Letters to the Editor
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Politics aside, the real world will still be going downhill by then
And McCain still won't have any good ideas for what to do about it. Whereas we Democrats have so many good ideas, we'll have a heated competition going on between them. I have a feeling we'll be okay.
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Fester
I'm enough of a cockeyed optimist to think we will win this thing. For the sake of our country, I pray that's so. What those of us involved in the process must pledge- as I have a number of times- that no matter who wins this nomination, or how, we must vote Democratic straight down the ticket. No excuses no exceptions, no pouting, no staying home. This is for life and death issues- not that economic issues cannot become life and death- but we have to hang the war around McLame's flabby neck like an albatross. I know I've posted this stat almost every time since I found out: over 120 Iraq/Afghan vets kill themselves EVERY WEEK. So much for morale bullshit, McLame. We need to start beating him over the head with this issue every day from now until November. Both our candidates should make that job one. Obama will probably be the nominee. that suits me. But if she drags it out of the ditch, so be it. It's time, as we said in Wyoming, to cowboy up. Clench your teeth, set your eyes, get the job done. Period.
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An Unprecendented Opportunity Is Waiting
If this thing actually does make it to the convention, which I still seriously doubt, it would present the chance for a much tidier rebirth of the Democratic party as a party of the people, of intelligence, of civility, of good will and of wise and very sane people.
It hasn't been that way in a very long time.
The Repulican party lies in ruins. Our convention will be a meaningless gathering of vultures and hypocrites, picking each others' bones and trying to put up the best possible front while thinking up the worst possible strategies for the least possible good. You Dems know this, and so do I, a lifelong Republican, who could hardly be more ashamed of my father's party.
I can tell you that even if the decision isn't made at the Democratic convention in August (and I repeat, I seriously doubt it will happen that way), it will still be an opportunity to put an entirely new face on the party of circular firing squads, incompetent and insincere politeness, and misplaced ideals.
If that should happen -- and it really should, regardless of the business which will need to be conducted there -- if the Democratic party is reborn in the aftermath of this loony, yet ultimately purposeful campaign, I will happily give up my project of hoping to change my little piece of the Republican party from within, and will burn my voter's registration card, cross the aisle, and live happily ever after.
If they can pull off a miracle like that it would be the least I could do. I'm not much loved by my fellow Repugs anyway.
This is a serious notion: the Democratic party hasn't self-immolated the way the Republicans have, as yet. Even though this campaign has been a little odd and sometimes unseemly, it is as nothing compared to the decades of rapacious, unconscionable behavior that has left the Republican party about as popular as a child molester in a new neighborhood.
I believe the Republican party had to destroy itself in order to be reborn, and that's what I believe lies in the offing. However, Democrats have a unique chance to avoid the death part and just get with the transfiguration. I'd love to see it happen. It's about damn time. Be effective, be strong, be united for god's sake! There has to be a candidate at the end of this mess. Whoever it is, and I think you all know who I believe it will be (and hope and pray it will be, for that matter), get behind him -- or her, if it turns out that way -- and just move on. For the love of the nation, at least. Flip, flop or fly. It's your choice. I won't be invited, but I'll be watching.
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The Convention
Something stinks.
If the convention is not for choosing the nominee, then how can the DNC decide who can vote and who can't.
The whole bunch might as well stay home and declare that the democratic process is over and let the media decide who will be president.
I had always imagined a bunch of intelligent people getting together and choosing the best person in the USA to be nominated fro president.
I now believe that the two parties should be outlawed.
A better system would be for the lobbyist to select and support only one candidate and whoever collects the most money wins.
I only do this to practice my typing.
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Considerations
I find it sort of sad - if entirely predictable - that throughout the whole primary there has been this expectation that Hillary will in fact win and all that remained was to see how exactly the Clintons will pull it off this time. The media has a number of templates and gleefully uses them: comeback kid coming from behind! young voters weighed, measured and found wanting! good, strong, solid senior folk coming through for their candidate!
What's mostly missing from this coverage is any deep analysis of what the candidate means for the party, for the future, for the democratic process in this country. Are people voting out of fear or out of understanding that whether they like it or not, the country is changing, the world is changing and the party must change as well ?
America _is_ changing. The manufacturing jobs are not coming back, the rust is not coming off the rust belt, education will (sadly) be necessary and not a dirty word, there will more brown and yellow and black people with funny accents, loud music and foreign food - but if the Democratic party wants to spend even more time catering to the hardened souls and minds of people who want it "to be like it was", by all means, let them do it. But when the Republicans win that constituency again and again and again, let's not be surprised.