I subscribe to the DNC at https://www.democrats.org/index2.html and the GOP at http://www.gopusa.com/ and am getting confliction information.

In the DNC Chairman Howard Dean’s plan included in an email subject “Your new job” item 3. Set core principles that define the Democratic Party and what we stand for and take a bottom-up approach to the development of the Party's message.

Yet in a recent newsletter from GOPUSA subject: The Party of Hate Picks a Chief By Joe Mariani February 14, 2005 Joe points out that Chairman Dean quote "I hate the Republicans and everything they stand for," link http://www.gopusa.com/commentary/guest/2005/jm_02141.shtml and I’m a little puzzled about what the core values of the Democratic Party are? And, more importantly how the Democratic Party can stand up for each layer of values without losing more elections.

The Democratic Party is made up of many layers ranging from liberals supporting social programs and progressive Robin Hood tax to pay for them, stark anti-war, environmentalist, trial lawyers, union workers, blacks, Mexican Americans, gays with associated intellectual agenda to prohibit military from entering campus to recruit, atheists that would remove God form government in any manner and support ACLU to condemn Boy Scouts, Christmas, or the degrading of NAMBLA’s free speech rights.

In contrast the Republican Party has a base of Christians that supports Christian values and groups that are repulsed by gay agenda, anti American intellectuals, anti-war pacifist and support small government, less tax, less entitlement programs, capitalist associated with the top 5% paying the majority of the US tax.

It seems to me the Democratic party is losing elections and seats in congress sticking to the core values as the republican candidates dictate they either divorce a, or group of their core or be condemned by the majority. Clearly the DNC chairman is anti-war and hates all that republicans stand for so that puts him at a disadvantage along with those who run for office.

Questions for debate:

Can the Democratic Party remain politically intact while supporting all layers of its base with integrity?

Would a moral move to the center cause the party to divorce outer layers in order to compete and still fail?

Do you agree or disagree that the selection of Governor Dr. Howard Dean will be the stake in the heart of the Democratic Party?

I pains me, but I'm not going to play your game and answer your three questions as long as you define the Democratic party in such inflammatory terms as above. This thread is essentially the same one Mrs. Pigpen closed last night. In fact, your linking my party with NAMBLA makes this thread even more egregious than last night's.

I have marked in red your words that make your preface an emotion laden preamble. I could easily have highlighted others.

Start off with a level playing field. Otherwise, I won't be participating further and I would encourage other Democrats to boycott your thread.

Some people never learn.