It was Howard Dean that propelled me to join this group, a lot of years ago. He also inspired me to donate funds I really couldn’t afford toward his campaign. When he “screamed out”, I still supported him, and voted for him after he dropped out. I also did something else “he asked”, and that was to get involved locally.
So, for the last 12 years, I actually engaged locally, as an activist citizen. It really changed my mind about “politics and politicians”. I posted here first about how to “help” and I received “help” for the local stuff. The help I sought was about “growth, development interests and supposed ‘jobs’”. Trust me when I say the help I received really didn’t work out, even while the advice was “sound.”
During those 12 years, what I found, as an activist, is that the party politic stuff is so polluted with local special interests, state special interests and eventually nationally public interests, is that “activists” are not appreciated, and are attacked with such venom it would deter most people. It doesn’t matter the “party”, they truly are funded by the sources. It makes Trump sound legit when he says he donated to get whatever he wanted approved, because it really is “true”.
After 12 years, engaging locally, as Howard Dean suggested was necessary, I am deterred. I am worn out, burned out, and really recognized this year that party politics are so polluted at a local level, finding nearly any local politician, no matter their party, that really supports the pubic is a miracle, rather than the reality. The local candidates I support running for office are not well funded, even while they are well-intentioned.
I guess it shows in my posting on DK of late. None of you might understand how many meetings I have attended; how many documents I have read, and I mean really read; how much research I have done; and getting up in front of an “audience” and speaking at public meetings was and remains especially painful for me, and I forced myself to do it time after time, for more than a decade. None of you might understand involving yourself in litigation, spending real hard dollars doing so.
The end result of all of that effort was that local politicians, of both political stripes, only wanted me to shut the hell up. The end result of all of that effort was that my advocacy for fighting on behalf of “people" was that the “elected’s” wanted me gone; their supporters want me gone. They sent their “rabids” out to destroy me. This site, seemingly has done the same.
As an anecdote, there was a local Dem Club I belonged to, that had a “rabid” suddenly elected its President. She screamed me out of the “Club”. Lately, I rejoined that Club because she has been ejected, not only by the Club but the owner of the forum where the Club has held its meetings for decades. She actually resulted in that Dem Club having such a reduced membership, the candidates seeking election outnumber the “Club” participation. It is a shame, and I mean that really.
Some, if not most all of you, don’t really understand what it means to participate locally in any forum; and if you participate, what it means as far as attacks. I actually do, and I can tell you, it wears on you, makes you want to give up, and of late, I actually have given up as I tried and try to regroup. I am trying to speak out again after that rabid attack, even while I just want to go back to the pre-Howard Dean days of being a private citizen.
If you think belonging to a “party" makes you special, just try to speak out on any local issue, and see where it brings you. When you try to “do” the right thing, the things that define you as a lefty, you would be amazed at the attacks. I am deterred, I am worn out, burned out, and trying still to do the right thing. The “lefties” you think you are supporting are still attacking.
On the national level, here on DK, if you try to speak your mind, see it borne out again. If you are a GenX or a Millennial, I suggest that you do speak out, you do advocate, you do research, you do “more”, as those few of my generation are worn out. We need advocates, and we need you. Party politics are polluted, at such a close level, I think most would be shocked by, until you try to be a real activist.
I was a “feel the Bern” supporter. I don’t want a Trump presidency. Sorry, I am not a Hillary supporter, and I still don’t know what I will do as far as my vote in November. I tell you to vote as you might believe, even while I support neither. Despite that, there are extremely important local elections, state elections, federal elections that need you to decide and vote upon. You can only “decide” if you are informed.
As for DK, I actually think this post might be removed, even while I encourage all of you to actually vote, and do more than vote. I encourage all of you to actually participate in the local matters that affect you and your community. I encourage you to really read, research, be informed, and participate. The local stuff really matters, the county stuff really matters, the State stuff really matters, the Federal stuff really matters, and yes the Prez stuff really matters. What matters most, imho is YOU SHOULD FRIGGEN BE INFORMED, SPEAK OUT, PARTICIPATE AND THEN VOTE!