You're right. All-or-nothing oftentimes leaves you with nothing.
I'd go so far to say that many of the most vociferous don't really want to see this problem solved. The issue may be more valuable.
Posted on 11/19/2006 6:37:44 AM PST by Valin
NEW YORK In an article in the upcoming Sunday edition of The New York Times Magazine, frequent contributor Matt Bai looks at the aftermath of the recent midterm elections. Yet he suggests that things may not be all that rosy for Democrats as voters seem suspicious of anyone who gains power in Washington, D.C.
In Bai's view, the Dems have another possible problem: the very same liberal bloggers that helped make them the new majority in Congress.
The party's leaders have vowed to put together an agenda and work with the president and other Republicans to implement it. But Bai declares that there will be "significant obstacles to doing that" and only partly because the new Democratic caucus, as we've already seen, is fairly disparate.
His explanation: The party used to be controlled by narrow interest groups, such as "big labor." They still hold influence but they are in decline, only to have given way "to a new array of powerful actors: MoveOn.org, liberal philathropists, crusading bloggers. These new forces don't care so much about litmus-test policies, but they are adamant about confronting the president. The influence of the netroots, as the growing Web-based Democrats have come to be called, is likely to stifle an inclination toward compromise or creativity, making it difficult for Democrats to transition from an opposition party to a governing one. Thoughtful and dynamic leadership, after all, requires a willingness to negotiate and a tolerance for dissent."
The Times Magazine has had a mixed track record this year in its political focus, featuring on its cover Sen. Rick Santorum (who handily lost re-election), former Gov. Mark Warner (who quickly dropped out of the race for president) and Ken Mehlman (who steered his party to a humiliating election disaster). Its cover on Howard Dean looks a little better.
Bai's article mainly focuses on the likely change from ideological to "generational" politics in the future and the need for the aging leaders of both parties to find "the wisdom to step out of the way."
And speaking of "netroots": William Safire in his "On Language" column in the same issue traces the invention of that word to a 1993 mention in an e-mail list, first used by certain "rmcdon" at the University of California. But he says the popularizer of the word was Jerome Armstrong of the liberal blog MyDD, who may have first used it on Dec. 18, 2002, in promoting (very early) Howard Dean's campaign for president.
Safire says the word "will soon be in most new dictionnaries."
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus
Oh yeah! They don't understand the 70% rule.
To quote Dean Barnett at HughHewitt.com:
"Posted by Dean Barnett | 4:23 PM
1) How could this have happened? The entire weight and heft of the right-wing blogosphere stood behind a campaign to change the House leadership and nothing happened. Kos holds a putz-fest in Vegas and virtually the complete Democratic establishment comes to kiss his ring. Is the right wing blogosphere only capable of getting congressional types to give us a few minutes of their time on conference calls?
The right wing blogosphere has to deal with the facts. The politicians just aren’t that into us.
2) But how come the Democrats are so into the blogosphere and the Republicans aren’t? How come we don’t generate fear and respect like the Kosfather?
Because all we do is opine, and often in an annoyingly independent way. While all of us root for the Republican Party, we’re also pretty expressive when members of the party let us down. We might carry a little water, but as a group, I bet the Republican establishment thought of us as more as a pain in the neck than an asset during the last campaign season. I know I won’t be on George Allen’s Christmas card list.
3) And Kos is different?
Yes. Although he rips Democrats when he’s of a mind to do so, he also brings something else to the party. He brings volunteers and money and buzz. Although my modem might well explode as I type these words, Jon Tester would not be a senator starting in January if it weren’t for the Daily Kos. Same for Jim Webb. He never would have made it out of the primary.
4) Okay. So we should be more like Kos?
Not me. I have no interest in being a tool for the Republican Party, or at least not anymore so than I already am. But, and again my modem might explode, there is no denying that the Daily Kos is an asset to the Democratic Party in terms of winning elections. Or at least it was this past cycle."
Republicans have a huge structural problem. The democrats' coalition goals are not mutually exclusive. They all want bigger government and favors from that government. The Republican coalition is full of people who lose when others win (eg. national greatness neocons vs libertarians. Control the border now vs Y'all come)
Thanks. I think it also has to do with how the left and the right look at blogs. I can't speak for others but I view blogs as a source for news, not so much as a way to "get involved".
In their heart of hearts, the lefty 'nutroots' are true believers who feel an obligation to fix the world--against its will if necessary. In our heart of hearts, we righty 'wing nuts' are deeply suspicious of true believers determined to fix the world. The lefties are itching, thirsting, to believe in SOMETHING, ANYTHING -- as long as it's not Christianity. We righties just want to be left alone.
And when will these groups finally get the message that George Bush IS NOT running for office in 2008, nor is his VP or anyone in his cabinet.
I'll tell you what it is, nothing gets a group of people to ignore differences like a common enemy (Bush), or a group cause (taking back power). If the GOP is out of power for 8 years, suddenly everyone will be so agitated they'll suck it up and pull in the same direction.
The problem for Dems is they far more fault lines that can go crack in the night..it wouldn't take much for libs to turn on the "third way"...and that may be the dems only chance. They might be willing to suck it up for 2008...but they can't hold it in forever.
The Republican coalition is full of people who lose when others win (eg. national greatness neocons vs libertarians. Control the border now vs Y'all come)
national greatness neocons vs libertarians
How so?
Control the border now vs Y'all come
Something I've noticed here (Let me get my broadbrush out) so many people seem to live in an either-or world. (on this subect) You either want to carpet bomb the border tomorrow or you've sold out (ok I'm exaggerating, but sometimes it seems that way). When (IMO) most people want something done, but understand it's going to be a long term solution, and there is no magic bullet.
It's very dangerous to encourage lies and embolden crackpots for the sake of short term political advantage. The Dems are about to learn that lesson.
Jon Tester would not be a senator starting in January if it weren’t for the Daily Kos. Same for Jim Webb. He never would have made it out of the primary.
Just not true. If it were, the MSM would have been reminding us of it every second of every day for the next six months. What Kos really brought us was Ned Lamont. And we all know what happened to Ned Lamont.
The Kos brigade doesn't care about party identification as much as it does about ideology. Jim Webb is far too conservative for the Kos Krowd.
I suppose conservates should enter into liberal blogsphere to help hold the democrats accountable. For example, why are we not out of Iraq yet??? Why do we have this conservative or that conservative in power within the party? It would be fun to compare the liberal agenda going into the election with what the Democrats actually do while in power. We just waana halp! It is our duty as citizens to halp the liburls.
On border control you are arguing against a strawman so I won't even go there.
You either want to carpet bomb the border tomorrow or you've sold out
You're right. All-or-nothing oftentimes leaves you with nothing.
I'd go so far to say that many of the most vociferous don't really want to see this problem solved. The issue may be more valuable.
I really wish I could disagree...but I can't.
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