TPM Reader JK responds to my post below:
This is probably one of the best examples of someone who is totally out of touch with average Americans because he spends every waking second hemming and hawing over inside the beltway mental masturbation.
It’s incredibly condescending and ludicrous. “Oh those poor regular folks who have no concept as to how important their vote is, blah blah blah.” One of the best parts of American politics is that we have the option to participate or to NOT participate. As a direct result of NOT participating, we can send a direct and clear message to the candidates and parties that lose our votes from our staying home.
As a gay man who has contributed thousands to the Democratic Party and has volunteered regularly, I am disgusted by the Democratic Party’s effete, self-defeating style. They STILL do not get the message loud and clear that they need a Truman-esque kicking ass and taking names approach. We’re still stuck in the cowardly McCarthy mindset and, as a result, have to kowtow to the inaccurate notion that this country is center-right.
Yes, I’m staying home in November because I see no difference whatsoever between a party that is honest about their animosity toward me and a party who pats me on the back and says they care all the while doing NOTHING except accepting my hard-earned dollars.
I like TPM, but posts like that remind me of Dana Milbank (sorry, I know that’s below the belt)
TPM Reader JH:
I just read your opinion piece on TPM. I’m one of those folks who have decided to walk away. I’ve been involved in Democratic party politics for over 40 years. I worked in DC as a staffer for Mo Udall in the early 1970’s. I even ran for the US Senate. …
But I have to laugh at your comment about sticking through the lean times. These are not the lean times. The Democrats haven’t controlled Congress and the White House since 1994. We waited 14 years. The Democrats knew that the tax cuts would expire. They could have taken care of this in early 2009.
I think this debate has shown that the Democrats are just as beholden to their rich benefactors as the Republicans. Their benefactors might be lots better on some issues. But to me, this was a very, very core issue. And the Democrats folded. There will now be continued attacks on Social Security and Medicare, and we have no defense.
It’s just that I have limited time and resources. Over the years, I’ve devoted much of my time and resources to the Democratic Party. I have decided to do something else now.
