After a particularly painful breakup with the Democratic Party in November, 2004, I turned to the Ohio Green Party as one turns to a new lover on the rebound from a failed relationship. There were valid reasons why I turned from blue to Green. The first was John Kerry's abdication speech the day after the election and before all the votes were counted. The second was that David Cobb filed suit to contest the election on behalf of the Green Party while the Democrats sat on their hands and let George Bush steal the election.
As it turns out, however, the Central Ohio Greens (though they would like to be the party of sustainability) are not, in fact, sustainable. And so, we are back to a situation where there are only two parties in Columbus, Ohio and one of them is the Republican Party. The Republicans are buried so deep in the shit of corruption that they cannot even force our convict governor to resign for fear of what he might let slip to the press on his way out of the governor's mansion. The Democrats are so deep in collusion with the powers that be that it would take a jack hammer to pry them apart from the Republican overlords.
Which brings me to the raging debates over whether or not to stay with the Democrats or kick them to the curb. From what I am experiencing here, on the ground in Ohio, and from what I am reading here on dailykos. I am still of the opinion that the Democrats have betrayed our trust time and time again. They deserve to be abandoned. But, as the only organized opposition to the Republicans, they may not be much, but they are our best hope. It is becoming increasingly clear that the best strategy in the short run is to work within the Democratic Party and pack it with Progressives.
My participation in Democratic Party politics has always been peripheral. Third Parties have always attracted me. I was a member of the National Black Independent Political Party that fromed briefly in the late seventies and early eighties. I love the Greens and everything they stand for. I have joined the chorus of condemnation of the Democratic Party on this site. But, the political situation facing this country is far too serious for any of us to work on any objective short of the complete rout of the Republican Party at the polls next November. We need to send a message of total rejection; something so clear and unequivocal that the MSM cannot do anything other than scratch their heads and report it. In order to do that, those of us who are angry with the Democrats need to just get over it. If we don't like the leadership, we might consider taking over as leaders ourselves. We absolutely MUST take back one or both legislative bodies this election. If we fail, it may take the next fifty years to repair the damage to our country.
That being said, Mary Scott O'Connor is absolutely correct. There is such a thing as a Vichy Dem and wherever we encounter such people, we need to do what the Republicans do and subject them to a rigorous primary battle. That's why even though Ned Lamont is a lot richer than I am, I'm sending him some campaign money. Joe Lieberman simply must be retired.
As of today, consider me back in the fold.