Sunday, May 04, 2008

No more caucuses, No more party

Caucuses are not democratic. They are designed to give party insiders the upper hand in choosing candidates. They keep the working class (who cannot afford to spend half a day arguing when work needs to be done) from participating. They keep political neophytes from participating. They are a tool of intimidation and bullying.

And no one knows that better then Obama and his supporters.

Everyday I become more disenchanted with the entire Democratic party. I know it's politics and politics are dirty. But we are selling out our most basic ideas for political gain, instead of using politics to further those basic ideas.

We are Democrats. We count votes. We count all the votes. Disenfranchisement is a Republican tool. Bullying, intimidation, and election fraud are Republican tools. But we are keeping two large states from having their say in the election and there are repeated calls to end the process when NO WINNER CAN BE CHOSEN TILL THE SUPER DELEGATES DECIDE.

The basic premise of the Democratic party is that everyone, regardless of race or class or sex, counts. What I have seen in this campaign is women being thrown under the bus, the poor and working class thrown under the bus, the old thrown under the bus. That is not the Democratic party.

I have been told repeatedly that by refusing to vote for Obama, I am handing the election to the McSame.

But I am starting to see little difference between the two male candidates. Neither thinks women should have complete control over their own bodies. Both have been known to use misogyny to control women around them. Both pander to the wealthy while ignoring the majority of the country. Neither would guarantee healthcare for everyone. Neither has a solid plan for fixing the economy. Neither gives a rat's ass about the poor.

Sure, Obama says he's more anti-war than anyone else, though in his very short Senate career he has yet to prove it.

I have been a member of the Democratic party since forever. I chose this side because I believe in working to make things better for everyone. I do not believe wealth proves people to be more ethical or intelligent, and I do not think poverty is a moral failure of the people who live in it. And I cannot vote for someone who does believe those things, even if he is a Dem.

The Democratic party is about to change. Either it returns to a basic platform of equality and access for everyone, or it will fracture. And I know what side of the break I'll be on.

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