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mr715

(3,628 posts)
96. I speak for myself.
Sun Jan 11, 2026, 02:32 PM
Jan 11

I am critical of my fellow Democrats, but I support them with money I don't have, time I can't spare.

We need to treat our politicians like adults - they err, they are misguided, they are corruptible. It is incumbent upon their voters to hold them to account, because we are the votes that make or break them.

There is such a thing as bad tactics. A bad tactical decision does not, by itself, lose a war. But if we fail to correct, and these tactics keep getting used, we will certainly lose the war.

This is the bunker mentality when a leader is too fragile to hear the truth. They can only hear how they are doing the right thing, their plan is perfect, wise, bulletproof.

I do not think our coalition is so fragile that it cannot handle healthy dissent from ardent supporters.

I was a Sen. Clinton diehard in 2008, but I will submit that during the campaign she used some problematic dog whistles when she got desperate to win. What did she do at the convention? She wholeheartedly, (apparently) warmly, and dramatically let her delegates to vote for Obama by acclamation.

I was a Sec. Clinton diehard in 2016. She did not receive the same courtesy, and yeah, I think it cost her the election.

VP Harris ran a perfect campaign until the phantom of Liz Cheney appeared where Tim Walz should've been.

These are my opinions. They don't make me a bad Democrat. They are the thoughts of an adult man who has invested a lot of heart and soul into politics.

Treat your party like you treat your parents as an adult. They can make mistakes, but your relationship is eternal. Bill Maher and Al Franken have both made the analogy that Democrats love their country like an adult loves their parents, while Republicans love their country like a child loves their parents.

Recommendations

2 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

This is Democratic Underground. milestogo Jan 2026 #1
Oh no, my post was not directed toward anybody here on DU; MIButterfly Jan 2026 #4
This message was self-deleted by its author PeaceWave Jan 2026 #10
Then why are you posting it here...? regnaD kciN Jan 2026 #26
That's how I interpreted it, too. intheflow Jan 2026 #40
Please see my responses #4 and #19. My comment was not directed to anyone here at DU. MIButterfly Jan 2026 #61
They say a hit dog will holler. W_HAMILTON Jan 2026 #64
Sadly, I find myself often having to defend Democrats against bullshit attacks here. W_HAMILTON Jan 2026 #15
Does that include orangecrush Jan 2026 #42
Sanders's good buddy? I defend the Democratic Party as a whole and don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. W_HAMILTON Jan 2026 #47
He is my Senator orangecrush Jan 2026 #49
Time is limited and every minute you spend attacking Democrats is a minute Republicans thank you for your service. W_HAMILTON Jan 2026 #50
Criticism and attacking orangecrush Jan 2026 #53
Criticizing is disagreeing on an issue or policy SocialDemocrat61 Jan 2026 #60
When one seems to spend all their time criticizing, it sure seems like attacking. W_HAMILTON Jan 2026 #63
I'm trying to figure out what it is that you are doing with this minute and who it is helping most. Ilikepurple Jan 11 #88
Self Righteously lecturing others on how to act would also waste an equal amount of time SunImp Jan 2026 #66
You think it's a waste of time trying to get people to focus on our real enemy rather than our imperfect allies? W_HAMILTON Jan 2026 #83
Some of the people that need to realign and focus mr715 Jan 11 #95
There used to be some 'Democrats' here, that weren't. sheshe2 Jan 2026 #16
And didn't that site eventually crash and burn? W_HAMILTON Jan 2026 #27
Best evidence the site had nothing to do with progressive policy or progress of any kind: Elizabeth Warren. betsuni Jan 2026 #33
Yep! W_HAMILTON Jan 2026 #37
That site was funded by Putin as one part of the 2016 disinformation campaign. yardwork Jan 2026 #39
Woah. Waaaay before I ever got here.. electric_blue68 Jan 12 #115
Yes indeed, it crashed and burned, sheshe2 Jan 2026 #48
You would be wrong awesomerwb1 Jan 2026 #82
There used to be plenty of them DFW Jan 11 #91
Nicest thing I ever saw anyone say about Hillary there was in an "esoteric theories" thread about Seth Rich: betsuni Jan 11 #98
lol, it's been awhile since anyone here has reproached people who didn't like Hillary Shellback Squid Jan 2026 #2
It does go back to 2016. MIButterfly Jan 2026 #5
I agree that the world would be in a different place karynnj Jan 2026 #52
And it does go beyond "well I voted for her in the General Election" RandomNumbers Jan 2026 #55
I would rather see articles that Kamala won, gab13by13 Jan 2026 #3
This! Hope22 Jan 2026 #30
Since no one can oversee the inner workings of the computers questionseverything Jan 2026 #81
This again? Intractable Jan 2026 #6
Yes. Cha Jan 2026 #20
Thank you, Cha! MIButterfly Jan 2026 #22
No Problem... We need to learn from Cha Jan 2026 #24
How many people here do you think refused to vote for Hillary? iemanja Jan 2026 #7
Well...a lot of them went to JPR (Jack Pine Radicals). sheshe2 Jan 2026 #18
Out of curiosity.. Hope22 Jan 2026 #31
Nope. Crashed. Burned. Died. sheshe2 Jan 2026 #51
Thanks...nt Hope22 Jan 2026 #58
This message was self-deleted by its author PeaceWave Jan 2026 #32
I wasn't talking about the people here. MIButterfly Jan 2026 #19
I know there were some Skittles Jan 2026 #72
I don't think a guilt trip helps people change. usonian Jan 2026 #8
It looks like some people can't let go of old battles SunImp Jan 2026 #11
There were and are massive disinformation campaigns, and largely by bots. usonian Jan 2026 #14
Those who fail from history SocialDemocrat61 Jan 2026 #38
It's sad but we cannot change the past BoycottTwitter Jan 2026 #9
Thank you, BoycottTwitter, for your very reasoned and reasonable response. MIButterfly Jan 2026 #17
But We Can Work For a Better Future.. and Cha Jan 2026 #21
I'm really glad that we'll have really good candidates in 2028 thought crime Jan 2026 #12
One of the biggest missed opportunities of the 21st century. nt yaesu Jan 2026 #13
Just watched on tubi Blind faith kimbutgar Jan 2026 #23
Hillary had Putin's number. BurnDoubt Jan 2026 #25
This message was self-deleted by its author PeaceWave Jan 2026 #29
Fascinating election, should be far more studies about it. A perfect storm of mis/disinformation and other things. betsuni Jan 2026 #28
I see a part of that as an evaluation of what didn't with with letting Shrub Jr and co off the hook. RockCreek Jan 11 #101
So people decided Trump was the way to go? Squeaky clean morally and ethically pure fight the power Trump? betsuni Jan 11 #112
Never saw that on DU RandiFan1290 Jan 2026 #34
I would go back even further to 2000 Ghost of Tom Joad Jan 2026 #35
Green Candidate Jill Stein SocialDemocrat61 Jan 2026 #36
The Russian asset, Jill Stein, The Wizard Jan 2026 #56
Ah yes, the "conscience voters" mcar Jan 2026 #41
They weren't voting their conscience SocialDemocrat61 Jan 2026 #45
That is 100% correct mcar Jan 2026 #46
Whatever happened to all them Bernie Bros? GusBob Jan 2026 #43
oh they are still around Skittles Jan 2026 #73
I stood in line for 2 hours in freezing cold orangecrush Jan 2026 #44
Criticism and support are complementary nt mr715 Jan 2026 #70
I often think about this. pandr32 Jan 2026 #54
I can't think of a more irrelevant discussion to have -- 10 years later. Duncan Grant Jan 2026 #57
Those who fail to learn from history SocialDemocrat61 Jan 2026 #59
And mr715 Jan 2026 #74
Very true SocialDemocrat61 Jan 2026 #76
We disagree sometimes mr715 Jan 2026 #79
In any organization SocialDemocrat61 Jan 2026 #80
Well, except where orthodoxy is required mr715 Jan 2026 #84
Amen. Xavier Breath Jan 2026 #65
In past threads like this SunImp Jan 2026 #67
They do it to distract and divide us questionseverything Jan 2026 #78
Distract from what? betsuni Jan 11 #89
100% The people who line up with SS tRump need to stop hiding their shame and own this. ffr Jan 2026 #62
Part of it had nothing to do with Hillary Tree Lady Jan 2026 #68
This message was self-deleted by its author PeaceWave Jan 2026 #69
Wasn't anybody I knew Tree Lady Jan 2026 #86
Young men have it all. mr715 Jan 11 #93
That is not true for my grandson Tree Lady Jan 11 #100
This is complicated mr715 Jan 11 #103
Thanks for the reply Tree Lady Jan 11 #106
It ain't easy being the good guys in a broken world. nt mr715 Jan 11 #107
In part mr715 Jan 2026 #75
He still says the same things he has Tree Lady Jan 2026 #87
How Bernie was treated -- does that mean when he was booed at the convention by his own delegates for endorsing betsuni Jan 11 #90
That really was gross nt mr715 Jan 11 #92
they don't care Skittles Jan 2026 #71
IKR? So many seem to think a Democrat has to match them on Every. Single. Issue. to "earn" their vote. Beartracks Jan 2026 #77
I speak for myself. mr715 Jan 11 #96
Trump is an idiot PJMcK Jan 2026 #85
How about Nixon? Kid Berwyn Jan 11 #94
It is misogyny... Bettie Jan 11 #97
This post is not appropriate or helpful Grim Chieftain Jan 11 #99
I'm sorry you feel that way. MIButterfly Jan 11 #102
But you are dredging up past divisions - just read the comments. Grim Chieftain Jan 11 #105
What do you want from me? MIButterfly Jan 11 #109
Unity Grim Chieftain Jan 11 #110
This message was self-deleted by its author PeaceWave Jan 12 #116
I'm the opposite of a Triple Trumper AZProgressive Jan 11 #104
Hillary and Kamala tried to warn you LetMyPeopleVote Jan 11 #108
Or Kamala Harris. tblue37 Jan 11 #111
I'm fine with calling out Stein voters biocube Jan 11 #113
"By 2014 ... a New York Times/CBS poll found that 82% of Democrats favored Clinton over both Joe Biden betsuni Jan 12 #117
Check any news source from 2016... biocube Jan 12 #119
That was the direct result of attacks against her. Started high, slowly decreased over time. betsuni Jan 12 #120
I believe The Bopper Jan 11 #114
I've always wondered that had she been elected, what Presidents would have followed her? Polybius Jan 12 #118
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