For some reason, this stuff just makes me giggle:
There is something strange going on in the progressive blogosphere these days: instead of uniting against Republicans, progressive bloggers like Matt Stoller have decided to declare war on every Democrat who they consider not to be progressive (read anti-war) enough. Seemingly frustrated that there are actually Democratic Congressmen that do not necessarily always vote along party lines – but make up their own minds – they have decided to ask their readers to make profiles of so-called “Bush Dogs” (Blue Dogs and New Democrats) as to be able to target them in the coming years, and to replace them with progressive, left-wing Republicans.
An example of a so-called Bush Dog they are targeting is Brian Baird. Baird opposed the war against Iraq from the get-go but believes that since the US went ahead and attacked anyway, it should persist and be successful. He believes that the surge might be paying off, at least to a degree, and that – therefore – the troops should not be withdrawn soon. So, Open Left and Daily Kos have decided to target [sic] Blair – they are writing negative posts about him, etc.
Of course, Baird is not the only victim. Once one pays attention to what is happening, one also sees that they are targeting Hillary Clinton. Obviously not to replace her, but instead to make sure that she does not win the nomination. Besides attacking Hillary straight on, the left-wingers of the Daily Kos, Open Left and MyDD, also seem to have declared Bill Clinton their enemy. Their new best buddy? Al Franken.
Those who dare support non-Democratic candidates for president – like Independents – have to be put away as well well. As a result of all their actions, Chris Bower believes that “progressives are moving closer to Democratic Party control.”
This prospect should – as far as I am concerned – scare the hell out of everybody who thinks that some independence of thought is actually a good thing.
Maybe he should hide under his desk.
He thinks the congressmen are the victims here? What about the VOTERS who put these people in office to end the war????
Heaven forbid there be any accountability for the job they are or are NOT doing.
Here’s my favorite part:
Maybe that guy should try talking to the people he comes across throughout the day, you know, REAL Americans, not the made-up ones the corporate media talks about on the evening news.
As for not tolerating dissent, if Stoller and Bowers were Republicans, they’d be admired for their message discipline.
Intersting (convenient?) that he cannot differentiate between Orange and OpenLeft.
Ha ha, so I’ve become a ‘groupie’..when do the wild and crazy sex parties start?
It took me 2 reads to realize that only the second line of your comment was the Gandhi quote.
Run, Mary-Kate! HIDE! 🙂
http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/celebrity/Ben+Kingsley-17178.html
I’ve heard this before – from Fox News. Didn’t O’Reilly call us bloggers “low-grade Stalinists?” The Moderate Voice (snicker) now says that we are totalitarians. That’s idiotic. Totalitarianism is centered around a strong and centralized party apparatus. The Bush Dog movement is the exact opposite, because it comes from the grassroots. The Democratic party apparatus will undoubtedly dislike the Bush Dog campaign. It’s the essence of Democracy. Frankly, I think “the moderates” are afraid of progressive power. Democracy is scary and unpredictable. Hold me.
This post reinforces my opinion that some moderates are simply wet blankets whose ideas rarely go beyond railing against extremism. If other Americans don’t like our the progressive vision, then I doubt our support will grow, but polls show that our issue stances are very popular.
I don’t think I have commented in 6 months, but this is so atrocious, I couldn’t help it.
The guy who wrote that post isn’t a moderate: sounds like a DLC type to me—they like calling themselves moderates, when they’re really right-wingers.
I think Kos is a good example of a moderate. I’d put him at the center in the current climate.
Markos is moderate at best, not a leftist nor progressive. Note his misogyny and sexism. But anyone left of Henry Kissinger is not in the center or Right to these people, and I’m not talking about the Bill Kristols of the punditocracy, I’m talking the Tom Friedmans — these nuts, despite their supposed centrism will still treat anyone considered a Democrat or progressive as a leftist/radical/bomb-throwing/hippie/bisexual/baby killer — much like Archie Bunker, with no sense or logic to their claims.
Geez, you’d think there isn’t room in the Republican Party for people who agree with Republicans!
No one wants independence from their politicians. They want obedience. That’s the fundamental principle of representative democracy: we elect people to do our will.
Fuck. Is there any depth of ignorance and stupidity left unplumbed by the pundit class?
Taking control of the Democrats or anyone doesn’t seem all that democratic, but the fact remains the Democrats elected in 2006 have been a large disappointment. If left wing blogs have any muscle, it should be put to the test. Supposedly some bloggers have called for a general strike on 9/11 to protest the Iraq war. General strikes may be too far out on a limb for most, so how about 9/11 being a day when no one buys anything, not even a newspaper. Should be a pretty painless way to count heads. Let’s also explore how to get the word out.
well, let me say this one thing…I have seen personally up front what blue dogs can do to destroy..but they can’t see it…If ever they do, I think they would not be in politics..but they are, so they happen to know exactly what they are doing. It is a crying shame that the party of democrats can’t hold together for much of anything. But like you said, some are thinking for themselves and not the ppl who elected them…I happen to know for a fact that the rep. party who helped elect my blue dog is why he is still in office…not because of the democratic party.. It may be different in other areas, after all, I live in the buckle of the bible belt…that in and of itself is something to behold…:o)..being a yankee that is transplanted…;o)
Even if the democratic people are being destroyed.. how are they being destroyed? By people expressing their opinions?
If the Democrats are so rigid that various opinions could destroy them then they need to go. Seems really simple to me.
Oop! That shoudl be “The Democrats” not “the democratic people”
Dx
It’s encouraging, it is an indication that netroots has collective power.