Democrats: it is time to grow up!

I've been spending too much time at my favorite internet haunts; my favorites include the dailykos, commongroundcommonsense, the Huffingtonpost and now, the DLC site.

I've noticed some rather disturbing trends. It appears that the "centrist" DLC types and the "progressives" are going after each other. So, I'll do some venting here, in this nice "no one is going to read this anyway" setting.

DLC: get a grip. Yes, I know that we need to get more independents on our side, but let's remember that during the 2004 election, when we were running against a sitting wartime president and had a fearful electorate, a New England "liberal" lost 51-49. It wasn't 61-39!!! Therefore, there is no need to go around alienating your base.

Remember that groups like DailyKos and MoveOn draw lots of fire from Republicans and they wouldn't if they were not "stinging" them. Remember that group like DFA are getting progressives elected at various levels.

Also, remember that you need to keep the Berkeley-Cambridge-Madison-Ann Arbor votes in order to have a chance to win. And, if you want to win in the red states, you need to carry the Knoxvilles-Athens (Ga.)-Tuscaloosas-Little Rocks-Austins too.

Anti-DLC types: get a grip. The DLC isn't the enemy!!! There is nothing wrong with debating the issues and making your preferences known.

But please, the next time you start complaining that "Clinton, Bayh, or Reid are republicans" or that a "Bean is a republican", do some research. Go to a site like: http://blueollie.blogspot.com/2005/06/how-liberal-or-conservative-is-your.html

and look at the voting records.

For an example, look at the Progressive Punch records. Start with the Senate.
Senator Durbin rates out at 94.3, Senator Boxer at 94.2. Ok, that's the "gold standard".
Here are some other ratings: Senator Feingold: 89.2, Senator Clinton: 91.6, Senator Kerry: 85.6. The hard core DLC types: Senator Biden, 84.47, Senator Reid 81.01, Senator Bayh 78.83.

So the latter are republicans, right? Wrong. The republicans ranked in the 60'th to 100'th score 10.0 or less! The highest rated Republican, Senator Chafee scores at 41.0, Senator Specter scores at 35.28 and Senator McCain scores at 13.5.

Turning to the House, we see that most liberals score in the 80-90 range. My local congressman (LaHood, R-IL) scores a 10.0 and he is considered a moderate. Congressman Bean, who has caught some heat for a few bad votes (e. g., bankruptcy reform, CAFTA) scores a 77.0.

So, to the anti-DLC types, I don't know about you, but I see a "70%" Democrat as much preferable to a "10%" Republican. Yes, I'd love to see a Senator Boxer as a president, but that isn't going to happen.

So, grow up! Yes, it might be cool to whine and complain about being a victim, but it is much more rewarding to sacrifice, compromise, and get a 70, 80 or even a low 90 person elected and at least get to win some of the important battles, and perhaps make progress in the other areas.