Your life depends on it: Any Democrat over any Republican, any day

There's been a lot of talk and noise around here lately about the centrist drift of the Democratic Party.

This morning the New York Times even weighed in:

In their push to win back control of the House, Democrats have turned to conservative and moderate candidates who fit the profiles of their districts more closely than the profile of the national party.

http://www.nytimes.com/...

May I remind you of something? The Democratic Party is our only hope. The Democratic Party and giants within the party like John Conyers are our salvation. So they tell us the Party is moving toward the center. I. Don't. Care.

Or to be perfectly accurate, I may care, but that's a battle for another day.

Repeat after me: Any Democrat over any Republican, any day.

We've arrived at the end game. Hillary Clinton is not my enemy, but Bill Frist is. Evan Bayh isn't my enemy but John McCain is. Even Joe (MBNA) Biden isn't my enemy but Mike Dewine surely is.

For the moment, forget about the Democratic Party drift. Please try and understand my drift--simplistic though it may be.  Our lives depend on electing Democrats. Period.

I live on the West Side of Manhattan. I am a genetic Democrat. I am a rote Democrat. I vote Party--always. This mindless voting may unnerve some of you, but being a Democrat is my proud heritage. As I wrote in another diary, I would chew glass for breakfast before voting for a Republican--ever.

There are no "good" Republicans. None. Not one. Memorize this--because your life depends on it.

If you care about stem cell research--you vote Democratic.

If you care about the environment and global warming--you vote Democratic.

If you care about reproductive rights--you vote Democratic.

If you care about raising the minimum wage--you vote Democratic.

If you care about the Supreme Court--you vote Democratic.

If you care about universal healthcare--you vote Democratic.

If you want to end the debacle in Iraq--you vote Democratic.

If you want clean and verifiable elections--you vote Democratic.

If you want a non-corrupt and good prescription drug benefit for our seniors--you vote Democratic.

If you want a competent government--you vote Democratic.

If you recognize that our lives depend on electing a Democratic House and Senate--then you vote Democratic.

And lest any of you think that I am some sort of wishy-washy centrist Democrat, I'm not. But I do recognize that we must support every single Democrat. Some have even called me a purity troll. So here's what I say to them, I'm calling every person I know who lives in New Jersey and I'm begging them to vote for Bob Menendez. We need Bob Menendez in the United States Senate--our lives depend on it.

I along with most New Yorkers have a beef with another Democrat, Andrew Cuomo who is running for Attorney General.  But I'm going to hold my nose and vote for a less than ideal Democratic candidate.

As I said, Any Democrat over any Republican any day.

•  The situation in the United States . . .

  is so bleak that the first step, the only step, is to elect Democrats whatever way they lean.

  by nyceve on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 06:23:12 AM PDT

  •  Absofreakinlutely

    When going door-to-door on Saturday and I came across people waffling on whether to vote for our Republican incumbent, I brought up some of these issues. I told them that if they wanted to see a change, they had to vote for the Democratic candidate (Dan Maffei), no matter how much of a nice guy Jim Walsh has been or what he's done for Syracuse.

    by redlami on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 06:24:43 AM PDT

  •  My thoughts exactly, Eve, any Dem

    over any Republican.  I was thinking last night that
    the only way I could be an "Independent" was if there would be another party.  I could never vote
    Republican because I couldn't vote the party of the rich and powerful.  (Not even if I was rich and powerful). If the republican's started taking a stand for workers, students, the elderly, the sick, well maybe, but the chances of that happening are
    slim and slimmer.  It just blows my mind that people vote against there own personal interests.

    by Cassandra77 on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 07:17:56 AM PDT

•  Amen

  Repeat as necessary. Greens and MSOCkpuppets, reread twice as many times for best efficacy.

  by khereva on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 06:24:27 AM PDT

  •  Amen squared. . .

    Democratic bodies moving en mass to the polls. A tsumani of Democratic humanity on November 7th.

    by nyceve on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 06:25:59 AM PDT

    •  This morning on NPR

      I heard Cokie Roberts talking about how Republicans are "closing the gap" like we were talking about Coke and Pepsi. I wanted to puke. I want to scream "PEOPLE! THIS IS NOT DEODORANT YOU'RE BUYING"

      by redlami on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 06:27:59 AM PDT

      •  redlami, it's really scary as we go down to . . .

        the wire.

        We need to bring our Democratic warriors home--every last ine of them.

        by nyceve on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 06:29:48 AM PDT

      •  That has got to be the most frustrating part

        of all this effort we're making.  There are some seriously stupid people out there, and there are a huge swath of people that just don't know what's going on!  This morning on C-Span, I heard some woman saying she's so upset with Bush, but she's not voting on Bush, she'll be voting Republican because she wants her old party back..??!!  You just want to scream, "LADY!  These people are NOT your Republicans!  If you vote FOR them, you agree to keep them in power, and doom "your Republicans" to the garbage can, maybe forever!"  

        by sherlyle on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 06:34:41 AM PDT

        •  exactly sherlyle, the Republican party . . .

          is thoroughly corrupt and totally in the thrall of a group of very dangerous extremists.

          There was a time when perhaps you might have cherry picked a few decent Republicans--but no longer. They are all extremely dangerous and must be brought down.

          by nyceve on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 06:37:13 AM PDT

          •  Sadly, agreed.

            There really were, maybe still are, just a few truly honorable patriots amongst the Republican party.  But they've been overwhelmed and pushed to the margins by extreme radicals.  The old Republican party no longer exists..I hope these "Goldwaters" will find new homes within our party one day..and learn a few more things they need to know.

            by sherlyle on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 06:40:50 AM PDT

        •  How does vote Democratic no matter what

          differ from vote Republican no matter what? You are calling people seriously stupid for taking the same position as you. How much longer can our political system survive if we keep putting winning above principle?

          by jhecht on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 07:06:54 AM PDT

          •  In this case winning and principle . . .

            Melds right into the Democratic Party.

            The Democrats are in fact the Party of principle, but they need a seat at the table.

            by nyceve on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 07:08:44 AM PDT

            •  That's nice rhetoric

              but that's all it is. Who's principles? Ben Nelson or Ted Kennedy? I'm not a concern troll. I'm someone who has the misfortune of living in Wisconsin where the Democratic governor has a taint of corruption and cronyism equal or surpassing any corrupt Republican governor. I'm sorry, but 'win at any cost' is not the path to principled governance.

              by jhecht on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 07:15:36 AM PDT

              •  Read what sherlyle has written . . .

                "In ordinary times you'd be correct" but dear jhecht, these are the bleakest times of my life.

                We have no third choice. You vote Democratic then as David Sirota just wrote, you hold their feet to a burning hot fire and remind them that change is what the American people voted for.

                They either deliver or they get a primary in 2008. Period.

                by nyceve on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 07:20:59 AM PDT

              •  I understand your point, jhecht, and your concern

                But when faced with a striking cobra and a slinking rat, which one do you deal with first?  We must deal with the greater threat first..and all those Dems who voted for the Torture Bill, all those Dems who, like your governor, have become corrupt, are NEXT ON THE LIST.  After we have dealt with the cobra, we will turn our attention to some rat-bashing.  Their turn will come.  I hope.

                by sherlyle on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 07:29:57 AM PDT

                •  I hope you're right

                  There's just too long a history of power corrupting, rather than healing.

                  by jhecht on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 07:42:19 AM PDT

                  •  Do you have some ideas for improving

                    oversight?  Making our government and our elected leaders more transparent?  After we win, I'd like to see Dems get a blue-ribbon group working on this, so we can clean our own house next.  Good Luck to us all, jhecht.  Hope to raise a glass to you on Nov.8.

                    by sherlyle on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 07:52:48 AM PDT

              •  normally agree

                but there must be some oversight in this government and the ONLY way that can happen is with a big Dem win.  If you are worried about "principled goverance" I cannot imagine you would even consider voting to allow unchallengable control in government.

                by housesella on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 07:37:38 AM PDT

              •  Billmon diary answers this question

                to some extent. A brilliant analysis of the way the GOP and Rove have controlled the country with slim majorities, so that a radical right wing effectively controls the GOP, then Congress, then the nation.

                He concludes:

                But while Karl may be OK with this, and the pod people of the authoritarian right may be OK with this, and I may be OK with it, I don't think the indeterminate number of uncommitted voters who are stranded out there between the partisan lines are OK with it. They seem to want something more than a 51% solution, and they don't seem to understand why they can't have it.

                Who's going to tell them?

                Read the whole thing.

                by coral on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 02:22:33 PM PDT

          •  In ordinary times, you would be completely

            correct.  But we're not just looking at minority status here, jhecht.  I truly fear what might happen to the whole world if the Extremes in power right now stay in power.  I would weep with joy to share power with the old-style Republicans.  Remember them?  The people who didn't want to destroy our country?  The people who didn't want to rule the world?  Arguing with an old-style Red was like arguing about which route was the best one to take, when you're both driving for the same destination..but these people insist on driving the bus 100 miles an hour into a brick wall, and we're all just passengers.  We have to wrest control away from the Loons first..then we can have debates again about how to get where we want to go.

            by sherlyle on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 07:15:27 AM PDT

      •  Deodorant?

        Actually, it is deodorant people are buying.  We want our government to stink less.

        by LarryInNYC on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 07:07:20 AM PDT

        •  I agree with having a less stinking government.

          At one time we had a slogan, "Initiative, referendum, Reform" the great populist slogan of Bob LaFollett and so many others.

          Now it needs to read "Investigation, Indictment, Impeachment!"

          by boilerman10 on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 07:21:26 AM PDT

      •  No more Walsh!

        But man, is it hard to keep Maffei signs up anywhere near Tipperary Hill!

        You got Colman and the rest of the Hill crowd all cheering for a man who voted for torture, and limitation on habeas corpus.  As if it would never, ever happen to them, their children, or their friends.

        Like Wolf Blitzer, loyal Cheney bootlicker for so many years now getting his patriotism questioned; he's so astonished Lynne Cheney would attack him after he has been so loyal, so thoughtful, so obsequious.....like Uncle Tom in the movie version of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" saying to Massa' "You gonna' sell me?  Yeah, I can see Colman's face if Walsh ever turned on him.....just like Blitzer, so astonished.

        Time for some Democrats.  

        by boilerman10 on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 07:15:56 AM PDT

      •  Cokie Roberts

        is just po'd that she has reached the pinnacle of her profession, only to find that she is STILL completely irrelevant. She'd make a perfect Scooby-Doo villain: "I almost had the public scared enough to vote Republican, and I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling, blogging kids!"

        by Turbonerd on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 06:26:46 PM PDT

        •  oh and when the revolution comes

          I will not miss her one teensy bit.

          by Turbonerd on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 06:27:41 PM PDT

•  Thank you, nyceve, for the important

  reminder.  We'll have time to indulge in the luxury of arguing amongst ourselves AFTER we win; if we don't, we may never be given the opportunity again.  We ARE all pulling together here - somehow we have to convince all those varying degree Dems out there to do the same.  

  by sherlyle on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 06:29:01 AM PDT

•  Exactly right

  it's why I'm supporting Tammy Duckworth, for example.  Any Democrat over any Republican.

  by cmanaster on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 06:43:06 AM PDT

  •  Preach it, cmanaster . . .

    I think Representative Duckworth will do us proud.

    by nyceve on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 06:44:56 AM PDT

•  Yes!

  And let me say how thrilled I was to see that the Green candidate in the Maryland Senate race was polling at 1%. 0 would be better, but there's no accounting for the loonies. The GOP was hoping Zeese could pull 5% away from Cardin, but it looks like no one is drinking the kool-aid this year.

  by zenbowl on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 06:44:22 AM PDT

•  The Fact. . .

  That we even have to make the case that the GOP needs to be kicked to the curb forever is incredibly depressing and gives me very little hope for the future.

  This just isn't a country that takes citizenship seriously.

  Don't get me wrong. There are millions of us who care about our country. Who care to be educated and informed. Who care about the truth. About the Constitution. About our environment. Who ask questions and demand answers. Who understand that we have a responsibility to hold our Government accountable for what it does in our name. That's one of the reasons I came to this community to start with. And I'm inspired that so many others feel the same way.

  But we can't deny the most disturbing of trends -- the tendency for the average American to choose the intellectual path of least resistance.

  This is why reality TV shows do better than Frontline. This is why the majority of Americans have no idea what "Darfur" is. This is why we're so easily seduced by candidates who simply have to clear brush on their fake ranch in order to convince us that they're "authentic."

  This is how Arnold Schwarzenegger gets to be Governor of California. "He kicks ass in the movies. That's cool. I'll vote for him."

  This is why more people know about Brad and Angelina than the Downing Street Memos.

  For six years, I've waited for America to wake up and understand that the Republican Party is essentially a giant crime family. I've waited for them to understand that the war in Iraq is one giant lie. That "The Party of Family Values" values only power and money. We have examples each and every day. The evidence is overwhelming.

  And yet here we are, having to fight tooth-and-nail with a week to go.

  I'm truly starting to wonder if this country can be saved, no matter who wins next Tuesday.

  by IndyScott on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 06:49:19 AM PDT

  •  It can be saved

    I think it all comes down to "are things bad enough." I'm hoping that, finally, they are.

    by redlami on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 06:53:54 AM PDT

  •  IndyScott, you said what needs to be said .

    It is tragic and true. And I have felt this for many, many years. Maybe this great American society is unsalvagable? I'm not quite ready to throw in the cards--but I'm getting there.

    But we can't deny the most disturbing of trends -- the tendency for the average American to choose the intellectual path of least resistance.

    This is why reality TV shows do better than Frontline. This is why the majority of Americans have no idea what "Darfur" is. This is why we're so easily seduced by candidates who simply have to clear brush on their fake ranch in order to convince us that they're "authentic."

    This is how Arnold Schwarzenegger gets to be Governor of California. "He kicks ass in the movies. That's cool. I'll vote for him."

    This is why more people know about Brad and Angelina than the Downing Street Memos.

    by nyceve on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 06:56:16 AM PDT

    •  Please, nyceve, keep positive

      At least for 8 more days!

      by redlami on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 06:57:34 AM PDT

  •  Oh, Indy..please try not to despair.

    At every point in history, the huge majority of the populace has always looked on with bewilderment, not sure what's happening around them.  The patriots initially had to overcome the resistance of loyal Tories in our own country, and throughout the War, the percentage of Tories stayed pretty constant at 30% or so.
    Think of all the "hero" stories you've ever read or seen..the archetype is the lone leader, who gathers to himself only a small band of followers.  But they change the world.  They do it because someone has to, because it's the right thing to do, because in the end they fight for the right of the great majority to live their lives in blissful ignorance (think The Shire here).  They're not evil in their ignorance, they're innocent..and ignorant.  Whenever great evil has arisen, so has great good.  Always.  Whenever a powerfully evil leader has come to power, a powerfully good figure has also arisen.  The fight must be fought, however lonely it may be.  We are Called.  

    by sherlyle on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 07:04:05 AM PDT

•  Thanks for Lieberman. . .

  . . . a product of the "any Democrat" philosophy.  I wound up leaving the Democrat party when he was elected over Weicker in 1988 (came back to vote for Dean in the primaries).

  It's a sad fact that, at the moment, control of the legislature demands that we vote Democratic even if there were to be a superior Republican candidate for the same office (not that I know of any such circumstance in this election cycle).  In the current supercharged national political atmosphere it really is any Democrat over any Republican.

  But, in the longer term, it's exactly that philosophy which brought the Democrats down.  Because there are enough voters who don't feel that way about either party that driving them away through a sense of entitlement can send the party that does so into long term minority status.  Want to know why the Democrats haven't won the Mayoral race in the last four tries in New York?  In part, because they keep throwing up "entitlement" candidates like Ferrer and Messinger (there are other reasons, of course).  Why did a non-charismatic billionaire Jewish businessman win a stunning forty-eight percent of the black vote in 2005 over the prospective first Hispanic mayor of New York?  Because plenty of people do not subscribe to he "I surrender my choice" voting.

  Yes, for now we need to gain control of the House and Senate to stop the current government of national disgrace.  But I long for the day we return to a situation in which the Republican party throws up the occasional Lowell Weicker, to help keep us honest.

  by LarryInNYC on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 07:06:29 AM PDT

  •  Right Larry, but today ain't the day.

    by nyceve on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 07:42:50 AM PDT

    •  Agreed n/t.

      by LarryInNYC on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 07:54:45 AM PDT

•  One VERY CRITICAL Reason NEVER to Vote Rethug...

  We must stop Republicans at the local and state level, who have potential for attaining higher office,by denying them a bully pulpit. Forgive me for repeating this, but here is what I posted in a comment the other day on this subject:

  A Republican County Commission candidate who, based on his experience, is probably a better candidate than his Dem opponent approached me with his campaign literature at a shopping area and asked for my support recently. I told him that while he clearly had the background for the job, I could never vote for him. He asked why. I told him it was because he represented a party that was hell bent on destroying this country and all the great things it has stood for the past, and that after the last 6 years I could never vote for anyone that identified with the party of division, hatred, corruption and total fiscal 1rresponsibility. He quickly moved on to his next target.

  Bottom line, it matters at the local level too. This particular candidate has the potential to use a county commission seat as a springboard into the state legislature or even higher office. It's important that we stop them locally by not giving them access to a "bully pulpit" that can further their political careers

  Follow the philosophy of the Yellow Dog Democrats in the South who say: "I would vote for a Yellow Dog before I would vote for a Republican!".

  by VolvoDrivingLiberal on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 07:07:06 AM PDT

•  November 8th

  November 8th is when I plan on getting into the meat of my qualms with the Democratic party.  But I for damn sure will not in this lifetime cast my lot with a group of people who collectively do not believe in science and openly court every bigot, zealot and lunatic they can get their hands on.  Supposedly principled Republicans have had every opportunity to confront the maliciousness and corruption of their party and they have failed to do so for a decade, at least.  This is a no-brainer to me.  Recommended with enthusiasm.

  by GN1927 on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 08:03:59 AM PDT

•  Your title is literal in my case.

  My life may depend on you voting Democrat. It was painful for me to watch Micheal J Fox yesterday because it reminds me that I too could benifit from stem cell research.  I had a massive "widowmaker" heart attack in 2004 at the age of 46.  This killed off about a third of my heart muscle.  The front of my heart is nothing but a passenger in life now.
  This summer I was diagnosed with heart failure. Heart failure is commanly misunderstood. It is a weakening of the heart muscle preventing the heart from pumping adequate blood.  It is generally measured as an Injection Fraction.  A normal IF is about 60%, meaning the ventricle of the heart pumps out 60% of the the blood in the ventricle with each heartbeat.  
  My IF is at 20%.
  I'm 6'2", 225 and vacuuming the living room is now hard work. I fight weight gain because exercise is difficult. I fight depression because... well, because this shit sucks.
  The Republicans care more for some dish full of cells than they do for me, so fuck em.

  by God loves goats on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 08:06:53 AM PDT

  •  God loves goats . . .

    Have you written a diary about this?

    Sounds like you have an interesting story, if you want to send me an email maybe I can write a diary further explaining why voting Democratic is a matter of life an death for many.

    by nyceve on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 08:21:59 AM PDT

•  If You are from OHIO.

  Clean your Ears. Now LISTEN.

  No DeWine - He's unkind.
  Sherrod Brown will represent our mind.

  On Strickland and Fisher, on Sykes and Dann,  with Brunner and Cordray too!

  Strickland & Fisher: Governor & Lt. Governor
  Dann: Attorney General
  Sykes: State Auditor
  Brunner: SoS (Secretary of State)
  Cordray: Treasurer

  by JugOPunch on Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 07:49:39 PM PDT