How the Democrats lost the middle

NY Post ^ | August 27, 2010 | Rich Lowry

[Scanian]

The frustrations of minority status can drive a political party batty.

The temptation is to substitute bel ligerence for thought, insist on a self-destructive purity, lash out at the American public and question the wisdom and viability of the country's institutions. Indulging in these tendencies almost always makes a party's position worse rather than better.

The Obama Democrats may be the first party to engage in this self-defeating behavior -- borne of a frustrated desperation -- while holding the presidency and both houses of Congress by substantial margins.

Through an accident of timing (a national election coinciding with a financial crisis) and the exhaustion of the Bush-DeLay Republicans (who lost power almost by default), liberals took the commanding heights of the federal government while remaining a minority disposition in our national life. In short, they became a rump majority.

Through President Obama's alchemy, these temporarily enlarged congressional numbers were supposed to be transformed into a permanent realignment. It hasn't worked out, obviously.

[Paradox]

“rump majority”, bunch of asses if you ask me (donkeys)...

[paudio]

Ugh... as if Lowry forgot that the Dhim already had the majority in Congress since 2006, not 2008.

[Berlin_Freeper]

Obama is probably not even an American. The rest of them just aren't very bright.

[Raycpa]

The temptation is to substitute bel ligerence for thought, insist on a self-destructive purity, lash out at the American public

At first I thought he was describing some purist Freepers.

[IC Ken]

RE> It hasn’t worked out, obviously.

OBVIOUSLY - what an understatement.

[NavyCanDo]

As one of the Original Reagan Democrats (read my FR profile), I see the same thing I saw back in 1980 happening all over again - but this time I feel its even worse for the Democrats that they think. This is the Jimmy Carter malaise on steroids.
Following the election of Reagan there was a boom like this country rarely sees. Strip malls, video stores, pizza franchises, container shipping, airlines growing, and on and on, and most important “help wanted signs”.

But now Its hard for people to visualize good times being just around the corner. All they see more malaise, and more borrowing from China just to keep us from drowning. And why they will be out in November saying Enough.

[campaignPete R-CT]

rump ping on Lowery