It Is TIME TO EMBRACE Criticisms Of The Democratic Party To ENSURE It LIVES UP To Its Tenets

[Segami]

Last edited Mon May 5, 2014, 07:37 PM - Edit history (1)

"....Many corporatist Democrats, while still Democrats, have acted like corporatists first. Wealth extraction has not been limited by party. Support for policies that hurt the middle class has not been limited by party. Glass Steagall and NAFTA occurred under Bill Clinton, a Democrat. The push to fast track the Trans Pacific Partnership is occurring under President Barack Obama’s administration, a Democrat..."

David Cobb, the spokesperson for Move to Amend and previous Green Party candidate for president, came to Houston recently to barnstorm. He addressed a crowd of just over 100 people about the need to amend the Constitution to codify that money is not speech and that corporations or legal entities are not persons. The group included Democrats, Republicans, Greens, Libertarians and Socialist Democrats. Anyone who is privy to David Cobb’s barnstorms knows it can get very exciting rather quickly. He is passionate about hammering the message about corporate encroachment on every individual’s freedom overtly and covertly. Citizens United and the McCutcheon cases make the necessity for the above-mentioned constitutional amendment that more urgent. In the near term there is an even more dangerous concern. The loss of net neutrality, if not reversed, will kill our democracy. The fight to move to amend the constitution would be made that much more difficult with one more powerful organizing tool crippled.



Cobb made many Democrats in the Houston audience somewhat uncomfortable after singling out actions taken by the Democratic Party that would seem anathema to its core constituency. Yet he once worked for Jesse Jackson. He was once a party loyalist. As a card-carrying, sustaining member and unabashed Democrat, I knew exactly where he was coming from. Move to Amend is a nonpartisan organization. Cobb coming down as hard as he did on Democrats seemed unfair to many in the room. But that discomfort is important and healthy, as I'll explain below the fold. Both Cobb and I serve on the Move to Amend leadership team. He ribs the Democrats on the team all of the time about their loyalty to the Democratic Party. That ribbing is a good thing—it doesn't shake one from being a Democrat. It does something much more important: It makes you re-evaluate why you became a Democrat in the first place. When you question your party affiliation, there are several results. It first forces you to check if the basic tenets of the party have changed. Secondly, it makes you examine whether the party is living up to its ideals.




The reality is the Democratic Party is orders of magnitude better for the middle class than the Republican Party, if only for its simple belief that collectively, we can make a difference. Government can be good. Government can work. Government can provide that safety net that mitigates the intrinsic inhumanity of capitalism. The Democratic Party’s codification of tolerance and implicit diversity within its platform makes it the place for everyone. However, rather than singing all the praises, every Democrat should be frank and acknowledge where the party has failed. The grassroots must push the party to live up to its ideals. Many corporatist Democrats, while still Democrats, have acted like corporatists first. Wealth extraction has not been limited by party. Support for policies that hurt the middle class has not been limited by party. Glass Steagall and NAFTA occurred under Bill Clinton, a Democrat. The push to fast track the Trans Pacific Partnership is occurring under President Barack Obama’s administration, a Democrat.



No one is looking for absolute purity in a party’s doctrine. That said, one must guard against a slow drift that in real time seem marginal. In the aggregate, the sum total of marginal changes is rather profound. That is how we got President Clinton making the profound statement (see video) that "the era of big government is over," as if big government was America’s existential problem. That is how we got President Obama supporting chain CPI instead of increasing the Social Security cap. That is how we got a stimulus bill heavy on cuts even though it is fact that spending is more stimulative than tax cuts.

cont'


http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/05/04/1296364/-It-is-time-to-embrace-criticisms-of-the-Democratic-Party-to-ensure-it-lives-up-to-its-tenets?showAll=yes

[Le Taz Hot]

1. . . .

"No one is looking for absolute purity in a party’s doctrine. That said, one must guard against a slow drift that in real time seem marginal"

This should be DU's mantra. Right there.

[bvar22]

12. The drift does not seem "marginal" or "slow" to this Old FDR Democrat.

There was an abrupt abandonment of America's Working Class after the 1992 election of "Centrist" Bill Clinton.
It has been downhill ever since.

[L0oniX]

18. Indeed!

[Populist_Prole]

22. Bingo. Well said. n/t

[A Simple Game]

60. True words, I couldn't agree more and the rate of acceleration is increasing.

One big problem is the Democrats that are so short sighted they can't see it. There are many even on DU.

Party before Country is not patriotism even for Democrats.

[RoccoR5955]

68. Yep. Clinton was the best Republican President ever! n/t

[classykaren]

73. Yah NAFTA worked so well for us all.

[Enthusiast]

32. It's full speed ahead. No slow drift from my perspective.

The President proposed Chained CPI. He took the Republican position that Social Security contributes to the deficit. That is full fucking speed ahead.

[calimary]

43. And it's one sure way to reinforce the opinions of those who think both parties are alike.

"Meh, they're both the same." How many times have you heard that from somebody? And in order to argue against this you have to get into the weeds and the finer details that make many of their eyes just glaze over.

It's time to ask our Dems - whose side are you on, really? Whooz yer daddy? Wall Street or Main Street? And unfortunately we will never get very far with any satisfactory answers to that until we hobble Citizens United - or (more preferably) get rid of it, outright. As long as money is the mother's milk of politics, we're fighting an uphill battle on this one.

[Segami]

2. "....As the 2014 and 2016 elections approach,..

....it is imperative that Democrats reaffirm what they stand for. It is not enough to simply win—it is important to differentiate. It is important to ensure voters know that when they pull the lever for a Democrat, they are voting for a Democrat who will govern with the tolerant middle-class centric values who will work to implement those policies accordingly...."

[Segami]

5. "..Democrats should embrace the criticisms from activists..

...who are pointing out where the Party has failed to live up to its ideals, its tenets and its platform. The embrace would mitigate the rightward creep that makes policies, once anathema to the party, somewhat plausible..."

[dotymed]

69. Agreed,

President Obama (channeling Rahm) and calling most Americans CT's because they doubted the (top secret TPP)
is a perfect example.
Yes, I am a proud CT.

[Maedhros]

24. "voting for a Democrat who will govern with the tolerant middle-class centric values"

I, for one, think the Party needs to be more working-class centric. The middle class is gone. If we want to restore it, we need to empower working Americans to improve their lives.

[Dragonfli]

51. Agreed, but how do we do that when even 90% of DUers are only concerned with the middle class?

That is most of what I read here, "save the middle class", "The middle class is suffering", who even here gives a flying rats ass about anyone but the middle class? The only ones I know that do are below the middle class.

This may be a harsh reality but it is what even the so called liberal wing of the Democratic party has become, a bunch of multiple car owning suburbanite people that are not falling into homelessness and deep poverty that refuse to even discuss the rest of us.

[el_bryanto]

3. I think people should support what they support

But do so honestly and respecting people who look at things differently. I've been on both the left side and the right side of issues at DU, and it's depressing how quickly people attack those on the other side of the issue as Corporatist Sell-outs or pie in the sky purists.

Bryant

[Maedhros]

25. Attack policies, not people. [n/t]

[TreasonousBastard]

4. OK, just who is it who decides? When was...

the grand convention when we all got together and decided exactly what the party stands for? And what to do when anyone strays from the established truth?

I'm a registered Democrat and have been since college days a long time ago. I'm on our local Democratic committee and have run for office as a Democrat and I'm supposed to listen to some anonymous crackpot on a discussion board calling me a sellout because I don't hate the TPP?

I grew up when a good half the party was yellow dog segregationist southerners who still hated Lincoln and much of the other half was big city crooks. I remember who said, "I am not a member of any organized party. I'm a Democrat." So just what traditional "Democratic values" am I supposed to live by?

The party survived that, but now I'm supposed to think Occupy is a real movement and we should lose even more jobs and economic activity because of some dogma? Economically I lean toward socialism, and I'm active in environmental causes, but there is this problem with facing conditions in real life where things are not so organized and easy. We have this little group I'm in out here that gives the impression it might actually stop global warming all by it's itty-bitty self. We don't really believe that, but all the talking points and literature would make you think we do. Life happens to be messy and often frustrating unless it's hilarious.

We have enough problems fighting a Republican party held hostage by irrational teabaggers. What could be accomplished by an internal war between our far left and our middle?

[jtuck004]

7. "What could be accomplished by an internal war between our far left and our middle?"

That's a pretty good question...

"I grew up when a good half the party was yellow dog segregationist southerners who still hated Lincoln and much of the other half was big city crooks"

Some things never change, but perhaps the people who vote for them have had enough hypocrisy.

[L0oniX]

17. The Dem party is going to lose elections if they don't move to the left IMO.

The alternative: The Dem party will continue to win elections if they solicit corporate donors and bring more corporate thugs into office?

Motto: Poor people don't contribute enough money for us to win campaigns?

Howard Zinn: Protests and civil disobedience is the only way anything vitally important has been changed. (paraphrased summation)

My opinion: Only massive work stoppage, protests, civil disobedience and massive open rebellion will stop them.

What if no one showed up to vote ...because they all stink of filthy greedy rotting corporate money?

In our local sail boat race series we have a minimum race participation to qualify for a trophy ...makes good sense to me.

What if there were not enough votes to qualify to win a presidential election?

How few votes does it take to win?

What is a true majority in a Democracy?

[Bluenorthwest]

9. Wow, you see the Republicans as victims of the fictional 'Tea Party' which is just a bunch of

Republicans? They are 'held hostage' by themselves?

[TheKentuckian]

80. That is funny. Poor widdle TeaPubliKlans holding themselves hostage and

forcing their Bircher agenda on themselves.

Pitiful ass logic.

[Maedhros]

26. "Far Left". Ha. [n/t]

[rhett o rick]

50. Aw wouldnt it be swell if our we could tell the enemy from the letter behind politician's names.

But it isnt that easy. I hope we all agree that the enemy is the wealthy capitalists that are stealing the wealth from the lower classes faster every day. These capitalists are not stupid and realize that just backing the R's isnt as smart as covering their bets in the D Party. And remember all that a R has to do to become a D, is simply change letters. So it should be logical to figure out that there are some D's that work for the wealthy oligarchs and not the 99%. So concentrating only on defeating the R's is very dangerous. While we are watching the R clown car going over the cliff, the oligarch owed D's are picking our pockets.

Cleaning the oligarch loyalists out of our party must have a high priority.

[Dragonfli]

52. LOL, there is no "far left" in the Democratic party, and what you call the middle is actually

right wing conservatism hidden beneath a thin veneer of left of center social issues.

The scale you do not appear to understand at all has at it's farthest point left Communism and at it's farthest point right Fascism.
the farthest left you will find in our party could barely be called Democratic Socialist, FDR was the center, the Cintons are on the right with Reagan and his "Democratic" followers.

[Octafish]

6. Here's where to get inspiration...

http://rooseveltinstitute.org/

[RufusTFirefly]

8. ^^ THIS ^^ +1

This is what we want to aim for:



And this is what we want to avoid:

[wyldwolf]

10. Yet the 1930s-40s counterparts to today's progressive movement wanted very little to do with FDR.

[RufusTFirefly]

23. Your post has a modicum of truth but is vastly over-simplified

The diversity of viewpoints was far greater back then than it is today. Far greater. These days we run the gamut of political extremes from A to B.

Roosevelt attempted to pass a law providing an income ceiling of $25,000. Instead he was forced to "compromise" and settle for a 90-plus percent top tax rate that persisted through the Eisenhower era. And we wonder why our infrastructure is crumbling and our public institutions are being starved to death.

There were a large number of Republicans who could legitimately call themselves progressives (in fact, the progressive party in Wisconsin was started by Republicans). Likewise, former Republican Fiorello LaGuardia, who was elected mayor of New York, ran as a "fusion" candidate and spoke at a huge gathering of socialists and labor leaders at Madison Square Garden.

Yet, when the NAACP pushed for an anti-lynching bill, FDR balked at endorsing it for fear of alienating the southern Democrats. And Roosevelt's internment of Japanese-Americans was an appalling miscarriage of justice. He was no saint.

Meanwhile, in New York on May Day 1934, throngs of Communists and Socialists, estimates ranged from 25,000 to 100,000 for the Communists and a slightly smaller number for the Socialists, marched through the streets of the Big Apple in distinctly separate demonstrations. (The two groups were bitter rivals.)

It's true that the Roosevelt who was elected in 1932 and the Roosevelt who introduced the New Deal and "welcomed the hatred" of bankers were markedly different leaders. But Roosevelt listened. He demonstrated a capacity to learn and respond. Instead of completely capitulating to threats and entreaties of small but powerful, vested interests, he addressed the angry, impatient, and desperate concerns of the grassroots while adroitly steering the country away from the shoals of political extremes on both the port and the starboard sides.

[wyldwolf]

27. All I can say is the left of that day bellyached about FDR the way they do about Obama today (links)

Last edited Mon May 5, 2014, 03:50 PM - Edit history (1)

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/08/11/891631/-UPDATED-Liberal-Criticism-of-Franklin-Roosevelt-and-The-New-Deal

There simply is no way, no national platform, no plan of action that will appease every little faction of the left.

[RufusTFirefly]

34. Today's "leftists" used to go by another name: the center

The country hasn't shifted right. The carefully-managed discourse has.

Corporations make it extremely difficult for truly progressive views to get any airtime and impossible for anyone even slightly left of center to be elected president.

The fact that many people on this board consider MSNBC to be a bastion of the left just proves how pathetically far we've fallen.

[wyldwolf]

35. I've heard that repeated here many times. I don't find it relevant to the discussion we're having

Doesn't really matter. Some fantasy agenda we all agree on is just that: Fantasy.

[pangaia]

67. I like to believe we can thank Eleanor for a lot of his growth.

[RufusTFirefly]

82. I'm inclined to agree. I'm a Roosevelt Democrat: Eleanor Roosevelt. n/t

[pangaia]

83. Me too.

[Enthusiast]

30. Change the subject much?

With your Clinton pic. Clinton that promoted and signed NAFTA. That signed the Telecommunications Act and Gramm-Leach-Bliley. Betrayed us! And damaged the nation forever!

[wyldwolf]

36. It was a comment on post #8 which essentially states FDR is the model we should aim for.

"With your Clinton pic. Clinton that promoted and signed NAFTA. That signed the Telecommunications Act and Gramm-Leach-Bliley. Betrayed us! And damaged the nation forever!"

blah blah blah $&$#^$*#*! Viva Revolution and all that feel good stuff.

[Mondavi]

16. Democratic propaganda helped to win WWII

and was aimed at Americans who trusted and believed in it. But behind the scenes elites continued their war on democracy and most especially the New Deal. Henry Wallace's removal just one example just four months before the death of FDR. America's National Security State probably begins with Truman and establishment of CIA

[calimary]

45. Welcome to DU, Mondavi!

Glad you're here! I view the New Deal as something that we should be getting back to as Dems - hell, as an entire nation! Not old enough to have experienced it but it seemed as though, back then, it wasn't considered icky to think of government as a force for good - especially when the private sector was busily sucking the big one. During the Depression, it seems to me, the only entity that COULD promote job creation WAS the government. Too many bankers and big-ticket types were busy jumping out of highrise windows.

I still curse ronald reagan for his blasphemous, UBER-toxic assertion that "government is not the solution. Government is the problem." What a viper pit that was - and we all either fell into it with our deluded, happy-talk, "reagan red" glasses on, or were dragged kicking and screaming and protesting! I find it ironic that the color of record during those years was "reagan red." Little did they know that would symbolize more red ink on our budget than was ever even imaginable before then.

AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL years. One big fat opportunistic infection after another. We have yet to recover.

[Mondavi]

66. Agree with you

[freebrew]

72. I always thought that odd, too.

running for president and dissing the government as the problem.
When 100 years earlier, it was a republican that stated we WERE the government.
And people fell for it, we got a bush as VP, the CIA running roughshod all over the world.
And brought the MIC, again a republican warned us of, to their most powerful position ever.

Always hated Raygun, he was a willing tool in the beginning of the sale of the USA.

[calimary]

77. Or - a willing tool in the beginning of the end of the USA.

Always hated reagan, too. I was working at NBC Radio News at the time and I remember dressing in black and blue the day after the 1980 election. It just felt like trouble was ahead. BIG trouble. I didn't know how big. I just felt that this was the start of some big trouble coming our way. A couple of the other younger anchors were writing "Raygun" in their scripts and got scolded for it, even though saying the word "reagan" and "Raygun" sounded the same.

[freebrew]

84. " a willing tool in the beginning of the end of the USA."

I had written the post that exact way, then edited to 'sale'.

50 of one, half a hundred of another, eh?

[calimary]

85. Hey, either way is correct!

Sadly, either way is factual. Either way works. Either way applies.

[heaven05]

11. thanks for that link

there is so much I don't know, still.

[Segami]

19. +1000

[LongTomH]

29. The Roosevelt Institute's Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/NextNewDeal?ref=profile

[madfloridian]

33. It's an inspiring site.

[ProSense]

38. I love that site.

The Minimum Wage Index: Why the GOP's Filibuster Will Hurt Workers
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024911713

[L0oniX]

13. Why can't we all come together over Obama?

The record shows aggressive, proactive pursuit of a corporate agenda...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3152360

...in every policy area important to the One Percent.

This list does not show the President trying to enact a more liberal agenda and being obstructed. It shows him working aggressively and proactively, over and over again, to install corporatists into his administration and to enact a corporate agenda.

Corporate and bank-cozy appointments, over and over again, including major appointments like:
A serial defender of corrupt bankers for the SEC; the architect of "Kill Lists" and supporter of torture, drone wars, and telecom immunity for the CIA; and a Monsanto VP who has lied and been involved in extremely disturbing claims regarding food safety for the FDA. An Attorney General who has not prosecuted a single large bank but wages war against medical marijuana users and *for* strip searches and warrantless surveillance of Americans. Tim Geithner. And now Penny Pritzker.
Bailouts and settlements for corrupt banks (with personal pressure from Obama to attorneys general to approve them),
Refusal by Obama's DOJ to prosecute even huge, egregious examples of bank fraud (i.e, HSBC)
signing NDAA to allow indefinite detention,
"Kill lists" and claiming of the right to assassinate even American citizens without trial
Expansion of wars into several new countries
A renewed public advocacy for the concept of preemptive war
Drone campaigns in multiple countries with whom we are not at war
Proliferation of military drones in our skies
Federal targeting of Occupy for surveillance and militarized response to peaceful protesters
Fighting all the way to the Supreme Court for warrantless surveillance
Fighting all the way to the Supreme Court for strip searches for any arrestee
Supporting and signing Internet-censoring and privacy-violating measures like ACTA
Support for corporate groping and naked scanning of Americans seeking to travel
A new, massive spy center for warrantless access to Americans' phone calls, emails, and internet use
Support of legal immunity for telecoms/warrantless wiretapping
Support of legislation to legalize massive surveillance of Americans
Militarized police departments, through federal grants
Marijuana users and medical marijuana clinics under assault,
Skyrocketing of the budget for prisons.
Failing to veto a bipartisan vote in Congress to gut more financial regulations.
Passionate speeches and press conferences promoting austerity for Americans
Bush tax cuts extended for billionaires, them much of it made permanent
Support for the payroll tax holiday, tying SS to the general fund
Support for the vicious chained CPI cut in Social Security and benefits for the disabled
Social security, Medicare, and Medicaid offered up as bargaining chips in budget negotiations, with No mention of cutting corporate welfare or the military budget
Advocacy of multiple new free trade agreements, including The Trans-Pacific, otherwise known as "NAFTA on steroids."
Support of drilling, pipelines, and selling off portions of the Gulf of Mexico
Corporate education policy including high stakes corporate testing and closures of public schools
Entrenchment of exorbitant for-profit health insurance companies into healthcare, through mandate
Legal assault on union rights of hundreds of thousands of federal workers
New policies of targeting children and first responders in drone campaigns,
New policies of awarding medals for remote drone attacks,
Appointment of private prison executive to head the US Marshal's office
Massive escalation of federal contracts for private prisons under US Marshall's Office


Chilling Legal Memo From Obama DOJ Justifies Assassination of US Citizens
http://www.democraticunderground.com/101654954

Study: "Trade" Deal Would Mean a Pay Cut for 90% of U.S. Workers
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023661805

Obama Appoints Bain Capital Consultant Jeff Ziets to Top Post
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023662209

Obama selects former Monsanto lobbyist to be his TPP chief agriculture negotiator
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023662210

White House: No Subsidies for Union Health Plans
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014594512

Wall Street Deregulation Garners Bipartisan Support Despite Devastating JPMorgan Report
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/19/wall-street-deregulation-_n_2910168.html

The USDA’s Reckless Plan to Decrease Food Safety
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023670859

This is a complete list of Wall Street CEOs prosecuted for their role in the financial crisis
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3653154

Wall Street will get away with massive wave of criminality of 2008 - Statute of Limitations
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022516719Obama seeks longer PATRIOT Act extension than Republicans (December 2013)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x380450

When it comes to civil liberties, apparently Democrats are just as bad as Republicans.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022101960

NSA's Massive New Spy Center to Track Your Emails, Internet Activity, and Phone Calls
http://www.democraticunderground.com/101620852

Obama Quietly Signs Abusive Spy Bill He Once Vowed to Eliminate
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022104861

Obama repeals Magna Carta, asserting powers our forefathers denied to Kings
http://www.democraticunderground.com/101655620

Obama's Memo on Killing Americans Twists 'Imminent Threat' Like Bush
http://www.democraticunderground.com/101654919

Obama no better than Bush when it comes to security vs. civil liberties.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022355307

Obama Admin Seeks Permission TO LIE In Response To FOI Requests - Even To The COURTS
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2185303

NDAA on trial: Obama Administration fights ban on indefinite detention of Americans
http://www.democraticunderground.com/101748688

Obama administration complicit with private prison industry: President Obama's IncarcerNation
http://www.nationofchange.org/president-obama-s-incarcernation-1335274655

Obama, Democrats Push to Make Bush Spying Laws Permanent
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022084702

NDAA, signed by Obama, is a direct attack against legitimate protest and dissent
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022064803

NSA Whistleblower: All Americans under constant surveillance, all info. stored, no matter the post
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002193487; http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021935289

Bipartisan Congress Disgracefully Approves the FISA Warrantless Spying Bill for Five More Years
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022087323

While Public & Media Focused on 2nd Amendment, 5th Amendment Quietly Dismantled
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022390581

How the Obama administration justifies extrajudicial killing of Americans,
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022318187

Judge Says Under Law Executive Branch Can Commit Acts That Sure Do Seem Unconstitutional
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022122464

Obama Justice Dept. says wiretap lawsuit should not proceed
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014337039

NDAA Lawsuit- Hedges v. Obama, The Last Thin Line of Defense
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022357078

Federal authorities step up efforts to license surveillance drones for law enforcement
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022383596

Big Banks and FBI worked together vs Occupy
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022095056]

FBI Investigated 'Occupy' As Possible 'Domestic Terrorism' Threat, Internal Documents Show
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022061578

FBI Documents Reveal Secret Nationwide Occupy Monitoring (Updated the OP)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022057064

Public Buses Across Country Quietly Adding Microphones to Record Passenger Conversations
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021965291

Street artist behind satirical NYPD 'Drone' posters arrested
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021920967

The Obama DOJ urged the Supreme Court's endorsement of strip searches.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002521527

Obama Administration Fights to Allow Warrantless GPS Tracking
http://sync.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1074474

Anonymous to FBI: hey, dudes, maybe you could take a break from...investigating activists....
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022145621

Half a billion dollars for drones to spy on Americans
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021876414

From Bradley Manning to Aaron Swartz -- The Government's Inhumane Persecution of Brave Truth Tellers
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022276941

The sight of Army helicopters and the sound of gunfire...on Houston's south side
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022276742

Kiriakou and Stuxnet: the danger of the still-escalating Obama whistleblower war
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022275570

Can the DEA Hide a Surveillance Camera on Your Property?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022237059

Social Media and the Stasi
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021888029

Homeland Security Wants to More Than Double Its Predator Drone Fleet Inside the US, Despite Safety/Privacy Invasions
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014312823

CIA Behind Bizarre Censorship Incident At Alleged 9/11 Plotters’ Gitmo Trial
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022280285

“I Am Wearing My Conviction As A Badge Of Honor.”
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022275128

Meet the Contractors Turning America's Police Into a Paramilitary Force
http://www.democraticunderground.com/12525281

How Secrecy Corrodes Democracy
http://election.democraticunderground.com/101655009

Obama Quietly Issues Ruling Saying It's Legal For The FBI To Break The Law
http://election.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7545687

US Pulls Plug on Iran Cable News (Press TV)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014394770

DHS Watchdog OKs 'Suspicionless' Seizure of Electronic Devices Along Border
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022339091

The Untouchables: How the Obama administration protected Wall Street from prosecutions
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022246632

Obama Orders Pay Raise For Congress
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022095402

Why is Social Security Under Attack from Obama, when it ADDS NOTHING to the deficit???
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022065493

The Untouchables: How the Obama administration protected Wall Street from prosecutions
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022246632

Guess what? Chained CPI is the bright idea of Third Way, the (Corporate) Dem "policy shop."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022021626

...Obama explicitly campaigned on opposing Social Security cuts -- and he just endorsed them (AGAIN)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022019860

Obama's Promises on Social Security: His OWN WORDS
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022031544

Bernie Sanders: Chained CPI: An Economic and Moral Disaster
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022381690

wall street pulls the strings: social security under attack in february
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022155427

Obama signs bill cutting 2.2 billion from food stamps
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x309

Obama's New Treasury Secretary Pushes Austerity That Spreads Global Misery
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022652850

Obama appointed Alan Simpson & Erskine Bowles to his goddamned catfood commission...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022633714

Why does President Obama keep Appointing Monsanto Shills to Key Gov. Positions?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022592785

Penny Pritzker..The Subprime Queen...Obama's Pick for Dept. of Commerce
http://www.democraticunderground.com/101665148

Obama's Betrayal of Public Education, Arne Duncan and the Corporate Model of Schooling
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x366410

How can we NOT feel betrayed? These are just ONE day's headlines:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x366410

Obama Approves New Cross-Border Pipeline Benefiting Canadian Oil Sand Producers
http://www.democraticunderground.com/112758698

Pres. Obama: Why are you pushing the Koch Supported Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023563816

The Trans-Pacific Partnership: A Global Attack by the One Percent
http://www.democraticunderground.com/101634573

TPP: A pact designed to increase the wealth and power of crony capitalists
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023936342

The Obama administration's legal battle against whistleblowers, federal unions.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022672473

Obama’s Escalating War on Freedom of the Press
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023312251

Why Is President Obama Keeping a Journalist in Prison in Yemen?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023300531

Former Top NSA Official: “We Are Now In A Police State”
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024197266

Obama administration asserts that NSA spying cannot be challenged in court
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023296209

The Obama administration is aggressively growing private prisons
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2670142

When you hear "Third Way", think INVESTMENT BANKERS
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024127432

The Rightwing Koch Brothers fund the DLC -- article from '06
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x498414

You do know how the DLC/Third Way was formed? (corporate money, corporate infiltration)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024150961

Third Way VP indicates they fear Elizabeth Warren's influence on the party.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024168867

Majority of Third Way support from Wall Street
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024164622

The Democratic Party's deceitful game
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3928692

[MsLeopard]

14. Wow! Thanks for the list

Bookmarking so I have it handy. Thanks!

[Mondavi]

21. A clear corporate agenda

Also why we still don't have national health care

[zeemike]

31. Yep...but that will be too much truth for some.

Bookmarking this for later reference..

[Demo_Chris]

41. Wow, amazing post. nt

[ProSense]

48. Here's another list

<...>

What follows is a PARTIAL list of Obama’s accomplishments so far. Unlike many such lists, there is a link to a citation supporting every single one.

<...>

Wall Street Reforms and Consumer Protection

Ordered 65 executives who took bailout money to cut their own pay until they paid back all bailout money. http://huff.to/eAi9Qq

He pushed through and got passed Dodd-Frank, one of the largest and most comprehensive Wall Street reforms since the Great Depression. http://bit.ly/hWCPg0 http://bit.ly/geHpcD

Dodd-Frank also included the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau http://1.usa.gov/j5onG

He made it so that banks could no longer use YOUR money to invest in high-risk financial instruments that work against their own customers’ interests. http://bit.ly/fnTayj

He supported the concept of allowing stockholders to vote on executive compensation. http://bit.ly/fnTayj

He wholly endorsed and supported the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act of 2009 that would close offshore tax avoidance loopholes. http://bit.ly/esOdfB http://bit.ly/eG4DPM

He made a deal with Swiss banks that permits the US government to gain access to the records of criminals and tax evaders. http://bit.ly/htfDgw

He established a Consumer Protection Financial Bureau designed to protect consumers from financial sector excesses. http://bit.ly/fnTayj

He oversaw and then signed the most sweeping food safety legislation since the Great Depression. http://thedc.com/gxkCtP

Civil Rights and Anti-Discrimination

He advocated for and signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which made it a federal crime to assault anyone based on his or her sexual orientation or gender identity. http://bit.ly/gsMSJ7

He pushed through, signed and demanded the Pentagon enact a repeal of the discriminatory “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy that forced soldiers to lie to fight for their country, and put our troops at risk by disqualifying many qualified soldiers from helping. http://bit.ly/fdahuH http://bit.ly/mZV4Pz

He appointed Kareem Dale as the first ever Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy. http://1.usa.gov/fi5IY0

Helped Congress pass and signed the Civil Rights History Act. http://bit.ly/th0JC8

He extended benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. http://1.usa.gov/g2RLCj

He’s appointed more openly gay officials than anyone in history. http://bit.ly/g1lA7D

He issued a Presidential Memorandum reaffirming the rights of gay couples to make medical decisions for each other. http://1.usa.gov/aUueGT

He established a White House Council on Women and Girls http://1.usa.gov/rFfqMM

He signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, restoring basic protections against pay discrimination for women and other workers. This was after the GOP blocked the bill in 2007. Only 5 Republican Senators voted for the bill. http://bit.ly/fT3Cxg

Wrote and signed an Executive Order establishing a White House Council on Women and Girls to ensure that all Cabinet and Cabinet-level agencies evaluate the effect of their policies and programs on women and families. http://bit.ly/e1puTk

He expanded funding for the Violence Against Women Act. http://1.usa.gov/dSbI0x

Under his watch, National Labor Relations Board has issued final rules that require all employers to prominently post employees’ rights where all employees or prospective employees can see it, including websites and intranets, beginning November 2011. http://1.usa.gov/qu2EhQ

- more -

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/02/15/a-long-list-of-president-obamas-accomplishments-with-citations/

Elizabeth Warren:

There is no question that Dodd-Frank was a strong bill—the strongest in three generations. I didn’t have a chance to vote for it because I wasn’t yet in the Senate, but if I could have, I would have voted for it twice.

http://www.warren.senate.gov/files/documents/AFR%20Roosevelt%20Institute%20Speech%202013-11-12.pdf

Ally Bank To Pay $98 Million For Charging Higher Interest To Non-White Borrowers
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024208931

Obama's CFPB under Richard Cordray "took $800 million from Bank of America"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024802019

CFPB Sues ITT Tech For Allegedly Exploiting Students, Pushing Predatory Loans
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024570346

Sen. Warren Praises New CFPB Mortgage Rules that Make Families, Economy Safer
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024295777

Banks Ordered to Add Capital to Limit Risks
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024798328

New York Financial Regulator Uses Dodd-Frank to Sue Auto Lender
http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/04/23/new-yorks-top-regulator-sues-subprime-auto-lender/

Why isn't there more focus on shareholders' say on executive pay?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024877216

CFPB, hard at work
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024877283

Why Today is a Big Day for Voting Rights
https://www.aclu.org/blog/voting-rights/why-today-big-day-voting-rights

Salt Lake City joins Phoenix in ending veteran homelessness
http://www.msnbc.com/melissa-harris-perry/mayor-declares-end-vet-homelessness

Phoenix Becomes First City To End Chronic Homelessness Among Veterans
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024217875

Obama administration starts to implement changes to NSA phone records program
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024473684

ACLU: An Important Review of Big Data
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024910850

Obama Administration Urges Cops To Help Save Lives By Treating Heroin Overdoses
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024485335

U.S. Sentencing Commission Votes to Reduce Guidelines for Drug Sentences
https://www.aclu.org/criminal-law-reform/us-sentencing-commission-votes-reduce-guidelines-drug-sentences

Obama administration issue new banking rules for marijuana businesses
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024501968

EPI: Court of Appeals Hands Victory to U.S. Workers
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024450902

NLRB gives boost to speedier union elections
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024453233
SEC Will Require Companies To Report CEO-To-Worker Pay Ratios
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023694931

Regulators Finalize Stricter Volcker Rule - Reuters/HuffPo
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024158305

NLRB to Prosecute Wal-Mart For Violating Workers’ Rights (updated)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024053560

Truck Drivers Handed Labor Victory That Could Reshape The Industry

By Alan Pyke

Truck drivers at a Los Angeles-area freight hauling company cannot be treated as “independent contractors” or harassed for discussing the possibility of unionizing, according to a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruling issued Thursday.

The ruling finds that a company called Pacific 9 Transportation made illegal retaliatory threats against several of its drivers back in the fall of 2013. To resolve that violation of labor law, the company must post documents at worksites notifying drivers of their right to unionize. That’s a significant victory on its own, but what makes the Pacific 9 ruling so significant is that the NLRB decided it has jurisdiction over these workers at all.

The drivers, who form a key link in the American retail supply chain bringing goods from southern Californian ports to the so-called “inland empire” of shipping warehouses and retail distribution centers, have long been treated as “independent contractors” for legal purposes. Companies misclassify full-time workers as contractors in order to duck a variety of financial obligations, including payroll taxes and minimum wage laws. Mislabeling a worker in this way can save a company almost $4,000 per worker per year, according to a 2012 Treasury Department report...two-thirds of America’s 75,000 port truck drivers are misclassified by their employers, according to a recent analysis by a coalition of progressive groups that are backing the Pacific 9 drivers’ organizing effort.

If port truckers were indeed “independent contractors,” the NLRB would have no authority to intervene on their behalf with regard to workplace intimidation. As lawyers for the truckers explained in an email to ThinkProgress, “independent contractors have no rights whatsoever under the National Labor Relations Act –- they have no right to organize and no right to be protected from unfair labor practices. Thus, in order for the Region to propose this settlement, it had to first find that the drivers were employees.” By ruling on the matter at all, the government body declared these drivers are misclassified and are protected by labor laws.

- more -

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/03/21/3417695/port-truck-drivers-nlrb-misclassified/

$1 Billion for Climate Preparedness: The White House Gets It
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024505179

U.S. Approves Two Huge Solar Projects On Public Lands In California
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024547836

President Obama Announces New Truck Efficiency Standards
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024521194

EPA Hails Big Victory At Supreme Court
http://betterment.democraticunderground.com/10024885861

Government Moves To Prevent Future Outbreaks By Protecting Food Safety Whistleblowers
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2014/02/20/3310781/osha-issues-food-safety-protections/

Executive order on federal contracting means real action on economic mobility
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024415803

BOOM: Obama signs order to raise minimum wage for federal contractors...disabled workers included!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024489919

ARRA and the Earned Income Tax Credit

Update May 31, 2013 — This page has been updated to reflect the fact that the EITC changes under ARRA, which were to expire at the end of 2012, were extended through December 2017 by the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012.

Update Oct. 31, 2011 — This page has been updated to reflect the fact that the EITC changes under ARRA, which were to expire at the end of 2010, were extended through December 2012 by the Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2010.

The earned income tax credit is a refundable credit intended to help people who work but earn modest incomes. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides a temporary increase in the EITC for taxpayers with three or more qualifying children. In 2013, the maximum EITC for this new category is $6,044. ARRA also increased the beginning point of the phaseout range for the credit for all married couples filing a joint return, regardless of the number of children.

In 2013, the credit begins to phase out at $22,870 for married taxpayers filing a joint return with children and completely phases out at $43,210 for one child, $48,378 for two children and $51,567 for three or more children. For married taxpayers filing a joint return with no children, the credit begins to phase out at $13,310 and completely phases out at $19,680.

These changes applied to 2009 and 2010 tax returns under ARRA, and were extended by the Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2010 to apply to 2011 and 2012 tax returns. The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 extended these temporary ARRA increases for five years through December 2017.

http://www.irs.gov/uac/ARRA-and-the-Earned-Income-Tax-Credit

Krugman: Obama and the One Percent
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024391415

The heatlh care law also raised the payroll tax for high income earners and taxed investment income.

Net Investment Income Tax

A new Net Investment Income Tax goes into effect starting in 2013. The 3.8 percent Net Investment Income Tax applies to individuals, estates and trusts that have certain investment income above certain threshold amounts. The IRS and the Treasury Department have issued proposed regulations on the Net Investment Income Tax. Comments may be submitted electronically, by mail or hand delivered to the IRS. For additional information on the Net Investment Income Tax, see our questions and answers.

Additional Medicare Tax

A new Additional Medicare Tax goes into effect starting in 2013. The 0.9 percent Additional Medicare Tax applies to an individual’s wages, Railroad Retirement Tax Act compensation, and self-employment income that exceeds a threshold amount based on the individual’s filing status. The threshold amounts are $250,000 for married taxpayers who file jointly, $125,000 for married taxpayers who file separately, and $200,000 for all other taxpayers. An employer is responsible for withholding the Additional Medicare Tax from wages or compensation it pays to an employee in excess of $200,000 in a calendar year. The IRS and the Department of the Treasury have issued proposed regulations on the Additional Medicare Tax. Comments may be submitted electronically, by mail or hand delivered to the IRS. For additional information on the Additional Medicare Tax, see our questions and answers.

http://www.irs.gov/uac/Affordable-Care-Act-Tax-Provisions

Presidential Proclamation -- National Foster Care Month, 2014
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024910923

Gallup: Uninsured rate lowest since 2008
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/05/05/1296975/-Gallup-Uninsured-rate-lowest-since-nbsp-2008

Change
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024781130

[RufusTFirefly]

53. Great! And don't forget all the Thanksgiving turkeys he's pardoned!! n/t

[ProSense]

62. Thanks for

"Great! And don't forget all the Thanksgiving turkeys he's pardoned!! "

...the reminder, albeit not what you intended.

President Obama to Pardon/Commute "Hundreds, Perhaps Thousands" of Nonviolent Drug Offenders
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/04/21/1293503/-President-Obama-to-Pardon-Commute-Hundreds-Perhaps-Thousands-of-Nonviolent-Drug-Offenders

Some background on the 2010 law and related other actions

Chance at Freedom: Retroactive Crack Sentence Reductions For Up to 12,000 May Begin Today
http://www.aclu.org/blog/criminal-law-reform/chance-freedom-retroactive-crack-sentence-reductions-12000-may-begin-today

U.S. Orders More Steps to Curb Stiff Drug Sentences
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023701018

[WillyT]

61. + 1,000,000,000... What You Said !!! - K & R !!!

[L0oniX]

63. Think maybe I should apply for host of the BOG?

[WillyT]

65. No... You Don't Look Good In Brown Nose...

[uponit7771]

15. This goes without saying but as many have said over and over and over again critism isn't

... being over critical by giving little perspective, telling half the story or none of the true story at all.

That's what MOST of this crap is; half truths to invoke HOF reactions

[madfloridian]

20. It was good to see this as a front page staff post at DKos.

That means a consensus of opinion more so than an individual post.

Glad to see it.

[Enthusiast]

28. We're on the FAST TRACK to turning today's Democratic Party into yesterday's Republican Party.

And it SUCKS!

We should be united in screaming this loud and clear!

The Democratic leadership should be receiving around the clock criticism until they force Arne Duncan and Wheeler out.

We should be shouting from the rooftops until President Obama STFU about the fucking TPP!

And Mr. President, where is your staunch defense of the USPS?

At least act like a Democrat.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

37. The main "tenet" of the party, nowadays, is to "embrace" whatever tenet that will give it a win.

"I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever, in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in anything else, where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such an addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent. If I could not go to heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all." --Thomas Jefferson to Francis Hopkinson, 1789.

"Were parties here divided merely by a greediness for office,...to take a part with either would be unworthy of a reasonable or moral man." --Thomas Jefferson to William Branch Giles, 1795.

"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." John Quincy Adams

[winter is coming]

44. ^^ This. n/t

[L0oniX]

49. Dinos are welcome in hopes of them attracting repuke votes for the Dem side. FFS

What the hell has this party become? The more centrist our candidates are the better chance of them getting enough corporate 1% money to out lie the other side on political tv ads.

[treestar]

39. No. It's time to

Embrace criticism of the Republican Party.

[progressoid]

42. And when Democrats embrace Republican policies and practices

they should not be exempt from the same criticism.

[dickthegrouch]

40. The problem is teaching a party of pacifists to fight

The pen is mightier than the sword.
The party has to fight with all the wonderful ammunition the GOP has given us over the last 4 years.

The masses do not respond to political speeches. The masses do not care enough to vote.

Address the masses in a novel way, get them involved and (self-)interested. Dems need to ask EarlG for permission to use every single one of his Pics of the moment from now through the Presidential election in 2016.

[Make7]

46. YouTube link fix:

Insert t=0& into the YouTube URL after the question mark to prevent the DU software from trying to embed the video.

[div class="excerpt" style="display:inline-block; margin-left:1em; border:1px solid #bfbfbf; border-radius:0.4615em; box-shadow:-1px -1px 3px #999999 inset;"][link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=0&v=GSlEI6Bo9l8|making the profound statement]

That is how we got President Clinton making the profound statement that "the era of big government is over," as if big government was America’s existential problem.

[sabrina 1]

47. I don't know if they mentioned re the Corporatism that has taken hold of the Dem Party going backa

at least to Bill Clinton. Deregulation really took off during his administration and the beginning of what is now the Corporate Media, owned by only six Corporations.

Not to mention the horrific bill which was 'supposed to be fixed' later, Welfare Reform. Republicans loved that one too.

To NOT criticize the only viable party we have is to betray it. They have come to believe that they can be as Corporate friendly/anti working class/elderly/poor etc as they want and as some of them have arrogantly stated, 'where else are they (dem voters) going to go'? They cater to those whose votes they have to WIN which turns out to be moderate Repubs.

Time they started getting the message that they are going to have to earn working class vote and that you don't do that by passing legislation that hurts the working class.

[antigop]

74. +10000 nt

[Jefferson23]

54. Highly recommend..thank you.

[randome]

55. Yes! Attack now while we're at our weakest!

Seriously, is there anything wrong with focusing on something positive instead of always looking for a negative to magnify?

Being for something used to be more important than being against something. But I suppose Conservatives have proven that being negative works better with their target audience.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font][hr]

[McCamy Taylor]

59. Weakest? We were weakest in 2003. When we couldn't even stop the invasion of Iraq.

I suggest we keep our party strong now or we will find ourselves back in 2003 facing another march to another war that no one wants.

[randome]

78. How strong will we be if we deliberately look for negatives to attack?

There are plenty of things wrong with the Democratic party but there are ways to effect change by keeping a positive outlook -or 'spin', if you want- instead of loudly proclaiming what they're doing wrong.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]You should never stop having childhood dreams.[/center][/font][hr]

[blkmusclmachine]

56. To be an "Opposition" Party, you have to, well, <<OPPOSE>>

[stupidicus]

57. Worded differently perhaps, that case has been made by many of us

and right here on DU in response to those kinda efforts from the "loyalty first" or somesuch crowd around here.

[McCamy Taylor]

58. Make the umbrella big enough for everyone.

[antigop]

64. K&R. I'm sure the Third Way sycophants will rec this thread. nt

[democrank]

70. Recommended

with special attention to reply #12.

~PEACE~

[Hotler]

71. Now is not the time to point fingers.

[Paladin]

75. I refuse to support whinefests that hinder our election efforts.

So, the Democratic Party doesn't sufficiently reflect and fight for all of your pet causes? Welcome to the real world. Never in my lifetime have I encountered a perfect Democratic Party, or a pristine Democratic candidate capable of prevailing in an election fight. Keep your criticisms realistic and capable of being remedied; don't empower the Republicans by forming circular firing squads over obscure ideological matters. Think of what's at stake. End of rant.

[YoungDemCA]

76. Which "pet causes" did you have in mind?

nt

[Paladin]

79. The responses in this thread are an indication. (nt)

[TheKentuckian]

81. Anything other than propping up the corporate agenda.