TXsharon fights back!

Brenda Rankin, who is supposedly the leader of the Wise County Democrats had a few Pearls of Wisdom disjointed, incoherent things to say in the Weatherford Democrat this weekend.

The article starts off with a quote from Dick Yoder who is resigning as Parker County Democratic Party County Chair.

“When I became a Democrat … I believed the Democrats were a party of the people, by the people and for the people — not like the Republicans; the Republicans are business people,” he said. “Lately the [Democratic] party has shifted its direction. Now, it’s a party — or at least there is a faction of the party — that just wants to be in power.”

Of course that is total and utter nonsense. The Parker County Active Democrats were formed for the same reason the Wise County Active Democrats were: To work toward getting Democrats elected. However, back to the Pearls of Wisdom disjointed, incoherent utterances made by Brenda Rankin:

Wise County Democratic Party Chair Brenda Rankin, was among the group that walked out of the March 5 meeting. She said PCAD and the Wise County Active Democrats are more progressive and further left than the party norm.

“It’s basically a push in the Texas Democratic Party to install populist progressives from the left into the counties,” she said. “It’s been very difficult because basically you have two different groups and at times it seems like the groups are almost like a dual party in a county.”

First, about the Active Democrats being “more progressive and further left than the party norm”:

Within the Wise County Active Democrats, we have members who do not believe in evolution in any form or at any level. That is surely evidence of a radical far-left conservative viewpoint. She must be right-on about that one. /snark

We also have members who are for same-sex marriage and members who are against same-sex marriage, members who are for unregulated abortion and members who are not, members who are for immigration amnesty and members who are against amnesty and etc.

I call on Brenda Rankin to describe to us what exactly constitutes “more progressive and further left than the party norm.” The Democratic Party is supposed to be a “Big Tent Party” that welcomes people of all viewpoints. Brenda Rankin continually marginalizes other Democrats.

The part of her statement that irritates me the most is this:

“It’s basically a push in the Texas Democratic Party to install populist progressives from the left into the counties,”

At first, it seems that Ms. Rankin is defending and standing by her long-time friend and mentor, Dick Yoder. However, that statement is in direct opposition with Dick Yoder’s statement:

“When I became a Democrat … I believed the Democrats were a party of the people, by the people and for the people — not like the Republicans; the Republicans are business people,”

What the bloody hell does Ms. Ranking think populism is? It is exactly the very thing Yoder longs for in the above quote.

From Wikipedia:

Populism is a political doctrine or philosophy that purports to defend the interests of the common people against an entrenched, self-serving or corrupt elite.

From Progressive Populist Caucus:

pop·u·lism: noun – A parallel political movement in America which emphasizes the needs of working people of low and moderate income. In early American history this movement had its origins in rural America. In Texas, the populist movement addressed the rights of ranchers and land owners in west Texas vs. the aggressive “takings” of land during the development of railroads, which was supported by government. In east Texas the populist movement had its roots in usury in bank lending practices with small farmers and landowners. In both cases corporations and supporting government administrations were the object of criticism and citizen revolt. In the contemporary situation, Texas political office-holders such as Rep. Wright Patman, Sen. Ralph Yarbrough, Agriculture Commissioner Jim Hightower and Attorney General Jim Mattox, are self identified Populists, as is candidate David Van Os.

From the Texas Democratic Party Platform:

We believe an honest, ethical state government that serves the public interest, and not the special interests, will help all Texans realize economic and personal security by serving the interests of the people who live here, who work here, who worship here and who play here.

To that end, we recommend specific policy goals based on the beliefs and principles that are the foundation of a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

It is obvious to those who know her well that Ms. Rankin will say anything that she perceives as being detrimental to fellow Democrats in Wise County with complete disregard to whether it makes sense or is true. That fact should, by now, be clear to those who do not know Ms. Rankin.

Ms. Rankin, get a clue or shut up!