Comments on: Of Democrats and Baseball http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2008/05/04/of-democrats-and-baseball/ \"...a somewhat popular blogger\" Fri, 17 Feb 2012 04:15:37 -0600 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: AnneLaurie http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2008/05/04/of-democrats-and-baseball/#comment-8958 AnneLaurie Tue, 06 May 2008 03:57:22 +0000 http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2008/05/04/of-democrats-and-baseball/#comment-8958 <p><i>I was thinking about Paul Wellstone… He was indeed one in a million.</i></p> <p>And, like so many other One-in-A-Million politicians, Wellstone died too young. Funny how that happens…</p> I was thinking about Paul Wellstone… He was indeed one in a million.

And, like so many other One-in-A-Million politicians, Wellstone died too young. Funny how that happens…

]]> By: ploeg http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2008/05/04/of-democrats-and-baseball/#comment-8957 ploeg Tue, 06 May 2008 03:56:39 +0000 http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2008/05/04/of-democrats-and-baseball/#comment-8957 <p>I think you miss the point.</p> <p>Every primary season, pick out one POS Democrat and take a stick to that Democrat as an Example to Evildoers. Then vote for the Democrat over the Republican in the general. It’s slow and painful and ulcer-inducing, and it’s hard work, but progress will surely come out the other end at long last. </p> <p>If you decline to get involved and take a stick to the Evildoers, and just automatically vote for the Democrat every election, don’t be surprised when the crooks and fanatics take over. Giving one POS Democrat a good pummeling is more effective than chasing ten POS Democrats around without laying a blow. </p> <p>And that’s what it’s all about, Charlie Brown. Call it what you want.</p> I think you miss the point.

Every primary season, pick out one POS Democrat and take a stick to that Democrat as an Example to Evildoers. Then vote for the Democrat over the Republican in the general. It’s slow and painful and ulcer-inducing, and it’s hard work, but progress will surely come out the other end at long last.

If you decline to get involved and take a stick to the Evildoers, and just automatically vote for the Democrat every election, don’t be surprised when the crooks and fanatics take over. Giving one POS Democrat a good pummeling is more effective than chasing ten POS Democrats around without laying a blow.

And that’s what it’s all about, Charlie Brown. Call it what you want.

]]> By: Lori http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2008/05/04/of-democrats-and-baseball/#comment-8952 Lori Tue, 06 May 2008 00:43:17 +0000 http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2008/05/04/of-democrats-and-baseball/#comment-8952 <p><i>“The last MN politician I actively worked for: Paul Wellstone.<br /> 99.5% of the current politicians do not care about people. They care about their own power. Period.”</i></p> <p>TheRealityBasedDave,<br /> I was thinking about Paul Wellstone before I read your comment. He was indeed one in a million.</p> “The last MN politician I actively worked for: Paul Wellstone.
99.5% of the current politicians do not care about people. They care about their own power. Period.”

TheRealityBasedDave,
I was thinking about Paul Wellstone before I read your comment. He was indeed one in a million.

]]> By: steverino http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2008/05/04/of-democrats-and-baseball/#comment-8951 steverino Mon, 05 May 2008 22:41:00 +0000 http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2008/05/04/of-democrats-and-baseball/#comment-8951 <p>“I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat.”</p> <p>–Will Rogers</p> “I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat.”

–Will Rogers

]]> By: TheRealityBasedDave http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2008/05/04/of-democrats-and-baseball/#comment-8949 TheRealityBasedDave Mon, 05 May 2008 22:08:39 +0000 http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2008/05/04/of-democrats-and-baseball/#comment-8949 <p>From captphealy @1:</p> <blockquote><p>My cynicism came not from being a clear-eyed realist, but from being a frequently-thwarted optimist. And despite living amidst conclusive proof that human beings have to be the dumbest fucking beings in all of existence to consider themselves sentient, I cling to that little grain of optimism that’s still inside me.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>clap!clap!clap!clap!clap!</strong></p> <p>From thingwarbler @6:</p> <blockquote><p>By the time they’re close enough to wielding power even the most idealistic politician appears to have been immersed in the world of power for so long that it has invariably corrupted them; they compromise, they sell out, they break promises — but that’s the game as it’s played, and the rest of us learn to deal or remain in delusional denial that a different set of players could somehow change the rules.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>clap!clap!clap!clap!clap!</strong><br /> The last MN politician I actively worked for: Paul Wellstone.<br /> 99.5% of the current politicians do not care about people. They care about their own power. Period. </p> <p>From dsidhe @13:</p> <blockquote><p>For as long as I’ve been politically aware, my heart’s been with the greater good, but my vote’s with the lesser evil. The lesser evil may not stop the war in Iraq, but the greater good will never even get the chance.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>clap!clap!clap!clap!clap!</strong><br /> I dream of voting for someone that would commit themselves to the greater good - for all americans. My heart is broken every 2 or 4 years, when I end up voting for the greedy sell-out that will do the least damage.</p> <p>The 75% pessimist in me wants to scream, “Fuck ‘em all!”<br /> The 24% optimist in me says, “We’ll do better next time”.<br /> The 1% realist in me puts the pieces of my broken heart back together, picks me up off the floor, & gets me to try again. And again…</p> From captphealy @1:

My cynicism came not from being a clear-eyed realist, but from being a frequently-thwarted optimist. And despite living amidst conclusive proof that human beings have to be the dumbest fucking beings in all of existence to consider themselves sentient, I cling to that little grain of optimism that’s still inside me.

clap!clap!clap!clap!clap!

From thingwarbler @6:

By the time they’re close enough to wielding power even the most idealistic politician appears to have been immersed in the world of power for so long that it has invariably corrupted them; they compromise, they sell out, they break promises — but that’s the game as it’s played, and the rest of us learn to deal or remain in delusional denial that a different set of players could somehow change the rules.

clap!clap!clap!clap!clap!
The last MN politician I actively worked for: Paul Wellstone.
99.5% of the current politicians do not care about people. They care about their own power. Period.

From dsidhe @13:

For as long as I’ve been politically aware, my heart’s been with the greater good, but my vote’s with the lesser evil. The lesser evil may not stop the war in Iraq, but the greater good will never even get the chance.

clap!clap!clap!clap!clap!
I dream of voting for someone that would commit themselves to the greater good – for all americans. My heart is broken every 2 or 4 years, when I end up voting for the greedy sell-out that will do the least damage.

The 75% pessimist in me wants to scream, “Fuck ‘em all!”
The 24% optimist in me says, “We’ll do better next time”.
The 1% realist in me puts the pieces of my broken heart back together, picks me up off the floor, & gets me to try again. And again…

]]> By: smilingdog http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2008/05/04/of-democrats-and-baseball/#comment-8945 smilingdog Mon, 05 May 2008 19:26:33 +0000 http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2008/05/04/of-democrats-and-baseball/#comment-8945 <p>If Clinton steals the nomination, I won’t vote for Nader, because then my vote would only count once. I will vote for McCain to double my protest vote. The idea that I am supposed to accept whatever piece of crap is put on my plate because it is called “Democrat” on the menu just doesn’t work for me. Clinton is more of the same shit. Yes, you can argue that she is the “same shit lite”, but the same shit, nonetheless: Corporate lackey, pandering to the people (almost literally offering us a dollar for her vote with this gas tax bogusness). One real vote counted and she voted for the war. She just talked about “obliterating” another country. She will never get my vote and it is a bizarre and twisted world where someone like that is even being considered as a possible candidate for the “left”, “liberals”, “progressives” or whatever the fuck else you want to call Democrats. She should have resigned in disgrace two months after the war started.<br /> Look around. The “Democrats” have had a majority in Congress for a chunk of time and they have done NOTHING to end the war. They have done NOTHING.</p> If Clinton steals the nomination, I won’t vote for Nader, because then my vote would only count once. I will vote for McCain to double my protest vote. The idea that I am supposed to accept whatever piece of crap is put on my plate because it is called “Democrat” on the menu just doesn’t work for me. Clinton is more of the same shit. Yes, you can argue that she is the “same shit lite”, but the same shit, nonetheless: Corporate lackey, pandering to the people (almost literally offering us a dollar for her vote with this gas tax bogusness). One real vote counted and she voted for the war. She just talked about “obliterating” another country. She will never get my vote and it is a bizarre and twisted world where someone like that is even being considered as a possible candidate for the “left”, “liberals”, “progressives” or whatever the fuck else you want to call Democrats. She should have resigned in disgrace two months after the war started.
Look around. The “Democrats” have had a majority in Congress for a chunk of time and they have done NOTHING to end the war. They have done NOTHING.

]]> By: MaryCh http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2008/05/04/of-democrats-and-baseball/#comment-8944 MaryCh Mon, 05 May 2008 18:25:00 +0000 http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2008/05/04/of-democrats-and-baseball/#comment-8944 <p>My favorite quote on the subject was from Rep. Barney Frank:</p> <p>“The only time I was completely satisfied voting was when I voted for myself, the first time.”</p> <p>But Helen’s George Clooney quote is a fine contender!</p> My favorite quote on the subject was from Rep. Barney Frank:

“The only time I was completely satisfied voting was when I voted for myself, the first time.”

But Helen’s George Clooney quote is a fine contender!

]]> By: dsidhe http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2008/05/04/of-democrats-and-baseball/#comment-8943 dsidhe Mon, 05 May 2008 18:18:57 +0000 http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2008/05/04/of-democrats-and-baseball/#comment-8943 <p>I will call myself both and either, and I will vote for anyone who calls themselves anything as long as doing so means people are less likely to get killed in large numbers. How’s that for a broken heart and low expectations? </p> <p>In the end, Obama is not my prospective BFF anymore than Hillary is, but voting for either makes a McCain presidency less likely and that’s all that matters to me. As much as I have respected Nader, voting for him does not do that, and I won’t do it. For as long as I’ve been politically aware, my heart’s been with the greater good, but my vote’s with the lesser evil. The lesser evil may not stop the war in Iraq, but the greater good will never even get the chance.</p> <p>I know what the Naderites want, and I applaud them for wanting it. I understand the frustration of seeing a candidate with whom you agree shut out of the process. And I understand the logical appeal of “They can’t win because we say they can’t win and so we don’t vote for them”, God knows I understand it, with people taking those who-agrees-with-your-positions-more quizzes and laughing dismissively as the same can’t-win candidate comes up for a significant percentage of them, but the people who will die while we’re holding out for the candidate we want deserve better than thwarted idealism.</p> I will call myself both and either, and I will vote for anyone who calls themselves anything as long as doing so means people are less likely to get killed in large numbers. How’s that for a broken heart and low expectations?

In the end, Obama is not my prospective BFF anymore than Hillary is, but voting for either makes a McCain presidency less likely and that’s all that matters to me. As much as I have respected Nader, voting for him does not do that, and I won’t do it. For as long as I’ve been politically aware, my heart’s been with the greater good, but my vote’s with the lesser evil. The lesser evil may not stop the war in Iraq, but the greater good will never even get the chance.

I know what the Naderites want, and I applaud them for wanting it. I understand the frustration of seeing a candidate with whom you agree shut out of the process. And I understand the logical appeal of “They can’t win because we say they can’t win and so we don’t vote for them”, God knows I understand it, with people taking those who-agrees-with-your-positions-more quizzes and laughing dismissively as the same can’t-win candidate comes up for a significant percentage of them, but the people who will die while we’re holding out for the candidate we want deserve better than thwarted idealism.

]]> By: JGabriel http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2008/05/04/of-democrats-and-baseball/#comment-8940 JGabriel Mon, 05 May 2008 17:25:21 +0000 http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2008/05/04/of-democrats-and-baseball/#comment-8940 <p>ckls:<br /> </p><blockquote>Today’s Progressives call themselves that because the Right Wing GOP and the Media Whores that love them trashed the Liberal Brand — enabled by feckless Democrats that were more interested in power and privilege and fund raising and perks and continuing resolutions…</blockquote> <p>That’s called politics, ckls. I think you might have just inadvertently proved TBogg’s and Mannion’s point.</p> ckls:

Today’s Progressives call themselves that because the Right Wing GOP and the Media Whores that love them trashed the Liberal Brand — enabled by feckless Democrats that were more interested in power and privilege and fund raising and perks and continuing resolutions…

That’s called politics, ckls. I think you might have just inadvertently proved TBogg’s and Mannion’s point.

]]> By: 4jkb4ia http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2008/05/04/of-democrats-and-baseball/#comment-8938 4jkb4ia Mon, 05 May 2008 15:32:42 +0000 http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2008/05/04/of-democrats-and-baseball/#comment-8938 <p>All I meant by that was that Paul Rosenberg does not have to be over the moon about a candidate. He explicitly said that every Democrat doesn’t have to be a “progressive” in order to accomplish progressive goals.</p> All I meant by that was that Paul Rosenberg does not have to be over the moon about a candidate. He explicitly said that every Democrat doesn’t have to be a “progressive” in order to accomplish progressive goals.

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