Nationwide, the Democrats blew it in yesterday's election. That's clear to anyone who gives a shit, and is quickly being parroted across the mainstream press this morning. Unfortunately, there's no evidence to challenge it. Only here in Illinois and in local elections, after one of the most corrupt state governments in recent memory, were Democrats able to take a secure win in state politics -- arguably because they went for the jugular, relentlessly reminding voters of the consistent corruption and wrongdoing executed by the last Republican administration.

Nationally, the Democrats aren't so smart, I guess.

I don't even consider myself a Democrat in the first place. I tend to vote Democratic because they tend offer candidates that I agree with more than Republicans. But, by and large, the Democratic Party has done nothing in the last 20 years to earn my allegiance or loyalty. I'd rather lose as an independent than win as a "centrist" lap dog, begging for crumbs from the mercurial privileged class.

As it stands, I'm barely given much reason to vote in the first place. Only fear of a Republican planet gets my ass into the polls -- and even that increasingly seems like a useless endeavor. Why bother voting when most of the opposition isn't really opposing the strategies and goals of the regime in power?

I'm disgusted that the Democrats continue to fight on Republican terms, spending shitloads of money and blotting us out every night on TV. What happened to good old fashioned campaigning? I live in a pretty dense little city, it's safe easy to walk the streets across town, yet not one goddamned candidate came to my door. Sure, they make public appearances at the farmers market and such. But what happened to actually meeting the people where they live? You can say a lot more to a voter face-to-face at her doorstep than you'll ever get across in 30 seconds of expensive commercial time. Or are these candidates frightened of actually having to acknowledge and talk with real, actual citizens?

Democrats are not the party of the people. In most places, at best, they're the party of privileged white, liberal guilt. In more Urban, multicultural places (read: not majority white)--like Chicago--they might still lay claim to representing the actual concerns of real working people. But nationwide -- they're the party of the increasingly shrinking pool of the affluently liberal. Fuck that.

Really, it confounds me why the Democrats won't go on the attack against Bush, against the egregious corporate crime of the last year, against the exploitation of war and violence. My only guess is that they've become so fucking addicted to corporate campaign money that they can't bear the thought of alienating their sugar daddies. They're so shit scared to try and strike out on their own, campaiging on strong ideas and ideals, that they're willing to trot along on a short corporate leash -- even if that means conceding power.

And how damn relevant is that concession, anyway, when the likes of Dick Gephardt, House Minority Leader, falls in line with the Republicans on most issues, only dissenting on details, not principles.

I'd say the Democratic National Committee's concession happened long before this election. Fuck them and their slave mentality.