Washblog

However, one only needed to be at the state party chair's election to see how desperate the old hacks are to hold onto their last strands of power.

Which "old hacks" are you talking about? Come on, name some names!

What would you have had the State Party do, elect Laura Ruderman, the "fresh young face?" Laura Ruderman, the corporatist, charter-school-loving, tip-credit advocating DLC tool?

The "old hacks" prevented that, the same "old hacks" who delivered a unanimous vote from this state's DNC delegation for Howard Dean as DNC chairman.

I'm going to the hardware store, Brian, to buy you a pitchfork for your bullshit.

If perception is reality, then the world must be flat and the sun must revolve around it.

by ivan on Thu Jul 13, 2006 at 08:09:45 AM PST

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...first, let me thank you for setting up Washblog.  It's great, and we all appreciate it (and the hard work it took you to get Scoop up and running).

That said, this diary is just uninformed.  To cover my butt - I was a super hardcore Dean supporter (kind of like a certain State Party Chair, who will remain nameless) - so I'm not some kind of "DLC hack".  And in case you haven't noticed, Washington State Dems are growing power every year - they took back the State Senate, grew their power in the House, and managed to pass some very progressive laws in the process (Clean Cars, anyone?).  Yes, a lot of the Dems in Oly are milquetoast at best (see: Seattle Delegation - with a few exceptions) - but generally we are getting good progressive laws passed.

I think we'll see Dems take a couple of Senate seats (see: Kilmer and Candidate to be named later in 47th district), and grow a bit in the House (see: Chris Hurst, Christine Rolfes and Kevin Van De Wege).  I think we'll see the next 2-4 years as the most progressive time in Washington State history - and yet there will always be people who will bitch and moan that it's not progressive enough for their taste.

Really, my point is that while the Democratic party may be sucking up a storm nationally, locally they are doing their jobs and winning.

(to steal a line from Shue:) Peace,

-Wilis

I'm with Obama

by willisreed on Thu Jul 13, 2006 at 11:16:47 AM PST

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We can argue about how hackish or not hackish various Dem. leaders are.  Obviously, much politics transpires in, uh, politics.  So we might as well argue about the essential nature of human beings, etc.  On the most important issues here (at least what I see as most important, Brian's indisputably right --

We've had a take-over in this country.  The corporatists are winning and the people are losing.  And our Dem. leaders have not done enough -- and are not doing enough to step up to meet the challenge.  And they're not doing it because the people, the citizenry, have not been sufficiently engaged.

Ivan's an exception to this -- and probably Willis and Belltowner (sorry, I don't know your guys' political history).  I've been in the vast majority of the politically clueless.  I haven't been on my ass, exactly.  (Actually, I've been on my ass more since I've started blogging.) But, like many, till 2004 I was in school, working, being a mother, volunteering on issues.  And unengaged politically.  

Our electeds can't do their work alone.  When the citizenry steps out of engagement, there's a power vaccuum.  What fills that?  Special interest power. There's no use blaming electeds and party leaders (unless they're corrupt).  There's no use blaming anyone.  I certainly don't feel I'm to blame for not understanding earlier than I did.  But when we learn, we can teach others.

Our Supreme Court here in WA is being bought by the Building Industry Association of Washington and tobacco industries (see Dennis Higgins' earlier entry (Supreme Court Doorbeller sighting in Kent).  An out-of-state radical right wing organization called Americans for Limited Government (in other words, Americans for drowning representative government in the bathtub) pours $200,000 into overturning basically all of our zoning and environmental laws on private property -- laws we created -- as a people -- over decades.  We're in trouble here, people.

I find this WIKI essay on corporatism worthwhile.  If nothing else, it shows some of the links between fascism and corporatism -- and debunks the popular  Mussolini quote about fascism being the merger of government and business.

by noemie maxwell on Thu Jul 13, 2006 at 01:32:34 PM PST

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I may be old, but I am certainly not what most would consider a party hack.  Like many others on this blog, I got seriously involved in politics for the first time in 2003 because of the grassroots Dean campaign.

Because I was lucky enough to be selected to be a Dean Delegate to the Democratic National Convention, I met and got to know Karen Marchioro.  Some here may consider her an old hack because she has been actively involved Democratic politics for probably close to 50 years. Instead of blasting old hacks, I would like to suggest that we have much to learn from them.

Karen has been working hard to get good Democrats elected and progressive legislation passed for more years than some here have been alive.  

You may recall that, a just few months ago, Howard Dean proclaimed Karen a "Democratic National Treasure". He was absolutely right. Since returning from the Convention in Boston in 2004, I have been truly blessed to have Karen as a mentor--her knowledge, guidance, and sage advice have been invaluable.

by Cherisse on Thu Jul 13, 2006 at 08:38:24 PM PST

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However, one only needed to be at the state party chair's election to see how desperate the old hacks are to hold onto their last strands of power.

...and then this:

We got people powered Howard to run the DNC, didn't we?

Are you totally clueless to the fact that Washington State Democratic Party Chair Dwight Pelz was one of THE BIGGEST Howard Dean supporters in WA state?  It's looks like you are.

by Belltowner on Thu Jul 13, 2006 at 11:06:30 AM PST

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