The Coming Democrat Counteroffensive

American Thinker ^ | January 20, 2010 | Steve McCann

[neverdem]

The unexpected election of Scott Brown in Massachusetts, driven equally by opposition to the Obama agenda and an inept Democratic candidate, will fuel optimism that Republicans and conservatives will recapture the Congress. However, with ten months to go before the midterm election, this confidence is misplaced and misguided, and it will play into the hands of the Democrat strategists.

Success in taking over the Congress from the entrenched Democrats will require an understanding of their tactics and a unified strategy on the part of all conservatives, libertarians, and independents who recognize why the election is so pivotal. The Democratic machine will pull out all the stops to maintain control of Congress, particularly in light of the Brown victory.

The 2010 midterm elections will be nationalized, and money spent by the Democrats and their allies will be staggering, as will the level of vitriol and mudslinging. Anything and everything must be expected.

The current Democratic leaders will rely on two assumptions: 1) that the electorate, after decades of peace, prosperity, and lack of civic education, is generally ignorant and apathetic towards the machinations in Washington, D.C.; 2) that gerrymandering, skewed election laws, and political financing regulations -- and most importantly, the fragmented nature of the opposition -- will greatly benefit the Democrats. The Left will be confident in the reelection of their own congressmen in sufficient number to maintain control of the levers of power in Washington.

Either rationale stems from one central point: citizen apathy. However slowly, that indifference is beginning to change, as noted by the polls showing a resurgence of conservatism, particularly as reflected by the tea party movement. But a crusade based on emotion and held together only by opposition to single issues cannot succeed in achieving the monumental change necessary to save the country.

At this point in January 2010, the tenuous, multi-faceted coalition that makes up the grassroots resistance to the radical Obama agenda comprises those opposed to illegal immigration, amnesty, excessive government spending, abortion, gay marriage, taxes, gun control, heath care reform, free trade, foreign entanglements, Wall Street, and those who desire to see every Republican politician hanged. Each group expects the other to agree fully with its signature issue.

It is for that reason that the Left treats the conservative movement with such disdain, knowing full well that this coalition has a potential internal time bomb which can explode prior to any major election. All the Democrats have to do is light the fuse.

Everyone is aghast that the Democrats and the liberal media have employed a base and vile vulgarism not only to describe the activities of those who are sincerely concerned for the country's future, but also to denigrate the individuals, their motives, appearance, and social status. This tactic is used because it works.

It works because it distracts from the real issues by fomenting discussions about what is said and forcing a response to an absurd accusation or portrayal. The pundits, politicians, and leaders on the right feel obligated to respond and deny the allegations, thus giving them more credibility and allowing the Left to find ways to make even more outrageous charges, thus perpetuating the cycle.

The Left must personalize every policy disagreement or election by denigrating their opposition, thus steering all conversation away from what is most important: the future of the United States as either a capitalist or socialist country.

A codicil to this strategy is to abet the potential fragmentation of the conservative alliance by falsely accusing an opposition candidate of being less than committed to a particular policy, thus creating an emphasis on the importance of a single issue for one or the other of the myriad groups within the movement. Many within these aggregations are hypersensitive and on constant alert for any perceived slight from their fellow coalition members.

Many have proffered the theory that the Left resorts to name-calling and hyperbole because they cannot defend their socialist and secular philosophy. While it is true that they must resort to emotion to sell their theories to the masses, the political strategy to achieve power is fragmenting the opposition by questioning their motives, accusing them of hypocrisy or criminal and unethical behavior, and by using election laws to skew close elections against them. As long as this strategy works, the Left does not have to defend its philosophical positions.

The only way to defeat the Left is to stop playing by their rules.

First, it must be understood that the enemy we are fighting, the Liberals or the Left, makes up 20% of the country's population. Moderates are 36%, and conservatives are more than 40%.  Based on that breakdown, one might assume that something like 67% of moderates lean to the conservative view. Thus, 64% of the citizenry are potential voters against what is happening in Congress and the White House.

Why does the conservative coalition allow 20% of the people to dictate how or why campaigns are conducted? Why do conservatives still curry favor from the once-mainstream media, who in a marketing death wish choose to appeal to this same 20%? Why, within this alliance, is there so much suspicion among each faction? And lastly, why is it not understood that only by the in-place organization of the Republican Party, under conservative control, can the current tide in Washington be reversed?

Conservatives must discipline themselves to stop being so thin-skinned about what the media, bloggers, and pundits on the Left say about them. These immature and self-righteous blowhards must be ignored and allowed to talk among themselves without any response from anyone on the right. The only response necessary is to correct or rebut immediately and firmly the mistakes and misrepresentations of the once-mainstream media. 

The Tea Party Movement, instead of reveling in its declared independence, should immediately either join forces with or take over the local Republican Party establishment in its respective county or state.

Each person has one political or social issue that is of the highest importance to him.  Regardless of what it is, everyone must now realize that without individual freedom and liberty, plus a limited government -- all of which are now under massive assault by the Obama administration -- it matters little what that issue is. 

In order to overcome the Democrats' misuse of "community organizations" and biased election laws and officials to skew close elections, the members of the conservative coalition must turn out in massive numbers to vote and support one political party.

Everyone must stop the absurd belief that one should vote for the person and not the party. The lesson of the passage of the Health Care Reform Act in Congress should never be forgotten: There is no such thing as a "conservative Democrat" once installed in Congress. There is a major difference between the parties. Conservatives can influence what happens in the Republican Party; they cannot do so in the Democratic Party.

Above all, everyone in the current coalition opposing what is happening in Washington, D.C. must unite behind one theme and put all differences aside. That cause should be this: For future generations, the United States must remain the dominant global economic force able to underwrite being the unrivaled military power in the world. The destructive path the current government in Washington has chosen will relegate our country to long-term economic stagnation and secondary world status.

The upcoming midterm election is one of the most pivotal in history. Despite the current optimism surrounding the outcome of the November 2010 election, the conservative movement will not triumph unless it unites, remains disciplined, and above all, understands and learns from its adversaries.  

The overwhelming and unexpected victory in Massachusetts should not be allowed to lead to complacency or overconfidence. The Democrats and the Obama administration will be more determined than ever to hold on to the power necessary to transform the United States into their image.

[gibtx2]

they will attack .. and it will be brutal.. it chicago style... so lock and load....... here it comes..

[Post Toasties]

The author makes a number of essential points. One of the chief among them is to discount the stated viewpoint of any nitwit or Leftist mole who says there’s no difference between the Republican and Democrat Parties.

[DarthVader]

“The Democrats and the Obama administration will be more determined than ever to hold on to the power necessary to transform the United States into their image.”

The harder they try to hold on to power the more violently it will be ripped away from them. There is a force greater than they are that is destroying them and whose will cannot be resisted.

[kabar]

The Tea Party Movement, instead of reveling in its declared independence, should immediately either join forces with or take over the local Republican Party establishment in its respective county or state.

The author obviously doesn't understand the Tea Party movement or the anti-incumbent mood of the electorate. It will be up to the GOP to decide if it wants to "join" the Tea Party movement, which has no intention or desire of taking over the local Rep party or establishment. The Tea Party movement is a non-hierarchical confederation of many local grassroots groups. It has some basic principles and beliefs that the GOP must gravitate towards or face the prospect of an eventual third party movement. It is up to the GOP to tap into the movement, not the other way around.

[sourcery]

United we stand, divided we fall: It's a two-edged sword—one edge cuts those who won't accept anything less than their ideal; the other cuts those who try to force other factions of their coalition to accept that which violates the core values of those other factions.

[Bernard]

The one word never mentioned when discussing the health care debate is "dignity". These people are US Senators and members of the US House of Representatives, but all the Democrats acted like they were Joey Bagadonuts, negotiating the price of a truckload of stolen TV's in the back alley behind a social club. These people need to be reminded that the office to which they have been elected is one of dignity and importance, and it's about time they acted like it.

The campaign for November has to repeat the need for openness and transparency in government, along with fiscal restraint. Almost like a 2010 version of the Contract With America, but this time the winning party has to remember that:

1) There was no expiration date on the CWA, and

2) If you say that you are going to bring positive change to Washington, do it. And behave yourself in your personal life, so that you don't become the problem.

3) One vulnerability in the US Constitution is the lack of term limits, because the Founding Fathers never expected their successors to become lifers. People need to pledge to retire after a certain number of years, and then do it.

[o_zarkman44]

Spot on right!

[Post Toasties]

The author obviously doesn't understand the Tea Party movement or the anti-incumbent mood of the electorate.

To be merely anti-incumbent without understanding the issues and probable outcomes of ones choices is to be intellectually derelict because, for one, that viewpoint often enables the greatest of possible evils.

[USNBandit]

I got the impression that the GOP didn’t really help Brown out that much. I’m sure Steele will be on T.V. taking credit tomorrow, though.

[o_zarkman44]

Absolutely right. The GOP needs the tea partiers worse than the tea partiers need the GOP.

After all, the GOP left conservatives first and gave us window dressing losers. Well I’m tired of being on the losing side, or compromising way beyond my normal ideology so some party who panders to special interest can say they are for the little guy.

A little compromise is acceptable because nobody can be everything to everyone. But the GOP has sold us out one too many times for me to trust anyone they try to pass off on us as a candidate.

[Nevadan]

re: “The author obviously doesn't understand the Tea Party movement or the anti-incumbent mood of the electorate. It will be up to the GOP to decide if it wants to “join” the Tea Party movement, which has no intention or desire of taking over the local Rep party or establishment.”

I disagree. The Tea Party movement got behind Scott Brown within the Republican Party because he espoused their views of smaller government, lower taxes, opposition to obamacare, etc. They, in effect, took control of the Republican Party on the grass roots level, in spite of the state republican leadership, and directed statewide support toward Brown's conservative view points.

This is what must happen in every state - Tea Party movement people, or just people who empathize with their views must simply “take over - get involved and get to work” within the republican party and direct it themselves. Scott Brown demonstrated how this can be done. The republican party is the most open to conservatism, but it must be directed by conservatives within the local precinct, district by district. Weed out the rinos - it can happen. We just saw this happen in Massachusetts.

[neverdem]

The author obviously doesn't understand the Tea Party movement or the anti-incumbent mood of the electorate. It will be up to the GOP to decide if it wants to "join" the Tea Party movement, which has no intention or desire of taking over the local Rep party or establishment. The Tea Party movement is a non-hierarchical confederation of many local grassroots groups. It has some basic principles and beliefs that the GOP must gravitate towards or face the prospect of an eventual third party movement. It is up to the GOP to tap into the movement, not the other way around.

In Power Push, Movement Sees Base in G.O.P. (Tea Party Movement)

HOLLAND, Pa. — The Tea Party movement ignited a year ago, fueled by anti-establishment anger. Now, Tea Party activists are trying to take over the establishment, ground up.

Across the country, they are signing up to be Republican precinct leaders, a position so low-level that it often remains vacant, but which comes with the ability to vote for the party executives who endorse candidates, approve platforms and decide where the party spends money.

A new group called the National Precinct Alliance says it has a coordinator in nearly every state to recruit Tea Party activists to fill the positions and has already swelled the number of like-minded members in Republican Party committees in Arizona and Nevada. Its mantra is this: take the precinct, take the state...

--snip--

Conservatives took the Republican retreat as a victory, but also saw the power of the party structure in deciding who the candidates will be. The rallying cry for more local involvement has been “No more NY-23’s.”

“We don’t want to see what happened in New York happen here,” Ms. Przybylski said.

The forum here drew nine candidates and a standing-room crowd in an auditorium built for 1,200. The questions organizers had drawn up for the candidates hinted at the issues important to so called Teapublicans.

--snip--

Each was asked to define the 10th Amendment, and to cite examples of where it “might have been violated.” “It’s my favorite amendment in the Constitution,” exclaimed one candidate, Ira Hoffman. “I can’t believe it!”

--snip-- Ms. Stefano, a stay-at-home mother and former television reporter, will have to get 10 signatures and put her name on the ballot to run. But the National Precinct Alliance estimates that about 60 percent of the roughly 150,000 local Republican committee seats are vacant and can be filled by essentially showing...

[JSDude1]

Some good lessons in this article, some I disagree with: such as “Tea Party” folk should only become involved in the Republican Party; where practicle and necessary I think they should get involved in the Democratic party as well..
just my 2..

[STARWISE]

Just listen to the delusion and lies he’s telling ...as if they’ve worked with the Republicans AT ALL. They’re going to ramp it up even harder, to be even more partisan, autocratic and forceful .. unreal.

Howard Dean on the Brown Victory

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVP6HICRbbc

[kabar]

This has nothing to do with being “intellectually derelict.” Voters are angry because their representatives are ignoring the wishes of the majority of their constituents. The only way to hold them accountable is to vote them out of office.

[kabar]

The GOP sent secretly over $500K to the Brown campaign. They intentionally [and correctly] stayed below the radar so Brown could attract independents.

[STARWISE]

Further to the point ...

~~~

President Obama plans combative turn

Excerpt:

President Barack Obama plans a combative response if, as White House aides fear, Democrats lose Tuesday’s special Senate election in Massachusetts, close advisers say.

This is not a moment that causes the president or anybody who works for him to express any doubt, a senior administration official said. It more reinforces the conviction to fight hard.

A defeat by Martha Coakley for the seat held by the late Edward M. Kennedy would be embarrassing for the party and potentially debilitating, since Democrats will lose their filibuster-proof, 60-vote hold on the Senate.

A potential casualty: the health care bill that was to be the crowning achievement of the president’s first year in office.

The health care backdrop has given the White House a strong incentive to strike a defiant posture, at least rhetorically, in response to what would be an undeniable embarrassment for the president and his party.

There won’t be any grand proclamation that the era of Big Government is over; the words President Bill Clinton uttered after Republicans won the Congress in the 1990s and he was forced to trim a once-ambitious agenda.

The response will not be to do incremental things and try to salvage a few seats in the fall, a presidential adviser said. The best political route also happens to be he boldest rhetorical route, which is to go out and fight and let the chips fall where they may. We can say, “At least we fought for these things, and the Republicans said no.”

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0110/31629.html

[USNBandit]

Oooohhh. $500k. That's my point. $500k is chump change, especially when it is the only race going on at the time.

Tomorrow you will see a host of the GOP on T.V. saying that the GOP message is being heard by America, blah, blah, blah.

[TChris]

Expect staggering abuses of power to come.

You'll soon be thinking Obama was a moderate this first year.

Mark my words. The Dems know no limits to their lust for power.