What are we really talking about when we speak of reforming the Democratic Party? Considering the events we have witnessed in 2008; the co-opting and absorption of the DNC by the Dean/Daughtry/Donna/Obama wing of the party, the complete dismantling of democratic procedure, the threatening and intimidation of party members, and what in reality is akin to a purge of all non-believers in the Hope and Change Express, we are talking about nothing less than a full scale rebellion. The task is great. It is not simply a corrupted leadership we must contend with, but a corruption of ideals.
The nomination of Sarah Palin saw the unleashing of vicious attacks against her, particularly by left-wing “feminists” (the need for the use of quotes can be dealt with in another post, but is hopefully self-evident). They threw Senator Clinton under the bus for a misogynist, and then turned their sights on Palin. It should now be clear to all who were not engaged in the PUMA movement this past summer that women’s rights are in fact not valued by the current party leadership. To them, reproductive rights are only for those women who choose abortion (though when the Democratic Convention opens in Denver with a religious convocation, where the keynote speaker openly condemns abortion, it is arguable that the new DNC is preparing to fast track the adoption of the abolition of reproductive rights as we know them to the Democratic Party platform); women’s liberation only applies to Left leaning women who choose to pursue family, career, and holding public office. The level of hypocrisy is staggering, but honestly not surprising. After all, this is the party that made Nancy Pelosi, the now famous panderer and Bush lapdog, Speaker of the House.
The current economic crisis has exposed this corrupting of values as well. It is now well documented that what began as a desire to help minorities and low income Americans have a shot at owning their own piece of the American dream, became an open floodgate for rampant and unchecked speculation and abuse. Barney Frank and Chris Dodd, along with other Congressional Democrats, stood in the way of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac reform and are knee deep in questionable connections to both. They also happen to be major beneficiaries of Fannie and Freddie largess, with Dodd and Obama receiving the largest purses from the now failed companies (Obama receiving in three years more than 5 times the amount given to John McCain in 18.5 years). Frank went on record in 2003 as a denier that there were any problems on the horizon regarding Fannie and Freddie. These people helped open the door, turned a blind eye, and benefitted financially and politically from the abuses that generated this crisis. Now they are cheering the loudest for a $700 billion giveaway of our money, which will at best put a bony finger in the dike, so they can rescue their benefactors.
Party appartchiks at all levels helped enforce a predetermined outcome at the Democratic National Convention this past August in violation of the most sacred tenets of the Party’s charter. This in the wake of the Rules and Bylaws Committee meeting in May that set our rebellion in motion. Now we are watching them create an outlet for voter fraud in Ohio, and using their positions to violate the Constitution in Missouri.
We are not simply talking about bringing down the junta that brought the bitter taste of fascism to the Democratic Party. If we are going to speak of reform then we must be prepared to engage in nothing less than ending the political careers of the corrupt politicians responsible for this mess, and rebuilding the Democratic Party from the Congress, all the way down to state and local levels. To put it another way; if the Democratic Party were on “Home Again” Bob Vila would be dealing with a colonial mansion, ravaged by termites and rot, needing to be stripped to its foundations to be completely renovated and restored. I envy the relative ease of Bob’s task.
It would certainly be easier and safer to sit back and let all of this happen, go back to our private lives, and go to sleep, but it’s not in our nature. Voices from our past call us. Our history makes demands on us that we cannot ignore:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
~ The Declaration of Independence, 1776
But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their duty to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance of the women under this government, and such is now the necessity which constrains them to demand the equal station to which they are entitled. The history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of man toward woman, having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over her.
~ Declaration of Sentiments, 1848
When faced with a political entity that has done us harm, impinged on our rights and freedoms, are we not obliged to alter it so that it better effects our Safety and Happiness? Undoubtedly Chairman Dean and the DNC hope our answer is no. Dr. Dean, consider that bubble to be burst.
This post is cross-posted at Oh…my valve!
Cries of “not true” reverberate across the country aimed at each campaign by the other. The media either promulgates or joins in the cry of liar. Disturbing, yes but fairly normal for election politics.
But this year there is a big difference. Why? It’s not just the nasty blogger boyz or the continuous rehash by the cable and broadcast and radio talk. Those were in place in ’04.
So what variable is different? Gender. Two women have been front and center this election year and since our society finds nothing wrong with denigrating women sexually, misogyny is having a wild and unbridled roughshod ride.
Another but lesser factor is age. True, there have been senior candidates in the past but that was before the media had such a stranglehold on the information pipeline.
But one has only to hear the anger in Letterman’s voice condemning McCain for canceling an appearance on his show to fathom the depths of the power media has assumed. We the people have allowed the media to grow into a hydra-headed bully.
Also age is still somewhat revered as evidenced by Joe Biden’s harsh criticism of a BO ad for which he was soundly lambasted by the media and the BO campaign acting in tandem. Is Joe on the way out?
But there are no holes or indecency barred when it comes to bashing women. Where a male candidate having an affair [John Edwards] is giggled over but unreported by media, a female candidate, whether guilty or not is presumed to be promiscuous. Evidence is unnecessary.
Still, what makes this year stand out for misogyny is not the expected male, high school locker room, toilet words and sexual innuendos. It is the viciousness and intensity of feminist/women’s hatred of the female candidates.
Is this the “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” affect played large? Are these women jealous because another woman, not them, would have won a Primary [save for intervention and rule breaking by the DNC]?
Or angry because another woman, not them, would be chose to run for the office of Vice President? OMG! And these women are smart and intelligent too!
The real horror of all of this for the many women, that once supported Democrats for what they perceived was their devotion toward women’s civil and reproductive rights, is to see it is Democrats that are front and center with the cruelest and falseness of the onslaught toward women.
It was Democratic Party leadership that stole votes from the woman candidate and gave them to the man; that defied Convention Rules and cooked the books against the most qualified candidate.
But many did not go along with that treachery. Thanks be to the great band of sisters and brothers: a huge community of women and men, both young and old, who are blogging for principal instead of being out to slit their sister’s throat; for believing that Democracy is for every gender.
We will never give up and never give in.
Thank you, Shtuey. The founders fought for what they regarded as the best in English political values and traditions. We applaud a fight for what is best in the Democratic Party traditions and principles.
Just as President Franklin D. Roosevelt fought for what was best about the United States of America – and in so doing made his country a better place – I am proud to join you in fighting for what is best in the Democratic Party and I believe that in so doing we will make both the Party and the country better places.
It is beyond an honored to post a comment here at the base of one of the finest pieces I have read in a long time, and that is saying a lot in view of the tremendous wealth of brilliant work that emerges daily from PUMA writers.
I cannot agree more that the time has come for change, the like of which you envision here and I will support you in every way possible in the days, weeks and years to come. With FDR’S permission I would like to add your site to the top of my blog, alongside Democrats for Principle Before Party.
Together we can do this.
There is no greater fight than for what those before us gave their all. I too, find it an honor to join you in embracing the principles of the party of FDR and all that it has stood for. It has, indeed, been tarnished but our focused efforts can bring back it’s luster once again.