Demoncratic Agenda?

[CCTAU 3,336]

One person's take on it. I tend to agree. But what's new about that? I'm just a right wing "hater!"

THE DEMOCRATS HAVE NO AGENDA?

Yesterday afternoon I did what I usually do after finishing my program; I checked in with the Godfather to see what was on his talk radio agenda.  The Man was engaged in a riff about the partisan warfare between Democrats and Republicans and, as usual, doing a sensational job.  One problem though.  I could have sworn that I heard the words "The Democrats have no agenda."  I'm probably mistaken there .. but just in case I wasn't driving through an area of high interference and actually heard him right .. I now offer an alternative opinion.

The Democrats most certain DO have an agenda.  It's just not an agenda that they are anxious to promote.  The Democratic agenda can be succinctly stated in just a few words:  Make Americans ever more dependent on government, and thus dependent on Democrats.  There's bandwidth to fill, however, so we'll use a few more words to explain just what the Democrats want to accomplish.

A significant part of the Democrat agenda is the war on individuality.  This was is no fig newton of my imagination.  Master Democrat Ted Kennedy has made reference to this war in just those terms.  Following a New England Patriots Super Bowl win several years ago Kennedy stumbled up to the microphone to share in the celebration, there to praise the teamwork of the Patriots, so welcome at a time that we are engaged in a "war against individuality."  So ... his words, not mine. 

The war on individuality goes hand-in-hand with the Democrats goal of increasing dependency on government.  People who celebrate their individuality are people who are far more likely to become successful and independent.  They follow their own dreams, not those of the masses; and in so doing they become more self sufficient and less dependent on government.  In case you haven't noticed, Democrats aren't particularly fond of the idea of people becoming less dependent on government. 

There's another nasty little problem with the concept of individuality ... at least its a problem for Democrats.  When you recognize (dare I say celebrate?) the concept of the individual, you then have to recognize that individuals have rights.  Individual rights, not group rights.  This would include the individual right to life, liberty and property.  Democrats haven't yet made any objections they might have to the right to life apparent, but they take a back seat to nobody on their lack of respect for concepts of individual liberty and property rights.  The one property right most troublesome to Democrats?  That would be the right an individual has to the fruits of his labors. 

More of the Democratic agenda?  Look to government schools.  Our children must be "educated" (indoctrinated) by the government.  All possible means must be pursued to keep these children out of  private schools where the influence of government is muted.  Now the Democrats know that they can't attempt to outlaw private schools, at least not yet; but they certainly can make it as hard as possible for a parents to pursue that option.  School choice is a dead issue with Democrats.  Vouchers?  Forget it.  It's just not going to happen.  The government gets to decide where and how your children are going to be "educated," and that's that.  Our children must be taught that American is great because of its government.  If these children are allowed to escape the government schools for a private education there's that chance that they will be taught the dangerous notion that America is great because of the dynamic of free people working cooperatively and competitively in a system based on individual liberty and economic freedom.  The concept of individual liberty is incompatible with the goal of making people more dependent on government.

More of the Democrat agenda?  How about socialized medicine?  This is part and parcel of the effort to make people dependent on government.  Personally, I think the Democrats have one this one.  Socialized medicine in the United States is inevitable.  Most Americans now believe that it is either the government's or their employer's responsibility to take care of their health needs.  Last week I read you a story about some young high school athlete in Canada being put on a three-year waiting list for simple arthoscopic knee surgery.  I had this surgery done five months ago.  My waiting period?  I saw the doctor for the first time on a Monday and the surgery was performed the following Thursday.  Give the Democrats a chance to bring their socialized medicine to pass in our country and the wait will be months, if not years here.  Socialized medicine is vitally important to Democrats.  When you control a person's health care, you control that person.  Besides .. .just think of the powerful election rhetoric socialized medicine will bring to Democrat politics:  "If you elect Republicans or Libertarians they are going to make you pay for your own medical care." 

Then there's "soak the rich" tax policies.  How can you say that the Democrats have no agenda when they have made it abundantly clear that they would like nothing more than to see taxes raised on the evil, filthy, nasty, ugly rich.  These government dependency programs take cash, and what better way to raise cash then to appease the gods of envy by raising taxes on the hated top 1% of income earners?

Is there more?  You bet.  Much more than I have time to present here. 

Social Security.  People must not own their own retirement accounts.  The government must be in control.  Control retirement, control the individual.

The United Nations.  Weaken American by subjecting us to the whims of the international community through the world court and other UN institutions.

Talk Radio: Bring back the Fairness Doctrine to browbeat radio station owners into dropping conservative and libertarian talk radio shows.

Wealth confiscation:  Levy a one-time tax on the outstanding balances in privately held retirement and pension accounts.

Control pension fund investments through government regulations ... a ploy to reward Democrat-friendly unions and businesses.

Shift more and more of the tax burden to the wealthiest Americans.  Now that one-half of Americans have been relieved of the responsibility of paying any income taxes, give them a free ride on Social Security and Medicare taxes as well.

Paid "Family Leave."  Make employers continue to pay the salaries of employees to take the 12-week family leave for a new baby, to care for  a sick relative  or just because they don't like to work on Mondays.

Government paid child care for all.  Make the taxpayers pay for something that should be the responsibility of the parent. 

Repeal the Second Amendment.  Only the government should have guns.

No agenda?  That sounds like quite an agenda to me, and one that I'm not particularly comfortable with.  All they need now is the power to enact their agenda .. and with continued Republican missteps, like their interference in the Schiavo matter, they may soon realize that goal.

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[Tigermike 3,042]

Well said.

The title says it all, "THE DEMOCRATS HAVE NO AGENDA?"

Just say NO to Bush!

Their agenda is a NO agenda.

[Piglet 0]

Democrats have introduced bills that address America's real challenges. (Details attached)

1. Women's Health Care (S. 844). "The Prevention First Act of 2005" will reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and abortions by increasing funding for family planning and ending health insurance discrimination against women.

2. Veterans' Benefits (S. 845). "The Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2005" will assist disabled veterans who, under current law, must choose to either receive their retirement pay or disability compensation.

3. Fiscal Responsibility (S. 851). Democrats will move to restore fiscal discipline to government spending and extend the pay-as-you-go requirement.

4. Relief at the Pump (S. 847). Democrats plan to halt the diversion of oil from the markets to the strategic petroleum reserve. By releasing oil from the reserve through a swap program, the plan will bring down prices at the pump.

5. Education (S. 848). Democrats have a bill that will: strengthen head start and child care programs, improve elementary and secondary education, provide a roadmap for first generation and low-income college students, provide college tuition relief for students and their families, address the need for math, science and special education teachers, and make college affordable for all students.

6. Jobs (S. 846). Democrats will work in support of

legislation that guarantees overtime pay for workers and sets a fair minimum wage.

7. Energy Markets (S. 870). Democrats work to prevent Enron-style market manipulation of electricity.

8. Corporate Taxation (S. 872). Democrats make sure companies pay their fair share of taxes to the U.S. government instead of keeping profits overseas.

9. Standing with our troops (S. 11). Democrats believe that putting America's security first means standing up for our troops and their families

[TrueBlue72 0]

Those so called "bills" of the demoncrats are simply propaganda. If you believe otherwise, you are truly naive. The demoncratic agenda is socailism, pure and simple and has been since the Roosevelt administration. If you want to read the basis of the demoncratic agenda, find the books by Marx and Lenin and read them. It will surprise you just how similar they sound to the philosophies espoused by the demoncratic leadership once you get past their word play.

[Piglet 0]

Those so called "bills" of the demoncrats are simply propaganda.  If you believe otherwise, you are truly naive.  The demoncratic agenda is socailism, pure and simple and has been since the Roosevelt administration.  If you want to read the basis of the demoncratic agenda, find the books by Marx and Lenin and read them.  It will surprise you just how similar they sound to the philosophies espoused by the demoncratic leadership once you get past their word play.

157557[/snapback]

I did read Marx and Lenin. Lenin was an authoritarian nutcase who openly advocated a totalitarian state that treated the people like "human resources", and Marx had a pretty coherent system that looked real good on paper and could even be "proved" to be perfect on paper, but which had all sorts of defects when put into practice. Come to think of it, "pure capitalism" also looks real good on paper and has failings in practice, and the answer is to do something to counteract the bad side effects, not to scrap it entirely.

Anyhow, neither of those guys had much in common with the modern Democratic party.

You wanted the Democrats to come up with an alternative to the Bush agenda instead of just going no-no-no to everything. Fine. I posted some of their actual proposals, and here you are going no-no-no to them.

Maybe it's too bad I don't run the Democrats. I'd give you candidates and an agenda you might actually find worth voting for. I say government should have a vision, and should nurture its citizens, demand the best out of them and give them the means to be the best for themselves and for their country. People should have the benefits of government programs, and should be responsible for what they do with what they've been given. Government should collect reasonable taxes, and should be accountable for what they do with the revenue they've been given. Schools should be adequately funded, and should be held accountable for results. Unions should have power, and should have a responsibility to ensure that union workers are the best at what they do, that they give value to the workplace compared to jacklegs.

Unfortunately, Republicans are big on accountability but don't give a ripe turd about empowerment or nurturing.

And the Democrats--if all you care about is demonizing them, you needn't worry too much on my account. They're too wishy-washy to come out with a principled vision like I suggested. But the bills Reid put forth are at least a step in the right direction in showing an alternative to the Bush League.

[WarTim 3,456]

Sure libs have an agenda. Take $$$ from you and me and give it to those that will agree to vote for them. That is it. That has ALWAYS been "it".

[CCTAU 3,336]

Democrats have introduced bills that address America's real challenges. (Details attached)

1. Women's Health Care (S. 844). "The Prevention First Act of 2005" will reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and abortions by increasing funding for family planning and ending health insurance discrimination against women.

2. Veterans' Benefits (S. 845). "The Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2005" will assist disabled veterans who, under current law, must choose to either receive their retirement pay or disability compensation.

3. Fiscal Responsibility (S. 851). Democrats will move to restore fiscal discipline to government spending and extend the pay-as-you-go requirement.

4. Relief at the Pump (S. 847). Democrats plan to halt the diversion of oil from the markets to the strategic petroleum reserve. By releasing oil from the reserve through a swap program, the plan will bring down prices at the pump.

5. Education (S. 848). Democrats have a bill that will: strengthen head start and child care programs, improve elementary and secondary education, provide a roadmap for first generation and low-income college students, provide college tuition relief for students and their families, address the need for math, science and special education teachers, and make college affordable for all students.

6. Jobs (S. 846). Democrats will work in support of

legislation that guarantees overtime pay for workers and sets a fair minimum wage.

7. Energy Markets (S. 870). Democrats work to prevent Enron-style market manipulation of electricity.

8. Corporate Taxation (S. 872). Democrats make sure companies pay their fair share of taxes to the U.S. government instead of keeping profits overseas.

9. Standing with our troops (S. 11). Democrats believe that putting America's security first means standing up for our troops and their families

157456[/snapback]

1. Mostly covered by abstinence.

2. OK. Nice thought. But only applies to very small portion of society.

3. Only if they are the ones "defining" it. Dems are no better than repubs at this. And if you read the fine print, you'll see another sham.

4. Pipe dream. The national reserve is not even a drop in the bucket. Shoot down your enviro fanatic supporters and let us drill our own oil. All just rhetoric.

5. Another smokescreen. Put more teeth into the NEA's ass and have them wuit protecting the slackers.

6. This does not create jobs. It causes companies on the bubble to shutdown.

7. Now there's a worthy cause. I believe we already have laws in effect dealing with monopolies. Use them.

8. If there is a fair way to do this, then implement slowly. Otherwise, once again, companies will shut down and move out.

9. Yeah, those damn republicans are just using the military as a play toy. I believe it was mostly dems that voted against the troops getting mor money. But it sure sounds nice when you say it.

How bout they pull their heads out of their asses and tackle the big issues they have been avoiding and stealing from for years. Fix the tax code, fix social security, fix welfare, etc..

No they can't do that. Then they would have nobody to scare into voting for them. Its time they step up or shut up. We need big fixes, not the same old feel good crap they have been spreading the past 30 years.

[Piglet 0]

Yeah, conservatives have an agenda. Take $$$$$$$$ from you and me and keep it for themselves. That's it. That's ALWAYS been "it".

[CCTAU 3,336]

Yeah, conservatives have an agenda. Take $$$$$$$$ from you and me and keep it for themselves. That's it. That's ALWAYS been "it".

157689[/snapback]

Conservatives traditionally give more to charity (moveon.org does not count, sorry) than any other group.

[Piglet 0]

Sure they do. Too bad the main charity usually turns out to be their fellow Republicans.

Whatever. Go back to the wonderful good old days of workhouses, foundling homes, lunatic asylums and debtor prisons, when private charity was the sole safety net. What a wonderful vision for the past--er, future.

[WarTim 3,456]

Yeah, conservatives have an agenda. Take $$$$$$$$ from you and me and keep it for themselves. That's it. That's ALWAYS been "it".

157689[/snapback]

No, little piggy, we simply want to keep what we MAKE. You know, that which BELONGS to US. OUR money does not, contrary to liberal desire, belong to ted kennedy or howard "moron" dean.

[Auburn85 432]

Republican Jeff Sessions helped introduce the raise of the death benefit to $100,000.

Kennedy was the one who said that the military presence in Iraq was part of the problem not the solution. I know it's just 1 dem, but #9 on the list looks hypocritical if Kennedy's all of a sudden for it.

[DKW 86 7,433]

8. Corporate Taxation (S. 872). Democrats make sure companies pay their fair share of taxes to the U.S. government instead of keeping profits overseas.

Allm of you are wrong on this one. Corporations dont pay taxes. hey cant. Think of them as a machine. The shareholders/workers are the owners. The shareholders/workers/consumers pay the taxes ultimately.

Corporate Taxation is the Red Herrings of all Red Herrings.