“I think the way to disagree with a party leader is with respect based upon the principles of the party. Focus on the issues, not the personalities, and offer a constructive alternative. It has been my observation that making it about the person not the policies doesn’t empower a change in the policies.

I’ll end on this note about the war: if we demonize everyone who supported the war (a majority of the American people at one time by the same pollsters who report significant opposition now), we are missing the opportunity to make common cause with them to end it now.”

Around here anyway, that’s all we’ve been doing. Waiting patiently and trusting our Dem leaders to do something. This was just one of many comments about “bipartisanship” and “reaching across the aisle” being the key for us Democrats to bring about change.

Doing everything within my power to remain calm, but that’s nonsense!

Seriously, do ThoseThatKnowBetter ever think about the thousands of babies, toddlers, pregnant mothers, and everyone else buried in piles of rubble, bleeding to death and feeling the last breaths of their children leave their tiny bodies, before their own eyes close forever? Do these DeeCee elites think about those last moments of these people’s lives when they’re lecturing people on “civil discourse,” and making compromises with people who NEVER compromise, ever?!?!?

All because of bombs made and delivered by our tax dollars, and in our names as Americans, and completely unecessarily.

As I put my 1 and 3 year-olds to sleep tonight, I’m reminded why it is essential those of us, who can see beyond our political playing fields, fight like Hell to stop this madness. I’m happy we have a strong military to DEFEND us. When our selected leaders decide to invade countries which obviously posed no threat to us, killing hundreds of thousands in the process, we have to stop the madmen WITH EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER. Dems have had enough control to significantly disrupt the corrupt machine for almost a year. Too bad they decided they had to play nice instead. 2007 is already the deadliest year of our Iraq Occupation. Our Dem leadership could have reduced those numbers dramatically, and don’t give me any of that 60 votes nonsense!!! There’s plenty they could do. If you need ideas, stop by here again. Many here are quite well-versed in the Constitution and the “ways of Washington.”

Ms. Pelosi, drastic times call for drastic measures. These are drastic times. Let me introduce you to someone who understood this very well, Steve Gilliard.

Here’s a little lesson for you…”We Fight Back.”

…
Any advice on how to get them to respect our bounderies and opinions without us having to resort to might is right and crush them?
I try appealing to their economic self interest but often they feel and do not think things through.

If they want to fight it out, then we fight it out.

If they want to compromise, then we consider it.

If they want to cooperate, then we do our best to accomodate, but without violating our own principles.

If they want to just say “No”, then we have to bash ‘em politically and beat ‘em at the polls.

These aren’t complicated or amazing, just rules of a civil society.

I’d suggest they stop tazing people to death because there is also a rule for that: if they kill us we have to kill them in self defense. It’s brutal, nasty and horrific to consider, but it is also the basest politics which can become inevitable despite efforts of those, like Obama, who (IMO) only want to cave while appearing to govern.

Peaceful methods should be preferred by anybody who has feelings and that is why governments arose and why eventually our Modern Democracy arose. It’s only the Bushies who seem to think they’re insulated from retribution or consequences.

Democrats are all in favor of peaceful methods, but like all humans, will resort to whatever the circumstances demand.

How can one think of bipartisanship as a positive for a Democrat when the goal of the other party is the destruction of our Constitutional Democracy. Isn’t there a line where politics as usual needs to give way for a higher purpose. As this point in our history, I won’t send money to any Democrat that talks about common ground or working together etc.

It isn’t necessarily bipartisanship which we need. It’s uniting Americans in many fundamental ways: North & South need to stop hating one another; White & Black need to stop hating one another; Rich & Poor need to accomodate one another.

We have imbalances in America and many are sociological, though some are technological. For example, if we have nearly full employment and yet we need to rev up our production to meet the coming inflation, then we need an immigration policy which brings in more workers (of various types). If people should be allowed greater capital wealth, then they need a way to save without Wall Street, banks or other predators finding ways to steal it. If American corporations want to go off-shore to do business, then we need to find a way to ensure our tax base and continue production growth here in the country.

There are many things which need to be done to unbind America from kinks in the system and imbalances which prevent us from living better lives more productively with less damage to the environment.

Thanks, Christine, for coming by the ‘Lake!

(And TomR, I generally agree — but I was hoping to hear something from Christine about it, as this was her rule.)

Last one, then I’m off. I think the way to disagree with a party leader is with respect based upon the principles of the party. Focus on the issues, not the personalities, and offer a constructive alternative. It has been my observation that making it about the person not the policies doesn’t empower a change in the policies.

I’ll end on this note about the war: if we demonize everyone who supported the war (a majority of the American people at one time by the same pollsters who report significant opposition now), we are missing the opportunity to make common cause with them to end it now.

Thanks for the comments and for all you do.
Christine

Frank33 @ 108

Bi-partisanship, sure, that will stop the Bushies criminal wars. (A new estimate says 1.2 million deaths in Iraq.)

bi-partisanship, sure, that will stop the bushies criminal wars. a new estimate is $3.4 TRILLION U.S. Dollars will be required to pay off all the foreign investment loans bush got to pay for his illegal and unjustified invasion, occcupation and war crimes based on a pack of lies. If that isn’t treason, I don’t know what is! And what pray tell is the sentence for treason committed during a time of war (GWOT)? I think you can figure out the rest.

Many Republicans agree that our military servicemembers have done all they’ve been asked to do and now must come home safely, honorably & soon. Please see my earlier responses for specifics on bipartisanship – my point is we can’t have a mere 51% position (like the current administration) – rather, we need a 60% solution, and I believe it’s there to be organized.