I have finally have come up for air after Tuesday's election disaster. I actually cried when the early results started coming in. Now I'm mad. I'm so angry with and ashamed of the Democratic party, after this latest election FAIL, that I'm ready to bitch-slap the whole lot of them, with a few notable exceptions (see below).
As for answering the 'how could this happen?" question that the EMAILS I have been getting purport to address, I think it happened like this:
Turncoat Democrats who distanced themselves from the president and channeled "Republican-lite" were seen through as the cynical fakers that they were, the strategy to counter attack ads with attack ads failed, and those failures essentially paved the way to the the Republican majority take-over of the Senate and the loss of any real chance we had to inject reason, pragmatism, tolerance, and sanity back into the governance of our country.
Oh ye of the limp-wristed, lickspittle, kowtowing-to-conservatives messaging, 'I-don't-want-to-admit-in-public-that-I-am-in-the-same-party-as-President (whispering, "I didn't REALLY vote for him, I supported him because I really didn't want the republican candidate for president", I'm really a moderate conservative, you know ...) - drop dead, go away, and let us find people to run who really believe in democratic principles and aren't afraid to say so.
Stop with the excuse EMAILs already. I'm sick of them. You sold us out, you tried to gain traction by verbally nerf-balling the President, flailed about on less important issues in ads you shouldn't have wasted money on, and failed. Period.
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Democratic party leaders, you caused all this by saying nothing, standing for nothing, and mouthing less-extreme (in your view) versions of Republican talking points. No one really wants knockoffs, ESPECIALLY when the real deal is available and speaking clearly. And the real deal is what got elected last Tuesday (hear that Alison Lundergan Grimes?).
Maybe, my Democratic party leaders and Mr. President, you will all finally get it this time.
You cannot continue to behave like the abused, over-conciliatory partners of the political thugs who now control this country's Courts and Congress, and expect to compromise or work out anything. THEY DO NOT COMPROMISE. They are, and were, VERY clear about what they stand for and what they intend to do. We, the Democratic party, again with notable exceptions, were NOT. This is why they won and we lost.
My leaders, if, after the ass-whupping you just took November 4th, 2014, you still believe Republican-lite is going to bring out Democrative voters, if you are still not ok with being Democrats, speaking out on Democratic values and issues and stating a clear, progressive plan for governance (meaning, something that benefits us all, not just the Wall Street fat-cats, banks, and big business 'corporation-persons'), then do the honest thing and change your party affiliation to Republican, so we can field some Democratic candidates who are actually Democrats: people like Joe Biden, Howard Dean, Elizabeth Warren, Al Franken, Bernie Franks (if not those people).
NEWSFLASH: NO ONE BELIEVES YOU OR TRUSTS YOU - THEY ARE NOT BUYING THE SHEIT YOU HAVE BEEN SHOVELING.
REPEAT AFTER ME: We must stop patronizing, ignoring, and condescending to our base. We must stop back-hand bashing our president and support him, help him to stand up, be decisive, and stand strong. We must stop pretending to be moderate Republicans.
So, who are the heroes of this election cycle (IMO)?
Al Franken: you stood up, you spoke out, you acted like and sounded like a real Democrat, you fought back, and Minnesota supported you. I have supported you from the beginning, since your first run. You rock!
Howard Dean, keep on standing up. You have been my hero ever since you scared the hell out of the DNC (democratic national committee) by implementing the "50-state strategy and bringing incredible energy to the 2004 presidential primaries. You brought us significant wins in 2006 (won back control of the Senate) and 2008 (Barack Obama, retaining the Senate). The wusses who run the DNC are hopefully kicking themselves for repeatedly kicking you, and others like you, to the curb (i.e., those who say what they mean, aren't afraid to stand for something, and aren't afraid to fight back against the right-wing agenda).
Jeanne Shaheen, Cory Booker (WOOHOO! GO Cory!): thank you! You stood up, did NOT distance yourself from our president or core democratic values and you won!!!
As for Alison Lundergan Grimes, Kay Hagan, Mark Pryor, and Michelle Nunn: you disavowed the President, you did the "Republican-lite" shuffle, and got your butts handed to you on a plate with duck sauce. You all got exactly what all shallow, insincere politicians like you deserve. No support. YOU FAILED. Go home, and good riddance to bad rubbish.
Democratic leadership: you sold us out. Again. And we are going to suffer the consequences for the next two years.
Are you now finally ready to be Democrats once more? I hope so.