I Pledge to Vote for the Democratic Nominee in the General Election. How About You?

[McCamy Taylor]

I have never failed to vote for the Democratic nominees since I first became eligible to vote (and I am a Boomer). I post at Democratic Underground, because I am a Democrat. The Democratic Party of the 20th and 21st centuries has much to be proud of. Since FDR, we have been the party of Social Security, Medicare, Voting Rights, Civil Rights, the Affordable Care Act (which did away with "pre-existing conditions" a tremendous step forward no matter its other weaknesses), Marriage Equality. We are the party of unions, of equal rights regardless of race, religious, ethnicity, gender and sexuality. From time to time, our politicians stumble. The so called "socialists" of Western Europe stumble, too. There is no perfect party. But I believe that when enough working class Americans join forces to vote as one, we improve all our lives. I believe that efforts to dissuade us from Party unity benefit only one group--the 1% which is over represented in the MSM and in campaign contribution dollars.

I believe that previous efforts to dissuade us from voting together for our nominee have been self serving--of some other party. I believe that when Ralph Nader persuaded voters that "Bush=Gore" and that a protest vote was better than a vote for the Democrat, he sold our country down the river for 4 years of war/terror/civil rights abuses. I believe that Nader's "good friend" Grover Norquist was probably laughing his ass off when Nader waged his 2000 campaign. I believe that Al Gore has proven---beyond a shadow of a doubt---that he was not and will never be just like Bush---and our country missed out on what might have been one of its most progressive, Eco-friendly and human presidencies.

I believe that if we stand united we will prevail--and if we allow ourselves to be divided, we will fail. I believe that GOP election fraud is so prevalent that only an overwhelming Democratic victory can assure that our nominee is elected---and therefore every Democratic vote counts. No one has the luxury of making a "protest vote". Your "protest vote" could send our troops into another Middle Eastern country to serve four years. Your "protest vote" could roll back the gains that have been made by LBGT community. Your "protest vote" could usher in a new round of the War Against Black Folks that the Bush DOJ waged.

We can not all agree on a candidate, but surely, as Democrats, we can all agree on one thing. I pledge to vote for the Democratic Nominee. How about you?

[riversedge]

1. Of course I do. That is a given.

[msanthrope]

2. I pledge to wear their credentials as a voter protection attorney, too. nt

[Lil Missy]

3. Bravo! voting for the nominee should be a given on this site. n/t

[NanceGreggs]

4. Count me in! n/t

[JonLeibowitz]

5. Protest Vote? No-I'll vote for the candidate that consistently represents democratic values & issues

Precisely who that is is between me and my voting booth, and nobody else.

[BlueCaliDem]

6. Kick and Rec'd!

Any Democratic presidential candidate currently running is a thousand times better than the best Republican the GOP are running!

You have my pledge!

[pinstikfartherin]

7. I pledge to trash all these damn threads as they're made. nt

[Spitfire of ATJ]

12. They do smell of meta all right.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. I pledge to vote for the candidate I prefer in the General Election.

[Live and Learn]

9. I pledge to vote for the person that best represents Democratic values as I understand them. nt

[billhicks76]

10. The Question Is The Answer

And it reeks of desperation. If you have to ask for a pledge it shows how screwed you are. Also the flip side is that all of Hillarys money and politically machined minions could be used to get Bernie elected in the general. I would wager that if Hillary lost and got to choose Jeb or Bernie she would select Jeb. That's how corrupted and in the Bush Family pocket she is. It's not our fault people who can't face these truisms.

[MattSh]

25. We have a winner...

If the nominee is really and truly for the people, there would be no contest.

People are tired of "Corporate" and "Corporate Lite" choices.

[billhicks76]

45. Clintonites Have A Reality Problem

They are as stuck as Rush's dittoheads or GW's followers.

[kath]

42. +100

Way more difference between her and Bernie than there is between her and JEB.

[cui bono]

11. If you're so worried that Dems won't like your candidate, then don't vote for them in the primary.

Nominate someone you know the people can get behind. Someone we know will fight for their interests and not TPTB. Someone with a track record of that. Someone who the people are so excited about that they are showing up int he tens of thousands to see.

And, perhaps most importantly, someone who the youth is truly excited about. We need their vote in the general.

Loyalty pledges by definition are bullshit. If you have to force someone to pledge something then you are not giving them something you know they want and would choose without you trying to make them promise to vote for it. They are not right when Norquist makes the GOP sign them and they are not right when Dems want you to make them either, especially when it's for a candidate that carries the corporation's water. Which, btw, is the only time people are demanding loyalty oaths and pledges, when it is against the people's interest. So very telling who needs to ask for them.

[davidpdx]

14. It's easier for them to be condescending and continue to push the loyalty oath

than it is for them to convince people to vote for the candidate. IMHO just because I'm a Democrat doesn't mean I'd immediately fall behind person who wins. They are going to have to do more than scream "but you have to."

[DFW]

19. The first time I ever voted, I proudly voted Republican.

It was for mayor of Philadelphia in 1971, and the rotten, corrupt police chief of Philadelphia, Frank Rizzo, ran for mayor as a Democrat. I hated that son of a bitch, and even though I detested Nixon and the whole Republican party, their nominee for mayor was a scholarly, academic type who was against Rizzo's heavy handed approval of the beating by Philly cops of anti-(Vietnam)war protesters, of which I was one on more than one occasion.

My roomies and I always though Rizzo belonged in Nixon's party rather than Humphrey's, and sure enough, after he was elected mayor, Rizzo called Nixon his friend and switched to being Republican. After he had a hard time explaining buying a $400,000 house on his $40,000 salary (early 1970s, remember), he faded away, but his stench lasted long after he was gone.

That was the first and last time I ever voted for a Republican. If the Democratic Party is stupid enough to nominate someone as abhorrent as Frank Rizzo, then I will vote against him/her. That has NOT happened since, locally or nationally. I have voted for Democratic candidates I was less than thrilled with, but there has NEVER been a Republican candidate for local or national office since 1971 that I could ever want to facilitate into office.

When my first girlfriend broke up with me in 1972 (biggest favor she could ever have done for me as it turned out, but I didn't see it at the time), she reminded me to listen to the Stones song: "You can't Always Get What You Want." She was right, and in politics, anyone who refuses to realize that had better join ISIS. My wish candidate (Howard Dean) isn't even running this time, so I lose, no matter what. But I REFUSE to cast a vote that will enable a Marco Rubio into the oval office. He would nominate to the Supreme Court "justices" of unspeakable horror, men (almost surely) that will vote to overturn Roe v. Wade, enshrine Citizen United permanently, and dismantle all restrictions on pollution, police misconduct and voter disenfranchisement that still exist. O'Malley won't do that. Sanders won't do that. Clinton won't do that.

So, with me, it's not a question of requiring, or even requesting "loyalty." It's a question of the survival of my native country and its ultimate improvement. There will be degrees and nuances that will not conform to most of our ideals, mine most certainly included. There is something I can do about that if we retain the White House. I won't have an ear to whisper into if we don't. SO, the nominee of the Democratic Party next year gets my vote. It matters. It matters a lot.

So, hell, yes, I'll vote for our nominee.

[davidpdx]

24. Hey, that's all well and good

But I'm not content with being told vote for the nominee he/she isn't going to listen to any of their non-loyalist. I believe after President Obama won in 2008, he did listen to Hillary Clinton and adapted some of her ideas. In fact, he appointed her as his Secretary of State. Now I'm not saying that I'd want Sanders doing the same, but certainly some of his ideas are worth merit. It's the difference between being told to sit down and shut up and standing up for what you believe in.

I believe IF Hillary Clinton wins the nomination and the GE the one issue she'll capitulate on is Citizen's United. In fact, I'm willing to bet on it. All we seem to be hearing from those backing Clinton is how much we have to do on social issues. The fact is that the people saying that are blind as a bat because without removing the money factor the sausage factory is going to keep churning out garbage.

[DFW]

27. I REALLY hope you're wrong about Citizens United, and have grounds for thinking so.

If its any consolation, Howard Dean is involved in her campaign. It's always possible that if she wins, she'll toss him under the bus like Obama did, but I think her loyalty runs deeper than that, and Howard HATES Citizens United. Howard is a personal friend, and believe me, if he has any pull in case of a Hillary victory, Citizens United will NOT be ignored. I'm sure that when interviewing nominees for the Supreme Court, a willingness to overturn Citizens United will be a make or break deal for ANY Democratic president.'s nod for the nomination to the Court. After all, repealing CU is the first step for ANY Democratic president in acquiring a friendly Congress to work with.

[davidpdx]

31. I like Dr. Dean and think he should have remained the DNC chair

He wasn't given his due for the 50 state strategy in my opinion. The person we have now is JV compared to Dean. I hope he does continue to press Clinton on Citizen's United. The next time you talk to or see him please tell him I said "ROCK ON HOWARD DEAN!"

SCOTUS isn't the only way it can be overturned, I believe there are other possible solutions, however that would be the easiest. The problem is who knows when some of these conservanut scumbags on the court will keel over so we can replace them AND when a similar case would end up before them. Unless I am mistaken, SCOTUS overturning itself is rare.

When it comes to the issue of Citizen's United I am extremely skeptical anything will be done. That in my mind is untying the knot that is holding up all the other issues that need attention so urgently. When I hear people on DU say every other issue is more important than Citizen's United I feel it's putting the horse before the cart. It is deeply frustrating.

[DFW]

34. I should be seeing him in 2 months

We usually try to meet up at least once a year, lately in New York, where I'll be in January. He knows he still has fans from "back then," though he considers it a closed chapter for him (I tried to talk him out of it!).

I think ultimately, Citizens United HAS to end up in Scotus. Any other challenge to it, even a successful one in Congress, will just end up right back at the Court. You're absolutely right that the Reagan/Bush reactionaries will block any attempt to repeal, but Scalia, Kennedy and Thomas are getting up there. Roberts and Alito are not old enough to hope for their fading any time soon, but I can live with a 7-2 majority, even a 6-3 majority. Steve Breyer is getting close to 80 himself, but seemed to be in good shape. I haven't seen him in ten years, though. I have no idea if he's as strong as he was then. I sure hope so. Bader-Ginsburg IS 80, and battling pancreatic cancer. She probably won't last another 8 years, and if by some miracle she does, probably not on the Court. We CAN'T let more seats on the Court go to extremist right wing nominees. NOTHING is worth that.

Scotus overturning itself IS rare, but not at all unheard of. Prohibition was overturned there, and Citizen United is far more important to the country than booze (some might disagree, I realize).

I am with you about the horse and the cart--it is the bridge we MUST cross before working on father-reaching electoral reform.

[davidpdx]

39. Glad to hear someone shares my view on this one

I feel like such a worry wort.

[DFW]

40. Not at all. You have company.

One of Howard's biggest disappointments from 10 years ago was not getting electronic voting machines, designed and programmed by openly partisan Republicans, taken out of circulation. Citizens United is just another building block in Republican strategy to nullify our voting rights, of make them irrelevant. Howard not only sees this, but agrees with me (and you) on the degree of the danger it presents. If Howard knows, then Hillary knows. Frankly, I'd be surprised to hear that Bernie or O'Malley felt differently.

[byronius]

13. Proud to do so.

Always.

[pnwmom]

15. Absolutely. They're a great group. n/t

[BlueMTexpat]

16. Absolutely. eom

[Cha]

17. I don't have to Pledge. . I just do it for my country and her people.

[willvotesdem]

18. I too have voted straight dem ticket since 1972. However the party of

Clinton/Obama was not, is not the party of FDR/Kennedy/LBJ. I doubt HRC will be our nominee but if she is it will be a real struggle to make that vote. In the general I doubt my vote for President will have any meaning if HRC is the nominee as it will be a landslide for the rethugs.

[azurnoir]

20. .........

[Lunabell]

21. Of course.

I would never deny myself the chance to keep a rethuglican out of the white house.

[bl968]

22. No

In this election I will vote for one candidate and one candidate only Bernie Sanders, I am done voting for Republican lite. If a Democrat wants my vote by god they will be a progressive democrat both in name and deed. Hillary is not a progressive no matter how much she is claiming to be one.

[newfie11]

33. Same here. Nt

[TalkingDog]

43. I'm finally fed up enought to vote for the better candidate, rather than

vote against the horrible candidate.

No nomination for Bernie? I'm writing him in.

[MattSh]

23. I pledge to post "this shit again?"

every time someone requests/demands a loyalty pledge.

[JustAnotherGen]

26. Yep! Will do! n/t

[Amimnoch]

28. I'm not onboard with this.

Okay, for me, sure, I do pledge to vote for the Democratic Primary Nominee in the General. For me, it's easy because I can support and believe in any of the 3 candidates.

If Webb was still in the running, I'd have to say nope. Sorry, if he somehow managed to garner the support and gain the nomination, my 2016 ballot would not have a vote for president.. I'd still vote (D) in all the other parts of the Ballot that had an at all palatable (D) there, but I would not vote (D) that year.

Having spent most of my voting life in the south, I have, more than a few times just not voted for some of the state or local positions because the Democrat was every bit as repulsive as the Republican.

I get what this is about. I also adore Hillary. I also get irritated to no end at some of the horrible things she's called on this site.

Still, this isn't the way to do our business imo.

[workinclasszero]

29. Of course I will vote for the democratic nominee

Last edited Thu Nov 5, 2015, 09:07 AM - Edit history (1)

To not do so or to write in somebody else's name or to sit at home pouting because your favorite candidate didn't get the nomination.....

Is a vote for the batshit insane teahaaddist the the republicans will have running in the GE.

That same anti american, anti freedom candidate will be picking as many as 3 SCOTUS judges. If you claim to care about the poor, the working class, PoC, the environment etc and fail to vote for the democratic nominee..

You are a damn liar, period.

And you are just as destructive to this country as the oligarchy you claim to be against.

[VanillaRhapsody]

30. Thanks......this helps me

Purge my own DU by putting thise that are not supporting us...the Democratic party and who we agree should be our representatives......we have Primary elections....we are Democrats.....the very word means elections!

[Starry Messenger]

32. Of course.

[LWolf]

35. Nope.

I don't do pledges, loyalty oaths, or anything at all like that. I follow my conscience.

Of course, that probably means I'll vote for the nominee. But I won't take any damned pledge.

Frankly, I consider asking for one to be anti-democratic, and, at least in spirit, a violation of privacy and the right of every citizen to vote their own conscience.

[DinahMoeHum]

36. It goes without saying (or pledging)

My mantra: Vote Progressive in the primaries, vote Democrat in the general election.

[RiverLover]

37. If there is an actual Democrat running in the GE, I pledge to vote for that person. / nt

[restorefreedom]

38. i pledge to keep my pledge about ignoring all "loyalty oath" threads designed

to bait and stalk.

have a nice day!

[MoonRiver]

41. Absolutely!

[Martin Eden]

44. If my home state of Illinois has the remotest chance of swinging to the Republican ...

... then I will vote for Hillary if she is the Dem nominee.

Otherwise, no.