I'm a Southern Texas Democrat!

[Centexfarmer]

And I'm pissed at the current National and State Democratic Party for being such PUSSIES!

LBJ was, without a doubt in my opinion, the last Great Democrat to have ever served as POTUS.

And I might ad the Last President from Texas, or from the South that was worth their salt on this Earth.

LBJ advocated for a "Great Society," but ultimately ended up abandoning much of it because our country was being bankrupted by the war in Vietnam.

History show's what happened after the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy leading up the Primaries and what happened at the Democratic Convention in Chicago in 1968.

Former Vice-President under President Eisenhower; Richard Nixon was elected by a landslide.

Nixon gave us the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Drug Enforcement Admininstration.

More Government that many current Republicans either fail to acknowledge, or accept use as a base of argument for more restriction.

LBJ gave us the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and when he signed that legislation into law:

Legend has it that as he put down his pen Johnson told an aide, referring to the Democratic Party, "We have lost the South for a generation."

The Southern Democrats became Republicans.

A fact pointed out by Nixon when he and his party went after Southern "Conservative Democrats" for his reelection bid in 1972.

Ironically this seemed to actually give new life to the Republican Party because they were sucking the blood out of anything that they could find to give them new life within the political arena.

And true to form for the Democratic Party they fed the GOP in spades!

What did Clinton do in 1992?

He gave Democrats a "Third Way."

Which I think is what gave way to the Radical Center, which is commonly confused by modern day Republicans as "Liberalism."

Long story short (I realize that's too late, but thanks to those who've read this far! )

I grew up in a Texas where the Democratic Party held seniority and leadership within both houses of Congress.

Does anyone remember who Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn was?

Senator Lloyd Bentsen?

Ann Richards was the last great Texas Democrat that my state has ever known.

Texas Republicans include: Karl Rove, George W. Bush, Tom DeLay, and locally Governor Rick Perry, the longest serving Governor in Texas History.

Democratic Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid from Nevada = Pussy.

Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi = Pussy (pun not intended)

Democratic President of the United States Barack Obama = Pussy.

Why?

Because George W. Bush didn't come anywhere near being elected by a "mandate" but yet he and his GOP Controlled House of Representatives ran this country as if they did, and did so contrary to every party principle that they ran against!

As opposed to the current Democratic Party Majority, which has been likened to "herding cats."

Democrats are pussies. They lack, and do not have any leadership.

The have no spine, or backbone.

At least the hypocritical Grand Old Party "Republicans," the do nothing opposition Party, that the Democrats have allowed to run roughshod over them without principle or a shared stake in the outcome of any positive legislation to benefit "we the people" have at least shown a dedication to getting reelected!

I'm a Southern Texas Democrat who's grown to hate and despise the Republican Party, and the Conservative mouth pieces that keep many of my Southern Neighbors oppressed, ignorant and poor.

Who's also beginning to despise the Democratic Party because they lack the leadership, the vision, or the intestinal fortitude to do what's right beyond getting themselves reelected.

As a matter of principle I could continue to support a party that was defeated in the short term for a long term principle, than I can support either of the two for a short term goal = power/control/relection at any cost.

/end rant.

 

[Centexfarmer]

i do hope you feel better


well, W was the decider. of course W was idiotic most of the time and wrong on most issues but look & listen to him here

i would like to see & hear obama speak with the same boldness & passion about why he cares for. like you said, PUSSY

What's Ironic, IMO, is that the individual who posted that clip to youtube did so as an attempt to show how wrong G.W. was on Don Rumsfeld and the Iraq War.

What's ironic is the contrast that it gives to our current President who attempts to speak the truth, but appears to lack the conviction to lead.

At least Bush, even being an idiot, and being the defacto leader of the Republican Party told them how the cow ate the cabbage!

As one political pundit put it, after Obama got elected he tossed the keys of the limo to Reid and Pelosi, and they drove that limo off the cliff like Thelma and Louise.

 

[JB3]

i do hope you feel better


well, W was the decider. of course W was idiotic most of the time and wrong on most issues but look & listen to him here

i would like to see & hear obama speak with the same boldness & passion about why he cares for. like you said, PUSSY

Obama could never be as clear cut as that. For as smart as he is, he does a piss poor job of being commanding in the debate, and actually expressing his opinion in a way that says. 'I am in charge, you are not, so back off.' For as wrong as W was on most things, that's one thing that he excelled at.

 

[nautiboyjeff]

I was actually laying in bed tonight thinking that we are where we are with all this GOP nightmare because some bitch sucked Clinton's cock.

What our world be like if that had never happened or never come out?

Clinton could have campaigned for Gore. Gore would have won with Clinton campaigning with him and not sidelined. We still might have had 9/11, but we sure as hell wouldn't be in Iraq.

Just makes ya wonder, "what if?".

BTW - I am in Dallas and I am ashamed that GWB lives here....I hate it that we have a tollway (which I live near and have to tell people) named after his father (I try to call it something else, but everyone gets confused).....just saying his names pisses me off.

I am disappointed in Obama too....he is going to screw around and lose more Senators and more House seats if he doesn't get some of this stuff moving. I read an article that all of the GOP filibusters are THREATS - they should make the GOP actually stand there and talk for hours on end if they really want to do it......Dems are just being exactly what's described above!

 

[jackoroe]

Centex, you are always welcome to hang with the Libertarians when we have our national convention at the Applebee's in Altoona.

But seriously, it's a matter of leadership skills, or the lack thereof, that seems to be the democrats problem. There is no excuse, given the majorities in the legislature, for failing to enact their agenda. Blaming the republicans makes them look even more impotent (as opposed to important) than they actually are.

People like LBJ and Mr. Sam not only held a particular view, but knew how to get it done. There was no pussyfooting around. You got in line or suffered the consequences. And not to dis the Republic of Texas, but Tip O'Neil also managed to wield a gavel pretty well for a Northerner.

Reid, Pelosi and Obama couldn't hold a candle to any of these people. They lack any semblance of leadership that would allow them to move the ball down the field.

 

[Centexfarmer]

Reid, Pelosi and Obama couldn't hold a candle to any of these people. They lack any semblance of leadership that would allow them to move the ball down the field.

I almost hate to say this but where are the Tom DeLay's, Newt Gingrinches, and Dick Army's of the current Democratic Party?

Our country needs leadership, and I feel that what we have in the current Majority party are a group of wet dish rags.

When ever Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnel of Kentucky opens his bloated pie hole, where are the Democrats to call him on it?

When the Republicans are in charge it was if the Democrats didn't even exist. NOW with the Democrats in charge it's as they themselves don't even exist.

See ya in Altoona!

 

[grantt]

And now Centrex you have Bill White running to be the next Democratic governnor of Texas. How cool will that be? He made Houston a Sanctuary City and set to to make the whole state one....like California. Beautiful!

 

[jackoroe]

I almost hate to say this but where are the Tom DeLay's, Newt Gingrinches, and Dick Army's of the current Democratic Party?

Our country needs leadership, and I feel that what we have in the current Majority party are a group of wet dish rags.

When ever Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnel of Kentucky opens his bloated pie hole, where are the Democrats to call him on it?

When the Republicans are in charge it was if the Democrats didn't even exist. NOW with the Democrats in charge it's as they themselves don't even exist.

See ya in Altoona!

You're right. Even if you disagree with those folks, they still got the job done and with much slimmer majorities. Bush was much the same. He wasn't charismatic or well spoken, but he got his way more often than not, even after the democrats took over.

I'm not seeing that ability to lead on the other side. I don't even see any young turks waiting in the wings that have that gift.

 

[palemale]

I share your frustration, Centex. I wish Obama and the Democrats were more assertive. I think Obama would have been more successful had he kicked the Republicans in the ass after they spurned his efforts to be bi-partisan. The Dems incorporated a lot of Republican views into the initial stimulus package and for what? We got a worse, weaker stimulus package that no Republicans in the House voted for and only three GOP senators voted for in the Senate. I'm glad Obama is now saying that they will pass health care reform without any Republican votes.

The problem is that the Dems are captives of the corporations as surely as the Republicans are. The difference is that they still have to make some effort to mollify important anti-corporate constituencies, like labor, environmentalists, etc. The combination of corporate influence and the demise of party discipline has neutered the Democratic Party as a strong, progressive force.

On the other hand, it is also important to put things in perspective. Both FDR and LBJ did have larger majorities than Obama, see http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2010/03/obamas-no-fdr-nor-does-he-have-fdrs.html, and greater party discipline. Tip O'Neil once said something like "the Democratic Party would be 11 political parties in Europe." I don't remember the exact quote.

I remember saying after Gingrich that if the Democrats acted like the Republicans, the country would be ungovernable. That's no excuse, however, for Democratic inaction. If the Dems were as tough and unrelenting as the Republicans, it would show the public what lying, obstructionist fascists the GOP has become. Then the public could decide what kind of country they wanted to live in. A progressive, modern, forward looking country or an ignorant, nostalgic, fascist theocracy.

 

[Centexfarmer]

I share your frustration, Centex. I wish Obama and the Democrats were more assertive. I think Obama would have been more successful had he kicked the Republicans in the ass after they spurned his efforts to be bi-partisan. The Dems incorporated a lot of Republican views into the initial stimulus package and for what? We got a worse, weaker stimulus package that no Republicans in the House voted for and only three GOP senators voted for in the Senate. I'm glad Obama is now saying that they will pass health care reform without any Republican votes.

The problem is that the Dems are captives of the corporations as surely as the Republicans are. The difference is that they still have to make some effort to mollify important anti-corporate constituencies, like labor, environmentalists, etc. The combination of corporate influence and the demise of party discipline has neutered the Democratic Party as a strong, progressive force.

On the other hand, it is also important to put things in perspective. Both FDR and LBJ did have larger majorities than Obama, see http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2010/03/obamas-no-fdr-nor-does-he-have-fdrs.html, and greater party discipline. Tip O'Neil once said something like "the Democratic Party would be 11 political parties in Europe." I don't remember the exact quote.

I remember saying after Gingrich that if the Democrats acted like the Republicans, the country would be ungovernable. That's no excuse, however, for Democratic inaction. If the Dems were as tough and unrelenting as the Republicans, it would show the public what lying, obstructionist fascists the GOP has become. Then the public could decide what kind of country they wanted to live in. A progressive, modern, forward looking country or an ignorant, nostalgic, fascist theocracy.

Exactly! The current Democratic Leadership won't even publicly defend many of the causes that made the Democratic Party "the people's party;" equality, the environment, labor, child protection, they just appear to rollover.

What's the old saying? If you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything?

It was the Harry S. Truman put it best, 'If the American public are given a choice between voting for a Democrat that acts like a Republican, they'll vote for the Republicans everytime.'

Except in this case the Democratic Party is no longer even acting like Democrats.

 

[palemale]

The Democratic Party is too much a captive of the corporations. The recent Supreme Court case only made it worse. There may be no turning back at this point. The United States will be a dysfunctional, second rate power. The rich and the corporations are too greedy and may have already killed the goose that laid the golden egg. Too blind with greed to understand how they are destroying the country. I wish a few Democrats would say, vote me out of office if you want, but I'm voting against corporate interests because it is in the interest of the people that I do so.

 

[Centexfarmer]

Well palemale, I use to joke that Here in America, we have the best democracy that money can buy.

Now it's not a joke.

 

[bankside]

"I'm not a member of any organized political party, I'm a Democrat!"

Apparently the internet says this was said by someone named Will Rogers.

Anyway.

Yes, it is a problem. The centre in modern democracies is always held by people who want to be inclusive. Unfortunately the commitment to inclusiveness comes at the expense of giving morons free rein instead of muzzling them. This is definitely one opportunity that has to be pulled out of the fire.

 

[Centexfarmer]

"I'm not a member of any organized political party, I'm a Democrat!"

Apparently the internet says this was said by someone named Will Rogers.

Will Rogers was a Texas humorist most popular back during the days of the FDR Administration.

Because there's truth in what he said that quote lives to this day.

Anyway.

Yes, it is a problem. The centre in modern democracies is always held by people who want to be inclusive. Unfortunately the commitment to inclusiveness comes at the expense of giving morons free rein instead of muzzling them. This is definitely one opportunity that has to be pulled out of the fire.

So centrists come across as being pussies? Because they want to literally include as many "moderates" as possible, and refuse to respond for fear of offending?

If that's the case then I can respect that.

In my experience most Americans really are in the "centre."

But, also in my experience, when there's a perceived absence of leadership Americans will listen to anyone (in this case the right-wing echo chamber), even when it's to the detriment of their own best interests.

 

[JB3]

I remember saying after Gingrich that if the Democrats acted like the Republicans, the country would be ungovernable. That's no excuse, however, for Democratic inaction. If the Dems were as tough and unrelenting as the Republicans, it would show the public what lying, obstructionist fascists the GOP has become. Then the public could decide what kind of country they wanted to live in. A progressive, modern, forward looking country or an ignorant, nostalgic, fascist theocracy.

Its hard to be progressive and forward looking if the policies that create that bankrupt us.

And, as usual with your posts, they're full of hyperbole and over-reaching statements, and very little of anything resembling the truth.

 

[bankside]

So centrists come across as being pussies? Because they want to literally include as many "moderates" as possible, and refuse to respond for fear of offending?

If that's the case then I can respect that.

In my experience most Americans really are in the "centre."

But, also in my experience, when there's a perceived absence of leadership Americans will listen to anyone (in this case the right-wing echo chamber), even when it's to the detriment of their own best interests.

Yup. Centrists come across as being pussies. It is what leaves people saying "I don't agree with George W, but at least he has the courage of his convictions, and that's good enough for me."

"Knowing where you stand" has been a right-wing strong point for a while. It attracts people who don't examine the person's platform. It attracts people who vote on "character" rather than ideas. They think people who compromise look slippery and sound full of double-talk. In short, cooperation is actually a centrist weak point.

 

[JB3]

Yup. Centrists come across as being pussies. It is what leaves people saying "I don't agree with George W, but at least he has the courage of his convictions, and that's good enough for me."

"Knowing where you stand" has been a right-wing strong point for a while. It attracts people who don't examine the person's platform. It attracts people who vote on "character" rather than ideas. They think people who compromise look slippery and sound full of double-talk. In short, cooperation is actually a centrist weak point.

That's not really true. You can be a centrist but still be forceful in the positions that you pursue. Obama isn't forceful. He tries to include most people, and many views, but at the same time he wholly fails to articulate WHY and WHY some of those positions may be better than others. In short, he's ineffectual. And his centrist streak has absolutely nothing to do with it.

 

[Centexfarmer]

Its hard to be progressive and forward looking if the policies that create that bankrupt us.

This is the kind of shit that I'm talking about with "conservatives" and the Democrats unwillingness to counter with a defense.

When conservatives talk about bankrupting our national treasury with "tax and spend liberal policies," they completely detract from the reality that they themselves are the biggest proponents of "unfunded mandates."

Can you say No Child Left Behind?

Yet another system that the GOP, and "conservatives" utilized to destroy a public education system (another socialist institution by their current definition btw), by requiring that "independent school districts" facilitate a series of test, which in effect eliminated physical education because there wasn't enough time available, so that teachers could teach kids how to take test rather than to objectively think for themselves.

They'll bankrupt our national treasury because ultimately someone will have to pay for their policies and unfunded mandates for wars of choice, and send our youth into harms way, and into wars that they themselves managed to get deferments to fight in, while they make the defense contractors like Halliburton filthy rich, and pass any expenses off to the next several generations so that they can get their own now.

The biggest irony is that Bush43 managed to avoid Vietnam by joining the National Guard, and it's the National Guard that ended up "defending our freedom" in Iraq.

They'll allow illegal immigrants to do any job that they're willing to pay less than minimum wage for, and look the other way until they start voting for Democrats, or start to organize. Then it's an issue.

Do anything, AND I MEAN anything that might protect the average American from Corporate Greed; unions, regulation to prevent sending our jobs overseas, closing tax loopholes, and then suddenly the Democrats are anti-business, anti-market-communists.

And the Dems sit back like deer with their eyes trapped in the headlights of on oncoming car, and do nothing, hear nothing, say nothing.

No sir, Its hard to be progressive and forward looking when Republicans are too busy fear mongering, and taking care of their own.

And, as usual with your posts, they're full of hyperbole and over-reaching statements, and very little of anything resembling the truth.

Droid800 I respect you, but when you make comments like this toward other members it makes me wonder if you knew what "the truth" was even if it came up and whopped you upside your head.

That's a declarative statement without any support of your own to prove either that member wrong, or yourself right.

Please give that aspect of your posting style a rest will ya?

That's not really true. You can be a centrist but still be forceful in the positions that you pursue. Obama isn't forceful.

Hence the point of my tirade!

He tries to include most people, and many views, but at the same time he wholly fails to articulate WHY and WHY some of those positions may be better than others. In short, he's ineffectual.

Yeah, it's really hard trying to speak over the right wing echo chamber.

And his centrist streak has absolutely nothing to do with it.

It must be because he's black.

 

[bankside]

That's not really true. You can be a centrist but still be forceful in the positions that you pursue. Obama isn't forceful. He tries to include most people, and many views, but at the same time he wholly fails to articulate WHY and WHY some of those positions may be better than others. In short, he's ineffectual. And his centrist streak has absolutely nothing to do with it.

It really is true that centrism correlates with taking a non-forceful approach. It is possible to find a forceful centrist, but it is easier to find a forceful extremist on either side. I'm sure you can also find a lukewarm nazi, but chances are, not.

A far-from-centre partisan does not want to be all things to all people. A centrist finds it too tempting to try being all things to all people, and they are weaker for it. Obama's centrism explains the problem well.

Centrists need to get spines.

 

[frankfrank]

Well palemale, I use to joke that Here in America, we have the best democracy that money can buy.

Now it's not a joke.

<<< centex, look at my location under my avatar. It's been that way since the January 21 Supreme Court decision - the date the U.S. officially declared fascism by Court order.

What's the old saying? If you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything?

It was the Harry S. Truman put it best, 'If the American public are given a choice between voting for a Democrat that acts like a Republican, they'll vote for the Republicans everytime.'

Except in this case the Democratic Party is no longer even acting like Democrats.

I've never heard the stand/fall for aphorism before. Cute!!

I think you left something out of the Truman quote - wasn't it, I think, more like "...between voting for a Republican, or a Democrat who acts like a Republican..."? You're certainly right, they're not acting like Democrats anymore, they're acting more like the barnacles on a ship.

I almost hate to say this but where are the Tom DeLay's, Newt Gingrinches, and Dick Army's of the current Democratic Party?

Oh, but there's a LOT of DeLays in the Democratic Party. Look at how long the health care bill has been DELAYed, after all...is the Democratic Party nothing but an ARMEY of GinGRINCHes, or what?

I'm loving this thread! I really weanted to QFT nearly the entire thing...