when in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one party to talk like idiots

[primroseburrows]

Dear Republican politicians,

I've noticed that many of you refer to the Democratic Party of the United States as "the Democrat Party". I mean, sure, I know why you do it, and you probably think you're so clever for thinking it up, but um.

The party's official name has been "The Democratic Party" since 1844. It has never, ever been "The Democrat Party." So, you are being neither clever nor witty, you are merely WRONG. Saying someone is "a Democrat" is proper. Saying he or she is "a Democrat Senator/Congressperson" or a "Democrat voter" or a "member of the Democrat party" is not only wrong, it's improper grammar and just plain silly.

A bit of advice: If I were you I'd cut it out. I mean, you can keep right on being wrong and knock yourself out for all I care, but don't be surprised if people make fun of you, just like we do to people who say the world is flat or drive Hummers.

And remember, we're not laughing at you, we're laughing--oh, wait. We ARE laughing at you.

In conclusion, Thomas Jefferson^*.

Admonishingly,

Me

P.S. I'm not a member of any political party, so I have no stock in what you guys call each other. I'm just in it for the lulz.




In sorta related news, I haven't been able to connect with democrats.org at all today. Conversly, gop.com connects just fine. This fact really isn't related to anything, I just thought I'd mention it.


^*In case you're from Texas and have never heard of him, he was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He wrote a little document you may or may not know about.

Comments

[ashkitty.livejournal.com]

As a general rule, I don't think they're really bothered by being wrong. :p

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

Apparently they're not bothered by sounding like fifth-graders teasing someone in the schoolyard at recess, either.

[peacey.livejournal.com]

Gracious. A bit snarky touchy today are we? You know, too much Olberman will do that.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

Olbermann's been taking a leave of absence (his father has been ill and has very recently died). Besides, I like Maddow better ;)

I really think that using the wrong name deliberately is snarky and immature. I'd think it just as silly if the Dems had some cutesy little nyah-nyah name for the GOP, too.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

I hate it when people do it no matter what. It's like in HP fandom when people would refer to Snape as "Snapey Poo" to be obnoxious to people who liked him. Or there was one person who always referred to Voldemort as "Morty". It always drove me crazy. (I could handle things that were sort of accepted nicknames like Voldie but "Morty" was just that irritating "pay attention to how clever I am!")

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I hate it, too. And I've heard "Voldie" but never "Morty". Eww.

I think what I hate the most about the whole "Democrat Party" thing is that it's obviously meant to imply that the Democrats aren't really democratic, which is nonsense, because BOTH parties are small-d democratic (by virtue of the process they use to get themselves elected, among other things).


Trivia: The Democratic Party was once called the Democratic-Republican party, and if you'd asked any of the Founding Fathers what type of government the US was, they'd have told you republican, because of course it was and still is a constitutional republic. It's also a representative democracy, so completely without referring to party, the United states is both democratic and republican. [/history dork]

[the_antichris.livejournal.com]

I don't even get why they think it's clever. 'Democrat' is still cognate with 'democracy', after all. So their whole thing is basically 'HAHA WE'RE IN UR NOOZ MEDIA STEALIN UR SUFFIX', but they pretend it has more deeper meaning than people who like to annoy me by calling me Christine? Whatever, dudes.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

IT IS SILLY. SILLY SILLY SILLY.

[songdogmi.livejournal.com]

Perhaps we should start referring to the Republic Party and Republic Senator so-and-so. See how they like it.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

Sadly, I'm too much of a grammar snob to do that.

[peacey.livejournal.com]

Were I a Republican, I'd quite like it. Worse things to be associated with than a Republic.

[songdogmi.livejournal.com]

I'm not very good at getting back at people in retalliation.

On the other hand, I think there's something about "Senator So-And-So" that could work, especially if one didn't want to swear. That could actually be bipartisan.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

Hmm, Senator So-and-So. I think he was defeated in the primaries.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

It's a very appropriate name for a US political party. So's "Democratic", actually, since the US is both a constitutional republic and a representative democracy (ref. my dorky comment in this thread).

[newleaf31.livejournal.com]

I think they started doing this about four years ago, didn't they? It drives me CRAZY, just because... well, like you said, it's wrong! You know what really went all over me? When I heard a DEMOCRATIC congressman call HIMSELF a member of the Democrat Party the other day. I can't remember who it was, but my eyeballs nearly popped from my skull, and I almost jumped into the television to throttle him.

I want Keith to come back. /selfish I'm with you, I love Rachel 100 times more than Keith; but I still miss Keith. I watch him more to be entertained than to stay informed. Lawrence --> not as outraged --> not as entertaining.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the Dems sometimes do it, too. Silly, silly silly. They don't even have a snarky middle-school reason to do it.

Keith should be back soon. Also? When I'm 912 and it's my time to shuffle off this mortal coil I hope I get a fraction of the support Keith gave his Dad. (I think I will, because my kids are made of seven kinds of awesomesauce). :)

[isiscolo.livejournal.com]

Ah, you know they do it on purpose to get our goats. Like theletter to the editor the other day that referred to our president as "B. Hussein Obama."

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

Yeah, because y'know, his grandfather named his father that because he was psychic and knew that someday there'd be an evil dictator named Hussein and wanted to be sure his grandson would be named after him.

You know what I LOVE? That Obama used his full name for his swearing-in. <3

Also, I very much heart your icon. :)