Hambil, on Aug 25 2004, 10:08 AM, said:
I understand where you are coming from Chistopher. I wish it could be that way. But, I believe (solely my belief) that this kind of thinking has lost us the presidency and control of the congress, and nearly control of the senate. I can't be a passive Democrat any longer.
The way to be an active Democrat is to engage in rational, constructive arguments for what you believe in. If you just fall back into infantile mudslinging, then you're surrendering the debate. Namecalling is not politics -- it's a lazy substitute for politics. If the opposition functions entirely through namecalling and inflammatory rhetoric, then they're the ones who are at a disadvantage, because they aren't really saying anything at all. The way to gain the high ground is to have something worth saying.
Imagine how differently the last presidential election might've gone if a higher proportion of informed, intelligent citizens had chosen to vote. Democracy works poorly when fewer people vote, especially when fewer informed people vote. When candidates and pundits resort exclusively to the basest tactics, they disillusion a lot of informed people and keep them from voting, and that hurts everyone, except for those few who base their power on the ignorance and neglect of the masses.