Are you happy with the state of your party?

[Alcon]

I'm curious.

I personally am not happy with my party. It is too controlled by people unwilling to compromise, and has become whiny as of late.

On the other hand, if I was a Republican, I'd be disturbed by the lack of fiscal responsibility and religious rightists.

[A18]

I am happy with controlling everything, yes.

[Jake]

No, there is a lack of vision and a fear of cutting spending in the GOP that I find sickening.

[A18]

I don't see a lack of vision at all. I do find the spending sickening, though.

[opebo]

The Democratic Party has moved too far right.  We need to return to liberalism.

[Colin]

On the other hand, if I was a Republican, I'd be disturbed by the lack of fiscal responsibility and religious rightists.

Basically hit the nail on the head Alcon. Those are basically my beefs with the Republican Party.

[DanielX]

No, there is a lack of vision and a fear of cutting spending in the GOP that I find sickening.

Oddly enough, I agree with Jake.

[Ebowed]

These poll results are quite telling.  Let's all become independents!

[Beet]

I personally am not happy with my party. It is too controlled by people unwilling to compromise

There's no need to compromise as the GOP already controls everything. Who would we compromise with, ourselves?

[Alcon]

I personally am not happy with my party. It is too controlled by people unwilling to compromise

There's no need to compromise as the GOP already controls everything. Who would we compromise with, ourselves?

By compromise, I mean compromise with the moderate part of our party. That is, the party increasingly is controlled by people who believe that we are losing because we aren't being "pure enough."

[Beet]

I personally am not happy with my party. It is too controlled by people unwilling to compromise

There's no need to compromise as the GOP already controls everything. Who would we compromise with, ourselves?

By compromise, I mean compromise with the moderate part of our party. That is, the party increasingly is controlled by people who believe that we are losing because we aren't being "pure enough."

If Dean had won the nomination and given up 300+ electoral votes, that wing would be silenced by now. Unfortunately, having Kerry has the nominee decided nothing.

[Moooooo]

Not happy at all.  We need to get back to our populist roots.  We are no longer the party of the working class, and the American people know it.  We've sold them out.

[TheresNoMoney]

Not happy at all.  We need to get back to our populist roots.  We are no longer the party of the working class, and the American people know it.  We've sold them out.

Totally agree.

I am happy with people like Russ Feingold, Barbara Boxer, Brian Schweitzer, Elliot Spitzer, and Dick Durbin, but upset with many other Washington Democrats (like all those who voted for the bankruptcy bill) and those who are scared to stand up to the extremist Republican agenda.

I am also not happy about having Hillary Clinton and Evan Bayh as our top two nominees for 2008, since both represent the corporate wing of the Democratic party.

[A18]

Quit trying to be a party of factions, please. It's pretty sick.

[Beet]

Not happy at all.  We need to get back to our populist roots.  We are no longer the party of the working class, and the American people know it.  We've sold them out.

Totally agree.

I am happy with people like Russ Feingold, Barbara Boxer, Brian Schweitzer, Elliot Spitzer, and Dick Durbin, but upset with many other Washington Democrats (like all those who voted for the bankruptcy bill) and those who are scared to stand up to the extremist Republican agenda.

I am also not happy about having Hillary Clinton and Evan Bayh as our top two nominees for 2008, since both represent the corporate wing of the Democratic party.

How does Bayh represent the "corporate wing"?

[Moooooo]

How does Bayh represent the "corporate wing"?

I like Bayh, but his vote in favor of the Bankruptcy Bill is a key example.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Not happy at all.  We need to get back to our populist roots.  We are no longer the party of the working class, and the American people know it.  We've sold them out.

0 Republicans and 25 Democrats voted against the bankruptcy bill in the Senate. That's a bare majority of the Democrats, which is pathetic, but still much better than the Republicans.

[WalterMitty]

id prefer a more libertarian-leaning republican party.

[A18]

id prefer a more libertarian-leaning republican party.

As would I. BTW, hurry up and vote for Eisenhower in the presidential survivor thread!

True fact: Eisenhower was a populist, and a big fan of William Jennings Bryan!

[Gabu]

Holy crap, nobody likes the state of their party.  That's interesting.

[Jake]

I almost bailed for the Constitution Party awhile back. Might actually do it sometime soon though.

[Ebowed]

John Kerry ran as a populist, and it got him nowhere in rural areas. In fact, it actually hurt him by alienating suburbanites. The best possible Democratic strategy would be to move in a libertarian direction.

Populism implies social conservatism or at least social moderatism-- and Kerry's support of gay civil unions, gun control, and partial birth abortion couldn't have helped in the suburbs.  Kerry ran as a pure liberal, and if the Democrats ever nominate a pure liberal again, their results will get lower and lower.  The liberal had more votes in 2000; in 2004 the result was considerably different.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

If you, and others with your views do, I would be much happier with the state of the Party

I am very enthusiastic about the leadership of the RNC and President Bush, but less happy about some of our leaders in Congress, other than Frist.  I am very unhappy with certain groups and individuals in the Party who are non-inclusive and do not want the big-tent Party that we need and that America deserves.

I almost bailed for the Constitution Party awhile back. Might actually do it sometime soon though.

[Smash255]

Happier with the direction of late (minus the bankruptcy bill).  I think it was lack of a spine & backbone that really hurt us in 2004, that is starting to come back now.  Moving in a more liberal diection didn't hurt the party as much as doing so without a backbone did

[TeePee4Prez]

Happier with the direction of late (minus the bankruptcy bill).  I think it was lack of a spine & backbone that really hurt us in 2004, that is starting to come back now.  Moving in a more liberal diection didn't hurt the party as much as doing so without a backbone did

Agreed, but I think the minority pandering via the NAACP needs to be toned down a bit.