The Democratic Party Surrenders The Moral High Ground
By Anita Finlay ("Ani") on June 30, 2008 at 8:11 AM in Barack Obama, Chicago politics, Commander in Chief, DNC, David Axelrod, Democratic Party, Nancy Pelosi, Rules and Bylaws Committee
I have called myself a Democrat since I was old enough to vote. Never in 30 years have I voted for a Republican. Any Republican. That I, a big city girl and a lefty-liberal from way back, am planning on doing so this November for the first time in my life should give many in the Democratic Party elite cause to worry.
Despite some in the DNC carrying the water for the Obama campaign’s talking point that those unwilling to vote for Senator Obama must be racist, and a complicit media spreading this lie across the land like a filthy virus for reasons of their own, the truth of the matter is something they seem loathe to acknowledge.
People of good conscience who care neither about a person’s race, gender or age are concerned with far more important matters in choosing our President: a person’s character, solid leadership skills and a consistent record – or that they have any record at all. We are not concerned about bowling or bourbon shots. We could give a damn about pantsuits or logos.
We are in a mess in this country and we need a wise, experienced hand to lead us forward, not a puppet king. Those who have been around the block are not concerned with electing American Idol. We don’t need someone whose inexperience is only outweighed by his arrogance and disingenuous behavior. 300 million in this great nation have already experienced a similar debacle these past eight years with very unfortunate results.
Witness Nancy Pelosi’s June 24th interview with Greta Van Susteren of FOX News (videos):
Basically, when the Speaker of the House sits with a smile plastered on her face, pretending that we have a united party and does not give so much as a nod to 18 million disaffected Clinton voters, I have to wonder in what rarified air she encapsulates herself that a reality of this magnitude escapes her.
When the best thing Speaker Pelosi can say to counter Ms. Van Susteren’s concerns about Senator Obama’s inexperience or flip-flopping on critical policy questions is that he is “fresh” – well, forgive me, but this sounds like a feminine hygiene commercial, not a campaign talking point. Likewise, Pelosi states that Senator Obama’s lack of experience is one of his best selling points. Wake me. I must be dreaming. She as much as admitted the DNC wants a blank slate, i.e., a pawn to do their bidding. I would think his supporters would likewise find this as insulting as those who did not vote for him in the first place.
We are talking about electing Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and leader of the free world. Fresh? How about this one – “he’s a Washington outsider” – perhaps, but he is a Chicago Insider and has shown himself, along with David Axelrod and his surrogates, to be capable of and comfortable with the nastiest tactics ever devised by Mayor Daley’s corrupt political machine. Of the many disturbing occurrences in this primary cycle, the loss of fair reflection and the casting aside of democracy at the Rules & Credentials Committee meeting of May 31st is just one in a series of great disappointments. Other parts of this debacle have been discussed ad nauseum and I will not repeat them here.
For years, I stood in lock step with the DNC, despite their inability to choose winning candidates, despite the seeming spinelessness of some of their actions in Congress. I did so because I naively believe they were the party of the working man and woman. I used to refer to Republicans as the “Hooray for me, f*ck you, party.”
Forgive me, Republicans. I take it back. I know better now. You and I may never agree on an agenda. We may not see eye to eye on most things, but gone are the days I will feel like I am committing a crime just for checking out John McCain’s website. Gone are the days I will scream from the highest hill about the fixing of Florida in 2000 and Ohio in 2004. That these things did happen is not up for debate in my book.
But that Democrats have proven themselves just as capable of shenanigans as the Republicans has broken my naïve heart and I will not be won back by cheap promises or threats. It is for this reason I have left the party and registered as an Independent.
With the exclusion of some truly honorable public servants in our legislature, lately I have come to believe that the enmity between Democrats and Republicans is so much posturing, while party insiders, and that includes Senator Obama, just scream loudly on the Senate floor, yet kick the can down the road, without passing effective legislation that will really be of assistance to those most in need of it.
My friends and I did not spends days upon days at call centers getting out the vote in 2006 so that Democrats could take back Congress only to have Speaker Pelosi announce that “impeachment is off the table.”
Ironically, while Pelosi’s argument for selecting Obama is that he is “fresh,” he and the Democratic leadership have taken to threatening us with the overturning of Roe vs. Wade, reactionary SCOTUS appointments, and a “100 year war in Iraq” in order to force our hands and get us to vote for their chosen messiah. Talk about employing the nuclear option.
I believe in attraction rather than promotion and I certainly do not believe in negative reinforcement the likes of, as a fellow traveler so eloquently put it, “the beatings will continue until morale improves.” Why the hell would any sensible person return to a party that invites them with nothing yet threatens them with the loss of their civil rights? Battered woman syndrome perhaps? Not something I suffer from, thanks.
Even the ultra conservative Justice Scalia has stated he would not overturn Roe vs. Wade as it would fly in the face of stare decisis; well settled law.
Furthermore, Republicans know that overturning this law would leave them without one of their favorite drums to beat at election time, and probably send them scurrying because the resulting uproar in this country would be uncontainable. Historically, Republican presidents have appointed conservative justices only to be disappointed by these judges’ rulings once they ascended to the bench. There is no barometer for how they will vote. My point – I will not be threatened into voting for anyone.
Does this behavior even sound like something Democrats would do? Does this sound like the party you thought you knew? If that is what the Democratic leadership is resorting to, then I tell you, just three weeks after they ‘anointed’ their candidate, they are very well aware he is in serious trouble.
But you get what you pay for and in shunning the clearly stronger candidate in this ultra-close nominating contest for packaging and a symbol, the DNC has backed itself into the unfortunate position of having to heap threats on top of deceit to keep the illusion alive.
If Senator Obama cannot step back from his out of control arrogance long enough even to acknowledge how much he needs the support of the large part of the Democratic base that has roundly rejected him with good reason, he has no hope of succeeding in this election. It would be wise for him to contain remarks like the one he made to Representative Diane Watson at a meeting of the Congressional Black Caucus last week when he indicated that Clinton’s voters should “get over it.”
If the DNC leadership insists on beating us down with threats and branding us falsely, or worse, insisting there is no problem to begin with, then this ‘no lose’ year for the Democrats will see them become the world’s laughing stock, having once again snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
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