Comments on: What's next? http://jmbell.org/blog/2009/01/whats-next-2/ Progressive, Militant, Angry, Liberal Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:38:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: jasonthe http://jmbell.org/blog/2009/01/whats-next-2/#comment-425 jasonthe Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:33:22 +0000 http://jmbell.org/blog/?p=3004#comment-425 Most of us are taller too... Most of us are taller too…

]]> By: JM Bell http://jmbell.org/blog/2009/01/whats-next-2/#comment-424 JM Bell Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:19:56 +0000 http://jmbell.org/blog/?p=3004#comment-424 ... and better looking. … and better looking.

]]> By: jasonthe http://jmbell.org/blog/2009/01/whats-next-2/#comment-423 jasonthe Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:17:13 +0000 http://jmbell.org/blog/?p=3004#comment-423 Bell is right, David. The gulag ideology is/has been and I believe will continue to be a very Neo-Con trait. It's where the myth that the Democratic Party is ineffective because of infighting comes from. We also have the example offered up by the failure of ideas that has overcome the GOP as a very recent reminder. There are many efforts to drive conservative Democrats out of the party, and I believe those efforts will be successful in the end, but you will never see a Democratic Party demanding lock-step allegiance to a solitary agenda they way we have seen with the Reagan/Bush/Bush Republican Party. We're smarter, what can I say... Bell is right, David. The gulag ideology is/has been and I believe will continue to be a very Neo-Con trait. It’s where the myth that the Democratic Party is ineffective because of infighting comes from. We also have the example offered up by the failure of ideas that has overcome the GOP as a very recent reminder. There are many efforts to drive conservative Democrats out of the party, and I believe those efforts will be successful in the end, but you will never see a Democratic Party demanding lock-step allegiance to a solitary agenda they way we have seen with the Reagan/Bush/Bush Republican Party.

We’re smarter, what can I say…

]]> By: JM Bell http://jmbell.org/blog/2009/01/whats-next-2/#comment-422 JM Bell Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:42:08 +0000 http://jmbell.org/blog/?p=3004#comment-422 I don't mean to draw a hard line here, but, in a lot of ways, Democrats don't do it like that. I've been violently critical of Democrats in the past, without too many problems - William Jefferson and Rod Blagojevich most recently. Both men should step down (well, Jefferson doesn't need to anymore) because they give the party a bad name and a bad image. How many GOP voices were calling for Stevens to step down? How many reacted to Foley by whining about the timing? I've called Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi spineless for acquiescing to Republicans over the last two years. How many GOP voices called Gingrich out for marital infidelity during the Clinton impeachment? I'm still critical of Matheson's vote on the Military Commissions bill and CAFTA, even while admitting that he's great on nuclear waste, veteran's issues, congressional raises and the military? How many GOP voices do you hear yelling about torture, rendition or the signing statements? Even Obama's vote on FISA made me speak out. I'm sure that there are a few Democrats that are upset with me, believing that, as a Democrat, I should keep quiet on issues where Democrats look bad, but they are an extreme minority. I'm a Democrat. I always will be. I work for Democrats and that's it. I support the Democratic platform and I offer my advice and professional services to Democratic candidates. I know that I'll take a hit from time to time for speaking out, but, it happens so rarely that I just don't pay a lot of attention to it. Dissent and debate make us stronger, and if you roll over because of Party affiliation, and refuse to speak up when something needs to be said, you're little more than a Republican delegate. :) Sit down, shut up and do as you're told is no way to run a political party in this country. Watching Republicans shoot each other in the back when one of them speaks off the talking points memos makes me sad. It's a major factor in the GOP losing the House, Senate and the White House. All that aside, Joe Lieberman and Zell Miller are still boneheads. Not because they spoke out, but because they gave into fear and adopted the GOP speaking points of attack and character assassination. They are not, in my opinion, dissenting voices. They're disloyal. It's a subtle difference. I don’t mean to draw a hard line here, but, in a lot of ways, Democrats don’t do it like that.

I’ve been violently critical of Democrats in the past, without too many problems – William Jefferson and Rod Blagojevich most recently. Both men should step down (well, Jefferson doesn’t need to anymore) because they give the party a bad name and a bad image. How many GOP voices were calling for Stevens to step down? How many reacted to Foley by whining about the timing?

I’ve called Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi spineless for acquiescing to Republicans over the last two years. How many GOP voices called Gingrich out for marital infidelity during the Clinton impeachment?

I’m still critical of Matheson’s vote on the Military Commissions bill and CAFTA, even while admitting that he’s great on nuclear waste, veteran’s issues, congressional raises and the military? How many GOP voices do you hear yelling about torture, rendition or the signing statements?

Even Obama’s vote on FISA made me speak out.

I’m sure that there are a few Democrats that are upset with me, believing that, as a Democrat, I should keep quiet on issues where Democrats look bad, but they are an extreme minority.

I’m a Democrat. I always will be. I work for Democrats and that’s it. I support the Democratic platform and I offer my advice and professional services to Democratic candidates.

I know that I’ll take a hit from time to time for speaking out, but, it happens so rarely that I just don’t pay a lot of attention to it.

Dissent and debate make us stronger, and if you roll over because of Party affiliation, and refuse to speak up when something needs to be said, you’re little more than a Republican delegate.
:)

Sit down, shut up and do as you’re told is no way to run a political party in this country.

Watching Republicans shoot each other in the back when one of them speaks off the talking points memos makes me sad. It’s a major factor in the GOP losing the House, Senate and the White House.

All that aside, Joe Lieberman and Zell Miller are still boneheads. Not because they spoke out, but because they gave into fear and adopted the GOP speaking points of attack and character assassination. They are not, in my opinion, dissenting voices. They’re disloyal.

It’s a subtle difference.

]]> By: David http://jmbell.org/blog/2009/01/whats-next-2/#comment-421 David Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:09:44 +0000 http://jmbell.org/blog/?p=3004#comment-421 You are absolutely right. Be prepared when you first have to exercise your dissenting voice to be called a traitor by those in your party who mistakenly believe that you must support the party without question. (Too many Republicans bought that line in the last 8 years. Those who didn't were often ostracized.) You are absolutely right. Be prepared when you first have to exercise your dissenting voice to be called a traitor by those in your party who mistakenly believe that you must support the party without question. (Too many Republicans bought that line in the last 8 years. Those who didn’t were often ostracized.)

]]> By: What’s Next? | KVNU's For The People http://jmbell.org/blog/2009/01/whats-next-2/#comment-420 What’s Next? | KVNU's For The People Wed, 21 Jan 2009 03:02:05 +0000 http://jmbell.org/blog/?p=3004#comment-420 [...] JM Bell, Utah’s resident Militant Progressive: “What’s [...] [...] JM Bell, Utah’s resident Militant Progressive: “What’s [...]

]]>