RAVAGE the Vote

One thing and one thing only will beat George Bush in 2004...voter turn-out. I have always wondered why liberals and left-leaning moderates don't vote. Maybe they feel that their voices aren't loud enough. Perhaps it is because liberals are more likely to be disenchanted with the electoral process and government in general. My opinion is this: liberals--because of their own actions--are unrepresented. The reason liberals are disenchanted with the process is that they refuse to participate.

When liberals vote--like they did for Ralph Nader in 2000--they make history; when they refuse to vote--like they did in 2002--conservatives win the day. There is no good reason why any American should omit their voice from the electoral process. Even if your vote is "none of the above," you will still be heard and counted (unless you live in Florida--no guarantees there).

Wouldn't it be great if the Democratic base nominated a Dean, Kucinich, or Sharpton and then a massive grassroots movement of liberals united to elect one of those to the Presidency? Our voice, the voice that built this great nation would get to be a part of the process again. If you thought what Bill Clinton acheived in the '90's was great, just wait until a real progressive gets in the White House. I doubt we will ever go back, and that's just what Bush and Co. is afraid might happen.

Rainbow/PUSH Coalition Forum

Of the candidates present, Al Sharpton was an almost guaranteed success. Most of the "white" guys on the stage seemed out of sorts and reaching for answers to burning civil rights questions. Kerry, Lieberman, and Gephardt were trying to moderate their comments in an effort to satisfy both liberals (along with civil rights activists) and moderates (mostly white middle class). The effect was no less than disturbing. As democrats, it should be our goal to give "minorities" a reason to vote. Support "affirmative action" relentlessly, oppose racial profiling in all of its insidious forms, and work toward massive reconstruction of public schools in urban and rural areas. I think we need new leadership in the Democratic party--to coin a favorite phrase of the media--and get away from the half-assed populism that puts money above principle. Let the Republicans deal with the money people, we'll deal with the majority.

Democratic Field of Contenders

The current field of democratic presidential hopefuls is actually looking good for a change

I am particularly happy with a few of the more "progressive" candidates. For example, Howard Dean and Dennis Kucinich give me hope that all is not lost for liberals and Democrats.