The Unity Myth

The PUMA people have the right acronym but for all the wrong reasons. Party unity is a myth. Regardless of what goes down at the convention, large groups of people are going to walk away pissed off. But you know what? That's fine! The party isn't going to die just because people decided to leave the party to join the Republicans or to call themselves Independents.

If Hillary supporters are willing to cross the line and become Republicans, this is the best thing that could possibly happen to the party. Progressives need to both encourage this and try to push all those from the Democratic Leadership Council out. Harold Ford, Arthur Davis, Tom Carper, Hillary, all of them need to go.

If this means a loss for us in November, that is unfortunate, but with the DLC and their ilk gone, it leaves progressives with the chance to restructure the party and put our issues on the agenda without distractions. If Hillary wants to run for president in 2012, she'll have to run as a Republican or Independent.

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Even though Hillary supporters (and McCain's campaign that adopted this view) like to view Obama supporters as mindless, cult-like followers. The truth is, I do not feel like Obama is the best person in the world. I don't agree with everything that he does, nor do I agree with all of his policies. I am an Obama supporter because I believe that with the options I was given, he was and IS the best person for the job.

#1 Obama is a pragmatist. After years of having a president that stuck to his guns regardless of the facts, I'm happy to see that Obama is willing to change his position (i.e. "flip-flop" from critics). That flexiblity is needed as president.

#2 Obama has ideals, but is willing to compromise. I am against off-shore drilling as Obama is, but Obama is willing to concede and allow for it IF it means that we get a real energy policy that will make us less dependent on oil, and thus making off-shore drilling a moot point.

#3 I like that he thinks about things. Intially I liked Hillary's Healthcare Plan better because it was mandatory, until I stopped and thought about it. Hillary's plan failed the first time she attempted it despite bi-partisan support of a new healthcare plan because she decided to do it all behind closed doors and not compromise. I realized that Obama's plan was better because it gives people a choice. And who is going to chose to pay for a more expensive private healthcare plan over an affordable federal plan? What company is going to continue to go thru private healthcare? So why force people to do something they will willingly choose to do?

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That's how I feel about the whole Unity myth and Obama, I'll post about Hillary later...