Please Feel Free to Take Me for Granted

[NanceGreggs]

To the Democratic Party:

Please feel free to take my vote for granted. I know what you stand for, and I know what Republicans stand for. And as long as that is the case, you can take for granted that I will vote (D) over (R) every time.

As long as Democrats stand for the rights of minorities, GLBTers, women, veterans, and the disabled, you’ve got my vote.

As long as Democrats stand for things like raising the minimum wage, protecting social security, and making healthcare affordable and accessible, you’ve got my vote.

As long as Democrats stand up for the hungry, the down-and-out, the homeless, and vow to keep the safety nets in place that assist them, you’ve got my vote.

As long as Democrats represent a vision of a better future, instead of trying to take us “back” to a past that included segregation, back-alley abortions, and “white”/”colored” drinking fountains, you’ve got my vote.

As long as Democrats stand for the inclusion of ALL Americans, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or country of origin, you’ve got my vote.

As long as Democrats stand for MORE voters participating in elections, rather than standing for policies that mean LESS citizens being able to cast their ballots, you’ve got my vote.

As long as Democrats promote ideas like teaching actual science in our classrooms, regardless of whether it jibes with the Bible, you’ve got my vote.

As long as Democrats stand for a woman’s right to choose and a gay man’s/lesbian woman’s right to marry who they love, you’ve got my vote.

I am not one of those “Democrats” who needs to be coddled, cajoled, or sweet-talked into voting – voting for you, or voting at all. I do not base my vote – or lack thereof – on whether the (D) candidate campaigned in my state/city/county or not. That’s why you’ve got my vote.

I do not require any (D) candidate to show up in town to remind me what the “other side” stands for; I already know. That’s why you’ve got my vote.

I do not need to be repeatedly won over, every election, to the party that stands for the things I believe in, nor do I need to be persuaded away from the party that stands for everything I find to be deplorable. That’s why you’ve got my vote.

So again, please feel free to take my vote for granted. You don’t need to send me flowers or sing me love songs in order to get me to vote for what is right. You don’t need to romance me into voting for the candidate that stands for what I stand for.

As long as you’ve got my back, and the backs of my fellow citizens, I’ve got yours. That’s why - unless and until you start standing for what Republicans stand for in order to get votes - you’ve got mine.

[Hekate]

1. KnR

[MFM008]

2. this

.......................

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. Well said! K&R n/t

[DesertFlower]

4. K&R. nt

[rwheeler31]

5. Thank you for a serious adult response we must just

keep working.

[LisaM]

6. Exactly.

Nicely put.

[msongs]

7. you dont send me flowers....anymore says Babs, a true blue liberal

[Cha]

8. I know, Nance, well said.. it's not brain surgery.. the DNC stands for

all these principles that I want for my country.

The Democratic Party has a brilliant platform.. I can see that. I don't need to be wined and dined and make them beg me for votes.

I do it for my country and our Planet.. too many were selfishly thinking about their feefees.

[sheshe2]

9. Yup

I don't need flowers, candlelight or wine. I do not need to have sweet things whispered in my ear. I know who the Democrats stand for. No need to sell me anything, I have been with this party my whole life. Me, In vote for the Democratic candidate every time.

Thanks Nance.

[Snarkoleptic]

10. Fall in love during the primary, fall in line during the general.

Failure to do so leads to...
?1480829862660&1480829869915&1480829879164&1480829880152

[lunasun]

11. That's right -unless and until you start standing for what Republicans stand for ....

...unless and until you start standing for what Republicans stand for in order to get votes - they've got mine too

[SHRED]

12. The party yes

The leaders?
That's a different story.
Unlike our President I'm unable to normalize this transfer to a corporate fascist state.

[radical noodle]

13. PLUS...

I can read and will walk my fingers over the keyboard and read for myself the issues the democratic candidates propose without having it relayed to me in cutesy fashion via ads or rallies.

[maddiemom]

48. And Hillary had some GREAT ads.

Can't fault her in that respect. I can't recall a single Trump ad.

[radical noodle]

53. She did

Although some seem to think she had no positive ones.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

14. I am sharing this far and wide.

In other words, posting for to Facebook.

[sheshe2]

15. Kick

[sheshe2]

16. Kick

[sheshe2]

17. Kick

[betsuni]

18. Yes.

When Democrats have at least six years of full power -- the presidency, super-majorities in both Congress and Senate and a majority of states -- and if they then govern just like Republicans, then and only then will I pay any attention to all the mindless false equivalency Democrat-bashing and whining.

[DemonGoddess]

19. K&R!

Well said!

[BzaDem]

20. K&R!

[SunSeeker]

21. K & R

[oasis]

22. K and R

[Feeling the Bern]

23. As long as you do all that, Democrats, count me in as not minding being taken for granted

The second the candidate becomes Blue Dog/Republican Lite, you can kiss my ass! IF I wanted Republicans, I'd vote for them!

[NanceGreggs]

24. And I've no doubt you do. n/t

[Feeling the Bern]

26. No doubt I do what, pray tell?

[NanceGreggs]

27. Do what you said you do.

They were your words - do you not know what they mean?

[Feeling the Bern]

29. Accusing me of voting republican because I said "IF I wanted. . ."

Sorry. I won't take the flamebait, but I will report your personal attack and accusing someone of being a Republican on this message board.

[NanceGreggs]

30. I didn't accuse you of anything.

But what you assumed I was saying triggered a very interesting response.

[Feeling the Bern]

31. Yeah you did, in a very passive aggressive, easy to deny way. What you did is called gaslighting.

[NanceGreggs]

32. I said nothing.

But you said everything.

[Feeling the Bern]

33. Let's look at my post

As long as the Democrats are Democrats, I don't mind being taken for granted. Nothing would require the word "do" in your respond, as do is an active verb.

- "If they turn Blue Dog/Republican lite, they can kiss my ass" - again, using the verb do wouldn't work here because it is awkward an stilted English.

- "If I wanted Republicans, I'd vote Republican" - this is the only sentence where you can use the word "do" in a response.

I have seen you do this to many people here. You flamebait, instigate and gaslight them with passive-aggressive statement, then walk away says "I said nothing." That is PA cyber-bullying and you have done it many, many times.

I refuse to get into this game with you because I don't know you and am not going to waste my bandwidth or emotional energy on a gaslighter. I will just bid you a nice life and block you permanently.

[NanceGreggs]

34. You should have ...

... put down the shovel while the grave was still shallow enough to climb out of.

[brooklynboy49]

45. FWIW

I agree with everything you said in all of your posts.

[Feeling the Bern]

76. I appreciate it. Thank you, Brooklyn!

Calling out a cyber-bully's gaslighting takes a lot.

Calling out any bully is hard.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

81. It's not worth the time. Just ignore or use ignore. Either works.

[JCanete]

57. are you even allowed to do that on these boards? That seems way the fuck out of line.

I'm not one to get shit removed, but why would you do that?

[NanceGreggs]

59. Why would I do what? n/t

[JCanete]

61. seriously don't be that coy. It isn't flattering to yourself. nt

[NanceGreggs]

63. I honestly have NO idea ...

... what you're talking about. It looks like you're the one trying to be coy.

[JCanete]

67. Since' you're bothering to engage, maybe you could clear it up for me.

When you said , "I have no doubt you do." What in the previous posters message were you referring to?

[NanceGreggs]

69. Seems pretty obvious.

"IF I wanted Republicans, I'd vote for them!"

Simply taking the poster at his word. I'm sure that IF he wants Republicans, he would vote for them.

[JCanete]

71. and you said "I have no doubt you DO," not WOULD. Quit playing games. nt

[NanceGreggs]

73. You're the one playing word games.

And I'm not interested in playing.

[JCanete]

75. Well if this is the level of honesty you are comfortable with, more power to you. It isn't about

winning an argument on these boards anyway. Your integrity is your business.

[leftofcool]

77. Nance has been around here for about 16 years now

You might want to be careful about who you accuse of lacking integrity. if you have something to add to the conversation about being a Democrat then do it.

[JCanete]

79. What even is this post about. Perhaps you could do the work she refused to do, and

explain how her text wasn't accusing another DU member of actively voting Republican. This conversation would never have gone this far except that she has resolutely played dumb about something she said. I'm not interested in undermining her long-standing on these boards, I'm just asking her to either own what she is saying or to retract it.

[melman]

64. No

You're definitely not allowed to do that. It's a clear violation of the TOS.

[The Wizard]

25. Republicans are bent

on wrecking the social structure that fostered the middle class. They want a two tiered system of lords and serfs, with little to no chance of the lower strata digging themselves out of the hole.
The unwitting dupes who work for low wages heard Herr Trump say he would make America great again. Their brains processed it as making them great again.
Herr Trump, aided and abetted by Pox News and hate radio, convinced them he was the one who had magical power to bring us back to 1950 or worse, the Gilded Age. History reports that in 1933 Germany a guy named "You Know Who" promised to make Germany great again.
Democrats are the glue that uses reason, logic, compassion and empathy to hold our society together.
Not all Republicans are bigots but all bigots support ......................

[lamp_shade]

28. Perfect. Brilliant. Thank you, Nance. I can't think of a thing to add.

[NBachers]

35. Look- and informed grownup who can make her own decisions. Yes, it is we who support the Party.

[brer cat]

36. K&R

[DinahMoeHum]

37. Thank you, Nance.

[Madam45for2923]

38. Deal me in!

[treestar]

39. Amen, I do not need to be "courted" or "inspired"

I will do what is right, every TWO years (not four).

[Gothmog]

40. I really agree with this OP

This quote from the OP is really great

As long as Democrats stand for the rights of minorities, GLBTers, women, veterans, and the disabled, you’ve got my vote.

[mcar]

41. Thank you Nance

You speak for me.

[GreenPartyVoter]

42. They have to walk the walk and not just talk the talk. That's why I was/am a Bernie supporter. As a

new member of the DNC, it didn't bother me at all that he didn't "pay his dues and work his way up the party chain." I recognized in him a fellow socialist small d democrat. I could see from his record that he would fight for me, so I caucused for him. And when Bernie said our best chance for progressive interests was to vote for Hillary, I did that, and then I voted for the rest of the Dems on the ticket. But if I research the candidates and find a Dino running, I think long and hard before checking that name. No free passes just for a capital D.

[yallerdawg]

43. It's unconditional now.

Back in 2010, had a Blue Dog rep I despised. Never voted with Obama for one single thing. Begged him to throw us a bone.

Martha Roby (R) campaigned against him. I thought what the hell could she nail him on?

Her campaign attack was that he voted for Nancy Pelosi for Speaker. She won. You all saw her being vile and nasty to Hillary late in the 11 1/2 hour day of testimony.

Now, it dawns on me just how important that Pelosi vote was!

And I wish I never turned my back on that DINO!

[NastyRiffraff]

44. Well said, as usual

Thanks Nance; can't think of a single thing to add; you said it all.

[theaocp]

46. Unmitigated nonsense.

You have literally asked them to metaphorically "send (you) flowers" and "sing (you) love songs" for your vote, but keep saying how those same things aren't necessary for your vote. It's in all the things you say you want/need to keep pulling the lever for them. I voted straight ticket for D in this election, but would love to have the Ds keep sending flowers and songs. It makes me feel as if they are actually listening. The very concept that you would even hypothetically tell TPTB to take you for granted is nauseating, to say the least.

[ProudProgressiveNow]

47. K&R nt

[rug]

49. "As long as" is a damn fatass loophole.

[NRQ891]

50. I think you've coined a new slogan 'Its ok to take you for granted-we know we can count on your vote

and things will much much different next time - much worse

[NRQ891]

51. no where do you mention trade deals

which is why this side LOST

[fleabiscuit]

70. Trade deals are easier to blame than reality. nt

[NRQ891]

85. wow - that's arrogance nt

[fleabiscuit]

90. Reality can seem that way when butting up against preconceived conclusions. nt

[NRQ891]

92. no, arrogance can seem that way, when it's arrogance nt

[fleabiscuit]

95. You started with a conclusion.

Perhaps it was because a football player didn't stand for an anthem.

[NRQ891]

96. seems you're an expert in non-sequitors nt

[fleabiscuit]

97. Perhaps it was because people thought it ok to grab women by the *****.

[NRQ891]

99. ?

[NRQ891]

52. ' I know what you stand for, and I know what Republicans stand for.'

reminds me of a page from George Orwell's book 'Animal Farm'. All the pigs had to do, whenever the other animals questioned them about anything, is to say that it's either them or the dreaded and hated 'Farmer Jones'


The mystery of where the milk went to was soon cleared up. It was mixed
every day into the pigs' mash. The early apples were now ripening, and the grass
of the orchard was littered with windfalls. The animals had assumed as a matter
of course that these would be shared out equally; one day, however, the order
went forth that all the windfalls were to be collected and brought to the harness-
room for the use of the pigs. At this some of the other animals murmured, but
it was no use. All the pigs were in full agreement on this point, even Snowball
and Napoleon. Squealer was sent to make the necessary explanations to the
others.
`Comrades!' he cried. `You do not imagine, I hope, that we pigs are doing
this in a spirit of sel shness and privilege? Many of us actually dislike milk
and apples. I dislike them myself. Our sole object in taking these things is
to preserve our health. Milk and apples (this has been proved by Science,
comrades) contain substances absolutely necessary to the well-being of a pig.
We pigs are brainworkers. The whole management and organisation of this farm
depend on us. Day and night we are watching over your welfare. It is for your
sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples. Do you know what would
happen if we pigs failed in our duty? Jones would come back! Yes, Jones would
come back! Surely, comrades,' cried Squealer almost pleadingly, skipping from
side to side and whisking his tail, `surely there is no one among you who wants
to see Jones come back?'
Now if there was one thing that the animals were completely certain of, it
was that they did not want Jones back. When it was put to them in this light,
they had no more to say. The importance of keeping the pigs in good health
was all too obvious. So it was agreed without further argument that the milk
and the windfall apples (and also the main crop of apples when they ripened)
should be reserved for the pigs alone.

[theaocp]

54. +a bazillion n/t

[NRQ891]

94. that page I quoted was written in 1945

before any of these candidates, and the vast majority of us, were born

this stuff is nothing new, and our guard can never be dropped from the dangers of accepting this sort of thing

[liquid diamond]

55. After Hillary kicked Bernie's ass in the primaries,

his supporters would post threads asking Hillary supporters to give them reasons why they should vote for Hillary. Seriously. Those people were that blinded by the hatred for her that they couldn't even remember those issues that the democratic party fights for. Issues that she fights for. You just have to draw a picture for some people I guess.

[JCanete]

60. Insiders don't fight for anything without outside pressure, and if they do its' a pointless gesture.

You don't get change from the inside by scratching each others back. Most people have interests they have to serve in order to get reelected, which means there's very little appealing to sensibilities or conscience going on, only appealing to their sponsors interests and reelection chances. The latter though, only matters if you have to show the people something. If the people aren't clamoring for it and pounding at the gates, there is no reason for the establishment to make waves. Point is, even if you are looking for a legacy issue that you can feel good about, you are likely to give up so much to corporate interests in order to get movement on that that, that you've probably done more long term harm than good.

If the DNC and Clinton had started talking like they did post primaries earlier on, then maybe Sanders would have pulled out early, and they could have done a better job of courting his voters, which still mostly came in for her anyway. If she had adopted a platform that wasn't just tinkering with shit behind closed doors and had stood for issues and policies in a clear way(whether they could be passed or not be damned-cuz nothing good can be passed in this congress anyway; we need the bully pulpit to appeal to the people), there would not have been a perceived need to push all the way to the primaries to leverage his Capital to get his issues adopted--thus less bad blood.

The reality is the DNC and Clinton wanted to put Sanders and every issue he'd rallied voters to, behind them. They just wanted him to crawl off and die somewhere, and did everything they could to try to make him look mean spirited, self-centered, and even coddling of racists, so that they wouldn't have to promise to fight for things that are inconvenient for them.

[JCanete]

56. Well that is lovely, and nobody has ever had to fight to get democrats to take up issues that matter

to marginalized groups, which is why until recently we didn't hear a peep out of the Senate or Congress about the Dakota Access Pipeline. Either you push your politicians to do stuff that is needed, or there is a very real chance they will take the path of least resistance to guarantee their next election bid.

They thank you for making it easy for them. Have some pandering.


P.S. it's actually scary to me how many people are in total solidarity with this post.

[NanceGreggs]

58. We have four years between presidential elections ...

... to fight amongst ourselves, to push for what we want, etc. But when it comes down to the (R) or the (D) for POTUS, I'll vote Democrat every time.

Anyone who looked at HRC and Trump, and still had to be had to be convinced to vote for her over him - or be cajoled into voting at all - I have no respect for.

The people who are in solidarity with this post understand that concept.

[JCanete]

66. Well, lack of respect for others is somethig that goes around. I'm sure politicians who don't

actually have to do shit for your vote respect you tremendously.

And you aren't saying "I voted for Clinton because she offered something that I believed in, and is way better than Trump." You are saying, literally, "As long as you are better than the Republicans, take my vote for granted." Do you understand just how bad the republican party is getting? So long as we stay to the left of THEIR crazy, we are golden?

We are the custodians for our party. Our leaders will only ever reflect what we want if we demand it of them. Either we do our job or other forces will determine their priorities.

[NanceGreggs]

89. If what you've taken away from this OP ...

... is that "politicians don't have to do shit in order to get my vote", you have apparently missed the point entirely.

Democrats fight amongst themselves on a daily basis - and that's as it should be.

But when a GE comes down to HRC or Trump, the REAL fight is making sure that the idiot doesn't wind up in the WH.

Voting for Trump, voting third party, or not voting at all is not an option if you care about where the country is headed over the next four years.

[JCanete]

98. Fair enough. I just went back. it was a somewhat shoddy read on my part.

Whether democrats are actually fighting for those things you mentioned though, is a very fair question to ask. Paying better lip service to those issues in order to give people a political voting "choice" is not good enough. Continuing to not tackle the systems that make divide-and-conquer politics so effective in this country is not actually fighting for these causes, it is only using them.

There are legitimate reasons to be cynical about our two-party system, and to sometimes feel like we are presented with an illusion of choice. Race baiting and poor bashing will always be powerful tools if we don't start telling people where they really need to look as the source of their economic insecurity.

For the record, I think Democrats in office are generally well meaning. But if they aren't pushed from the outside to do things that are politically inconvenient to them, they just won't do them. If Sanders hadn't run against Clinton AND pushed to the convention, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have heard her say that for-profit prisons shouldn't exist. In 2015 she was still accepting donations from that industry. Tell me a monetization of the prison system is good for minorities, who are already disproportionately charged and convicted in our fucked criminal justice system.

The point is, no, there is no point where they should take our votes for granted. There are only points where our voting power most influences their platforms and policies.

[Chemisse]

62. Excellent.

[BlueMTexpat]

65. Kick!

[lapucelle]

68. Great post, Nance.

Sorry about the feel the buzzkill posters. They seem to be showing up in hordes, two or three in succession (subtle move!) trying to convince voting Democrats that the third party/no show bitter knitters didn't actually help to elect Trump, and even if they did, they didn't really mean to, so it doesn't really count, and let's rebuild the party that we don't belong to, and then when we're done...

"Hey kids! Let's put on a show in the barn!"

They seemed to be stunned by the the contempt of the 65,000,000. Just wait until historians start examining their motives.

[Paladin]

72. K&R. I'm with you, Nance.

[Exilednight]

74. You've learned nothing from thie loss.

[NanceGreggs]

78. Sadly, I've learned plenty.

I've learned that some people didn't get off their asses and vote because they didn't feel "inspired" or "excited" enough.

Some people voted third party because their candidate-of-choice wasn't the nominee.

Some people didn't vote for HRC because she didn't campaign in their area.

Some people didn't vote because they wanted to "send the Dem Party a message" - and who they think got that message, given no one knows if or how they voted anyway, is beyond me.

Some people didn't vote because "both parties are the same anyway".

Some people voted for Trump because they're pissed-off at HRC, the DNC, or DWS, or (list personal complaint here).

Given the outcome of the popular vote, the "loss" is attributable to the EC. The MAJORITY of voters chose HRC as their president - despite those who sat on their asses on election night, or voted Trump or third party out of spite.

[Exilednight]

84. The fact that you dismiss these peoples complaints is proof enough.

Keep acting dismissive of their complaints and let's see what 2020 brings us.

[NanceGreggs]

87. If you consider any of those things ...

... to be legitimate complaints that should be addressed, you're part of a much bigger problem.

Are you suggesting that every candidate should make campaign appearances in every city, town, rural area so that no one can use the "I didn't vote because they didn't campaign in my area" excuse? In a country of 300 million, I guess we'll have to expand the campaign by several years so that everyone gets covered.

Should Bernie have been the nominee, even though HRC clearly won the primaries by a wide margin, so that Bernie-or-Buster types wouldn't have voted third party?

Maybe a candidate should just fire anyone and everyone some people express a dislike for - so we don't have to listen to the "I hate so-and-so, and I didn't vote because they weren't ousted" whinging.

All elections have consequences, far-reaching consequences - and that was especially true this time around. Anyone who contributed to Trump's election because they voted for him, voted third party, or stayed home OWNS every disaster he will bring about.

If the reality of a Trump administration wasn't enough to "inspire" the whiners to ensure he DIDN'T win and to vote accordingly, maybe they should examine their own selfish motives rather than blame HRC's "loss" on absolute bullshit.

Hillary won the MAJORITY of votes. The MAJORITY of the citizenry chose her as their next president - despite the perpetually pissed-off butt-hurt who sat on their asses for reasons as ridiculous as "she didn't excite me enough".

Well, maybe they'll find pResident Trump "exciting" when people start losing their jobs, their homes, their healthcare, and their rights. Maybe they'll feel "inspired" when the cabinet is comprised of RW assholes, and the Supreme Court is populated with Scalias. Maybe they'll feel "motivated" when every progressive achievement under Obama is diluted, overturned, and/or destroyed.

When that happens - and it will - I wonder how the "I didn't vote for Hillary because she didn't campaign in my town" folks will feel. I have a feeling they won't look back on it as being such a good idea.

[IronLionZion]

80. We are going to miss Democrats very soon

My parents always told me count my blessings, be grateful for what I have or I will lose it.

Make the Democrats great again

[ismnotwasm]

82. K&R

I grew up politically in 2000.

[stonecutter357]

83. NanceGreggs 2020!

[azmom]

86. I was not aware we were a cult.

Scary stuff.

[NanceGreggs]

88. The "cult" ...

... are the people who voted third party, or abstained from voting at all, because they needed to be "excited" or "inspired" to vote for HRC over an idiot.

If you want to see a "cult" in action, visit sites like JPR - where posters refused to vote for a Dem because their idol lost the primaries, or a RW site where posters are talking about how Trump was "chosen by God" to lead the nation.

Democrats, by and large, are realists. They looked at HRC and looked at Trump, and realized immediately which of the two would be the better POTUS.

[azmom]

91. Blind loyalty is not a good thing.

It's not healthy.

[NanceGreggs]

93. It's not about blind loyalty.

As I've said repeatedly in this thread, Dems fight each other tooth-and-nail every day.

But when a GE comes down to the wire, where either HRC or Trump is going to occupy the WH for the next four years, you base your vote on THAT ALONE - and not on whether HRC didn't campaign in your town, or whether you think Bernie should have been the nominee, or whether you felt "excited" or not.

FFS, this is the presidency we're talking about here. Choosing between a qualified candidate who stands up for things like affordable healthcare and education, raising the minimum wage, inclusion of all Americans, fairer voting practices, etc. and an inexperienced dope who is more concerned about what SNL has to say about him than he is getting daily briefings on international affairs is NOT a matter of "blind loyalty" - it's a matter of common fuckin' sense.

[calimary]

100. Another great one, Nance!