party activity for most of my adult life, and I've participated in the transformation of Virginia from red to blue. Sure, some of it comes from a  demographic change, but it also comes from people just working their asses off to get out the vote. In all the meetings and encounters I've had with volunteers and paid staff, I've never been involved in one squabble about which candidates are more progressive, or discussion about party corruption, or who has sold out, etc.  The people on the ground are concentrated on WINNING, we show up where we are needed and can do good, and then we go home to our families and regular lives.

I truly believe that the vast majority of Virginians and Americans believe in what Democrats stand for -- economic justice AND economic growth, civil rights for all, care for the environment, etc. -- but they haven't been motivated to vote because of all the mistrust that gets sown over allegations of a corrupt system (some founded, but not all). I totally understand people's disaffection for parties, but I'd like to suggest here that some of the despair (blanket statements like "They're ALL corrupt, blow up the parties" for example) just suppresses the vote. We need to encourage people to overcome their despair and get involved. The people who actually work on the ground are normal folk who understand that there is a difference in what the two parties stand for, and they want to be on the morally correct side.

Look, we are living with the consequences of a president whose goal as a candidate was to blow up the party system. It's not really working out for us as a nation, I think we can all agree. We just need to be careful with our despair, is all I'm saying.

Have a good day, everyone! It's gorgeous here in Virginia.

Great post, Dreams, thanks! 

And yes, Virginia is beautiful!

what dreams

I'm really encouraged by all the young women running across the nation. Women get shit done.

tempo_n_groove

Here is something to read and to think about.

Either the republican party as a whole has lost it's way or this guy is really democratically biased.

I say a wee bit of both.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2018/07/18/james-comey-warns-americans-vote-democrats-midterms/795780002/

josevolution

Meltdown99 said:

But you never, maybe this Kennedy will go for it.  I would think in a country of 330+ million finding good candidates wouldn't be so difficult...

Did you already forget 2016 lol ...

Meltdown99

josevolution said:

Meltdown99 said:

But you never, maybe this Kennedy will go for it.  I would think in a country of 330+ million finding good candidates wouldn't be so difficult...

Did you already forget 2016 lol ...

absolutely not...

josevolution

Meltdown99 said:

josevolution said:

Meltdown99 said:

But you never, maybe this Kennedy will go for it.  I would think in a country of 330+ million finding good candidates wouldn't be so difficult...

Did you already forget 2016 lol ...

absolutely not...

if 2016 is an indication of what this country has to offer to lead us i'd say we have to do better next time but you never know as it stands most people believe baffoon will get another term ....

cincybearcat

I’m amazed at the failure of the Democratic Party to develop a bench. Their bench is awful and needs an upgrade. I’m hoping they do cause while I dislike much of the platform, I’m disliking it less than my other alternatives.

brianlux

cincybearcat said:

I’m amazed at the failure of the Democratic Party to develop a bench. Their bench is awful and needs an upgrade. I’m hoping they do cause while I dislike much of the platform, I’m disliking it less than my other alternatives.

Well put, Cincy.  Dems need to get something going with stronger candidates. people with drive and quality of character.  There's definitely a lack that way at the moment. 

what dreams

To suggest the candidates are not strong is a bit premature given that there are no actual candidates. People are obviously waiting until after the mid-term to announce their intentions, and I'm willing to be patient and wait for announcements before I cast judgment.  I'm also willing to give anyone who decides to run a fair shake. I think people in general have unrealistic expectations about presidential candidates, based partly on these mythic notions of what "great presidents" are supposed to be like. I read in some article recently that people forget Abraham Lincoln was a "career politician." 

Edit to add: I just hope upon hope that the media landscape changes dramatically when things gear up. It was a complete shit show last time around, and I don't think I can take that again. 

PJ_Soul

josevolution said:

Meltdown99 said:

josevolution said:

Meltdown99 said:

But you never, maybe this Kennedy will go for it.  I would think in a country of 330+ million finding good candidates wouldn't be so difficult...

Did you already forget 2016 lol ...

absolutely not...

if 2016 is an indication of what this country has to offer to lead us i'd say we have to do better next time but you never know as it stands most people believe baffoon will get another term ....

It has nothing to do with America having more than enough people who would be great candidates. It's 100% about the fact that the American government, from local to federal, has already been systemically infested with corruption and power and money, so all the people who would be great candidates are necessarily also people who would never be able to make it past a first ballot while still avoiding the infestation. When you play clean, it's impossible to thrive in a dirty game, and any intelligent person who would be truly good for the people knows this, and therefore never even enters politics in the first place 999 times out of 1000. And the chances for that 1 to make it to a point where they would have any impact are even lower. It's like throwing a dolphin into a tank full of killer sharks.

brianlux

PJ_Soul said:

josevolution said:

Meltdown99 said:

josevolution said:

Meltdown99 said:

But you never, maybe this Kennedy will go for it.  I would think in a country of 330+ million finding good candidates wouldn't be so difficult...

Did you already forget 2016 lol ...

absolutely not...

if 2016 is an indication of what this country has to offer to lead us i'd say we have to do better next time but you never know as it stands most people believe baffoon will get another term ....

It has nothing to do with America having more than enough people who would be great candidates. It's 100% about the fact that the American government, from local to federal, has already been systemically infested with corruption and power and money, so all the people who would be great candidates are necessarily also people who would never be able to make it past a first ballot while still avoiding the infestation. When you play clean, it's impossible to thrive in a dirty game, and any intelligent person who would be truly good for the people know this, and therefore never even enter politics in the first place 999 times out of 1000. And the chances for that 1 to make it to a point where they would have any impact has even lower chances. It's like throwing a dolphin into a tank full of killer sharks.

This is a REALLY good point.  Politics is a rich persons game for rich people.  The best we can hope for is that some of these wealthy people who enter politics also have a social and environmental consciousness, and I think some do- at least I hope so.  When such a person is noticed, we need to spread the word!

tempo_n_groove

PJ_Soul said:

josevolution said:

Meltdown99 said:

josevolution said:

Meltdown99 said:

But you never, maybe this Kennedy will go for it.  I would think in a country of 330+ million finding good candidates wouldn't be so difficult...

Did you already forget 2016 lol ...

absolutely not...

if 2016 is an indication of what this country has to offer to lead us i'd say we have to do better next time but you never know as it stands most people believe baffoon will get another term ....

It has nothing to do with America having more than enough people who would be great candidates. It's 100% about the fact that the American government, from local to federal, has already been systemically infested with corruption and power and money, so all the people who would be great candidates are necessarily also people who would never be able to make it past a first ballot while still avoiding the infestation. When you play clean, it's impossible to thrive in a dirty game, and any intelligent person who would be truly good for the people knows this, and therefore never even enters politics in the first place 999 times out of 1000. And the chances for that 1 to make it to a point where they would have any impact are even lower. It's like throwing a dolphin into a tank full of killer sharks.

MR.Smith goes to Washington

josevolution

Any Democrat not running on the message that they oppose the separation of children from their parents is nuts ! 

Spiritual_Chaos

brianlux said:

What about Joe Kennedy III?  Seems like a good guy from what I've read. 

Lacks "omph" when he speaks. 

unsung

Alyssa Milano says the Russians are to blame for the Dems defeat in Ohio.

Gern Blansten

unsung said:

Alyssa Milano says the Russians are to blame for the Dems defeat in Ohio.

Not defeated yet