Strength in Numbers

Liberal Oasis has some damn good advice for Democrats.

Values are not a mere buzzword to toss around.

They are ?the foundation?. They are what you hold most dear. They ?guide? your policies and actions every day.

So, if rejection of torture really is a value ? a value that distinguishes Democrats from Republicans ? it would dictate your vote on Gonzales.
[. . .]
This is not about whether or not Gonzales becomes Attorney General.

This is about communicating to the public what are the values that guide the Democratic party.

Democrats don?t need to filibuster to accomplish that.

Simply voting ?No? tells the public, ?if we were in charge, we?d never pick a guy like this.?

Whereas voting ?Yes? says, ?we asked some tough questions for show, but in the end, what Bush wants is more important than what we claim to believe in.?

Considering all the fights coming up over the next two years, the best thing the Democrats can do for the future of the party is stand together on this and every other major issue. The confirmation of Bush’s nominees may be a foregone conclusion, but that doesn’t mean it has to happen with our help.


posted by greg on January 14, 2005 @ 2:00 pm

5 comments

  1. Boy, are you correct.

    There’s been too much politicking and too little backbone-showing.

    Comment by Brandon Starr — January 14, 2005 @ 3:16 pm

  2. “Yeah, but we might lose, so we’d better surrender right now! That way, we… uh… we… look, let us get back to you on that. Right now, we have to go out and surrender. No time to lose!”

    Comment by Kip W — January 17, 2005 @ 4:59 am

  3. It’s fucking unbelievable. It’s like the Democrats are the only ones who don’t know that they’re constantly in the crosshairs these days, and are completely unwilling to fight back in the war that the GOP has already declared on them. Though when the Senate Republicans vote away the right to filibuster, they might use some sort of “Use it or lose it” argument, against which Democrats would have no good comeback.

    Comment by Briantologist — January 17, 2005 @ 12:26 pm

  4. Democrats need to come to the realization that each time they “go along to get along,” the GOP kicks their asses with it, rubbing their noses in their votes for the GOP’s agenda. They do themselves (and US!) no good by capitulating. It’s not contrarian to vote NO on nominees who have proven their skill at forgetting the Constitution and undermining our security; it’s the ultimate act of patriotism. No wonder the GOP keeps calling Dems “unAmerican.”

    Comment by fullnelson — January 18, 2005 @ 10:33 am

  5. Memo to Senator Obama

    Glad to have you in D.C. Glad to see that your website’s up and running. Not so glad about your vote today on Condoleezza Rice. You’re new, so you may not have gotten the memo that Senators Boxer and Kerry…

    Trackback by Waveflux — January 19, 2005 @ 12:01 pm

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