Incoming Democrats Put Populism Before Ideology

The New York Times ^ | November 12, 2006 | ROBIN TONER and KATE ZERNIKE

[taylorstreet]

The newly elected Democratic class of 2006, which is set to descend on the Capitol next week, will hardly be the first freshmen to arrive in Washington promising to make a difference.

The last time Congress changed hands, the Republican freshman class of 1994 roared into town under the leadership of Newt Gingrich as speaker and quickly advanced a conservative agenda of exceptional ambition.

Many in the class of 2006, especially those who delivered the new Democratic majorities by winning Republican seats, show little appetite for that kind of ideological crusade. But in interviews with nearly half of them this week, the freshmen — 41 in the House and 9 in the Senate, including one independent — conveyed a keen sense of their own moment in history, and a distinct world view: they say they were given a rare opportunity by voters, many of them independents and Republicans, who were tired of the partisanship and gridlock in Washington.

Now, they say, they have to produce — to deal with long-festering problems like access to affordable health care and the loss of manufacturing jobs, and to find a bipartisan consensus for an exit strategy in Iraq, a source of continuing division not only between but also within the parties.

Many of them say they must also, somehow, find a way to address the growing anxiety among voters about a global economy that no longer seems to work for them. There is a strong populist tinge to this class.

In general, they set themselves an extraordinary (political veterans might say impossible) task: to avoid the ideological wars that have so dominated Congress in recent years, to be pragmatists, and to change the tone in Washington after a sharply partisan campaign.

[raftguide]

"Your supposedly "Very Conservative" Dems suddenly forget everything they said on the campaign trail and revert to their real Leftist roots."

Yes, their Whips are ruthless in maintaining party discipline. And the Party is the liberal fringe. Their libs want the power in the Dem party, just like we conservatives want power in the Rep party, and they, as us, cast aspersions on every member who is is not syncophonic.

[SusaninOhio]

Sadly you are preaching to the choir at this site.

[OpusatFR]

"There is a strong populist tinge to this class."

Fairy tales. The left of left and progressive groups have called for the democrats to honour (STOP SNICKERING!) their agreements with them for their money and push.

The donkeys are really beholden to groups that aren't populist. They are socialists and Marxists and they owe George Soros big time.

[ClaireSolt]

Populism produces disenchantment and disillusion. I have been living with a community of cradle democrats who are now seniors and they refuse to vote, because they feel that they have been lied to their whole lives. To run on issues that the fed government cannot handle is heading in that unproductive direction, again.

One of my friends who had not voted since 1960 got motivated to vote. When I asked why, he said it was the war.

It is silly to be such defeatists. I think Dems found a way to win less that 10% of the seats in Congress by challenging conventional wisdom. They picked off Burns but we left 90 year olds Byrd and Akaka alone. I think they were hungrier and allso ruthless. If we go back on offense we will seize and make our opportunities next time.