Are you political or principled?

[CTLawGuy]

Do you want to "win" at any cost, or are you more concerned with standing up for what you believe in?

I definitely fall into the principled camp. I'm willing to tolerate the Russ Feingolds. Why? He'll vote to protect and promote the programs and ideas we value. I'm willing to support Dennis Kucinich. A Senator Nelson is fine in a red state but, I don't want to see dems from blue states giving in to Republican fear-mongering.

So which are you? Political or principled?

[Hosnon]

1. Mixed depending on the situation. nt

[eyesroll]

2. Why is Feingold a "tolerate" vs. "support?"

If he'll vote to protect and promote the programs and ideas we value, why do you merely tolerate him?


I'm somewhere in between -- a pragmatist. Ultimately, we do have a de facto two-party system, and a (D) next to one's name pretty much ensures a vote for Speaker Pelosi or Majority Leader Reid (for example, and omitting the Zell Millers of the world). Even the suckiest Dem is better in that one respect than the best Republican.

In other words -- I'm not going to actively work to get rid of Herb Kohl, because (1) it's an impossible task, and (2) at the end of the day, he's still a (D).

[ulysses]

14. yes, well...

and omitting the Zell Millers of the world

Some of us voted for Zell, and would like to avoid making a mistake of that kind again.

[Deja Q]

3. In the end, winning is the only safety.

I dunno what I am.

[catmother]

4. i'm curious as to why you said you would tolerate Russ Feingold.

i find him quite tolerable. :dilemma:

[CTLawGuy]

5. see a thread called

Are you a Purist or a Pragmatist?

[catmother]

6. i need a link. nt

[CTLawGuy]

7. here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2472874

[Faux pas]

8. more principled than political, and damned proud of it! n/t

[dolstein]

9. Sorry, but I don't accept the premise of your question

I would assume that everyone has principles. The question is the extent to which you are willing to engage in the give and take of politics in order to advance those principles. From the way you phrased your question, it would appear that you believe that people who are unwilling to make compromises are somehow more principled than others. I'd be willing to argue the opposite.

[CTLawGuy]

10. not everyone has principles

the people who believe the sole purpose of a political party is "to win", I say do not have principles.

[dolstein]

13. Name one person who believes that

NT

[MrBenchley]

22. When we get people on here cheering for specimens

like Ron "Dr. No" Paul or anti-Semitic Cynthia McKinney, is that "principled"?

[Totally Committed]

11. I'm principled... and political....

And my principles have, up to now, made me have no choice but to support the Democratic Party. That means my principles made me political. But, as some Democrats are becoming more and more like Republicans every day, the way I vote in the future will become increasingly more principled, to the point that I will vote race by race, candidate by candidte for those (and only those) who share my principles with me. No DINO's or DLC need apply.

TC

[omega minimo]

12. "Tolerate the Russ Feingolds"?

:wtf: :rofl:
:rofl:





:think: Is there more than one?

[Neil Lisst]

15. it depends on the situation

Absolutes are a luxury usually unavailable to decision-makers.

[SaveElmer]

16. Its a false choice...

Fact is, our country was founded on compromise, and became successful on compromise. Our greatest failures have come when we refused to compromise. Will I take a half a loaf if I can't get the full thing...hell ya. Would I vote for Ben Nelson if the alternative was a hard right Republican...again hell ya.

The best way to turn this country around is to get this pack of Republicans out of office...and if a few Ben Nelson's are a part of that process...I can certainly live with that.

[seabeyond]

17. principled.... for many reasons. but to just be political

will only feed the bad we are and never allow us to heal and become a better person as a whole. to be political will continue the divide that does no good for our nation. principle must start feeding of each other so we can become a stronger better people. i cannot be less than that, not even for the nation or the future of our children, cause ultimately it will be failure. and that is probably beyond what you are asking.

[LWolf]

18. See my post on that other thread you referenced:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2472874&mesg_id=2474714

I don't see the world that black and white, and don't divide things into "principled or political."

I prefer to say that I have political principles, and that I strive to make my political choices principled.

[izzybeans]

19. The principled is political. Don't turn either into a dirty word.

IMHO

[Neil Lisst]

20. Agreed. It's like the student who proved Scalia is a relativist!

One group tags a word with special powers of labeling, and then they tag others with it, as in YOU'RE IT!!

Bah! Bah! I say!

I reject all arguments that start with the premise I'm either THIS or THAT, and they're mutually exclusive.

I'll be whatever I feel like today in this circumstance given these parameters.

[Marie26]

21. principled, I'd like to think. nt

[banana republican]

23. YES N/T