This is an impassioned plea from someone I know in California who points out a dangerous risk that we take by being so critical of democrats that voters are threatening not to even bother voting.

The biggest piece of this message is that NO ONE is perfect. I have been saying that we no longer have the luxury of voting on liberal versus conservative ideologies anymore. We are staring down the barrel of whether or not we are going to preserve our freedoms in a democratic republic…or begin sliding into a theocracy.

I know full well that their are republicans that no more want a theocracy than anyone else. But…their Party was steeplejacked in the 90s and until they can reclaim their Party and return it to one once lead by the likes of Eisenhower…they too will find they have to vote anti-theocracy.

[...]what we have in Election 2010 is the oldest, ongoing struggle in the history of the world: The most corrupt — and short-sighted — of the powers-that-be are doing everything in their power to keep on taking and taking from all those whose work actually creates the wealth that they horde. And if they succeed in killing the goose that lays the golden eggs – a gainfully and fully employed working and middle class – then all of us — rich, poor, and everyone in the middle — will ultimately become poorer. Believe it. As horrible, or as threatening, as things are for millions of Americans right now, they can — and will — get worse, much worse, for us all, if we let those who drove us to the edge of the abyss get back into power, and drive us right over that cliff, into another Depression.

Do not — DO NOT – let them.

No matter how slight or great the shortcomings of any Democrats in power, at least they pulled and pushed in the right direction overall. And those who fault the president had best remember not only the historic accomplishments of his leadership — from the sheer size of the rescue package, which saved millions though still not enough jobs, to the health plan, which will save and improve countless lives, and the financial reform, making the system much less likely to crash than before. And remember, too, that some of the best bills or best portions of bills passed by the House, almost all of which the president very publicly supported, died like all too many others in the chamber of the Senate. If in the weeks, months, and years to come we demand even more of our leaders — like an end to the filibuster, at least as we know it, with a simple majority-votechange to the rules at the start of the new Congress (as we must work to assure we continue to control) – then most of our leaders will follow, ironically yet democratically.

But if we pay the ransom, give in to the demands, the EXTORTION of the Republicans — marching in lockstep against everything we have tried to do to help, and speaking out in favor of everything that got us into this Great Recession in the first place — then we will deserve the hell we will pay. But our children will not deserve it. Nor will our children’s children. Nor will any of those who will inherit a nation once great, then sacrificed on an altar of greed.

I believe we are much better than that. We are Americans.

Doug

He makes serious observations that we cannot overstate. I am not suggesting that we don’t hold our politicians all to a higher standard, but don’t be naive. For one thing, until Campaign Finance Reform is accomplished, every politician that is elected to office in ANY Party has to raise obscene amounts of money to get there. And no matter how unique the outpouring of $25 facebook donations were to Obama’s campaign….let’s face it folks, that is not the funding that got him to the White House.

The millions that it requires to win that residence for four years makes it an unavoidable evil to become beholden to large special interest groups and corporate donors. That is fact. That is reality. And that will continue to be reality for BOTH Parties until finance reform is passed.

In the meantime, this trend of whining and complaining about what Obama is not doing has got to find a different path. Why? Because I am so tired of listening to the negative and I am frightened by its effect. Progressives from Thom Hartmann, Norman Goldman, even small local radio shows like Shannyn Moore’s in Anchorage, Alaska – have all jumped on this hyper-criticism bandwagon within months of the president taking the oath of office. And now we are hearing cries from them encouraging people to go to the polls and vote.

Here is the disconnect. You can’t use the airwaves everyday to beat up on something day in and day out, influencing people to the point that they become disenfranchised about their own party and then act surprised by the outcome. The outcome I refer to is the growing number of polls out there that are reflecting that a record number of democrats are stating they are so disappointed in Obama and the democratic congress that they aren’t going to bother to show up.

Well, now isn’t that brilliant! How’s that gonna work out for any of us? They might as well just go ahead and vote for theocracy…because to not vote against it is a vote for it. At least I credit Norman with waking up to this and actually using the better part of an hour on his own radio show 2 weeks ago to apologize for doing just this. He said that if he has given anyone the impression that he was suggesting that they not vote, he was sincerely sorry and then went on to emphasize the absolute importance of voting…ESPECIALLY in this 2010 midterm election. Thank you!

The one radio personality that has not wavered in supporting our president is Randi Rhodes. She has the maturity and ability to be wisely critical, yet not get carried off into over-inflated and hyperbolic rhetoric. Her absence will be noted alongside other progressive radio personalities at the upcoming October 2nd Washington, D.C. One Nation Labor Rally? And she lives right there in D.C.? Hmmm…gotta wonder….

Another blog site states perfectly in this post over at “American Hatriots.com”…

[...] “Time to wake up people. No one can sit home this November, especially Democrats. Americans are being scammed by the tea party movement and the billionaires behind it. We need all hands on deck to fight the money and influence that is hijacking this country. We can not sit idly by while they pawn our future and fill Congress with a bunch of dangerous kooks.”

Amen to that!