In 1992, we elected a southern Democrat to the White House to change the way Washington performed after the Reagan/Bush era. In those first two years, we saw Republicans and conservative Democrats take on the nominations of people destined to be in President Clinton's cabinet.We saw them weaken the President's plans for action in that period of economic recession. We saw them, for probably the first time in American history, demean the First Lady of the United States, then Hillary Rodham Clinton. We saw them gut any type of health care reform in this nation. With that, in 1994, Republicans took both houses of congress due to the energetic Republican base and the lackadaisical Democratic base. I believe this can be prevented in the present time and here is my statement about how we can stop this from happening in 2010.
In the present month of December of 2009, we are dealing with the same ingredients that could make 2010 a rehash of 1994. Disaffected Democrats and rabidly charged Republicans. This year, we have had some people feel discouraged due to some, maybe most of the things that this administration and congress have done. Not only that, but events outside of Washington such as the votes on gay referendums in Maine, California and the senate vote in New York. The two gubernatorial wins, though similarly going to the opposite party in power of the White House since Clinton and Bush, have not done anything to stem our discontent. The decision made this past Tuesday by President Obama probably hasn't made anyone feel the least bit better, although I believe that decision wouldn't have worked out, no matter what he decided. I hear the voices of many people, who were enthused during the 2008 election season, feeling down and out about election 2010. Many here are saying they won't vote, feeling their vote doesn't matter. It is understandable to feel this way, I personally don't blame you. Yet, with myself, not voting is not an option.
There were many, who like you in 1994, felt the same way. There are probably some that felt dejected then feeling the same way now. There were probably many who have made this statement on blogs or with friends.
" Whats the difference? They are both the same. Both are corrupt. I just will sit on my hands this election, until the Democrats get their act together."
Understandable, yes. Smart when you look at history, no. After the election of 1994, Democrats created the Blue Dog Coalition, which was created to creating a much more moderate party to pull the Democrats down from being too liberal. Trust me, if Democrats lose the next elections in the House and Senate,they will not move left like our Republican counterparts would, but more center. They basically didn't become progressives, but ignored them. For 12 years, it stayed that way. Now many of you are wondering whats the difference between now and then. Not much. I mean, look at all the people stalling health care reform or hoping to water it down. Most came in or were in office when Republicans came into power in congress. Blanche Lincoln, Mary Landrieu, Joe Lieberman, Ben Nelson, Max Baucus,Bart Stupak, all of them were there. All of them moderated in fear of being ousted by a Republican. You wikipedia these names, these guys were in there a while. Plus,I don't see many Senators and Representatives elected as a Democrat in 2007 and 2009 opposing anything as hard as they are now.
I say, primary them. Yes, I disagree with the White House on this,(I still support the President though.) Primary them, its not impossible. What, are you going to listen to the news media? COME ON!! When in the past, I'll give you eight to nine years, have they been right about anything political? We had pundits say that President Bush was going to be a successful President, that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan would be cheap and quick, that Republicans would retain the House and Senate in 2006, that the nation was a center right country, (I always believed it had no real label, maybe just plain center.),that Hillary Rodham Clinton would be the Democratic Nominee, that Rudy Giuliani or Mitt Romney would be the Republican Nominee, that Obama couldn't "close the deal with voters.", that Senator Obama was too much of a celebrity to be elected President, even though we had a celebrity elected President in 1980, that Governor Sarah Palin had more executive experience than Palin or Biden and would knock the wind out of the Democrat's sails in the election, that Sarah Palin could even be considered the next President, that everyone liking President Obama overseas is a bad thing, that Fox News is an actual journalistic entity important to our national news media. (Who can forget the way Jake Tapper of ABC, a rival network who should be nailing Fox News to the wall on that television ad last summer, stick up for them in front of the Press Secretary. That the reason President Obama is popular is just because they like him personally, not the policies, that they believe that old, white conservative geriatrics are the face of America's future in every decision. That the public option is unpopular and or dead, though it still exists and poll after poll suggests people want it. I could go down an even bigger list, but you get the point. They make TMZ seem to have much more in depth intelligent reporting. Hell, it seems they are competing with them.
Its not impossible, all you need is the drive and will to do it. All we need is the energy and focus to have it succeed. If it succeeds, it shows people that progressives are a force to be reckoned with. If it fails, don't fret, because at least the candidate that won will listen a little more to their progressive constituents. Thats the best we could hope for until the next cycle.
I also know that it seems encouraging to us that the Tea Party movement is basically damn near taking out Republicans and ceding their seats to Democrats. The New York 23 special election was the most poignant of all wins in 2009. We can not expect that to save us, however, because some Republicans are slick, and will probably run some tea party-esque Republicans in the primaries. Also, with the current crop of Republicans, all we are seeing is stall and scare tactics run on hyper speed. We just had Senator Coburn essentially say that seniors will die sooner after this bill is passed. Its telling that after all of the controversy surrounding Rep. Grayson, that the senator has not had the same treatment come to him. We know, if they get back into power, it will be hellfire coming to Washington. We would have impeachment galore over birth certificate controversy or Czars or any crap that could gridlock Washington. We know this, and yet we won't vote. I know history, I am voting.
Not for the politician, but for me, my present day family, and my future wife and kids. Looking at today's Republican Party, my future looks bleak. I get out of college in another year, God willing starting my first real job, living in a new place, and making my own living without being driven into to much debt. I will vote in this primary season, working my butt off for the candidate of my choosing. If my candidate doesn't win, I have to vote for the Democratic candidate. I have to, because I know the Republican candidate will not work for the self interests of us, but for his backers. I will then stay politically active making that Democrats life a living hell by calling, along with others until he or she comes close enough to my side for me and the others calling to be satisfied. I have to do this as a citizen, an engaged one.
Many here may call me too idealistic, too young, too naive about how I'm approaching the Democrats. Many in this forum and others have a lot of heart in what they believe and stand for. I admire them. They usually vote third party, that's their right as a citizen and I admire that. Principle is a wondrous thing to have. However, I know for a fact that third party candidates besides a few independents have not won a single national election. I'd rather have someone in office who could vaguely hear my voice which would be stuck inside their heads for as long as they are in office than a person in office who I could yell at, and they wouldn't hear anything that I said. Yes, its the lesser of two evil argument, but one of those evil politicians is my evil one, and like Sen. Blanche Lincoln and Ben Nelson realizes with some of those ads that they refer to, they know it. (For those people, keep sending those ads, if they didn't work, they would never have talked about them.)
Whether you agree with most of the above or not, at least you can agree with this, VOTE.