George,

I'm so disgusted with rank and file Democrats who think whining expresses power. Is my party reduced to losers? Listen up:

In most states people have three rights of self-government: initiative, referendum, and recall. Later generations probably didn't learn about them in school, being too busy collecting gold stars for showing up. Nevermind.

Dems in every state including states that don't have those rights, like Virginia, should RIGHT NOW be getting referendum and recall petitions signed in every shopping center, sports arena, transportation hub in the state targeting the congressional idiots behind the shutdown. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO WIN! It's an education program, because so many voters are morons, as you find out by manning a petition table aggressively. And it scares the victims of the petitions, because sometimes these are effective and officeholders get dumped.

That program should have begun Tuesday, under a plan implemented by the DNC through state organizations. But you know what? The DNC probably can't even tell you who to target because they aren't that organized. They can't get a first-class organizer anywhere near the party controls because the doors to power are blockaded by sweet novices whose terrible fear of using power makes us the party of whimpering cowards.

It's forever true: Those who trade their swords for plows will plow for those who don't.

Rey Barry (Electronic mail, October 2, 2013)