Change Happens! I believed I was a moderate Republican – but I changed, then I believed I was a moderate Independent – but I changed, finally I believed I could not deny that my thoughts and feelings ran more in line with the Democrats. Now my old friend the Republican Party is holding the line steady on spending and calling me back . . . and my new friends the Democrats cave in brilliantly. Who am I again? But wait the holding steady on spending doesn’t count the millions for the war which means the Republicans aren’t holding steady on spending – or wait wasn’t it the Democrats who pushed this bill down their throats . . . as they’re in control – er I think. Did something "change"?
I’ve lurked here for about four years and become familiar with many posters and find myself in stark agreement with many of the posts – and believed what was broached, discussed, and advocated really meshed with my hopes and dreams too. Unfortunately the declared goal of the site seems to be to work to elect Democrats to the house, senate, and white house. I’ve come to one conclusion – What’s the point? The Democratic Party is determined to run the country in whatever way will serve the least political damage to themselves – the heck with strong moral positions, down with standing up for beliefs. Nothing like that matters as long as the saps at Dailykos and Move-On keep thinking we’re better than the Republicans.
If this spending bill passes it will make a mockery of the 2006 elections and every voter who cast "a vote for change". In my case it will also make clear there is not much point in bothering anymore. In 2006 I made my first political contributions (and I’m in my 40’s) because I truly felt a change was necessary. I who had voted for Reagan, Bush I, Perot (twice) had grown. I saw that Al Gore knew that it was more important to serve the country and stand for principles than to blindly vote for the bright red R. By 2006, after voting for Kerry in 04, I was panicking and donated to three different Democrats in three different states – change had to come. Then with fanfare and trumpets blowing the Democrats swept into power – both house and senate – change was here. . . or not.
More than a year into "the change" I see the Democrats blaming the Republicans for not allowing them to pass any bills while the Republicans blame the Democrats for (I’m not sure here but it seems like) doing what they’re told by the White House. Meanwhile presidential candidates are claiming to be the ones who can bring about "change" - as clearly demonstrated by their strong leadership in the last year. I’m torn, my wife and I have good jobs and we can and do donate to help where we feel we can make a difference. However in 2008 would my small donations be better served going to Planned Parenthood and our local animal shelter or to a candidate dedicated to making "change happen". I can tell you my donations in 2006 sure feel wasted to me now (though two out of three won their elections). My friend David went to and is still in Iraq, my federal deficit still grows, my friends at D-Kos still make clear then need for more change. I think perhaps I’ll sit the next one out maybe put that money into a couple solar panels to "change" my carbon footprint. Perhaps if enough of us change and don’t vote in 2008 my new friends the Democrats will figure out what "change" really means. I doubt I can sit it out - the fear of a Huckabee/Romney administration is too strong but I’m afraid for the next year I’ll be stuck asking - Do you have any spare "change"?