tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21506744.post114019564415291631..comments2023-10-20T03:14:04.776-07:00Comments on Vichy Democrats: "Never Doubt That a Small Group of Thoughtful, Committed Citizens Can Change the World"M.S. Bellows, Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05329189103861162611noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21506744.post-1140258225559535152006-02-18T02:23:00.000-08:002006-02-18T02:23:00.000-08:00Seeing as how I am guilty of the post that led to ...Seeing as how I am guilty of the post that led to this thread, I may as well add my 2 cents now that I've had a night to think about things.<BR/><BR/>First of all, I hope that my own feelings of discouragement will not slow down the rest of you. The calls to congress are, indeed, important and I very much appreciate the way in which this site and others are rallying the troops.<BR/><BR/>For me personally, I need to contribute to the cause in some other way right now. I've been calling, writing and faxing congress for most of the last 5 years. Yes, we did finally get some of the Dems to feel the heat and change their stance. And yes, we sure did flush out the vichy dems. The actions we took were a big success in that regard. But they failed to keep Alito off the bench. And that, my friends, may be "game over" for this republic.<BR/><BR/>The PATRIOT Act was just renewed in the Senate with a 97-3 vote. The message that we sent certainly didn't have much of a lasting impact.<BR/><BR/>Perhaps I am wrong, but I feel that the failure of the Democratic party runs so deep at this time, that it cannot be overridden by phone calls and faxes. The vichy dems need to get the message that their jobs are no longer safe. Sending Joementum and others of his ilk into retirement seems like the only way to deliver that message clearly enough that it will be understood and acted upon.<BR/><BR/>I also question whether the Democratic party will ever stand up to Bush with Harry Reid at the helm.<BR/><BR/>Please, the rest of you keep calling and faxing, or doing whatever you can to move us forward. I hope you all can prove me wrong. <BR/><BR/>When it gets to the point that I am cussing out staffers and slamming the phone down in disgust (as I did to Chafee's aid during the Alito calls), and I sit around here with such unrelenting anger (as I felt when I started making my calls today) that I want to kick the walls in, for my own sanity, I need to find some other outlet for what little energy I have.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21506744.post-1140256050975525242006-02-18T01:47:00.000-08:002006-02-18T01:47:00.000-08:00To PW: I always love the advice that's posted by t...To PW: I always love the advice that's posted by trolls hoping to discourage people from taking actions that just might help to stop the GOP coup against our democracy. Joe Lieberman is nothing close to resembling a great American. He is a duplicitous weasel that will go down in history as one of the biggest enablers of Bush's destruction of America that exists in the Democratic party.<BR/><BR/>Those of us that care about this democracy will do everything possible to make your nightmare come true - sending Joementum to the bench in favor of a true Democrat. Should he lose in the general election to a Republican, which I doubt, barring another election theft, there will be little lost. Why? Because the guy we got now is certainly no Democrat.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21506744.post-1140208784623554052006-02-17T12:39:00.000-08:002006-02-17T12:39:00.000-08:00Just came from Glenn's place, and you are right, g...Just came from Glenn's place, and you are right, great minds DO think alike! I agree completely with you, the hammer taps will work, IF we keep applying them. I wish you were DNC chair. Not to knock Dean, but I don't see him organizing the internet roots like you are doing, and I believe that will be critical in affecting change. In all seriousness, have you spoken with him? Or sent him a copy of this post?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21506744.post-1140206511292289432006-02-17T12:01:00.000-08:002006-02-17T12:01:00.000-08:00OT (it will get lost if I try to respond at Atrios...OT (it will get lost if I try to respond at Atrios' place)<BR/><BR/>I know that Thers is Mary's partner. I addressed my babyblogging to you two 'cause she had posted her pictures and you commented on them. So I thought you two might be interested in seeing mine...inahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04004915742311047092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21506744.post-1140205556299911832006-02-17T11:45:00.000-08:002006-02-17T11:45:00.000-08:00MAKE IT NATIONAL BY TAKING IT LOCALI totally agree...MAKE IT NATIONAL BY TAKING IT LOCAL<BR/><BR/>I totally agree with your point of view, and I would like to point out that letters to local papers written to sitting politicians, candidates, and city and state party officials also put local feet to the fire. People who sit on local DNC and GOP organizing committees, and local reps are far more accountable for their party's actions because they have to deal with the local citzenry and the stakes are immediate and dire for them if they do not answer questions. Also, small local media outlets (local tv news teams, and print reporters as well as alternative papers) have a much more vested interest in covering locally generated stories then bigger outlets. I agree with the hammer taps at fracture points, I think it's important to find those local fracture points as well.The Film Divahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16210606882558346821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21506744.post-1140203350272958222006-02-17T11:09:00.000-08:002006-02-17T11:09:00.000-08:00I don't know if there's anyone besides Lamont; I d...I don't know if there's anyone besides Lamont; I do know there's nobody relevant besides Lamont. He's got his 1,000 CT volunteers now, and is fundraising half a million (to add to the $1 mill or so he personally is going to spend) for his launch. Even if he is a millionnaire, he's worth donating to; check out the ActBlue link on the VichyDems front page right sidebar.<BR/><BR/>Also, <A HREF="http://atrios.blogspot.com" REL="nofollow">Atrios</A> had a post up earlier today about Lamont, I think -- he's polling 23% and hasn't even announced yet.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com