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Texas Democrats can send a message of sanity today
Houston Chronicle ^ | March 28, 2008 | David Berg

Posted on 03/29/2008 2:28:23 PM PDT by Dane

Texas Democrats can send a message of sanity today Let's end the stupidity, agree to support nominee

By DAVID BERG

I believe it was Lord Acton who said "stupidity corrupts" and "absolute stupidity corrupts absolutely." Or maybe it was his brother, "Bubba" Acton, who ran the family plumbing supply business. In any event, this essay isn't about the Actons. It's about the Democrats, of which I am one.

We are acting about as absolutely stupid as it gets — fighting each other, right down to the precinct level, rather than uniting to defeat John McCain this fall — and doing untold damage to our chances of recapturing the presidency.

Nevertheless, Texas Democrats have a unique opportunity today to start undoing the damage by sending a conciliatory, rational message to Democrats nationwide, during our statewide delegate conventions. Of course, no one has ever accused my party of being conciliatory, much less rational, so let me mount a modest argument before actually making my suggestion.

I am no more going to vote for John McCain for president than I would have voted for Methuselah to manage flood control, a job that ultimately went to the much younger (at only 600 years old or so) and, some argued, better-looking Noah. McCain's too old, too cranky and too enthusiastic about a Hundred Years' War in Iraq.

Yet, when Hillary and Bill started doing things that I didn't agree with, fighting what appears to be a futile battle, I stupidly said that I wouldn't vote for her if she got the nomination — that I would vote for McCain. My closest friend, a rabid, Bush-hating, yellow-dog Democrat, said the same thing, as did 26 percent of Obama supporters, who stated in a recent poll that they wouldn't vote for her, either.

Equally stupid was the response from Hillary's supporters, 35 percent of whom said that they would never vote for Obama. Not being a Hillary supporter, but having been subjected to some of their more succinct arguments ("For shame," "What will you tell your granddaughters?" and "You're nothing but a liberal white boy"), it is clear that they are deeply disappointed that the upstart Obama apparently has hijacked Hillary's once inevitable nomination.

In reality, no matter how macho it sounds to say otherwise, Democrats are not going to vote for McCain this fall. The greater likelihood is that the losing side will stay home, McCain will win and there will be no one to blame but Democrats, who doubtless will begin another round of finger-pointing and personal attacks, assuring that we will not win a presidential campaign in the foreseeable future (or at least until Chelsea runs in 2028).

Thus, the real beneficiaries of fractious Democratic primaries will be Republicans who, observing a fundamental political maxim, have watched in silent gratitude as Democrats, yet again, eat their young and undermine their chances.

We Democrats have lost sight of the real goal: to elect a Democratic president, create a new paradigm for America and reverse the effects of George Bush's long list of foreign and domestic disasters.

Even more important — something I hear repeatedly from both Democratic and Republican friends nationwide — is that our belief in American inevitability has been eroded. They feel a sense of unease about our future. Yet, our nation has rebounded before — America always does — and there are ways for that to happen again, beginning, in my view, by uniting our party and wiping the slate clean this fall.

As a solid step in that direction, let me offer the suggestion I promised above to Democratic delegates attending conventions across Texas today: Before the day is over — a day that seems destined to generate more anger and division — each convention should pass a resolution pledging to support our party's nominee, whoever it is.

That message, I promise you, will resonate with Democratic and independent voters nationwide and enhance our chances in the fall.

Otherwise, we are going to get more of the same with McCain, America will continue its downward spiral and we will be left to wonder once again what might have been.

Berg, a Houston trial lawyer, is an Obama delegate to today's Senate District 13 Convention. He can be e-mailed at dberg@bafirm.com.


TOPICS: Politics/Elections; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: democrats; hillary; mccain; obama; tx2008
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To: Dane
We are acting about as absolutely stupid as it gets

Don't worry. Thats a normal condition and prerequisite to being a Democrap! Stop your whining. No matter who wins, there will be a Democrap in office. One might just happen to have an (R) next to his name, but he's definitely one of you!

21 posted on 03/29/2008 3:34:28 PM PDT by Bommer (Hmmm who to vote for? A Far leftist? A Radical Leftist? Or a Republican that enjoys being a Leftist?)
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To: Dane
"We Democrats have lost sight of the real goal: to elect a Democratic president,"

How could you elect a democrat when you have a marxist and a socialist as your candidates?

22 posted on 03/29/2008 3:41:44 PM PDT by JohnLongIsland
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To: JohnLongIsland
"How could you elect a democrat when you have a marxist and a socialist as your candidates?"

What is Voting for the Republican Nominee?

I'll take obvious answers for 500 Alex.

23 posted on 03/29/2008 3:43:41 PM PDT by Mad Dawgg ("`Eddies,' said Ford, `in the space-time continuum.' `Ah,' nodded Arthur, `is he? Is he?'")
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To: Dane

I believe I know Berg. If it’s the same lawyer, he was General Counsel at American General before he helped rip AIG’s face off in one of the worst acquisitions of the century. Straight as a corkscrew. I heard he was fired.


24 posted on 03/29/2008 3:46:12 PM PDT by Ironclad (O Tempora! O Mores!)
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To: Dane
Yet, when Hillary and Bill started doing things that I didn't agree with, fighting what appears to be a futile battle, I stupidly said that I wouldn't vote for her if she got the nomination — that I would vote for McCain.

But now that his boy Obama is winning, he wants the other democRats to pledge to support the democRat nominee, "whoever it is."

Typical democRat - counting on the stupidity of other democRats.

25 posted on 03/29/2008 3:48:10 PM PDT by Bubba_Leroy ("I believe in Santa Claus. I believe in the tooth fairy." - John Edwards)
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To: RVN Airplane Driver
if the Dumbcrats nominate Obama....all of them to a man said they were voting for McCain

**snicker**

Don't Obama's people know their place in the Democrat Party?

Back Of The Bus --->

26 posted on 03/29/2008 3:51:39 PM PDT by an amused spectator (Spitzer would have used the Mann Act against an enemy in a New York minute.)
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To: Grunthor
“McCain’s too old, too cranky and too enthusiastic about a Hundred Years’ War in Iraq.”

Yeah! We should fight here! It'd be cheaper...

For example, it only cost three years construction and $1.4 billion dollars to restore The Verizon Building next to the World Trade Center after the September 11 attacks...

27 posted on 03/29/2008 4:07:47 PM PDT by an amused spectator (Spitzer would have used the Mann Act against an enemy in a New York minute.)
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To: TornadoAlley3

The chaos in the rank and file dems almost makes a McCain presidency tolerable. Stress on, ALMOST TOLERABLE....


28 posted on 03/29/2008 4:07:59 PM PDT by navymom1 (I support the troops and their mission.)
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To: an amused spectator

That’s......nice.


29 posted on 03/29/2008 4:10:33 PM PDT by Grunthor (I promise in November to be just as loyal to the GOP as Juan McAmnesty has been)
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To: an amused spectator

Yeah! We should fight here! It’d be cheaper...

For example, it only cost three years construction and $1.4 billion dollars to restore The Verizon Building next to the World Trade Center after the September 11 attacks...


Iraq did not attack us.


30 posted on 03/29/2008 4:24:43 PM PDT by Grunthor (I promise in November to be just as loyal to the GOP as Juan McAmnesty has been)
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To: Dane; navymom1; 2ndDivisionVet
Rush, you magnificent bastard!

Operation Chaos strikes again.

ROTFL! Mega Dittos and Amen to that!

31 posted on 03/29/2008 4:40:39 PM PDT by athelass (Proud Mom of a Sailor and 2 Marines! Obamas Pastor is to Christianity as McCain is to Conservatism)
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To: Grunthor
Iraq did not attack us.

I don't remember posting that 'Iraq attacked us'. I was just pointing out that fighting is cheaper over "there" rather than "here" ("there" being "not here", to get it down to simplest terms).

I'm not sure that you understand where our society and government are at. Let me give you a hint: What kind of society blows $1.4 bil on a fricking building fix-up? What kind of society hauls away the debris from a massive attack that leveled several huge buildings and sifts through it for bones and DNA material?

Can you say "OCD"? Do you know how much it would cost to fight a war over "here"? Think about it.

32 posted on 03/29/2008 8:33:49 PM PDT by an amused spectator (Spitzer would have used the Mann Act against an enemy in a New York minute.)
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