Let's assume for a moment that the current crop of Democratic presidential contenders represent the status quo for the economy, spending priorities like the military, war, corporate welfare, for profit health care, education, etc.
Note: yes they would be an improvement over a Republican administration but as we have clearly seen in the past year, many Dems support an erosion of our civil liberties, torture, war, corporate welfare, etc.
I also will insert this caveat, that Kucinich does represent the liberal political way but I am going to go along with the notion that he can't get elected i.e. lacks one of the criteria --(see below) personal charisma. One more, Gore isn't running.
So we are left to find a liberal leader that has the confidence or could gain the confidence of the American people while representing a majority agenda that I believe and the polls support me that is liberal on education, taxes, the environment, corporate welfare, health insurance etc.
Before you start with how much you like one of the current candidates, consider that voters are very angry at Democrats. Dems have demonstrated again and again that they are part of the problem. In that environment a third-party candidate is possible/likely and if that happens that person could be very successful. The race is not in the bag for one of the current Dems by a long-shot. The lopsided vote condemning Moveon was just one example of Dems acting like Repugs. No need to go through the list of Republican-like votes with you but the Roberts vote would be there. My Senator Feinstein has contributed mightily to their causes. I won't illustrate my point with each of the current Dems running for president, but it would be easy to do. None of them have shown strong leadership.
I will start the ball rolling and name one but collectively we must be able to come up with at least 10? Right? This country is filled with qualified, charismatic, ethical, progressive learders-- Right? They are in business, education, entertainment, but we know they are there. Don't pick on someone else's choice, just name a leader and give some support. It would be helpful at this late date that the candidate have independent resources but assuming someone can name a qualified, charismatic, ethical progressive leader, I believe electing him/her would follow like day follows night. Here we go:
I would rather pick someone outside of Congress but I couldn't think of someone so...Senator Bernie Sanders, http://sanders.senate.gov/... Senator Sanders has experience, he won Vermont with 65% of the vote, he represents a solid majority of Americans on the issues mentioned above including this one (from his Web site):
CORPORATE CONTROL OF THE MEDIA - [Back to top]
Senator Sanders has been leading the charge against the growing consolidation of media in America and the dangers posed to our democracy when a handful of corporations increasingly control what we see, hear and read.
Remember: don't pick on Senator Sanders, name one of your own. Let's see if we can find 10. There must be 10-- right?