Dems are out of gas - (can't run; can't hide)

JEWISH WORLD REVIEW.COM ^ | MARCH 14, 2005 | MICHAEL BARONE

[CHARLITE]

What do Democrats want? Many answers, or partial answers, can be found in the 90th anniversary issue of the New Republic, in the post-election issue of the American Prospect, and in various other writings by smart Democrats unhappy with the defeat their party suffered in 2004. These writers avoid the left blogosphere's wacky claims that the election was stolen. They understand that both parties played to win and turned out many new voters. John Kerry got 16 percent more votes than Al Gore. George W. Bush got 23 percent more votes in 2004 than in 2000.

Most of these Democrats focus on domestic policy. New Republic Editor Peter Beinart has called for purging those Democrats unwilling to robustly fight the war on terrorism. But that position has not elicited much response, except for calls to show more respect for the military and a certain quietness among vitriolic Bush critics after the Iraqi election.

No strategy. The bleakest picture comes from two usually optimistic analysts, Stanley Greenberg and James Carville. In their latest Democracy Corps memo, they lament that, despite what they see as Republican stumbling on Social Security, voters don't think Democrats have new ideas for addressing the country's problems. By denying that Social Security has problems, "Democrats seem stuck in concrete." In the New Republic, John Judis takes a longer view. Since the 1970s, he notes, Democrats have had little success expanding government. He blames international competition, the decline of private-sector unions, and stronger business lobbyists. A revival of liberalism, he writes, "would probably require a national upheaval similar to what happened in the '30s and '60s. That could happen but doesn't appear imminent."

[CHARLITE]

If they had any BRAINS, they would really turn to the center/right and run Zell Miller in 2008. He'd win in a landslide. Meanwhile, please someone get to Zell before a really smart Democrat does, and let's us Republicans run Zell, with Condi as Veep!

[DennisR]

Out of gas? I would say they are full of gas. :)

[EagleUSA]

All the party leaders want is POWER AND CONTROL. They have no other purpose, no agenda for America, no platform, no nothing --- Kerry was a SHINING EXAMPLE of the emptiness of these power-centric fools. It still astonishes me how a dolt like Kerry could get such a high vote count, AND NEVER ONCE DID HE EVER PUT FORTH A VISION AND TANGIBLE PLAN FOR AMERICA...NOT ONCE !!!!

A sick situation...

[Zivasmate]

They may be out of gas, but there is plenty of oral flatulence.

[KC_Conspirator]

There wacko radical judges and activists keep on handing the GOP that gay marraige issue, which is disguting and an affront to decency to most Americans.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

Zell is left wing but he is a patriot.
Look up his voting record.

[ozzymandus]

Gas is all they have left!

[eric_da_grate]

What you said.

:)

[ran15]

I agree the international competition and other factors. But I wouldn't rule out the socialists just yet.. they seem to have forgetten in the last 4 years, the federal education budget doubled, and a gigantic new medicare entitlement got put in place.

The Dems would have ran hard on perscription drugs for seniors and probably won the election if the Reps hadn't come up with a compromise bill.

[Nick Danger]

The only surefire thing Democrats stand for is more and bigger government. Trouble is, they were so successful, for so long, that now people have all the government they want. Democrats who promise more just aren't connecting with people.

[jmaroneps37]

This morning a caller to C-SPAN said he "supports the Democratic agrenda". It got me thinking: Just what IS the Democratic agenda anyway?

[reformedliberal]

...they were so successful, for so long, that now people have all the government they want.

---

I think this is spot on. There aren't many entitlements left to whine about. Most members of most ethnic groups are either assimilated or already co-opted by the donks and these are shrinking demographic segments.

Basic economic change has resulted in fewer unionized manufacturing workers. The remaining clerical workers just don't have that much clout. They can't bring the economy to a halt by striking.

If you add in the aborted liberal babies and the babies never born because people were manipulated into believing Malthusian population predictions, there has been a serious reduction in potential donk ranks. The FDR generation is dying off, as well.

At the same time, American wealth has increased and more people are subject to onerous taxation that they do not want.

The thing is, socialism was a 19th century philosophy that survived beyond its time into the 20th century. It is still hanging on due to the unimaginative who cannot deal with the changes in ground truth of the 21st century. They are weakened and marginalized and are just beginning to realize it.

As we get to watch the death of socialism played out in the EU, it is going to be less and less attractive to Americans. This will also make clear the increasing importance of physical security. In the ensuing fight for funding, I think national security will trump economic redistribution.

Poor leftists............NOT.

[CHARLITE]

Your comments are brilliant, "reformedliberal!" You have a fine writing style. Why not start writing "for real," and then submit your columns to the major serious web journals - sometimes referred to as "e-zines?" You would surely do well, because you organize and present your arguments quite professionally!

Char :)

[reformedliberal]

Thank you! This made my very chaotic day!

I have done a bit of expository writing that was published in an obscure journal....several years ago. But my business has taken off this year and I really must attend to that, first.

Writing is on my retirement to do list, though! The writing doesn't take the time that the research does.

Meanwhile, I get to hone myself against all the brilliant minds here on FR.