taking your ball and going home

The more I think about it, the more I find it ironic that people would walk away from the democratic party now, as the party is poised to make significant gains at state and federal levels. You'd think that you would want to influence this process, get the issues that are priorities to you heard. To improve the quality of the party, its cadidates and its elected officials.

If you don't participate, you're not hurting the people who win the elctions. They'll lead the party, legislate and govern based on the opinions and contact they get from the citizens who do participate.

All across the country people who have never run for anything before are running for committee-person, ward leader, state house, Congress, etc. They are changing the party and the system from the bottom up, which is really the only way to do it. If you walk away now, you're foregoing a chance influence that change, to make it recognize your issues and priorities.

But if you prefer to sit on the sidelines and let others decide the future of the party, don't bitch about it later.