I have been thinking about this for a while. The meme that runs through the media has been picked up on by some here at Kos on occasion. And that is,
THE DEMOCRATS HAVE NO PLAN
Today is just another example. A fellow Kossak writes:
That flaw is a lack of vision and purpose -- other than to get elected. That's fine as far it goes, to displace the worst Presidency in the nation's history along with its Congressional enablers. But once victory is achieved, then what? If craven groupthink leadership gets you elected, what will prompt the leadership to effectively engage the challenges it will face once in power?
Well, sir, I pose to you that the DEMOCRATS DON'T NEED A STINKING PLAN!
What, you say? Follow me...
You see, when electing our public officials, I don't see why we need to spell out every damned think we think should be done. Where was the Republican plan in 2000, or 2004? Their words were hollow. Everything George Bush said to get elected he abandoned in reality once he was selected by the Supreme Court. And since that fateful day, a day to me that will live in infamy, the day our nation had its first coup...but I digress.
What I want in a politician, what I expect, is that first of all, they will work for the PEOPLE of this nation. I don't really give a damn about your skin color, gender, who or what you sleep with, what you eat, what you drink, who you marry, or what your religion is. What I DO expect is that you will work to make this country, my country and yours a better place to live; a place where we all are treated equally, we are all expected to invest our tax dollars as well as our sweat to that end. I expect that you will protect the environment (no clear cutting forests, no snowmobiles despoiling our parks, stronger air and water quality standards, etc.), that you will protect our civil rights (no more cameras watching our every move, no warrantless wiretapping, no more "free speech zones",) and that you will work to provide for the common good (shore up Social Security, work towards universal health care) of all Americans. I also expect that you will work towards ensuring that every American gets the very best in education. Forget "No Child Left Behind, what about fully funding our public schools? How about making it possible for kids to be involved in extra curricular activities and not have to pay for it? How about paying teachers a decent wage? How about we pay them so much that only the best and brightest will apply, make it the best job you can get in the country? It's called investing in the future.
You see, this country is all about freedom, liberty, hope and trust. I trust that when my elected officials are hit with something that they will have the brains and talent enough to figure out the best solution to that problem. I expect that their solution will be the best decision for The People. If I put my trust in you, I expect no less than your trust that we will support you and elect you as many times as we see fit.
Unfortunately, that's not what this country has gotten from the right. The Republican Party lied, cheated and stole to get into office. Once there they've said "screw you."
They subvert the electoral process, working to make sure the "wrong" people don't either get to vote, or have their vote counted in the process.
When faces with real disasters, they turn a blind eye to the alerts as well as the devastation, but make sure they use it for some sort of wedge issue (We've had Pearl Harbor and banded together. We've had devastating natural disasters but always found a way to help our fellow Americans through it - that is until the GOP took over).
They start illegal wars and kill thousands of innocents. And after sending our troops to war for nothing, they don't help them when they get home. Or they stop loss them. Or they feed them tainted water and lousy food - all provided by their corporate crony friends for more money than it would cost if we still did it ourselves).
They decimate the environment and do nothing to stop the biggest problem that faces us today in that arena, global warming. Why help save the planet when it might end your gravy train?
They tell us nothing, becoming ever more secretive about what they do in our name, all the while working to intrude in our lives at every level. (That is a tenant of fascism, BTW).
They slip earmarks for "bridges to nowhere" and highway off ramps and other pork projects into bills to line their pockets. Meanwhile, any bill that might hold them accountable is stripped of those protections. Like protecting pharmaceutical companies from lawsuits (like vaccines that might cause autism) should their drugs make you sick.
They have turned Washington, C.C. into a partisan money-laundering system to enrich themselves and their friends, claiming to promote democracy and freedom all the while supporting child labor, prostitution, forced abortion, war, torture, death, mayhem and destruction.
For me, there isn't thing one that they have gotten right. Their plan? Pillage, steal and screw their fellow citizens. Tax our tax dollars and give them to the richest one tenth of one percent, their "base" and use issues like gay marriage, immigration, etc. to drive a wedge between us. They have spent 6 years dividing our country, trying to enough of us angry at each other that we might either not vote, or vote for some bogus issue that hasn't a thing to do with the real needs of this country.
And, most of all, they promote FEAR 24-7/365.
If you ask me, what I want to see is a little less worry about how much something costs and a little more about how something gets done. We can spend billions per week on war, but when it comes to Social Security, education, health care, the environment, suddenly, oh no, we can't afford that.
Sorry, but I think we're better than this. I think that there are enough creative minds out there to build cars that don't use gas, go faster, are safe, and can travel more than a couple of hundred miles on a charge. I think we can spend money on public transportation and have a kick-ass rail system that we would not only want to take but would love to take. I think we can find ways to build power plants that are not only safe, but might actually clean the environment at the same time (what if you could suck polluted air in and turn it into power?). I think we can find a way to ensure that every child is educated to think, not just pass a test. I think we can engage our senior population to provide us with the wisdom gained from a lifetime of experience to help solves whatever problems we face. I think that we can grow and harvest foods form land and sea that not only are chemical free, but do not decimate the environment, all the while helping our farmers and fisherman.
In short, I think we have enough energy and creativity to make this not just a great country but the best country the world has ever known. And once we do it here, we'll be happy to help anyone else of a like mind, providing assistance without expecting them to subvert their religion or culture to find self-determination.
So I say to you that no, we don't need a plan. Who knows what the future holds? And, frankly, why is always up to Democrats to have to think of a way to solve the messes that Republicans get us into? I want politicians who are for Me, You and every other American, not just the rich and well-connected. I want men and women who can think on their feet and who see the possibility of America, not just how much money the can take from it.
We are the promise of this great land. Our Founding Fathers gave us a great responsibility. And that was to be involved, to stay informed and be sure that we know enough to put good people in charge.
So to all those on the right, and some on the left, that's the plan.
Got it?