Politics is a strange, and often fascinating, process. People get involved with politics for any of a number of reasons. Some people view politics as a game. Others view it as a participatory sport. Some see it as a means to make a living, or in some cases, a fortune. I can understand all of those views, but I don't share them.
To me, politics is a means to an end. In my view, politics should be used to advance an agenda. When played for any other reason, such as fun, to gain power, for profit, or even as a means to pass the time, politics becomes about you. When this happens, politics ceases to be a means to an end and becomes nothing more than an ego trip.
What does all of this have to do with PUMA? It's really quite simple. The people in PUMA and like-minded groups have a purpose. You may not like their goals. I know I don't. You and I may disagree with their tactics, or their rhetoric, or even their goals, but that doesn't take away the fact that they are working towards an end result.
As stated above, I believe that without a goal politics becomes little more than an ego trip. Real politics is far more. It is a group of people working towards a common goal. By that measure, PUMA is participating in real politics.
Like thousands of other political buffs, I watched the RBC meeting and observed the outrage at the result. I have followed the formation of PUMA, seen their representatives on television, and read their comments on blogs. At first, I thought this was nothing more than being sore losers. The more I've thought about it, the more I realized that they are being true to the democratic process. They have a goal and are working towards that goal.
Now, while I disagree with their methods and their goals, I respect the fact that they are working together to accomplish something. That's more than I can say about many of the people on this site.
MYDD has been on my reading list since 2004, as have several other political blogs. I lurked in the background during the primary and watched the flame wars and constant back-and-forth going on between the different sides of the primary race. It wasn't pretty, but it also wasn't anything new to me.
My first campaign was the 1964 Presidential campaign. I was in my last year of high-school and joined the Young Dems. I'll admit my joining into the political process had as much to do with a girl as it did with wanting to participate, but the girl wasn't the only reason. That was the year Goldwater tried to take this country to the far-right. I was dead set against him and worked hard that year to be sure he didn't get into the White House.
We achieved our goal that year. People pulled together and worked hard to get there. This year, PUMA has a goal and they are working hard to reach that goal. While I think their chances are non-existent, at least they have a goal. Do you?
I have seen little sign that most of the people on this site really have any goal, other than to re-fight the primary battle or to pour salt on old wounds. Instead of working together, we are fighting amongst ourselves. Instead of pulling for a common goal, we are pushing each other further apart. Is this what the majority of members on this site want?
Ask yourself if you have a goal this election cycle? If you do have a goal, are you working to advance it?
I have a goal. It's the same one I had 44 years ago - to see a Democrat in the White House. What's yours?
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