Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

A Solution for the Democrats: How to win next time
National Review Online ^ | November 7, 2002 | Dinesh D'Souza

Posted on 11/07/2002 8:21:17 AM PST by xsysmgr

Many on the political Left are blaming the leadership of the Democratic party for moving to the center, accommodating President Bush's agenda, and thus producing the catastrophic losses of Tuesday's election. "Let us stop playing Republican wannabe," these leftists say, "and start standing up for something."

These critics are right. The Democrats could improve their political fortunes by unequivocally embracing the three central principles of the political Left: anti-Americanism, economic piracy, and moral degeneracy.

At first glance, this may not seem like a winning political program. But consider: Anti-Americanism is quite a popular notion these days. Lots of people hate America, and some of those people live in America. The anti-Americans blame American foreign policy for causing terrorism and other evils in the world. They detest American capitalism and American culture.

A newly assertive Democratic party could embrace this anti-American vision. It could go beyond opposing President Bush's Iraq policy to opposing all efforts to fight terrorism. Indeed it could declare America itself to be a terrorist country and seek to define all U.S. military action as "state-sponsored terrorism."

How would such a policy be sustained politically? Of course it would not be enough to win the votes of America-haters in this country. It seems that there are many millions of America-haters in other countries, such as France, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Pakistan, and Yemen. The Democrats should encourage America-haters all over the world to become American citizens. Failing this, they should work to loosen eligibility requirements so that anti-American aliens could at least vote for Democratic candidates in presidential elections.

Second, the Democrats should openly advocate the economic looting of one class of citizens in order to benefit another class of citizens. Ordinarily this is called theft, but in politics it is called "redistribution" or better still "compassion." Again, in ordinary language people who are robbed are called "victims," but in politics they are called "greedy" for wanting to hold on to what is theirs.

Now it may seem that the Democratic party has already perfected the art of using the government for the purpose of legal plunder. True, since the New Deal the Democrats have been the party of economic redistribution. By and large, Democrats have shown no interest in how to create a pie; their sole focus has been on how to carve up the pie.

But Democrats in the past few decades have been hampered by the need to seem economically responsible, and thus the party has not embraced the Left-wing program of blatantly seizing citizens' asserts and earnings. Why stop with a measly prescription-drug benefit for the elderly? The Democrats could abandon their past timidity and go for it all: free health care for seniors, unlimited scholarships for anyone who wants to go to college, no time limits on unemployment benefits, no work requirements for welfare, federal subsidies for aspiring artists to produce anti-Bush sculptures and songs, and so on.

This Democratic approach would be based on the political wisdom embodied in George Bernard Shaw's maxim, "Any government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always count on Paul's support." The secret, of course, is to make sure that the beneficiaries of this state-sponsored robbery (potential Democratic voters) outnumber those who are robbed (potential Republican voters).

Finally, the Democrats could become the party of moral degeneracy. In recent years the Democrats have not embraced moral degeneracy outright. They have contented themselves with hiding behind the slogan of "liberty." If accused of encouraging pornography, the Democrats have said, "No, we are for liberty of expression." Charged with supporting abortion-on-demand, the Democrats insist, "No, we are the party that gives women freedom over their own bodies." Caught distributing sex kits and homosexual instruction manuals to young people, the Democrats protest, "We are merely attempting to give people autonomy and freedom of choice."

But what is the need for this coyness? The Democrats should stop hiding behind "freedom of choice" and become blatant advocates for divorce, illegitimacy, adultery, homosexuality, bestiality, and pornography. Indeed the Democrats could become the Party of the Seven Deadly Sins. The political advantage of this approach is that the Seven Deadly Sins are immensely popular. Imagine the political opportunities if all vices were associated with the Democratic party!

Yes, right now President Bush and the Republicans are riding high. But just wait until 2004, when the party of fighting terrorism, promoting economic growth, and fostering traditional moral values, meets its match in a party that stands for anti-Americanism, economic plunder, and moral degeneracy.

— Dinesh D’Souza’s new book Letters to a Young Conservative has just been published by Basic Books. He is the Rishwain Research Scholar at the Hoover Institution.


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: democrats
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-32 next last

1 posted on 11/07/2002 8:21:17 AM PST by xsysmgr
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: xsysmgr
Please don't throw me in that Briar patch!
2 posted on 11/07/2002 8:24:30 AM PST by Credo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: xsysmgr
Democrat party has to rid themselves of the Clintons, like needing an underwear change. Until that time they have no hope.
3 posted on 11/07/2002 8:26:36 AM PST by cynicom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: xsysmgr
This is very insightful. The Democratic Party has sought out and depends on a solid group of voters that are all of the things defined above.
4 posted on 11/07/2002 8:27:55 AM PST by Zack Nguyen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cynicom
Observe the monkeys, then learn from their mistakes.
5 posted on 11/07/2002 8:28:13 AM PST by chiefqc
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: cynicom
People regard the Democratic Party as the party of abortion, homosexuals, peaceniks, anti-gunners, Hollywood weirdos, wealth-haters, anti-Christian crusaders, and America-haters.
6 posted on 11/07/2002 8:30:03 AM PST by Zack Nguyen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Zack Nguyen
Zack...

Sad but true...Of all of those, being America haters, has finally awakened many Americans.

7 posted on 11/07/2002 8:34:47 AM PST by cynicom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: cynicom
The "Clinton Legacy" is something History is busy scraping-off the sole of its boot.

I was stunned to turn-on the TV this morning only to see that the Lunatic Liberal Left has already started siezing control of the Democratic Party. Like watching someone commit suicide.

8 posted on 11/07/2002 8:35:25 AM PST by pabianice
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Zack Nguyen
People regard the Democratic Party as the party of abortion, homosexuals, peaceniks, anti-gunners, Hollywood weirdos, wealth-haters, anti-Christian crusaders, and America-haters.

Since the country is very evenly split Rep vs. Dem. This is quite a disapointing view of the half the population.

9 posted on 11/07/2002 8:38:31 AM PST by narby
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: cynicom
Thanks. Of course with all the list I just made, various aspects of that insane agenda work in some parts of the country. Witness Kalifornia, which has whole-heartedly embraced the agenda for destruction of Gray Davis.
10 posted on 11/07/2002 8:38:32 AM PST by Zack Nguyen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: xsysmgr
The Clintons both have a "death grip" on the Democratic Party. The Party will have to find the courage the throw the Clintons and all their corrupt cronies (Begala, Monkey Man aka Carvile, et al) overboard. N'uff said.

If the DemonRATS don't dump the garbage they will end up swimming in garbage and hog swill forever. They will then be known as the 'Once Great DemonRAT Party ....

11 posted on 11/07/2002 8:39:36 AM PST by ex-Texan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: xsysmgr
This is classic !
12 posted on 11/07/2002 8:39:55 AM PST by ChadGore
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pabianice
pab

If the fringe people take control of the dem party, there may well be more voters and politicians switching to the pubs. Those crazies that populate the loony fringe will commit political hari kari.

13 posted on 11/07/2002 8:41:15 AM PST by cynicom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: xsysmgr
This is soo great:

But what is the need for this coyness? The Democrats should stop hiding behind "freedom of choice" and become blatant advocates for divorce, illegitimacy, adultery, homosexuality, bestiality, and pornography. Indeed the Democrats could become the Party of the Seven Deadly Sins. The political advantage of this approach is that the Seven Deadly Sins are immensely popular. Imagine the political opportunities if all vices were associated with the Democratic party!

Yes, right now President Bush and the Republicans are riding high. But just wait until 2004, when the party of fighting terrorism, promoting economic growth, and fostering traditional moral values, meets its match in a party that stands for anti-Americanism, economic plunder, and moral degeneracy.

14 posted on 11/07/2002 8:42:35 AM PST by ChadGore
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ChadGore
But if they did that, what would they use to smear their opponents with?

In South Carolina, the "party of freedom of choice" started a whispering campaign about Lindsay Graham, insinuating he was gay. Putting aside the fact that that is not true, I thought that being gay was fine with them! I was SO confused!

15 posted on 11/07/2002 8:46:24 AM PST by Howlin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: narby
Since the country is very evenly split Rep vs. Dem. This is quite a disappointing view of the half the population.

Sure it is. I was trying to be a bit clever there, but really that is what the left stands for in this country.

A significant part of the population embraces abortion as a birth-control alternative, regards (or pretends to regard) homosexuality as normative, think guns are too dangerous to allow, are uncomfortable with the legacy of our Founding Fathers, think that Hollywood celebrities have a great deal of credibility, do not care for Christian "extremists", and believe that government's job is to take from the wealthy to help the poor.

Now of course this does not mean that half of America is full-on haters of all that is good. People have different degrees of comfort with the above philosophies. Some people are fooled completely by a few choice demogagic phrases, and would shocked and indignant that the Democrats they voted for hold to the above. These are generally "old-school" elderly Democrats who have voted one way since Roosevelt, and somehow missed the whole New Left thing. These people are passing on or are voting Republican, though.

16 posted on 11/07/2002 8:48:28 AM PST by Zack Nguyen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: xsysmgr
This has to be Article of the Day.

Absolutely freaking super thoughts.
17 posted on 11/07/2002 8:52:21 AM PST by RandyRep
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RandyRep
This guy, D'Souza is absolutely GREAT! Read his book "What's So Great About America". I am a real fan of his writings. Get to know him!
18 posted on 11/07/2002 8:59:28 AM PST by Dudoight
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: RandyRep
The Dems have a choice: they can remake themselves in the mold of FDR and Kennedy (tough on national defense but still pro social programs) or they can turn left and become the outright Anti-America party. For the first choice to work, they must reign in the America haters and keep them from splitting off to the Greens. For the second choice to work, they must cede the middle and hope the war in Iraq is a total failure and economy remains depressed. I'd hate to be a Democrat right now.
19 posted on 11/07/2002 9:02:13 AM PST by Callahan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: RandyRep
This is the article of the day. Absolutely hilarious.
20 posted on 11/07/2002 9:03:37 AM PST by KC_Conspirator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-32 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson