Not to be overly critical of Clinton supporters, but...what the hell are you thinking?

We'll get right back to whether or not she can win in the general, but how in the world can you claim that she is worthy of your vote as a progressive.

<ul>
<li>She has voted in favor of invasion of a non-threatening  Middle Eastern country TWICE. Different countries, too. One dominated by Sunnis, one dominated by Shiites.</li>
<li>She has voted repeatedly to continue funding the Iraq debacle to no positive effect.</li>
<li>She has (and I'm tired of putting it this way, but it's the truth) an attitude about the First Amendment that is to the right of Antonin F. Scalia. (Yeah, I know his middle name is Gregory. I'll leave it as an exercise to the reader to figure out what the F. stands for.)</li>
<li>She has voted to prop up Big Money at the expense of the middle class.</li>
<li>You know I could just keep going with this list, don't you?</li>
</ul>

How can you expect people like me -- and I think that means people who have been faithful Dems all their lives but can't force themselves to be Yellow Dogs any longer -- to stop pointing out these deep flaws in the character of your candidate? For that matter, how can a person with Senator Clinton's positions BE your candidate?

As if her domestic and foreign policy postitions weren't abhorrent enough, she seems determined to win the nomination whether or not it shatters her party. She will twist superdelegate arms and fight to the death to seat her unearned FL and MI delegates regardless of the long-term effects.

When it comes to winning in Nov, I will now concede that she might, but only because the Republicans are engaged in a death struggle pitting the Extreme Right with the Completely Insane Right in a battle for power and the Glory of Jesus.

Not that it has any effect on the validity of my arguments here, but before you accuse me of cultishness -- as you folks are so eager to do to Obama supporters -- let me repeat, as I have done any number of times, that I NOT one of them. I find his Wear-My-Religion-On-My-Sleeve approach disturbing. I find his willingness to invade an ally without a Congressional declaration of war disturbing. And I find the imprecision of his positions disturbing, among other problems. I'm also pretty sure his health-care plan is unworkable. Suffice it to say I have hardly fallen under his -- or the media's -- spell.

But whereas Obama raises many doubts, I simply cannot understand why Sen. Clinton inspires any doubts whatsoever. She is simply and almost completely unsuitable from the perspective of a lefty.

So, Clintonistas, you want me to stop criticizing your candidate? You want to unite the Democratic Party? Sure. Just find yourselves another more progressive candidate and I'll be pleased to join you. Many of us will.