another working day in Canada!

[sab]

I'm at the airport, so I need to be careful about statements of sedition because the walls of the wireless internet clearly have eyes and ears.

The Democratic Party (of which I am still firmly and proudly a member) suffered some major blows last night, with almost no victories. We've got Barbara Boxer and Barack Obama and, I dunno, stem cell research funding here in CA. But Daschle is gone, which is gonna be trouble, real trouble in the next administration, as this foundering party looks for a way to galvanize.

The problem is, as it has been, that the Democratic Party is too disparate (nine primary candidates, anyone?), from the "Michael Moore faction" on down to the Hillary in '08-ers, and we had enough trouble uniting behind Kerry. No one united behind Daschle, but without his presence we are seriously a headless beast, and I think over the next four years we're gonna see just how lame-ass this party can be without a force to light the fire under our asses.

So, I'm at the airport, off to NY for a week, and when I come back I'm meeting with Terry New, West Coast Director of the Democratic National Committee, and vying for a gig. Aside from that, I'm still with the lefty fundraisers, and I start my supervisor position in the next couple weeks, raising money and spreading awareness for the likes of EMILY's List, NARAL and a host of liberal watchdog groups.

Bottom line: this whole redneck state debacle simply lets me know that there's more work to be done, that I'll have to struggle just that much harder to fight for the rights and legislations I believe in, and to fight against the inevitable "moral" restructuring that's poised to come from the right.

Oh but DUDE I can't do it right now. Because I'm tired, and grubby from spending the night with Peter Jennings, and I'm at the airport, and I'm headachy, and I'm sad. And the truth is, it's as much our fault as it is anyone else's. The Democratic Party is NOT a cohesive unit. We are NOT a strong enough fighting force, right now. The right is, because at the end of the day, they can all get together behind fucking the queers, cutting down trees and killing brown people of every stripe. It's much easier to unite behind Ward Cleaver than it is to unite behind, I dunno, mischa? Fuck yeah, I'm bitter. Me, today, I just want to crawl under the covers with Peter Jennings, but instead I gotta catch a plane.

Blah blah, another working day in Canada.

Comments

[coffeeandink.livejournal.com]

Hey, sweetie, if you have time, give me a call when you're in New York and we'll have dinner or something.

[life-on-queen.livejournal.com]

Blah blah, another working day in Canada.

We're all depressed and bitter up here, too. If that makes you feel any better.

If you need recs....

[svilleficrecs.livejournal.com]

I'm a fan of your fic from way (3 years) back, and totally sympathizing w/ you on this dark day.

I didn't expect to get teary eyed when I saw Kerry's concession speech but I did. Anyway, if you need any recommendations while you're in town (I'm assuming NYC for some reason) let me know. :) I live here and I hope you have a great time while in town.

[jeviltwin.livejournal.com]

Have I mentioned lately how proud I am to know you?

Hope you're getting some nice long sleep. It's going to be a hell of fight, but I think there are quite a few of us ready for the task. Thanks for being such an inspiration. You're like magic pants, only sparklier. {{{S}}}

[msilverstar]

The only good thing about this dreadful election is that those of us who've been lazy will get off our asses and get active in ACLU, NARAL and stuff. But we're bitter about having to...

[killabeez.livejournal.com]

Thank you for all your hard work. I was thinking of you today, and just want you to know that I think you're right, about the need for unity and mobilization. I'm also more grieved about Daschle than almost anything, I think. I hope that the immediate future sees a change in the Democratic party. In a lot of ways, I actually think I felt more unity in this election than I did in 2000, and I think we're beginning to understand what's at stake now. What that will mean, I'm not sure yet.

I do know you've earned yourself a rest, and that I admire how much of yourself you put into this effort. It wasn't in vain. You provided inspiration for me to get more involved than I would have otherwise, and to give more financially than I really wanted to. {{{{}}}} Take care, and be safe.

[hobsonphile.livejournal.com]

The right is, because at the end of the day, they can all get together behind ------- the queers, cutting down trees and killing brown people of every stripe.

I'm going to forgive you for this because you're understandably upset. But it may behoove you to dial down the rhetoric. I'm with you on several issues- gay marriage in particular- but this is the second time you've outright slandered me and hoss and every other thoughtful Bush voter, and each time, I've felt decidedly less sympathetic.

Hearts and minds. That's what this should be about. I think the American voter is generally kind and decent. But somewhere along the way, we who are in favor of gay civil rights have failed to convince. Perhaps we would have greater success if we went into the discussion with a more open mind.

[se-parsons.livejournal.com]

HI, I don't know you.

But I think the objectionable part of what Sab said was the "all get behind".

Everybody knows it isn't ALL. Just a disturbingly large number that right now feels like all. A disturbingly large number of Americans. Because a lot of folks who voted on the "values" issue don't indentify with either party. In many states over 70% of the electorate voted to write discrimination into their state constitutions. Including my home state of Michigan. I am so horrified I can hardly stop from being ill.

That is a DISTURBING idea. Because, as you know, if you replace gay with anything else most people already think it's awful and wrong and anti-American. (Though I bet in some states they could still field nearly 50% who would like to deny blacks the right to vote.)

But this is largely our own fault for allowing the Republicans to define us, rather than defining ourselves. It's a vision thing. Or rather, lack of coherence, as Sab pointed out.

[iamsab.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm sorry for the mudslinging, Hobs, and I don't mean to personally attack you, or Hoss, or Teri or any of the other righties reading this LJ. As you know, I think you're good, smart people and I respect your right to have your own opinion.

Mostly -- as SEP said -- I'm just disgusted that "moral values" was the deciding issue in this election. I mean. Really? Is this REALLY what we're worried about, here in the progressive modern 21st century? Is it REALLY the queers and the tree-huggers and the immigrants that are threatening this country? Are you (where "you" is the set of Americans who voted based on "moral values" and proceeded to win the election) sure it's not the fact that we're spending so much time hating and killing each other, and not enough time learning to accept the fact that this is a MELTING POT and this is PROGRESS and the world only spins forward? Are you (see above for definition of "you") SURE we want to return to the 1950's shiny white nuclear family America that inspired us to go to war against just about EVERYONE who had a different belief system?

I'm not talking about Bush or Kerry, or even partisan politics. I'm talking about ISSUES. I'm talking about the fact that we're in a country, right now, wherein, if I wear a "peace" button I'm accused of "not supporting the troops." Are you fucking kidding me? All of a sudden an interest in PEACE is a seditious act? The fact that I care about the environment (because, after all, it's where I live and where I keep most of my stuff) positions me as a threat to the American economy under a leader who doesn't even believe global warming EXISTS? The fact that I'm interested in opening up a dialogue with other nations and trying to create DISCOURSE and TRADE and PEACE puts me in the minority now, and I'm not thrilled about that; not thrilled at all.

We, this country, just elected a president who is going to make the rest of the world hate us. Who is going to, in the next two years, overturn Roe v. Wade, drive us deeper into sinking debt, lose more jobs, lose more health care, all in the interest of bombing the crap out of anyone who won't sit still.

So, I have ISSUES to fight for, and ISSUES to fight against. Hobs, I'm glad your president won. He is now the president, still the president, of the country I live in, and love, and believe in. But what he thinks DEFINES this country is vastly different from what *I* think defines this country. And that's what scares me, and makes me realize I have to gear up for the next fight, and the next fight, and the next one.

This is a very, very small world, here. We've got jet travel and the Internet. We can't afford to pretend we're a superpower anymore, and I think it's arrogant and scary that 51% of the country seems, in my opinion, to be mired in a past that didn't work the first time around.

I gotta board my plane.

[hobsonphile.livejournal.com]

Believe me, I am just as shocked by those particular results as you. But the question remains for me: Am I, as a gay marriage proponent, going to make the effort to change minds? Or am I going to lash out at the opposition and further entrench the backlash?

I choose option one.

[cofax7]

I support you in choosing option 1.

Demonizing the opposition does no one any good.

I'm gonna keep saying this until people hear me, dammit.

[gamesiplay.livejournal.com]

I just wanted to echo what was said above and thank you for working so hard at this. I'm sorry for all of us that it didn't work. But I wanted to say that when I was in that ten-hour line, I thought of you.

[somedaybitch.livejournal.com]

Bottom line: this whole redneck state debacle simply lets me know that there's more work to be done, that I'll have to struggle just that much harder to fight for the rights and legislations I believe in, and to fight against the inevitable "moral" restructuring that's poised to come from the right.

you know, a lot us satanists republicans don't agree that "moral" restructuring either. i'm a one-issue voter. the guy i voted for had a better stand on the issue that mattered to me. that doesn't mean that i don't worry about other stuff he has in mind. that's what my state and federal elected officials are for.

what was good about this election is something many, many, many are missing.

voters came out in droves.

Americans should be ridiculously proud of that fact. if they came out for this election, chances are now exponentially higher that they'll stick around and pay attention for once. that's always a good thing.


{{{{{{{hugs you}}}}}} come home safe.

[-maayan.livejournal.com]

voters came out in droves.

But not the young ones, it seems. Which isn't encouraging for the next election, and the next one, and the next one.

[somedaybitch.livejournal.com]

it's only not encouraging if we don't do something to change that.

[-maayan.livejournal.com]

I don't find it encouraging because so much was already done to change that this time around, with zero effect, and any positive intervention I can think of would involve a long term, radical reform of your school system. But I'm curious to see what strategies will be implemented next just the same.

[somedaybitch.livejournal.com]

i guess the effect or lack thereof depends on one's perception.

[-maayan.livejournal.com]

Actually, it depends on numbers. But we'll have to wait on more detailed surveys for an in-depth discussion. It could be that identical proportions represent different absolute numbers. It could be that the effort this time around did have a positive effect in keeping the erosion from getting more pronounced than it would have been otherwise. Preliminary numbers point toward a zero to negligeable effect, but I concede that this is still early and inadequate data.

[somedaybitch.livejournal.com]

It could be that the effort this time around did have a positive effect in keeping the erosion from getting more pronounced than it would have been otherwise.

:::finally gets around to responding. oy:::

i'm hoping that this is the case, and that the numbers may not be able to reflect, or rather detect, the actual influence that the election has had peripherally.

[illmantrim.livejournal.com]

**huggs and hopes you get the gig with the west coast crew. We could use yer force of honest reasona dn passion here to oust Ahnold and get a Demo back in office here and lead Cali away from the insanity

[selenak.livejournal.com]

*Offers a silent virtual hug*

[queerbychoice.livejournal.com]

Daschle can be replaced as a party leader. I'd much prefer Pelosi. But the Republican majorities are definitely scary.

[apathocles.livejournal.com]

*hugs* I'm so sorry. And bitter. To use a cliché, the whole world's gone mad.

The Left is having trouble uniting everywhere, it would seem. We've got the same problem here -- constant leadership changes and challenges, the centre Left moving towards the centre Right and *still* not gaining any more votes, because a) righties are going to vote for the proper Right party, not lefties in disguise, and b) many lefties aren't going to vote for a party that's sliding further and further Right. The extreme Left is more powerful than it's ever been before, but the centre Left is virtually non-existent. There's no uniting force for everyone who opposes the creepy conservatism of the mid-to-far Right, and it seems like the US is having a similar problem.

It'll get better if we keep trying. It has to.

(If I say that enough times, I might even start to believe it.)

*hugs again* I'm proud of all the work you guys've put in.

[txvoodoo.livejournal.com]

I came here via..well..elsewhere.

I'm a blue in a red state. Heart of Bushland. Years ago, in the 80s, I lived in the northeast, I was active, but I feel like I got complacent, caught up in real life, and now I just feel sick after this week. But I've overcome the depression that first blanketed me, and now I'm just ANGRY, and want to get back to my roots of DOING THINGS.

So, got any suggestions for a girl in Dallas who wants to get her liberal groove back on?

Also, you said:

"The problem is, as it has been, that the Democratic Party is too disparate (nine primary candidates, anyone?), from the "Michael Moore faction" on down to the Hillary in '08-ers, and we had enough trouble uniting behind Kerry. No one united behind Daschle, but without his presence we are seriously a headless beast, and I think over the next four years we're gonna see just how lame-ass this party can be without a force to light the fire under our asses."

It also feels, to me, that the party lost what it was about, except being against the other guys. We need to find our center again.