Democratic Party Drama

[a_treitell]

Not that I think it will make any difference, but I just sent a letter to Sen. Clinton's campaign... I like Hillary, always have. I want to see a woman in the Oval Office during my life time so bad I can taste it.. But.. It's time to stop.

Comments

[sunpony]

Very good letter. It's always important to let 'em know that some of us out here have eyes and brains.

I think she is going to drag it out some more unless she has a large shift of conscience, or someone figures out how to apply gross political pressure to her. And honestly, this could all be a political maneuver to position her for '12. Maybe not; it may be that she really does think she still has a shot. I mean, if Obama had the threshold delegate count, this would indeed be over, but while there is life, there is political shenanigans.

As to the Dems uniting, we'll see. I am not optimistic, but I am an anarchist bastard who hates power-condensing political parties, so my view is both peripheral and extreme :-).

[a_treitell]

Oh I don't think she'll listen either, I just had this desperate need to write it.. *sigh*

I'm not a fan of the two party system, it forces people to vote AGAINST the other too often, but.. it's what we currently have, and I'm not smart enough (though I am no dummy) to come up with a better system.

So I try to work within what exists.

And right now, I just want us to block McCain from taking the white house.

[sunpony]

If were just a matter of smarts, we would probably have a much better system. There are ample examples of systems that are more democratic than ours. It's really about power; few systems trick the citizenry into ceding power to an elite as neatly as this one does. And there are enough interests who want to keep it that way that better options never make it out of the incubator.

[a_treitell]

well, the biggest problem is how to make the change "overnight" which is what would need to happen.

That's what I'm not smart enough to figure out.

There are a LOT of great examples out there, but.

[a_treitell]

Yeah, which makes me sad, I've long been a big fan of Hillary's, but.. it's time.

It's *past* time.

[sunpony]

Yeah, the disconnect between her level of support and the level of her coffers is a bit odd. I wonder if one factor is the fact that a lot of her base has less discretionary money than Obama's? Also, his use of new technologies and funding structures really increases cash flow. . . .

[a_treitell]

He also draws a more educated population, and a wealthier population. She's drawing on the old school southern democrats, he's drawing on the newer style educated liberals...

The latter tends to have a LOT more money than the former.

She's also seeming to not be as strong a candidate anymore, and so people are less inclined to give her money, and a lot of her supporters are reaching the point I'm at I think.

[a_treitell]

*nods* I understand, and agree on the feeling that it feeds her desire to win in '12 if she can't now.. I don't agree on risking letting McCain win, personally.. (I admit that if she gets the nomination at this point, i am absolutely voting AGAINST McCain and not FOR her).

but then every time he opens his mouth lately, it's just like listening to Bush with a better accent, and that's terrifying.

[a_treitell]

... Okay I have to say that that is a very valid point, and is an angle I hadn't really thought about..

My only response is that I'm not sure that large swaths of this country can TAKE four more years of this. It's easier for me to think in those terms, I have a fairly secure job, and can feed my family on my own property if things come down that badly.

What will four more years of the same basic economic policies and disasters do for those who *can't*? Who are in jobs that WILL be the first to go...

I don't know that, for their sake, I can *can* focus on the long run, even though I agree with you.

must contemplate.

[slydyr]

I am so tired this morning that though I want to debate why Hilary is the worst possible choice for our country, I won't because I respect your opinion too much to offer you my best defense of Mr. Obama.
What I will do though, is offer that if you don't get a response, I could hand deliver your letter to her at the convention in August ;)
Or possibly transpose it onto a poster board and wave it at her from the crowd ;)

[a_treitell]

*snort* I like Hillary, I have since she was FL.. I think she's a slimy beltway politician, but.. she's a slimy beltway politician that I would have voted for.

At this point in the game, the longer this goes on, IF she gets the nod, I will vote for her ONLY as a protest vote against McCain, it will NOT be a vote FOR her.

I'm hoping that the fact that more and more people are calling for her to step down will start to sink into her brain.

[slydyr]

She and her husband are the worst examples of political hacks in the last twenty years. She won't admit defeat until Obama is settling in at the White House, and possibly not even then. I would gladly vote for McCain than to see her in the White House.

[a_treitell]

clearly, we disagree on that point.. :D

[tidewatcher]

I totally agree with your sentiments here. I do think (and hope!)that it's likely that this race is going to be over in the next month, and will not go to the convention. There just aren't any rational arguments left for Hillary to keep going. She needs to bow to the will of the voters and the rules of her party, and let this campaign start to focus on defeating the republicans.

Even if she doesn't, I'm optimistic that Obama can pick up the 80 or so uncommitted superdelegates he needs to reach 2025, with a split of the pledged delegates up for grabs in the remaining primaries that run through June 3rd.

There's just no way Hillary can steal a victory out of this race without alienating a very substantial portion of the democratic base (a portion which has traditionally stayed away from the polls and allowed republicans to win so many presidencies). Thus I hope she'll have to dignity and wisdom to step aside and support her party.

[a_treitell]

I sure as hell hope so.. though I have to agree with stratagos to apoint, it's tempting to think that it's just a ploy to keep driving him down so she has a chance in '12. That makes me sad.