When I first ran for office, my lifelong co-conspirator, Susan DeMarco, came up with the perfect expression for such politicking. She said, “Let’s put the party back in politics!”
Will Rogers once said: "I'm not a member of any organized political party. I'm a Democrat." Like many of today's comedians, Roger's jokes often times more accurately depicted the political situation than the megabuck news media. Note that when he saw Democrats as unorganized, Democrats were sweeping elections. Cause and effect? Yes, grass roots Democrats had power and it flowed up and energized state and local officials. Now, power is at the top and it is exerted down to stultify and disillusion real Democrats. And all these recently lost elections are the price we paid for centralized control.
Power at the top is why I have never joined a political party. I have seen many a republican whom I like and respect turned into another talking head by Karl Rove and his ilk of conniving strategists. Electees from both parties need to tell the party heads and their donor owners exactly who it was that got elected.
Yes, way too serious. A turn-off. We need more of a party community, which includes music, fun, yes, beer, and smiles. And we talk turkey too. Wise words as usual, Jim!
All the seriousness of the 'Business As Usual' money misery does try to take the fun out of our lives and the AI and the internet just can't seem to understand what ' 'time is money' does to a soul. We really only have the present moment which is always the center of eternity, so live it up and don't let the lame brains get you down!
Focus first-The fun will come.Have you noticed that all the late nite hosts are comics who needle our POTUS whether it's "Tyrant"Trump or "Sleepy Joe".Only one of them can't handle mockery...and wants to end their careers or browbeat their networks.Let's end his career first.Dump Trump!!!
About the "No Kings" demonstrations. Implies if Trump were gone, we'd revert to D paradise. But notice they aren't "No Oligarchs and No Plutocrats." Both parties are neolib--they support the same econopathy. Also neocon; Biden's Dept. of State was run by neocons trained by Dick Cheney. The neocon fantasy is unipolar U.S. econ empire backed up by a strong military. The power obsessed centrist Ds who control the party are humorless, too. Check out the nasty attitudes of Schumer and Cuomo during the NYC elections.
With building his new ballroom on the White House and painting the pool of the Washington DC Mall blue with National Park Service funds, l think that the felon USA President is planning a great big political swim party, yes?
“Patriotic Chickens” is trying to unite Minnesota democrats around social security by having town halls about the good news of social security! Our platform is 1)pass Social Security Expansion Act. 2)Medicare for All. 3)Reduce National Debt—Tax the Creators of it! If interested call me! Brian 612-554-9733
The purpose of political parties seems to be to excise moral conviction from the politically connected. This is done through polling, focus grouping, surveying, task forcing, and consulting everything. As we know, nefarious people can create manipulative polls. Same with imposing their will onto others in a group setting. MAGA, and the Democratic Party leadership suffer from group think They may start from different places, but the end result is ceding power to the weathy.
The polling and focus groups aren't for finding out what we nobodies really think. They sure don't want to know we have closets full of pitchforks, torches, tar, and feathers. It's about tailoring propaganda so they appear to be on our side. They used to know what we thought because we were direct participants in D party politics. But the Ds went neolib, supporting corporate/1%er economics. They dumped the New Deal and abandoned the majority working class. After '08, they bailed out Wall St. while the millions of us who lost jobs, pensions, homes got nothing. Why would we trust their empty promises?
Jonathan Alter -- I have to admit I don't know exactly who he is or what he does, but I know he had one terrific idea, that sadly has gone nowhere -- proposed a year or so ago that every Congressional District begin having monthly meetings ... each one to be attended by its Congressional Representative! Such gatherings might result in giving Democrats a chance to talk to and get to know each other, thereby building up the energy and connection needed for organizing our political activities. The Party's current emphasis is on raising money. Period. I think we've all figured out by now that's not enough. Let's change that.
For many decades that was standard. There were monthly well attended county Dem party meetings. Plus either separate conferences with elected officials, including members of Congress, or appearances with them at the local party meetings, union halls, ethnic centers, etc. Changed when the Ds went neolib; caring about large donations and the corporate agenda, not the opinions of us nobodies. That agenda also meant supporting an econopathy of falling wages and job loss, thus stressed out families with little energy left for direct political action. A double whammy--showing the Ds aren't us.
The non profit Corporations also have the raise money hoop in front of every idea, even 4H clubs did. Money is what so many people are suffering a lack of since the for profit Corporations and millionaires plus have ruled themselves tax exempt. As long as money is the highest priority we're going to hell with a basket case for the leader. In my Republican Super Majority State there's not much conversation about National or State Politics, mostly pointless name calling. I find the most community at local farmers markets, flea markets and vendor events that have food, music and locally produced fun stuff.
Yeah, we've gone from a grassroots approach to a money is the root of all(evil or otherwise) which is the essence of the aipac controlled faction of our once meaningful Democratic party. Until we jettison those glad-handing traitors from the party, we will not change a damn thing.
Close friendship, with arms outstretched in love, form the basis of our lives. We do have a few moderate-republican friends who are also extending aid to others of all stripe, but these are rare. I have come to embrace this philosophy when a stranger knocks on the door: "If you're a Democrat, come in. Leave your boots inside the door. If you're a Republican, leave your boots outside the door - and leave your feet in 'em!
You are speaking truth Jim. Ideologies may be fascinating for people like me, an 83 year old who has been active in politics since the 1970's. But now we need the party to listen more and then speak to the issues that are at the core of the average American. They know what is wrong with their and their families lives. They have a pretty good idea where they are getting screwed. Let's listen and then do some good old fashioned organizing and perhaps we can find people coming together in solidarity to go up against the rich and powerful. Let's find where folks good self interests lie and shape issues for the elections that speak to their needs and aspirations.
It just takes a lot of patience on the ground so to speak, and get people moving. It's perhaps populism, but not one that once some power is achieved doesn't cave into those rich and powerful who will now want to co-opt us.
Just my thought as a Texan, who is now a proud Wisconsinite.
"WASHINGTON's Democratic party...?!" I jumped at that. My ancestors were here in WA state for: The Populist Party govt. in 1912. My grandpa and others of the I.W.W. The 1919 Seattle General Strike. The WA Commonwealth Federation of the '30s that included everything from then moderate Ds to real left wingers; no wonder FDR's Postmaster Gen. Jim Farley referred to "the 47 states and the Soviet of Washington." I was a D party local campaign mgr until the neolib Ds dumped the New Deal and abandoned labor. Plus participating in the huge 1999 anti-WTO demonstrations known as The Battle of Seattle. It's WA D.C. to us on the left coast!
As for fun, yeah, it was. The usual tavern stuff like that C-SPAN program with Molly Ivens et al. Yearly county Dem picnics at a rural lake complete with a large labor chorus singing the old timey union songs. (R.I.P. Woody Guthrie.) Working class people had decent income and enough leisure time to go. Plus we still felt at home at D party functions because we hadn't been cast aside in favor of the D party making the world safe for financiers and multinational corporate capitalism. Before we were denigrated as "a basket of deplorables."
It sure would help to revive the party mode! But be aware activists aren't all like you extroverted intuitives, charged up by being around other people. By intuitive I mean like LBJ, said to have known instantly when entering a room who was for and who was against him. I'm an introverted intuitive; more artist than politician. After being in public, especially in large gatherings, I have to have down time away from other humans. Walks alone forest or beach to recover from the energy loss.
I have long since abandoned the national Democratic party--both DNC and DNCC. I donate to local candidates, volunteer for local and national candidates who represent my values, and to hell with the big guys deciding where my money goes. We can be a "party" again, and we can win elections, with people who deserve our support.
Will Rogers once said: "I'm not a member of any organized political party. I'm a Democrat." Like many of today's comedians, Roger's jokes often times more accurately depicted the political situation than the megabuck news media. Note that when he saw Democrats as unorganized, Democrats were sweeping elections. Cause and effect? Yes, grass roots Democrats had power and it flowed up and energized state and local officials. Now, power is at the top and it is exerted down to stultify and disillusion real Democrats. And all these recently lost elections are the price we paid for centralized control.
Power at the top is why I have never joined a political party. I have seen many a republican whom I like and respect turned into another talking head by Karl Rove and his ilk of conniving strategists. Electees from both parties need to tell the party heads and their donor owners exactly who it was that got elected.
Yes, way too serious. A turn-off. We need more of a party community, which includes music, fun, yes, beer, and smiles. And we talk turkey too. Wise words as usual, Jim!
All the seriousness of the 'Business As Usual' money misery does try to take the fun out of our lives and the AI and the internet just can't seem to understand what ' 'time is money' does to a soul. We really only have the present moment which is always the center of eternity, so live it up and don't let the lame brains get you down!
Focus first-The fun will come.Have you noticed that all the late nite hosts are comics who needle our POTUS whether it's "Tyrant"Trump or "Sleepy Joe".Only one of them can't handle mockery...and wants to end their careers or browbeat their networks.Let's end his career first.Dump Trump!!!
About the "No Kings" demonstrations. Implies if Trump were gone, we'd revert to D paradise. But notice they aren't "No Oligarchs and No Plutocrats." Both parties are neolib--they support the same econopathy. Also neocon; Biden's Dept. of State was run by neocons trained by Dick Cheney. The neocon fantasy is unipolar U.S. econ empire backed up by a strong military. The power obsessed centrist Ds who control the party are humorless, too. Check out the nasty attitudes of Schumer and Cuomo during the NYC elections.
With building his new ballroom on the White House and painting the pool of the Washington DC Mall blue with National Park Service funds, l think that the felon USA President is planning a great big political swim party, yes?
OMG, the thought of our dear leader in a swim suit immediately squelches any party mood for me.
“Patriotic Chickens” is trying to unite Minnesota democrats around social security by having town halls about the good news of social security! Our platform is 1)pass Social Security Expansion Act. 2)Medicare for All. 3)Reduce National Debt—Tax the Creators of it! If interested call me! Brian 612-554-9733
The purpose of political parties seems to be to excise moral conviction from the politically connected. This is done through polling, focus grouping, surveying, task forcing, and consulting everything. As we know, nefarious people can create manipulative polls. Same with imposing their will onto others in a group setting. MAGA, and the Democratic Party leadership suffer from group think They may start from different places, but the end result is ceding power to the weathy.
Ceding power to the wealthy, the new purpose of political parties is to buy politicians souls for wholesale prices
The polling and focus groups aren't for finding out what we nobodies really think. They sure don't want to know we have closets full of pitchforks, torches, tar, and feathers. It's about tailoring propaganda so they appear to be on our side. They used to know what we thought because we were direct participants in D party politics. But the Ds went neolib, supporting corporate/1%er economics. They dumped the New Deal and abandoned the majority working class. After '08, they bailed out Wall St. while the millions of us who lost jobs, pensions, homes got nothing. Why would we trust their empty promises?
Jonathan Alter -- I have to admit I don't know exactly who he is or what he does, but I know he had one terrific idea, that sadly has gone nowhere -- proposed a year or so ago that every Congressional District begin having monthly meetings ... each one to be attended by its Congressional Representative! Such gatherings might result in giving Democrats a chance to talk to and get to know each other, thereby building up the energy and connection needed for organizing our political activities. The Party's current emphasis is on raising money. Period. I think we've all figured out by now that's not enough. Let's change that.
For many decades that was standard. There were monthly well attended county Dem party meetings. Plus either separate conferences with elected officials, including members of Congress, or appearances with them at the local party meetings, union halls, ethnic centers, etc. Changed when the Ds went neolib; caring about large donations and the corporate agenda, not the opinions of us nobodies. That agenda also meant supporting an econopathy of falling wages and job loss, thus stressed out families with little energy left for direct political action. A double whammy--showing the Ds aren't us.
Well said! Let's make us the Dems then!
The non profit Corporations also have the raise money hoop in front of every idea, even 4H clubs did. Money is what so many people are suffering a lack of since the for profit Corporations and millionaires plus have ruled themselves tax exempt. As long as money is the highest priority we're going to hell with a basket case for the leader. In my Republican Super Majority State there's not much conversation about National or State Politics, mostly pointless name calling. I find the most community at local farmers markets, flea markets and vendor events that have food, music and locally produced fun stuff.
Yeah, we've gone from a grassroots approach to a money is the root of all(evil or otherwise) which is the essence of the aipac controlled faction of our once meaningful Democratic party. Until we jettison those glad-handing traitors from the party, we will not change a damn thing.
It's nice to smile for a change in this crazy messed up country😁
I'm putting "Let's Put the Party Back in Politics" on my next sign for my next protest (tomorrow!)
Close friendship, with arms outstretched in love, form the basis of our lives. We do have a few moderate-republican friends who are also extending aid to others of all stripe, but these are rare. I have come to embrace this philosophy when a stranger knocks on the door: "If you're a Democrat, come in. Leave your boots inside the door. If you're a Republican, leave your boots outside the door - and leave your feet in 'em!
You are speaking truth Jim. Ideologies may be fascinating for people like me, an 83 year old who has been active in politics since the 1970's. But now we need the party to listen more and then speak to the issues that are at the core of the average American. They know what is wrong with their and their families lives. They have a pretty good idea where they are getting screwed. Let's listen and then do some good old fashioned organizing and perhaps we can find people coming together in solidarity to go up against the rich and powerful. Let's find where folks good self interests lie and shape issues for the elections that speak to their needs and aspirations.
It just takes a lot of patience on the ground so to speak, and get people moving. It's perhaps populism, but not one that once some power is achieved doesn't cave into those rich and powerful who will now want to co-opt us.
Just my thought as a Texan, who is now a proud Wisconsinite.
I'm with ya, Jim
"WASHINGTON's Democratic party...?!" I jumped at that. My ancestors were here in WA state for: The Populist Party govt. in 1912. My grandpa and others of the I.W.W. The 1919 Seattle General Strike. The WA Commonwealth Federation of the '30s that included everything from then moderate Ds to real left wingers; no wonder FDR's Postmaster Gen. Jim Farley referred to "the 47 states and the Soviet of Washington." I was a D party local campaign mgr until the neolib Ds dumped the New Deal and abandoned labor. Plus participating in the huge 1999 anti-WTO demonstrations known as The Battle of Seattle. It's WA D.C. to us on the left coast!
As for fun, yeah, it was. The usual tavern stuff like that C-SPAN program with Molly Ivens et al. Yearly county Dem picnics at a rural lake complete with a large labor chorus singing the old timey union songs. (R.I.P. Woody Guthrie.) Working class people had decent income and enough leisure time to go. Plus we still felt at home at D party functions because we hadn't been cast aside in favor of the D party making the world safe for financiers and multinational corporate capitalism. Before we were denigrated as "a basket of deplorables."
It sure would help to revive the party mode! But be aware activists aren't all like you extroverted intuitives, charged up by being around other people. By intuitive I mean like LBJ, said to have known instantly when entering a room who was for and who was against him. I'm an introverted intuitive; more artist than politician. After being in public, especially in large gatherings, I have to have down time away from other humans. Walks alone forest or beach to recover from the energy loss.
I have long since abandoned the national Democratic party--both DNC and DNCC. I donate to local candidates, volunteer for local and national candidates who represent my values, and to hell with the big guys deciding where my money goes. We can be a "party" again, and we can win elections, with people who deserve our support.