I know, I know. What to do about Roberts. Earlier this week past, Armando posted an entry called
Failure. The diary entry was made following Baucus and Leahy betrayal of the party regarding Roberts.
It is my sense from the posting that Armando is wondering if the past year has brought us any closer to a unified voice of the Democratic Party. Now Feingold has joined the number of democrats voting for Roberts. The list will grow to where there is no real demonstration of party unity because any defection will be used to tout Roberts as "acceptable" even to Democrats.
Those elected have a DUTY to the members of this party who put them in office to vote the way the people who work for the party want them to vote. So I'm proposing a "30 Pieces of Silver" drive for all those people we field workers put in office who then go and vote against the interests of people who elected them. And you know what, that "30 Pieces" is a pretty recognizable phrases and it speaks volumes about the character of the person.
More below the fold
Now I don't want to defame anyone. Not Baucus, not Leahy, not Feingold. In the past week, one of the democrats voting for Roberts noted that he was "well credentialed" for the position. At least the Democrats looked THIS TIME because they sure didn't care when Mike Brown was brought forward. Of course, I can point out a number of highly recognizable names in the 20th century who were "highly credentialed" but they also turned out to be mass murders and thoughtless brutes to humanity.
As for me, I worked doors for Kerry down here in ARK and since it was a "coordinated" campaign, that meant I worked doors for Blanche Lincoln. Mary Pryor - who has earned well more than 30 pieces of silver - will be running for re-election in a few months on the off-presidential cycle. He will want my money, he will want my time, he will want my effort so he can go back to DC and represent ME. But you know what, Mark wants to make sure he represents the interest of the President and that my friends, is no where near my vision of America.
So Pryor doesn't. Blanche doesn't. They vote for the banks and credit card company's under the idea of "reform". Pryor voted for Alberto the Torturer. Both probably voted for the war. But what does any of this support get either myself (a normal Democrat) or even them? Nothing. It did squat for Dashle up in ND when he ran for re-election. He was still an obstacle to the war effort. Max Leland? What did his questioning of the effort get him but slandered in the most horrific manner about his patriotism?
See, this is all of the Republican game plan. When you "cooperate" that's fine but you never get credit for that. You still have to face a republican when you run for re-election. You still have to face slanders and slurs and distortions about your votes. Anyone out there disagree with that statement?
When something goes "wrong", well that was just as much the DEMOCRATS fault as anyone else's. See Joe Lieberman voted for Brown so if Brown was that bad, Joe shouldn't have voted for him. Basically, Rethugs are playing Democrats as suckers. They bet on division. They bet on being able to say, See - this guy isn't that bad, even many Democrats voted for him.
So I'm proposing a "30 Pieces of Silver" campaign whenever you think one of the elected officials in your area has or will vote in a manner not in keeping with what you think is the best interest of the Democratic party. Not "real" silver but something close or symbolic.
Like 30 dimes - with a drop of red paint in the middle, (just make them give you a receipt for cash - it will drive them nuts) or
30 pictures of soldiers killed in Iraq, or
30 names from the bankruptcy filing section of the local newspaper with a question about how did their vote help these individuals, or
30 mis-matched silver ear-rings, or
A drawing from your kid of 30 pieces of silver, or
Just 30 things - anything that makes them step up and take notice.
Ideally, there would be a little press conference where you could award the elected official with his/her "reward" - you know those people LOVE being in the press, or
You would set up and staff a "30 pieces" collection box right outside their offices - local offices, not the ones in DC.
You could make a display and put it in store windows - Label it something like
MARK PRYOR'S 30 PIECES GIFT FROM GEORGE"
Just do something that makes them stop playing that DC game where they just go along to get along. Stop being their whores in getting them re-elected.
See, I figure if Mark and Blanche can't vote the way Democrats like myself want them to vote, then I might as well vote for a republican because then
I can't get screwed and
I can bitch all I want -
but I can NEVER be surprised by what they do.
They can NEVER betray me and the trust I put in them through my money and time and efforts. Because they won't get any of that.
Do it today. Make your elected officials wake up to the obligations they have to those in the party that get the almost weekly mailings from Howard Dean and the state Demo Party.
If you think its worth the read and an idea you'd like to pass - recommend.
I'm heading to the arts and crafts store this weekend for Mark Pryor's 30 pieces.