It’s Cyber Monday today, supposedly the biggest online shopping day. I suppose you’re all back at work ready to go?
Well, it’s also open thread time and it’s time to tell us your thoughts.
First, congratulations to Chelsea Clinton on her engagement:
Chelsea Clinton is engaged to her longtime boyfriend Marc Mezvinsky, a spokesman for former President Clinton told ABC News.
People magazine got a hold of the couple’s email to friends and family sharing the news. They’re planning to wed next summer.
Devilstower at Daily Kos caught my eye with his own version of Democratic purity test. He also points out that at least 7 of the 10 GOP purity test issues are just opposing and none actually propose any policy. I guess they’re writing a Contract With No.
Still, the purity test does provide a convenient check list. You too can be accepted as a Republican if you promise to hate gays, poor people, immigrants, and the environment (which, come to think of it, has been the Republican standard for decades). Out of pure bullet-point envy, I propose that Democrats must also have their own list. Ten litmus tests which every potential Democratic candidate should be able to ace before they ever hope to put (D) after their names. In fact, I’ll go so far as to be more pure than the Republicans. If you can’t pass every one of these tests, don’t bother to sign on.
(1) We support the rights extended to Americans extended under the Constitution. All the rights. For all Americans.
(2) We support thoughtful, pragmatic solutions that protect American lives, American standards, and American pocketbooks. This includes finding solutions that don’t require bombing anyone.
(3) We support an America that has diversity in race, thought, background, and religion not out of some hazy idealism, but because it is our nation’s greatest strength.
(4) We oppose torture in any form, in any place, at any time, for any reason.
(5) We support American business, and recognize that an unregulated market is an unfair market, an unstable market, and a market doomed to failure.
(6) We support American workers, and know that when workers are allowed to organize they make their jobs, their companies, and their nation stronger.
(7) We believe that the reputation of our nation is valuable and must be zealously guarded against those who place expediency ahead of law.
(8) We believe in spreading democracy and human rights to the rest of the world by vigorously upholding those ideals here at home.
(9) We believe that access to our government is not for sale. Not in the courthouse, not in the White House, and not in the legislature.
(10) We believe that the health of our planet is not a zero-sum game, not a game of “you go first,” and not a game.
What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with these 10 principles?