How the Democratic party is also corrupted, by money, power, etc.

May 8, 2006

What Makes Democrats Cry? The Democratic Party Leadership, Of Course.

By Mark E. Smith

I recently wrote an article here saying that I did not believe that if elected, Debra Bowen, the Democratic candidate for California Secretary of State, would decertify the Diebold voting machines that do not comply with California law. This is not to say that Bowen doesn’t understand the problem and doesn’t want to decertify voting machines that are vulnerable to hackers, just that I don’t believe that the Democratic Party leadership will permit this to happen.

Let’s look back at the election of 2000. Democrat Maxine Waters is one of the toughest, fiercest fighters for civil rights this country has. When voters were disenfranchised in Florida, Maxine stood up with the entire Congressional Black Caucus and practically begged Al Gore and the Democratic Senators, who at that time held a majority of seats, to sign their petition not to certify the fraudulent Florida electoral votes. One of the saddest things I’ve ever seen in my life was watching Maxine almost reduced to tears on C-Span, as not even one Democratic Senator stepped forward to support fellow Democrats and prevent Bush from taking office.

Another Democrat was almost reduced to tears years later in retelling the story. California Senator Barbara Boxer wanted desperately to sign that petition. But Al Gore and the Democratic Party leadership would not allow it. And they had the power to keep Democratic Senators from helping fellow Democrats. They’ve rarely used that power to keep Democrats from voting with the Republicans for things that the Democratic Party supposedly does not support, only to keep Democrats from opposing the Republicans.

And then in 2004 a lot more Democrats were crying their hearts out when John Kerry broke his campaign promises. Despite his lackluster showing in the debates and his refusal to come out against the Iraq war, a no-brainer for a former Viet Nam protester, people campaigned for, donated money to, and supported Kerry because he promised not to concede until every vote was counted. I think that he had to concede because he knew that if the votes were counted properly, he would have won, and the fix was in to give Bush another term in office. Once again the Democrat Party leadership made many Democrats cry.

So when I say that I believe that Debra Bowen, if elected, will not decertify Diebold voting machines, I’m not saying that Bowen will be happy about it. Most likely Bowen will be crying right along with all the other Democrats in California who have pinned their hopes on this brave election reform activist. But in accepting the Democratic Party nomination, Bowen has become beholden to the Democratic Party leadership. That leadership thinks that election reform activists like Bowen are wackos and conspiracy theorists. The Democratic Party leadership will never permit Bowen to decertify Diebold because the party leadership wants corporations and big money to continue to control elections. Bowen got the Democratic Party endorsement because most California Democrats support Bowen. But once that endorsement was accepted, Bowen agreed to let the Democratic Party pour money into Bowen’s campaign, and that means that Bowen will owe them big time once elected.

In choosing to vote for the Green Party candidate for California Secretary of State, Forrest Hill, I am not saying that I have anything against Debra Bowen, or that I don’t think Bowen is sincere. I’m just saving myself a lot of tears. I don’t think that Hill will win, but I’m not going to cry about it because I’m expecting it. If I were to vote for Bowen, however, when Bowen takes office and the Democratic Party leadership forces Bowen to keep the Diebold machines in California, I’d be one of the many people angry about it. The Democratic Party has a lot of power, and it would be very nice if someday it decided to use it to oppose the Republicans instead of to make Democrats cry. There’s something heart wrenching about seeing decent, honest, sincere Democratic officeholders, candidates, and voters, stabbed in the back by their own party leadership over and over and over again, year after year, and still keep coming back for more. It’s enough to make a grown man cry.

Editor's note. Send a message to the Senate Dem Leaders who make Democrats cry. Help Throw Joe Lieberman out. Support Ned Lamont in the CT primary.Let the republicrat senators know they won't hold their jobs if they don't DO their jobs and represent the people who elected them.

Authors Website: http://rossini.funpic.de

Authors Bio: Mark is an election reform activist and Green Party member in San Diego.