Dem Beliefs (What The Democrats Believe)

National Review ^ | 10.06.03 | Rich Lowry

[lormand]

A presidential primary is a way for a political party to make up its mind. Through the process of nominating a candidate, a party figures out its stances on the new issues and what adjustments, if any, it will make in its positions on the old. So with that, through their collective rhetoric and actions, the ten Democratic candidates have arrived at the outlines of a rough philosophy — the credo of the Democrats of '04.

This credo is often nonsensical and hypocritical, but it is clearly discernible. The Democrats of '04 believe:

That wars should be authorized, but never fought.

That the United Nations is the world's last, best hope, and every jot of its writ should always be respected, unless it inconveniences Saddam Hussein.

That nation-building is always a humanitarian and just cause, unless it is undertaken in Iraq.

That anyone who said Saddam had weapons of mass destruction prior to the war was lying, unless his or her name is Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Madeleine Albright, Bill Cohen, John Kerry, or Joe Lieberman, or the person ever served in the Clinton cabinet or as a Democratic senator.

That French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin is always right.

That President Bush isn't devoting enough resources to the reconstruction of Iraq, and that — in light of his $87 billion aid proposal — he is devoting far too many resources to the reconstruction of Iraq.

That George Bush maneuvered the United States into war in an act of manipulative genius, and also is very stupid.

That [fill in blank with latest conflict here] is another Vietnam.

That the U.S. military is overextended — and should be smaller.

That unilateral U.S. diplomatic pressure is always wrong, unless it is brought to bear on Israel.

That it is absolutely necessary for the cause of clean government for candidates to abide by the limits set by the presidential public-financing system, unless they — like Kerry and Howard Dean — have enough money not to.

That big money corrupts politics, unless it is big money raised by California Gov. Gray Davis.

That punch-card ballots are a travesty of justice, unless they elect a Democrat.

That groping is a minor offense of no interest to feminists, unless a Republican candidate is the groper.

That independent-counsel investigations are travesties of justice, unless they probe leaks in a Republican White House.

That Bush is bankrupting the federal government, but is a tightfisted ogre for countenancing only a $400 billion new prescription-drug benefit.

That Bush is fiscally profligate, but isn't spending enough on education, "first responders," health care or anything else not called "defense."

That the nation cannot afford the pending retirement of the baby boomers, but the baby boomers should get more benefits for their pending retirements.

That Bush is responsible for an economic downturn that began before he was elected and that Clinton is responsible for an economic recovery that began before he was elected (here at last — a kind of consistency!).

That small-business owners are the heart of the economy unless they succeed, at which point they become "the rich."

That it is evil to be rich, unless you got that way by marrying Teresa Heinz.

That it is wrong to be a millionaire, unless you got that way by suing people.

That the sons of the upper-crust Northeastern elite are always and everywhere out-of-touch, unless they are named Howard Dean.

That it is unseemly to mix military matters with politics, but you should vote for FORMER GENERAL Wesley Clark, and salute when you do so.

That a deranged candidate should not be elected president, unless he is named Bob Graham.

That no child should be left behind, unless it is in an urban public-school system.

That no child should be left behind, unless it is in the womb.

That the Patriot Act is denying Americans their liberties, and John Kerry, Joe Lieberman, John Edwards, or Bob Graham should be elected president after having voted for it.

That deposing John Ashcroft would be preferable to deposing Mullah Omar.

That library records are sacred, but the Constitution — a "living document" subject to manipulation by judges — is not.

[danneskjold]

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[Wolfstar]

Wow! One of the best pieces ever by Rich Lowry. One thing's for sure, logic, reason and consistency are alien concepts to Leftists.

[Coop]

Funny stuff, yet too true.

[samtheman]

I particularly love this one:

That small-business owners are the heart of the economy unless they succeed, at which point they become "the rich."

[Akira]

Thanks. I goofed and posted this in Campaign Central earlier today, where it was destined to die an obscure death. Thanks for giving it better exposure.

[.cnI redruM]

Taken at face value, this is the Dems' emerging party platform. Lowry's mistake is that he is taking a bunch of @$$-holes at face value.

[patton]

Hmmm...something is missing...

That killing criminals is evil, but that killing babies is a choice...

[alloysteel]

Whatever is going to win them a plurality victory - that is the "principle" that Democrats wish to adhere to. This may involve running a two-pronged election campaign, to dilute the strength of the opposition, and the enrollment of new voters. Since the "new voters" are not always reliable about showing up, the flying squads of surrogates go from one polling place to another, assuring a full turnout. In places where the turnout is low despite all the usual tricks, the difference may be made up by stuffing the ballot boxes after they are locked up in the election clerk's office. Then the undesirable votes are invalidated, by simply a mass dismissal (such as not even counting the absentee votes) or by "spoiling" the ballots that are marked wrongly.

A careful review of election districts during reapportionment may also aid in keeping the electoral power of the favored point of view at a decided advantage, resisting change by erosion.

Oh, yes, then accuse the opposition party of using any and all of these tactics.

Who said the Democrats are not principled? Just that the principles are not very admirable.

[Pest]

bump

[Little Pig]

That the sons of the upper-crust Northeastern elite are always and everywhere out-of-touch, unless they are named Howard Dean.

Or any Kennedy, I suppose.

[Maria S]

"That the U.S. military is overextended — and should be smaller."


Tony Snow January 18, 2001
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/tonysnow/ts20010118.shtml
At the same time, he [Clinton] began taking big hacks at the military budget. In the last decade, the number of army divisions has dropped to 10 from 18; fighter wings down to 13 from 24; Navy ships down to 316 from 546. More than 5,000 military families use food stamps -- and even more are eligible.

Morale has hit new lows. The president has shortchanged his troops on the basics: The Army and Marines don't have enough ammunition to conduct basic exercises. Our equipment is becoming antediluvian. Check out the average age of some key equipment: Navy aircraft, 17 years; Marine tanker, 25 years; Marine transport helicopter, 24 years, air force bomber, 23 years; Air Force helicopter, 19 years. Each of the service branches has been forced to cannibalize equipment just to provide the spare parts to keep the rest of the fleet going.

The United States now spends a smaller portion of its budget on defense than at any time since World War II -- at the same time the president has transformed the military into a global version of the Keystone Kops.

[Pagey]

"Being a Liberal is easy because you are covered with true no fault insurance with no premiums ---
whatever happens is never your fault."
Comment courtesy of The Federalist

[lormand]

I did a search for this article before posting it. What was the title of your post?

[SwinneySwitch]

"That a deranged candidate should not be elected president, unless he is named Bob Graham."

I thought all the demonrats were deranged??

[neverdem]

"Wow! One of the best pieces ever by Rich Lowry. One thing's for sure, logic, reason and consistency are alien concepts to Leftists."

My mother is a lifelong Irish Catholic Democrat. My gradparents came from the "Old SOD". My mother told me she didn't know the difference between the political right and left and always voted for rats. IIRC, I explained to her what is referred to in the media as "partial birth abortion". I know she still goes to Mass on Sunday. As far as I know she still votes for rats.

The rats are for the little guys according to her brother.

The rats are getting the benefit of legacy voting and folks who think with their hearts. Getting such folks to change how they vote is extremely difficult. You can't get their attention unless they're really hit bad in the wallet or there is some catastrophe like September 11, 2001. Logic and reasoning won't do the trick with the vast majority of folks who went through the Depression and WWII. Class warfare is very potent as well.

[NutCrackerBoy]

I did a search for this article before posting it. What was the title of your post?

I've noticed that searches don't find threads outside the current category. Or something like that.

[chimera]

That no child should be left behind, unless it is in the womb.

Hey! Rats believe that "no child should be left behind". No, indeed, don't leave them behind. Rats believe that after you've torn them limb from limb, throw their dismembered remains in the trash can where they belong. And never, ever, world without end ever, let members of the public view the bloody outcome of the so-called precious right of "choice", because, Heaven forbid, they might change their minds and outlaw the bloody practice.

[Pagey]

"Being a Liberal is easy because wanting to appear compassionate and likeable is easier than defending moral absolutes and taking a stand."