Latest Breaking News
In reply to the discussion: Al Gore: Edward Snowden's 'Important Service' [View all]merrily
(45,251 posts)I think someone in the USG reads here, or DU would not have been visited by the Secret Service for info about a DUer. And Grayson and some other politicians or hopefuls post here, mostly looking for money and support, but I doubt any of them reads here. And, I very much doubt anyone makes the financial and energy and family commitment it requires based upon a post, especially one that subtle.
If you want a choice, start raising money and maybe even stop voting out of fear. Democrats who are confident that you will vote for them, even if you feel they do not provide enough of an alternative, have zero incentive to do anything but go further right.
If the base is going to vote for Democrats, no matter how far right they go, what is the incentive to go left? (e.g., Akin's Democratic opponent had campaigned on anti-choice, except in cases of incest and rape. He simply had not put his foot in his mouth by saying "real rape" or some such.), Maybe the only way you'll ever get a real choice is not to vote out of fear.
In 2000, I was where you are. A younger friend, one who had just turned 18 in time to campaign for Nader, wrote me, asking if I'd trade my vote in a very safe Blue state (Massachusetts) for his in Missouri. IOW, he asked me to vote for Nader in return for his promise to vote for Gore. And I refused even that.
Fourteen years later I'm over voting out of unconditional loyalty and also voting out of fear. Then again I had Romney for a Governor. Did I like him as much as multi millionaire, center right Democrat, Deval Patrick? No, but I didn't love Patrick a whole lot more, even though I voted for him and not Romney. After two New Democrat Presidents, I am not looking forward to a third. And the only way I know to prevent a fourth and a fifth who are even more to the right is not to vote for a third.