Thursday, May 22, 2008

Divided We Fall

I've been a democrat since the day I signed my first voter registration packet. At the time, I didn't even know why I wanted to be a democrat, I just knew it would piss my dad off.
Over the years I have come to accept the disorganization, the lack of a cohesive ideology and the obvious lack of money in the Democratic party. I think we as Democrats, have learned to kind of embrace our mishaps and focus on our passion. But this primary is really starting to bother me, in the way that we are so hesitant to throw our weight behind ONE candidiate. Look folks, at this point, Hillary isn't going to win the nomination. She would need a pretty decently sized miracle at this point. I'm not saying I like her or I don't, I'm just stating facts. It aint gonna happen.
So why does she refuse to admit defeat? I understand fighting until the bitter end in most cases. But more and more I'm beginning to feel like she's hurting the party more than she's helping. Yes, we're all fighting for democracy (whatever that even MEANS these days) and we all want to see the Republicans licking their wounds on Election Day, so why, WHY do we have to continue to fight each other instead of our opponents?? Seriously, Democrats. For once can't we all just get along? Can't we put the tiny minute differences in our candidates aside and stand behind whoever is poised to win? Whoever we will in a matter of months put all of our faith in to beat McCain? It seems to me that the longer Hillary fights, the longer she continues to create a rift in the party, and the less time is spent figuring out how we (as a team) can kick some Republican ass.
Bottom line: McCain has been poised to take on Barack for months now. He's got loads of dirt, campaign ads and speeches just waiting to be unleashed. And hes going to unleash them just as soon as Barack is declared the winner and all of the HIllary supporters are angry, bitter and ripe to hear what McCain has to say. Right now, hes WAY ahead of the game.
Republicans are tricky folk, you know. They all have their own self-interest at heart, no doubt. But every election, they somehow manage to do the one thing together (as a party) that we can't: stand behind a single candidiate.
Democrats, we are our own worst enemy. And as much as it pains me to say, I believe that the Republican party has a much better uinderstanding of compromise than we do. For them, its not about the little details that establish one candidiate from the next. Its about standing behind the Republican candidiate best suited to win. Its not about the person, its about the PARTY.
And for a group of people who claim to be fighting for every man and the greater good we sure do get hung up on our own personal preferences.
Every minute we spend fighting each other, makes us weaker as a party. Every close race, every second of indecision, every disagreement over inconsequentail issues like whether somebody voted for the war or didn't vote for the war (P.S. We're already IN the war. Your vote won't change that now). We just keep digging ourselves a bigger hole to climb out of in the General Election.
And trust me, Republicans couldn't be happier about that.

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