by Christi Parsons
Liberals are getting their party on this week over at the Washington Hilton, where the attendance is at the annual Take Back America is at an all-time high and attendees feel like, well, they might actually take the country.
The leading Democratic presidential candidates are all trouping through to ask for support, with Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) making her appearance this morning.
Progressive leaders at the conference are touting some recent studies that they say show more Americans like their take on issues like Iraq, health care and the environment. (See the story in today's Tribune here and below:)
But some skeptics in attendance warn that liberals ought to be doing more than just putting a Democrat in the White House. Ralph Nader, for instance, urges the progressives in the party to be bolder about taking on corporate interests.
"When you look at an agenda of a progressive conference like this, you ask questions like, 'How much of it is focused on distributional economics, like making sure there's aid to hungry children?'" Nader said. "'And how much goes to challenging the power structure?' A society that has more justice needs less charity."
And from a distance, conservatives are questioning the liberals' premise that their movement is on the rise. "The American people are very supportive of low taxation and less government regulation," said the Heritage Foundation's Brian Darling. "The things they're pushing back against are foreign policy issues taht don't have anything to do with the issues (liberals) are banging the drum on."
Liberals get their groove back
-- at least at conference
By Christi Parsons
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON -- Six years ago, the Take Back America conference was just a meeting of a few dozen progressive activists held in a local office building, where they talked about how to voice their liberal views at a time of Republican domination in U.S. politics.
On Tuesday, the ranks of the conference's attendees had swelled to more than 3,000 people from all over the country, enough to fill a sprawling hotel ballroom here and command a parade of the leading Democratic presidential candidates to seek their support.
Liberal radio hosts were broadcasting live from the scene. Hollywood figures were on hand. Led by anti-war activists, some of those attending occasionally burst into song and danced in the hallways.
"This reflects the increasing strength of the progressive movement and the sense that we're driving the political debate," said Robert Borosage, co-director of Campaign for America's Future, the organization playing host to the event. "There's a general sense that the conservative era of the last 25 years is over. The public is moving our way, and we are moving politicians our way."
Conservative thinkers dispute that notion, arguing that the unpopularity of the Iraq war launched by a conservative president doesn't necessarily translate into support for progressives. And Republican partisans circulated a notice this week that the "liberal circus" is in town, predicting that Democratic elected officials in Washington were about to "pander" shamelessly to the left wing of their party.
Nader challenge
Meanwhile, lurking in the shadows of the conference are mavericks such as Ralph Nader, some of whom grumble that the progressive movement isn't being bold enough with its early moment in the sun.
But progressive leaders were too busy to much notice those critiques. Boosted by Democratic wins in the 2006 elections, and by polls that suggest the public is moving their way on key issues, many liberals feel their movement is on the ascent for the first time in decades.
A recent study by the Pew Research Center suggests that trends in political values and popular attitudes make the current political landscape more favorable to Democrats. The research suggests a growing concern among Americans about income inequality and the social safety net, as well as a decrease in the appetite for "assertive national security policies."
In tandem with their own studies, leaders of liberal constituency groups read the recent research as an endorsement of their views on a broad range of issues, including the war in Iraq, health care, climate change and economic policies.
It hasn't been easy to be a liberal in America for many years, said Cecile Richards, national president of Planned Parenthood. A personal low-water mark for her was in 1994, when her mother, Ann Richards, lost the Texas governor's race to George W. Bush.
"It has been a pretty tough past decade in particular," she said. "But now it feels like the mood in the country is significantly changing. It feels like people are just getting ready to go back to solving problems, and bringing the country together rather than living in this world that's so divided between red and blue."
With their movement potentially on the rise, several liberal activists said they don't simply want to see a Democrat installed in the White House.
Rather, after years in the wilderness, they want to see their agenda items begin to move forward through a Democratic Congress with the leadership of a progressive president.
Planned Parenthood activists hope the movement will bring about universal health care.
Members of the Apollo Alliance, a coalition of environmental and labor leaders, want Democrats to push for clean energy independence.
Eli Pariser, executive director of MoveOn.org, said his group's top priority is an end to the Iraq war.
And on Tuesday, hundreds of audience members boarded buses for Capitol Hill to demonstrate in favor of the Employee Free Choice Act, which makes it easier for people to join unions.
At the same time, there are signs that party regulars are taking the liberal agitation seriously.
The conference commanded a 45-minute address from Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), who drew a standing ovation when he reminded audience members that he opposed the Iraq war from the beginning.
"We knew back then this war was a mistake," Obama said. "But the war went forward. And now, we've seen those consequences and we mourn for the dead and wounded."
Democrats John Edwards, former senator from North Carolina, and Bill Richardson, governor of New Mexico, both gave lengthy talks notable for their condemnation of the war.
Despite the fact that some anti-war activists booed her at the conference last year, Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) is scheduled to speak in the venue again Wednesday, the third and last day of the 2007 session.
Rev. Al Sharpton broadcast his radio show live from the conference site at the Washington Hilton, holding court amid dozens of people at tables marked for the "progressive press." Organizers said more than 100 liberal bloggers were present.
Actor Jason Alexander emceed the conference's awards dinner Tuesday, and Michael Moore was set to preview his movie "Sicko" on Wednesday.
To be sure, there was plenty of skepticism amid the activity. Nader questioned why ascendant progressives wouldn't be more eager to take on powerful corporate interests.
Call for justice
"When you look at an agenda of a progressive conference like this, you ask questions like, 'How much of it is focused on distributional economics, like making sure there's aid to hungry children?'" Nader said. "'And how much goes to challenging the power structure?' A society that has more justice needs less charity."
Conservatives, meanwhile, questioned the liberals' reading of recent polls.
"The only thing progressives have going for them is President Bush's unpopularity," said Brian Darling, director of Senate relations for the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. "I don't think their ideas are popular. They're playing on that to market their old, tired messages."
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Comments
Listen to Ralph Nader? I think not.
If Ralph Nader were not so full of himeself, Al Gore would be president and Joe Lieberman would be in a secure location somewhere with padded walls.
Posted by: Doug Zook | June 20, 2007 8:10 AM
The Dem. establishment got a wake up call when we pushed back at Joe Loserman. He fooled a lot of people, but the chance of him ever winning another election again is zero.
The party establishment has not quite figured out what to do with us. "Oh, the dirty hippies! I think I'm having the vapors!" But we were right on Iraq. We were right about the environment. And we're right about saving American jobs for Americans.
We're in the process of taking a page from the Repubs. If you vote more like a Repug, we'll see to it you will get to enjoy a nice primary fight. (See Bean, Melissa.)
Posted by: weinerdog43 | June 20, 2007 8:18 AM
"The only thing progressives have going for them is President Bush's unpopularity," said Brian Darling..."
(Scooby Doo can't believe I read that sound.)
That's like saying, the only thing Bloomberg has going for him is his billions.
Posted by: Doug Zook | June 20, 2007 8:21 AM
"How much of it is focused on distributional economics..." from Ralph Nadar
That pretty much sums it up.
Posted by: Terry | June 20, 2007 8:58 AM
Oh you deranged lefties are full of yourselves. This country isn't going left, but you can keep believing that.
Weinerdog, you were wrong on Iraq and wrong on American jobs (also, do you realize jobs were going elsewhere while Clintoon was president, right?). Jobs are coming here too, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi, Hyundai all make cars here. In fact, only two Nissan models sold in here are made in Japan. All the other models? Made in the US of A.
One the environment, I'll give the Left some recognition. Yet, funny thing, though, for decades now whenever I've been somewhere that a band of hippies like yourself have been, whether camping, forst park grounds, out on the road, you folks litter and don't clean up after yourselves. Seriously, on the road a couple of your type is putt putting along on the expressway with their Barack Obama 08 bumpersticker and what do they do? Throw a bag of garbage onto the road! Camping many years ago, a bunch of Deadheads leave their camping stop full of beer cans and bottles, empty bags, food, etc. To me, litter is the most irresponsible form or pollution there is! So you go and have your global warming concerts and stuff, but for once clean up after yourselves!!!
As for me, recently when golfing there was some litter near a garbage can at one of the tees. I picked up the garbage and put it in the garbage. Now my buddy said, "You know they have people who do that." I told him, "I know, but I hate seeing litter so I'm here, might as well pick it up before it blows elsewhere."
You and your ilk might want to try it sometime!
Posted by: John D | June 20, 2007 9:02 AM
I wonder what Christi Parsons would write about a similar gathering of conservatives.
Actually, I don't wonder at all. There was a similar gathering March 1-3 this year in DC, the CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference). You can read about it at www.cpac.org. VP Cheney and at least 6 GOP presidential candidates spoke there. But Christi Parsons didn't cover it. More importantly, nobody from the Chicago Tribune covered it.
Guess only "liberal" gatherings are newsworthy to Tribune reporters.
Posted by: Bruce | June 20, 2007 9:38 AM
John D, you need to get back on your meds.
You don't get to pick your facts. I'm not going to waste my time arguing over things that only wingnuts believe to be true. Think whatever you like; we Liberals don't care what you think anyway.
Posted by: weinerdog43 | June 20, 2007 10:12 AM
"And Republican partisans circulated a notice this week that the 'liberal circus' is in town, predicting that Democratic elected officials in Washington were about to "pander" shamelessly to the left wing of their party."
Now that NEVER happens with the Republicans when any of the right wing groups like the NRA or Focus on the Family come to Washington, does it?
Oh wait a minute - it does.
Posted by: BobinATL | June 20, 2007 10:53 AM
Liberals are not going to take back the country. As soon as Nancy Pelosi got her chance she started with the biggest tax increase in history according to Americans for Tax Refornm to spend on a $2.9 trillion dollar social spending binge. America works best when there is less government regulation and tax reduction not increases. Liberals wax on about the environment every body wants clean air and water but, since the fall of the Soviet Union the number one liberal idea is to hide a communist and collectivist agenda in the Green movement to stop capitalism and money making and to talk about conserving and going back to horses and buggies manure and all. Most Americans live conservative lifestyles and are unimpressed with spoiled liberals. They will not take our country back--it is bad enough what liberal Dems are doing in Springfield in the name of health care and free pre-school for all they are in the process of shutting down state government to force tax and fee increases. So much for progressive Dems. Jerry White, Springfield, IL
Posted by: Jerry White | June 20, 2007 10:58 AM
Weiner, does the truth hurt? Does the fact that your ilk litters and rarely cleans up after itself bother you? I would imagine so!
Sorry, but in nearly 40 years of travel I've seen more than my share of so-called environmental supporters litter or not clean up their trash at a campsight.
Sorry, as rightwing a nut my dad always has been, whenever we camped, we ALWAYS picked up our litter and garbage and frankly we picked up other people's garbage too from nearby campsights or even when hiking, we often picked up bottles, cans, paper and put it in a bag and drop into the first garbage can we came across or into the car and then put it into the garbage can at the campground. Came across plenty of hippies in late 60s to mid 70s, never saw them once clean up after themselves! You don't have to like it, but them's the facts, weinerman!
Posted by: John D | June 20, 2007 11:04 AM
whenever I've been somewhere that a band of hippies like yourself have been, whether camping, forst park grounds, out on the road, you folks litter and don't clean up after yourselves.
Posted by: John D | June 20, 2007 9:02 AM
John D......don't you think you've gone a little too far? Now, are we not only unpatriotic...but we're litterbugs...and the only people to enjoy the outdoors would be democrats. If all stereotypes are correct that would make you an angry old white man...is that true?
Posted by: Anonymous | June 20, 2007 11:15 AM
whenever I've been somewhere that a band of hippies like yourself have been, whether camping, forst park grounds, out on the road, you folks litter and don't clean up after yourselves.
Posted by: John D | June 20, 2007 9:02 AM
John D......don't you think you've gone a little too far? Now, are we not only unpatriotic...but we're litterbugs...and the only people to enjoy the outdoors would be democrats. If all stereotypes are correct that would make you an angry old white man...is that true?
Posted by: bill r. | June 20, 2007 11:16 AM
Rev. Al Sharpton broadcast his radio show live from the conference site
I am old enough to remember when liberalism was represented by people like Martin Luther King. That was back in the days when I was a liberal. Back in those days, a two-bit hustler like Sharpton would have been shown the door. Today, Democratic politicians grovel for his support.
Posted by: S. Sherman | June 20, 2007 11:22 AM
Weinerdog43: I agree with you that us Liberals really don't care what John D thinks. I do, however, find much humor in his rantings. I question what he means by "you were wrong on Iraq and American jobs". Wrong--how? I guess in John D's world he found the WMDs and a link between 9/11 and Iraq. John D should also realize that Honda, et al., have been building cars in this country long before Dubya took office. But then again, in John D's deranged little world, he won't believe that.
Posted by: Janstress | June 20, 2007 11:26 AM
Dems getting their groove back? Oh sure, that's going real well. Pelosi and Harry Reids approval ratings? Worse then Bush's. Closer to home (IL), a Dem gov., a Dem legislator, no budget. Now that's groovy. Dem presidential candidates - may be the worst crop ever. Hillary booed even as she tried to pander to the audience. Don't like her stance on the Iraq war? Wait a few minutes, it will change. Obama says he was always against the war - yeah, that was important when he was a state senator. Edwards idea of "Two Americas" are his mansion and lifestyle vs. everyone else. These three couldn't together run a lemonade stand, let alone the country.
Posted by: JimmyD | June 20, 2007 12:00 PM
Hmmm, let's see, so far dt, bill r, anonymous have posted the exact same stuff! And Janstress calls me deranged!!!
Sorry, but I don't need multiple personalities.
In regard to who cares who thinks what, for the most part I sure as hell don't care what the Loony Left thinks because you folks are blithering idiots! The only way I do care what you morons think is because your existence is bad for the U.S. and basically bad for mankind, womankind, whatever kind you want to acknowledge!
Posted by: John D | June 20, 2007 12:08 PM
At this 'progressive" conference Hillary Clinton was booed--because she praised our troops in Iraq.
"Sen. Hillary Clinton was booed again this morning at the Take Back America conference, sponsored by the lefty activist group Campaign for America's Future here in Washington. At this same conference last year, Sen. Clinton was booed for her position on the war in Iraq. This morning, she was enthusiastically received as she bashed the Bush administration — "a stunning record of secrecy and corruption" [she's the expert on both!]— but the crowd became less friendly when, at the end of her speech, she turned to Iraq.
"We're going to end the war in Iraq and finally bring home the troops," she said as a number of Code Pink protesters stood up in the audience. When she declared, "The American military has done its job," boos began to be heard around the room. As the boos increased, Sen. Clinton raised her voice. "The American military has succeeded," she said, to more boos. "It is the Iraqi government that has failed to make the tough decisions." Still more boos." (per Byron York at NRO)
The booing shows what the "progressive" movement thinks about our army.
Posted by: Bruce | June 20, 2007 12:11 PM
Bullshit, Zook. Gore (and you) has no one to blame for his defeat but himself. (1) Had he taken sufficiently progressive positions, Nader would never have run in the first place. (2) Had he accepted Clinton's offer to campaign for him, he probably would have run. (3) Had progressives campaigned for him harder, he probably would have won. Don't blame Nader. Nader is a man of honor and integrity.
Posted by: Doug Hyden | June 20, 2007 12:11 PM
John D. - The few, the proud, the litterer pickerupperer.
Did you pick up an Oak Leaf Cluster for not hitting the rim?
Posted by: Doug Zook | June 20, 2007 12:40 PM
Male bovine feces Hayden.
Nader, was, is, and will always be a SPOILER!
Now excuse me, I need to go spit on my Corvair.
Posted by: Doug Zook | June 20, 2007 12:43 PM
In regard to who cares who thinks what, for the most part I sure as hell don't care what the Loony Left thinks because you folks are blithering idiots! The only way I do care what you morons think is because your existence is bad for the U.S. and basically bad for mankind, womankind, whatever kind you want to acknowledge!
Posted by: John D | June 20, 2007 12:08 PM
Ahhhh....Once again you come right to the point...
What point I have no idea.. other than you want to howl at the moon like a wounded dog. Your quick analitical mind noticed right off that anonymous and my post were exactly the same...I forgot to post name and address..and thinking it wouldn't get posted..I re-posted....you are so quick you obviously didn't even read them or you would have noticed that. But that doesn't stop your blabering. You write day in day out looney lefty this and looney lefty that...you have only proved you are an orifice for the right. Which one...I'll let you guess.
Posted by: bill r. | June 20, 2007 1:04 PM
John D,
You claim yourself a lover of wildlife and the environment.
How do you feel about your president setting back environmental policy in this country about 50 years?
It is going to take decades to undo the damage the chimp in chief has done to wildlife and our environment.
It's nice to see you pick up after yourself though. You have mastered the basic tasks of a four year old.
Posted by: Bubba | June 20, 2007 1:15 PM
Karl Rove and his band of mouthbreathing Neocons have accomplished the exact opposite of the permanent Republican majority that they dreamed of doing, they've created a Democratic revolution.
Thanks KKKarl, if it wasn't for you and your merry band of Republican criminals I would never have gotten involved in politics.
Posted by: John E | June 20, 2007 1:33 PM
Bruce:
So you quote a guy from that well knows right wing rag, the National Review, to tell us that Hillary was booed at the Take Back America conference. Nothing like using those independent sources. Why not just tell us what Fox News is saying?
Posted by: BobinATL | June 20, 2007 1:46 PM
Bill r., anonymous and dt also posted identical stuff. Are you dt too? Sorry, but since your ilk does tend to like posting as others, including posting as me, I am automatically dubious.
Posted by: John D | June 20, 2007 1:49 PM
Say what you will about liberals, but Republicans and conversatives have been relying on God, guns, and gays for far too long. It's rather pathetic.
Posted by: Enrique | June 20, 2007 1:52 PM
Ah, good old lunchtime. I see our mouthbreathing friends can't help but care about us poor Liberals.
Anyway, some food for thought during lunch:
Yearly Kos will be here in Chicago in a few months. We will see every single Dem candidate come to kiss the Liberal ring. HA!
Our favored candidate will be for:
Getting out of Iraq IMMEDIATELY.
Enacting a Paris Hilton tax on the uber rich.
Cutting waste at the Dept. of Defense.
Enforcing the law on employers that hire illegal immigrants.
Fair trade.
Eliminating subsidies to the oil and gas business and send them to clean energy instead.
Restoration of habeous corpus.
Purging the gov't of the neo nazi repugs.
There's lots more, but it's back to work. Hi ho, and all that.
Posted by: weinerdog43 | June 20, 2007 1:52 PM
Hey Bruce!!!
Nice try on CPAC - go back to "The Swamp" archives on March 3rd and 4th. Two postings on the CPAC conference.
So where did you see NO coverage in The Trib?? Or were you just going from your right-wing nutjob faulty memory - like your friend Albert Gonzales?
Posted by: BobinATL | June 20, 2007 1:58 PM
frankly, if it wasn't for the name-calling and rants from both the left and the right in this blog, i wouldn't be as interseted in politics. it is kinda nice, though, when someone goes against the grain and says something that makes sense....
Posted by: anne | June 20, 2007 2:02 PM
..The heck with all of you...(left and right, liberal or conservative)
...I'm going back to the Moonies....
Posted by: The Original BZ | June 20, 2007 2:16 PM
Hey Bubba, nice to have you back!
From Uncle Dave Letterman's Late Show Top Ten Lists.
TOP TEN PRESIDENT BUSH GLOBAL WARMING SOLUTIONS:
10 - Instead of "partly sunny" have weatherman say "partly cloudy".
9 - Stop using Air Force One for Texas barbecue runs
8 - Replace dangerous CO2 in the atmosphere with more eco-free CO1
7 - Encourage people to walk more by distributing free Dr Scholl massaging gel inserts. Are you "gellin"?
6 - Watch Al Gore movie instead of the usual "Dukes of Hazzard"
5 - Bob Barker's free. Get him workin' on it
4 - Send more troops to Iraq
3 - I dunno, tax cuts for the rich?
2 - Reduce hot air emissions by canceling "The View"
1 - RESIGN
Posted by: John E | June 20, 2007 2:25 PM
because your existence is bad for the U.S. and basically bad for mankind, womankind, whatever kind you want to acknowledge!
Posted by: John D | June 20, 2007 12:08 PM
Johnny D thinks Americans are worse for mankind than Al-Qaeda. And his pals tacitly agree
Posted by: Janet | June 20, 2007 2:34 PM
So you quote a guy from that well knows right wing rag, the National Review, to tell us that Hillary was booed at the Take Back America conference.
Posted by: BobinATL | June 20, 2007 1:46 PM
So are you saying this didn't happen? 'Cuz from what I've read in nearly every account (The Hill, The Nation, AP, for example), it seems NRO had it right.
Posted by: Anonymous | June 20, 2007 3:35 PM
Janet, dear, you Loony Lefties are in partnership with Al Qaeda. There is no difference between the Loony Left and Al Qaeda. Understand?
Posted by: John D | June 20, 2007 3:49 PM
It's nice to see you pick up after yourself though. You have mastered the basic tasks of a four year old.
Posted by: Bubba | June 20, 2007 1:15 PM
Not only has he mastered it, but he's so swellingly proud of his accomplishment that he's dedicated a little corner of his memory for every time he's picked up a wrapper.
Somebody commission a medal for this man!
Posted by: david k | June 20, 2007 3:52 PM
"Bobin ATL" sayeth about my observation that the Tribune did not send anyone to cover the March CPAC:
"Nice try on CPAC - go back to "The Swamp" archives on March 3rd and 4th. Two postings on the CPAC conference.
So where did you see NO coverage in The Trib?? Or were you just going from your right-wing nutjob faulty memory - like your friend Albert Gonzales?"
"BobinATL", perhaps you should attend a course in remedial English. If you could read, you'd note that the March 4th "Swamp" article was by David Lerman, a reporter for a Virginia newspaper--not the Chicago Tribune. And the March 3rd article was a Swampgas roundup of events happening that day, not coverage of the event itself.
Reading BobinATL reminds me of the song sung by the Scarecrow in "The Wizard of Oz": "If I only had a brain".
Posted by: Bruce | June 20, 2007 4:33 PM
Hi John E,
Yeah, I've been gone for a while. I've been busy throwing my trash all over the Teton Mountain range and in the rivers and tributaries. Thank goodness we have John D the honorable boyscout to pick up after me.
Nice top 10 list. I heard a rumor that Dave is having Willie Nelson play up at his ranch in Montana over the 4th of July. Might need to head up there and make sure all the hippies don't pick up after themselves.
Posted by: Bubba | June 20, 2007 4:34 PM
Nader may have been a "spoiler" but he was just trying to point out that the Dems were just repug-lite. Remember NAFTA? Ruby Ridge? The revamp of health care that was supposed to come? etal.
Posted by: Anonymous | June 20, 2007 5:01 PM
Janet,
How about numbskull Johnny D'Luded?
He invariably adds a condescending "dear" after every female poster he responds too. Rumor has it he's never been married and has never... well, you know.
Do you know anyone who'd "give one for the team" (as it were) so Johnny would get a little (wink, wink) perspective on life.
Posted by: Doug Zook | June 20, 2007 5:15 PM
Anonymous,
Repug-lite? Are you serious?
Is there any doubt in your mind that the USA and the world would be a very different place today if Al Gore hadn't lost the Supreme Court?
Global warming? Iraq? Our standing in the world?
Posted by: Doug Zook | June 20, 2007 5:33 PM
I'll bet the store in DC are all out of tinfoil this week.
Doug,
If Al Gore were president the USA would be in a different place: higher unemployment, higher inflation, and 300 million would be learning how to bow to Mecca a few times per day.
Posted by: Terry | June 20, 2007 7:20 PM
I love how the 28% of the country that supports Al-Qaeda and hates the troops are invariably Chickenhawks of the 1st degree. They hang out with the rest of us and foam at the mouth for their lost cause.
The Fighting 101st Keyboarders: Battling real Americans to compensate for their, ahem, shortcomings.
Posted by: weinerdog43 | June 20, 2007 7:44 PM
This is so ripe:
Janet,
How about numbskull Johnny D'Luded?
He invariably adds a condescending "dear" after every female poster he responds too. Rumor has it he's never been married and has never... well, you know.
Do you know anyone who'd "give one for the team" (as it were) so Johnny would get a little (wink, wink) perspective on life.
Posted by: Doug Zook | June 20, 2007 5:15 PM
Boy, Doogie, that was a good one!! Rumor has it I've never been married and oh dear I haven't had sex, is what you are trying to say???
Well, Doogie, I have made so many babies, it aint funny! And each and every one of them is being trained to be a hunter, a hunter of loony lefties such as yourself.
But I'll stoop to your level: Is that Viagra prescription doing you any good? And when will you thank me for all those Depend coupons I mailed to you?
See, that was so fun!!
Posted by: John D | June 20, 2007 9:06 PM
You mean, there really are identifiable liberals in Washington? I never would have guessed it.
Posted by: John W. | June 20, 2007 9:52 PM
I don't think there is a "left" in the true political sense anymore. Clinton was a centrist, or slightly left of center at most. While the democratic party has remained in the center, and maybe even shifted to the right some, the republican party has veered drastically to the right. Goldwater would not even recognize his party anymore.
Posted by: dt | June 20, 2007 11:54 PM
Wienerdog, are you drunk?
DO you realize that your "laundry list" with the exception of :
"Enforcing the law on employers that hire illegal immigrants."
is like basically admitting that you are a run of the mill left wing whack job?
Holy crap you people are scary.
Yearly Kos? I want to vomit.
Trust me, the "left left left wing" will NEVER hold power in this country. You are a fringe element that gets way too much press. The only saving grace if Hillary wins, is that I believe she is smart enough to know and understand this. Bill was.
Posted by: JD | June 21, 2007 12:31 AM
Terry,
After all you wrote about Al Gore: Would you still have volunteered to join the military? Or would you still be letting other people do the fighting and dieing for you?
Posted by: Doug Zook | June 21, 2007 9:02 AM
"And each and every one of them is being trained to be a hunter, a hunter of loony lefties such as yourself. "
Once again Johnny D shows the violent rage that seethes within him.
Johnny D is a Terrorist in waiting.
Posted by: Tony | June 21, 2007 9:40 AM
Doug,
I guess that depends upon how bad a President Gore had screwed it up in four years. If called, I would go.
Would you re-enlist?
At least you didn't dispute what the country would be like under a President Gore
Posted by: Terry | June 21, 2007 8:05 PM
The power structure can't be challenged within the major parties. The structure itself tends to weed out progressives. I'm a former Democrat who had run for Democratic State Committee and found this out.
That why I'm supporting former Democratic Congresswoman's run for President as a Green.
McKinney talks about 2008 campaign video taped June 9 in NYC.
Posted by: GreenGenes | June 21, 2007 11:03 PM
As a former Democrat myself, who attempted to run for Democratic Sate Committeeman, I've found you can't push the Democratic Party from within. The party leadership prevents progressives from . . . well, making progress.
I sympathetic to form Democratic Congresswoman, Cynthia McKinney's potential run as a Green
Cynthia talks about 2008 video taped June 9 in NYC
Posted by: GreenGenes | June 22, 2007 12:39 AM
300 million would be learning how to bow to Mecca a few times per day - thank God it only turned out 27,499,638 learning how to bow to Washington diktat instead - YaY ! - NOT
Posted by: Anonymous | June 22, 2007 12:42 AM