Posted on 09/15/2006 12:45:32 PM PDT by blitzgig
For a couple of years now, Democrats have licked their chops at the prospect of taking back the House and Senate in the 2006 midterm elections. For much of that time it seemed the Democrats were well positioned to pull off the feat. Democrats have made some huge mistakes, though, and according to polls released this week, it appears they are paying for them.
There are several issues that are playing prominently in the upcoming elections. Iraq, national security, immigration, and gas prices are a few of those ranking as top concerns of voters. On those and other issues, instead of coming up with a bold plan to address them, Democrats have relied on Republicans to fail.
Much of the good news that some new polls are showing for GOP congressional prospects are due to renewed attention to issues relating to national security. As the September 11 anniversary and the President’s series of speeches focused attention on the issue of fighting terrorism and defending America, the opposition of Bill Clinton and his former administration officials to the ABC drama, The Path to 9/11, reminded Americans of the failures that led to that day.
In the past, Americans have known more about what Bill Clinton pulled out of his pants, than what Sandy Berger stuffed into his. That might have changed somewhat this past week though, as Berger’s high profile opposition to the ABC movie focused attention on his actions both before and after 9/11.
Some Republicans are making sure the attention of the American people stays focused on national security. Majority leader John Boehner drew criticism from Democrats this week when he said, “I listen to my Democrats friends, and I wonder if they are more interested in protecting the terrorists than protecting the American people.” Speaker Dennis Hastert said Capitol Hill Democrats are confused about who the enemy is.
Although Democrats cried foul, some votes and positions taken by Democrats on issues such as the NSA surveillance program and the Patriot Act provide some support for the statements.
Democrats were sure the Iraq war would be their silver bullet in 2006. They believed a failed Bush policy would be enough. What they did not do was come up with a plan of their own. In the absence of any coherent, unified plan, on Iraq or national security, some of the more outrageous comments from Democrats filled the void.
Some of the positions Democrats in Congress have taken on issues of national security have been politically harmful, but high profile celebrities closely identified with the Democratic party have also provided plenty of ammunition to the GOP. Earlier this week, actually the day after September 11, Rosie O’Donnell made the comment that, “radical Christianity is just as threatening as radical Islam in a country like America." Appearing on The O’Reilly Factor to discuss Rosie’s statement, Democratic strategist Laura Schwartz admitted that the comment was shocking and that it would likely reflect badly on Democrats and could hurt them at the polls.
Later on the same O’Reilly show, Arianna Huffington was asked about the Iraqi Kurds’ ad thanking America for freeing them. Huffington said it was propaganda and that the situation of the Kurds had not changed at all since America invaded Iraq. When O’Reilly pointed out that under Saddam’s regime the Kurds were brutally persecuted, Huffington’s response was “So what.”
Although Rosie O’Donnell and Arianna Huffington are not candidates, they are identified with the Democratic party. When that party fails to put forward an identifiable plan, comments like those from O’Donnell and Huffington, as well as from others, such as Cindy Sheehan, receive increased attention.
The five year anniversary of September 11, the President’s announcement of information obtained from terrorists held in secret CIA jails, and a series of very good speeches have captured voters’ attention at the same time many were just beginning to follow the campaigns leading up to the November elections. Voters will take that, and other information, into account when they determine which side of the decision-making equation they want their leaders to fall in this post-9/11 world. I am betting that most will come down on the side of those candidates more concerned with preventing the murder of innocent Americans than those placing a higher priority on the rights of terrorists.
"In the past, Americans have known more about what Bill Clinton pulled out of his pants, than what Sandy Berger stuffed into his..."
Bahahahahahahahahah! Line of the year candidate.
A better line was never written.............Tagline, anybody?.........
Democrats in '06: It's Time for a Change!
Whew. Sends the chills up your spine.
If you fail to define yourself in a campaign, rest assured that your opponents will. The dems failure to put forth any kind of an affirmative agenda (of course, any agenda they come up with would just be a mask) is allowing the Republicans to define them for what they are.
Lets hope the trend in the polls continues. I am worried about Senate races in PA, Montana, Missouri, and Tennessee. Because I have to worry about those states, that leaves me no choice but to root for Linc in RI. Jeez the Senat sucks.
They have no plan.
They have no ideas.
They have no alternatives.
They have no clue.......
I wonder if Pelosi the Whip can cancel her order for drapes for the Speaker's office?
Excellent piece, Lorie Byrd nails it.
On a related note, watched Brit Hume's panel show yesterday where Fred Barnes (Weekly Standard) noted that it was the falling gas prices that's accounting for the Republicans gaining favorability in the polls. That's frightening. Are Americans THIS shallow and selfish that something like the gas prices will sway their votes from one party to another? EEKS! If so, we really should revisit the logic of universal franchise. Seriously, I am scared about participating in a political system where age and citizenship are the only qualifications for being able to vote.
More than that, the 'Rats
have built their attacks on Bush.
Hey, Bush ain't running!
For eight years the 'Rats
have made "Hate Bush" their slogan
but Republicans
will be running folks
(probably) with no direct
link to the Bush name.
I'm praying the 'Rats
have overlooked how focused
they've been on one man.
The answer to your question is...YES!
I don't think either house will go Dem in this cycle.
I imagine we will see the long knives come out for Ms. Pelosi. I wonder if the Dems will seriously reappraise their policies. Not likely - they probably think this should pull them further to the left.
The stupidity of this woman is amazing.
Dear Rosie, Radical Christians gave birth to your country and the enlightenment in Europe that gave you the freedom to come out of the closet.
I know you don't wanna see what radical Islam brings forth now do ya?
Girl..you are so funny!!
The reason Arianna and Rosie do matter is that the Democrats in power do not explain things any more intelligently or coherently, which means not at all. They are playing a permanent game of bluff and duck, hoping everyone wont see the obvious, and discover their utter rudderlessness. The best spokesman for the Democrats is reduced to apologizing for Howard Dean, or disingenuously denying that Dean is important, after all he is only head of the party. Their talking points are contradictory, jumbled, and specious. And the American people seem to be figuring this out. So when Rosie opens her cavernous mouth and spews outward her ridiculous idiocy, all Democrats winch, and they should. It is their fault that their followers are so completely clueless.
I think the Dems have plans, they are just so unpalatable that they can't utter them. Cut and run from Iraq. Ban/confiscate all our guns. Raise taxes to pre-Kennedy levels. Ban trucks and suv's. Shut down refineries. Socialize medicine. Execute Christians. The list is long.
Yes, I saw the segment with Barnes and it is frightening that many voters are this shallow. The shallowness of many is the reason many politicians can yell and scream about a subject knowing what they say is a lie and still be confident they are gaining votes.
T'is very true. Thank God for small favors, eh?
Tennessee is a problem?
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