When Can Democrats Have "The Talk" About Corruption?

[scottie55]

I consider myself more of a "REAL Democrat" than most people. My problem is the fact that so many "politicians" in my party are in my opinion corrupt to varying degrees. From oil, to coal, to Wall Street. I am not naming names. We all know what I am talking about.

The game sucks where they/we have to beg for money from the wealthy for campaigns, and then have to pay back the contributors with favors, tax loopholes, and pro-billionaire legislation on a daily basis.

I don't think these Democrats are necessarily "bad" but they still take the money, and make sure they don't do anything to upset the cash flow. I am sure they feel they have no choice, and for many they are probably right.

I just think we have to have "the talk" about corruption, and how our party can move to look after the citizens more, and the check writers less. Even mentioning corrupt Democrats gets someone labeled a Republican here. That's not right.

The media pretends there is no problem, and that is just as big of a problem.

I see quid pro quo so obvious a dead blind person could see it, and not a peep anywhere. No wonder half of America doesn't vote. Who can blame them?

Please Rec if you want the conversation to start, or put in your 2 cents. Please do not attack our members/candidates directly, that is not my point. There are other threads.....

[PatrickforO]

1. You're quite right.

We need to have this discussion and rethink what the party stands for. Are we to return to a more modern and less racist version of the New Deal ideals that made this country great, or will we continue to go down sick path toward oligarchy.

That's why I'm supporting Bernie.

[CrispyQ]

2. When Reagan poked fun at the word liberal, the dems should have stood proud & strong & said,

"Hell yes we're liberal & here's why." Then they should have recited the Joe Conservative essay. Instead, they hopped on the same gravy train the repubs are on & have been running from liberal policies ever since. Sure they toss us a few more crumbs than the repubs, but they are not interested in changing the direction of the train.

Dem leadership has no one to blame but themselves that there is a huge enthusiasm gap for their corporate candidate. As soon as my states caucus was over I changed my party affiliation back to Green.

[BillZBubb]

3. It started out as a basic survival mechanism. That is understandable.

The republicans could raise almost unlimited cash. The Democrats, representing the common man, could never hope to compete.

Part of the justification for the DLC was just that. The decision was made to push the party rightward on corporate and economic policy while remaining committed to social justice. That would open up the corporate coffers to Democratic candidates.

The problem was and always will be how do you take great sums of money from persons or corporations and not have that influence your decisions? Human nature being what it is, you cannot.

And once that corrupting influence has begun it is a slippery slope into subservience. The money, and the power that brings, is addictive.

A big problem we as party members have is that it is so easy for someone corrupted by the flow of money to justify supporting the corporate agenda, not Democratic goals. Our system has quirky ways of getting legislation passed which allows for plenty of obfuscation. It is very easy to hide what you are doing on most bills. You can claim to be against something yet vote to support it. You can claim to be for something and yet vote to kill it.

This is one of the most important issues facing our party. We need to decide what Democrats really stand for. I'm not sure I know anymore.

[Meteor Man]

4. Democrats as a Movement Party

I think we are having that conversation. It's called the Democratic primary.

The DLC/DNC/Third Way dems have made the decision that corruption/corporate donors are a feature, not a problem.

Paul Starr at The American Prospect examines the history of progressive movement politics and the difficult road ahead:

http://prospect.org/article/democrats-movement-party] (link vanishes when I post. Article on American Prospect front page)

[Meteor Man]

5. No Dice on link

Try again: http://prospect.org/article/democrats-movement-party]

Google "Democrats as movement party"

[scottie55]

6. Informative Article

Scanned it. At work....

http://prospect.org/article/democrats-movement-party