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Wanted: A New Path for Democrats (5 Letters)
NY Times ^ | April 3, 2005 | various

Posted on 04/03/2005 8:47:47 PM PDT by neverdem

To the Editor:

I disagree with former Senator Bill Bradley's hypothesis regarding the central cause of the Democratic Party's "inversion" ("A Party Inverted," Op-Ed, March 30).

The failures of the Democratic Party are not attributable to our longing for another J.F.K.-type figure to lead the way. Rather, we are weakened by the fundamental premises of our own ideology.

We place a very high value on the heterogeneity and diversity of our party. But by promoting heterogeneity and diversity, we are dispersing our power instead of consolidating it.

If we want to make progress, we need to focus on constructing a set of clear and concise principles and values that centralizes and homogenizes our message, but not our members.

Michael P. Marshal Pittsburgh, March 30, 2005

To the Editor:

Bill Bradley complains that Democrats who run for president have to build their own political pyramids because there is no stable, larger structure upon which they can rely.

But the Democrats do have pyramid elements that are not dependent on the candidate. There is a large source of perennial funding. Liberal sources and people like George Soros have recently been joined by MoveOn.org and various "527 committees."

The second tier includes Democrat-dominated establishment media and colleges and universities. The third tier includes consultants like James Carville and Paul Begala.

While a charismatic candidate might help, the Democrats' pyramid is already stable. But this is about the battle for the soul of the Democratic Party, a subject Mr. Bradley does not address.

A. Jared Silverman West Orange, N.J., March 30, 2005 The writer was a Republican candidate for Congress in 2002.

To the Editor:

Bill Bradley describes the institutional advantages that Republicans have over Democrats. But he does not identify the institutional base that served the Democrats well when they were in the majority: labor unions.

The decline of organized labor was an essential ingredient in the decline of the Democrats, and until the party finds a way to help labor rebuild, or discovers a functional substitute, it will continue to be out-strategized by the G.O.P.

Howard L. Reiter Storrs, Conn., March 30, 2005 The writer is chairman of the department of political science at the University of Connecticut.

To the Editor:

Bill Bradley, in his analysis of the shortcomings of the Democratic Party, points to Bill Clinton as a charismatic victor who was unable to create a supporting organization around him. This is true, but to what extent was that because of the self-inflicted troubles he faced because of the Monica Lewinsky matter?

Democrats have nominated two uncharismatic, somewhat colorless candidates in the last two elections. Their inability to energize and galvanize voters who might have been undecided hurt the party's effort.

I agree that the Democratic Party needs to organize from the bottom up. It needs financing, a new generation of political activists, think tanks and, most important, a concerted effort at the state level to take back state legislatures and governorships.

Ed Weissman New York, March 30, 2005

To the Editor:

While I agree with Bill Bradley's advocacy of a Republicanesque pyramidal finance and information structure for the Democratic Party, I do not think that such a structure would remedy the practical electoral problems that the party is facing.

How would a pyramidal structure win Congressional seats for Democrats in Texas or Alabama? How would it help paint Missouri or Kansas blue again? Establishing a successful fund-raising and media network will not ensure electoral gains.

Democrats need to reinvent the message they send to the heartland before reinventing the foundation of their party.

Adam Shpeen Albany, March 30, 2005


TOPICS: Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS: billbradley; bradley; democraticparty; dnc; georgesoros; kerrydefeat; lte; moveonorg; soros
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1 posted on 04/03/2005 8:47:48 PM PDT by neverdem
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To: neverdem

The writer from Pittsburgh makes the most sense.

But they are doomed, they are for nothing but abortion and sexual hedonism. That's not what made America great, and Americans know it.


2 posted on 04/03/2005 8:53:32 PM PDT by jocon307 (We can try to understand the New York Times effect on man)
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To: neverdem
We place a very high value on the heterogeneity and diversity of our party. But by promoting heterogeneity and diversity, we are dispersing our power instead of consolidating it.

NOT the Dem's problem.

Their real problem is that they generally are opposed to the values most American hold dear. Their rare triumphs in recent years have come when they've managed to obscure this basic fact.

3 posted on 04/03/2005 8:54:27 PM PDT by Restorer
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To: neverdem

Good! They still don't get it.


4 posted on 04/03/2005 8:56:18 PM PDT by wolfpat (Dum vivimus, vivamus)
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Comment #5 Removed by Moderator

To: neverdem
Democrats need to reinvent the message they send to the heartland before reinventing the foundation of their party.

Hold on, folks - I detect some actual SENSE here!

6 posted on 04/03/2005 8:57:46 PM PDT by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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To: neverdem

Earth to democrats, you do not win "red voters" over by telling them of the virtues of same sex marriage. You also do NOT back gay marriage in a speech in a blue state. You see, no matter how dumb you think the red staters are, we do own televisions and figured out long ago how to use them.

A. Turn to Fox News.

B. Rip off knob.


7 posted on 04/03/2005 8:59:55 PM PDT by trubluolyguy ("If the enemy is in range, so are you")
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To: neverdem
Howard Dean has already said that all they need to do is package their stale, tired old message in new flashy ways. The Democrats used to be quite successful at doing this when they had a strangle hold on the MSM media. Those days are gone now and they continue to believe that if they describe Homosexual Marriage as a "Right". The last bastion of Liberalism resides in our Courts, and we must defeat them
8 posted on 04/03/2005 9:02:30 PM PDT by MJY1288 (The Democrats are the party for the death of the innocent and life for the wicked)
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To: neverdem
The funny thing is that most of the Coastal democrats (both Coasts) look with great disdain at their fellow citizens that stem from the heartland and such places. They feel they are better than most of the nation, and they show it. They directly and indirectly insinuate that Christian adherents are somehow retarded, and that anyone who does not agree with abortion-on-demand and pro-homosexual books in grade school is some sort of anti-social luddite-esque evolutionary throw back.

The funny thing is that they automatically shut-out a significant chunk of the US populace, and thus potential voters. And not only that but they are constantly undergoing voter attrition! With every election fewer African-Americans vote for the Dems, fewer Hispanics, fewer adherents of the JEwish faith, and so on. And with the current predicament that the Democrat Party is finding itself in, each and every lost vote counts.

By their very haughtiness and unabated disdain for those who will not wear Rainbow Colors and cut back on the military, they are killing themselves.

And think about it .....people like John F. Kerry and Ted Kennedy, and even Hillary Clinton (even though she has tried to distance herself from abortion) are simply not like most Americans people will meet. John Kerry, for example, is more akin to a European than a typical American. And the hilarious thing is that many Democrats see this as a badge of honor. Well, the joke is on them since the voters who count in an American election are American citizens .....NOT French nationals or German denizens. American Citizens! Thus it doesn't matter how much Kerry meshes with your average European citizen, nor how much they admire him, if the American voter thinks he lacks a spine!

The Democrat party might very well go the same way as the Whigs! Extinction. PArties do become extinct, and have in the past. And the Democrat party is heading down the same stream of irrelevance.

And it serves them right. No one likes a haughty nose .....particularly when their insolence and pride is backed by a level and magnitude of stupidity that is off the charts.

Finally: The funny thing is as their ship sinks they will still be claiming that Karl Rove had something to do with it, when the truth is that their worst enemy is themselves.

No wonder they support euthanasia and all that stuff. They in essence are a party that at its core is comprised of Suicidal maniacs!

9 posted on 04/03/2005 9:06:51 PM PDT by spetznaz (Nuclear tipped ICBMs: The Ultimate Phallic Symbol.)
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To: neverdem

Stop hating America, and Americans might actually vote for you.


10 posted on 04/03/2005 9:07:53 PM PDT by Jhensy
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To: neverdem
It needs financing

George Soros, Ted Turner, Bill Gates, the Pew Charitable Trusts, Ford Foundation ...

a new generation of political activists

MoveOn.org, PETA, Million Mom March/Brady Campaign to Disarm America...

think tanks

Brookings Institution, Washington Post editorial board, New York Times editorial board, Los Angeles Times editorial board, Open Society Institute, Center for Public Integrity ...

Yeah, they don't have enough of those things. That's the problem right there.

11 posted on 04/03/2005 9:10:17 PM PDT by coloradan (Hence, etc.)
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To: jocon307
Those are the only constants within their ranks, it would seem.

To follow the Pittsburgh writer's advice, they would have to come out consolidated in favor of evil. That's what ultimately unites new, younger Democrats.

12 posted on 04/03/2005 9:10:53 PM PDT by Lexinom (You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.)
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To: neverdem

I loved that .. "reinvent the message".

You can't re-invent something you never had.


13 posted on 04/03/2005 9:12:06 PM PDT by CyberAnt (President Bush: "America is the greatest nation on the face of the earth")
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Comment #14 Removed by Moderator

To: neverdem
We place a very high value on the heterogeneity and diversity of our party.

Being heterogenous is their downfall.

Send in the clowns,

"there out to be clowns"

15 posted on 04/03/2005 9:13:00 PM PDT by mdittmar (May God watch over those who serve,and have served, to keep us free.)
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To: neverdem
If we want to make progress, we need to focus on constructing a set of clear and concise principles and values that centralizes and homogenizes our message

Well that's clear.

16 posted on 04/03/2005 9:14:30 PM PDT by eddie willers (Charter Member of the WPPFF)
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To: uncleosbert
what's wrong with same sex marriage? seriously? and why are liberals so awful? can you state anything specific?

What do *you* think about same-sex marriage and liberalism in general.

Oh, and Welcome to FR!

17 posted on 04/03/2005 9:15:39 PM PDT by Wormwood (Iä! Iä! Cthulhu fhtagn!)
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To: uncleosbert

Oh for Christ's sake.

Lurk a while and you will learn.


18 posted on 04/03/2005 9:15:57 PM PDT by eddie willers (Charter Member of the WPPFF)
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To: eddie willers
Lurk a while and you will learn.

Looks like he'll be getting an advanced lesson soon.

19 posted on 04/03/2005 9:16:56 PM PDT by Wormwood (Iä! Iä! Cthulhu fhtagn!)
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To: mdittmar

"Send in the clowns..."

Don't bother, they're here!


20 posted on 04/03/2005 9:19:02 PM PDT by jocon307 (We can try to understand the New York Times effect on man)
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