Focusing on the Future - Beyond the War at DKOS

How many more diaries will I have to read about the freaking primaries?  I know what you may say...don't read them.  Sorry, but some diarist's here have taken to masking the intent of the diary with misleading titles (something about Kossacks being sheep.  Hell, without the sheep the shepard has no reason to fend off the wolves).

Don't take this personally, Primary Warriors, but all of you, politely screw the hell off, lol.  Kos, please require that these crazy people preface their primary diary titles with "Caution, Primary Wackiness Ensues..."

Things more reasonable below...

I have always said that I'm for Edwards until we find out who the Democratic nominee will be, and then I'll support that nominee all the way to the White House.  Many people here have said just that.  I said it before, I'll say it again, and that's what I'll do.  If you don't believe me, fine.  There's nothing I can do about that.  But I have good reason for thinking along these lines...After the past 12 painful years, I really need to look to a good future beyond November, 2008.

My focus is this:

1. A Democrat in the White House in 2009.

2. A Democratic takeover of Congress, with a comfortable majority in both chambers.

3. A restoration of our civil rights.

4. The beginnings of healing and stability in the Middle East, a place that could very well be the end of us all.  We fucked it up, we need to fix it.  ( and yes, if you call yourself an American then folks who live in the Middle East believe that you, Democrat or not, fucked it up.  They don't give a shit about US political parties.  And even though we didn't bring this horror show in IRAQ to life, we need to be prepared to say we're sorry, without excuses, in order to put it back in the box and start helping for real.  )

5. A sound strategy for the future of our entire nation on Education, Health Care, Reducing the National Debt (wmfeo!), and just about everything else the Rethugs tried their best to destroy.

6. Did I mention Health Care?  Universal Health Care?  Truly Universal Health Care?  Read nyceve's diary that just popped up on the Rec List (where it certainly belongs, if not the FP).  Read that diary and look at the comments. Long after our little primary war is over she will still be bringing us news from the world of Corporate Medical Exclusion.  

7. A firm and detailed plan for the elimination of the existing Republican party.  For the present, they are thugs and don't deserve our consideration.  If they grow and emerge as a group with interesting ideas for future human growth and are willing to work with others ("play nicely in the sandbox" behavior), then fine.  Until then, fuck 'em.  Just don't waste a lot of time with them.  If they are relatives, then go ahead and watch that football or baseball game with them.  Offer them a beer.  That and nothing more.  If they start whining about politics, kick 'em the hell out into the yard and open a window so they can hear the game.  Fuck 'em.  They have nothing reasonable worth listening to.

8. 12 to 16 years of Dem rule to heal the poison that now makes up our Supreme Court.

9. And lest I forget...the environment.  If we don't get our Carbon footprint under control, all of this is for shit.

To me, these are the things we need to be looking at with a critical eye, with the answers demanded of our candidates now.  Those clear answers must be the price for our votes.

And it all starts with Obama, Clinton or Edwards.  I name them because they are the top 3 contenders, and deserve to be in that top three.  They are all good people, great Democrats and any one of them will make a fantastic president.  I'll be proud to vote for whoever gets the nod in Denver.  But it's not really about the top three presidential contenders.  They just happen to be the players this cycle (and thank god for these strong players, this cycle!).  No, it's about stewardship of this country...of our home.  It's about you and me.  Republicans are not good stewards and never will be...Democrats at least can be.  We are Democrats and have things to learn, but at least we act like we're willing to listen. Bloggers listen, too.  We have good ideas, too.  Progressives like all of us here, KragoX, Meteor Blades, Kos, all of us can help them to listen...listen to reason...listen to good ideas...listen, and look to the future.  On our own we won’t stand a chance, but together, bloggers are a powerful force.

I've said this all rather poorly, and for that I apologize.  This type of diary is not my forte.  But if you want to really understand why the future is so freaking important, read anything DallasDoc has to say about this type of thinking, the Democratic party and where we should be heading.  He really hits it on the head and he opened my eyes.  He's not the only one.  He can point you to other bloggers who share this necessary view of the future.

And Doc, if you read this, hope I haven't embarrassed you, lol.

So now my flame is over, and I promise to not invade the primary wars again.  Instead, I’ll just keep looking to the future, ‘cause it’s right around the corner.  Super Tuesday will come and go in no time.  Denver with arrive and then be gone in a flash and suddenly it’ll be a warm night in November, and once again we'll all hold our collective breaths, waiting for some good news for once.  The future begins with that good news.  It all begins with a Democratic President.

Man, what a year it’s going to be!

•  Tip Jar...

  for reason.

  by WSComn on Sat Jan 19, 2008 at 07:21:09 AM PDT

  •  nice diary, great sig line

    Now let's get back to trashing Your Candidate!
    (Only kidding, but you have to announce that these days.)

    by the fan man on Sat Jan 19, 2008 at 07:36:06 AM PDT

•  VERY well-said - we're all in this together.

  And we WILL be together, in November.
  "JOIN OR DIE" -Benjamin Franklin, The Pennsylvania Gazette
  http://www.benfranklin300.org/...

  by Blue Waters Run Deep on Sat Jan 19, 2008 at 07:27:41 AM PDT

•  I understand how you feel

  Having once ben a Democrat, were I still a Democrat I would be feeling the same.

  I am now, however, an independent. As an independent, I can participate in the primary process and I have chosen to participate in the Democratic Party's primary. I have chosen my candidate, donated, campaigned for him, and I will vote for him come February 5.

  As an independent, should my candidate not become the nominee for the Democratic Party, I go back to being neutral and will examine how both sides, as well as third party potentials, shake out before determining where I stand and for whom I will vote.
  That process cold be lightning fast (Republicans nominate Huckabee) or be painfully slow (Democrats nominate Hillary, Republicans nominate McCain, Bloomberg jumps into the race).

  I left the Democratic Party in 2005 after having been a Democrat since 1981 (on my eighteenth birthday). To date, I have only ever cast votes for Democrats at all levels in partisan elections.

  I take my newfound role as an independent very seriously, though.

  - Albert Einstein

  by Walt starr on Sat Jan 19, 2008 at 07:28:23 AM PDT

•  All the same

  it's not a license for candidates to run a scorched-earth policy.  

  by Night Runner on Sat Jan 19, 2008 at 07:28:26 AM PDT

  •  Agreed.

    I can look past the mistakes of the Edwards campaign. I can look past the mistakes of the Obama campaign. The mistakes of the Clinton campaign, however, are very hard for me to simply forgive and forget.

    by chicago DEM on Sat Jan 19, 2008 at 07:54:10 AM PDT

    •  That's my problem, too

      But all of those mistakes get thrown under the buss immediately should the GOP nominate Huckabee or Romney.

      Both are terrifying to me.

      - Albert Einstein

      by Walt starr on Sat Jan 19, 2008 at 09:32:24 AM PDT

•  Notice how the Supreme Court

  is completely shitty and abortion is still (and always will be) legal?

  Scaring people about a"bore"tion must give way to showing how the SCOTUS is restoring slavery.

  by Paul Goodman on Sat Jan 19, 2008 at 09:53:24 AM PDT