Peggy Noonan: They Got What They Wanted

Opinion Journal ^ | 11/08/2002 | Peggy Noonan

[Pokey78]

Every party has a reason for being. The Republican Party was formed in the mid-19th century to achieve a specific historical goal: the end of slavery. From there it became the party of Lincoln, the party that saved the Republic and, ultimately, the party that gave a natural home to those who felt enslaved by big government, high taxes, big regulation.

[thurules]

In case I might be misunderstood: Peggy is making the argument that we are winning the cultural/political war because we have finally gained a few victories....
News flash to all cheerleaders : We already lost the War of Ideas! It is just the Liz Dole carpetbaggers who now parley for a seat at the tax-payer funded table. Good luck with that pretzel logic.

[TEXOKIE]

Me too!!! May I be on the Peggy List too?

[thurules]

Socialism.That is, unless, you believe that you are due a benefit from the products of your fellow man's labor.

[m1911]

Oh, I misunderstood what you meant. You're right about this being a small set of victories, but the war is never over. It's been fought in the West since at least the Athenians, and it will go on long after FR has passed. Earth shattering victories (and losses) are rare, incremental change is the rule. Don't give up.

[PFKEY]

I think maybe she's trying to trick them into twisting the knife that's already in the party's chest.

I had the same read on this quote.

I don't see her saying this with a straight face.

[m1911]

Socialism, yes, that's what she was describing. She was saying that the problem with the Democratic party was they wanted socialism, and got it, so I still don't understand what was wrong with that section. I don't want any such thing.

[mysonsfuture]

Good article, but she left out 2 key points that have doomed the dems-arrogance and anti-family values. Americans can only take so much of the dems trying to cram partial birth abortions through middle America with a smug "this is the way it is attitude,deal with it". Saw Carrnahans defeat speech. The only people at her headquarters were some strange looking women who kept going back and forth in front of the tv cameras with "pro-Carrnahan, pro-choice" signs. They really felt some kind of entitlement to win. One last note, Peggy, the dems also still control the Universities. Our last struggle is to take back the media and the Universities. May take another generation. When we do, the dems will be part of the dust heap of history. Until we do, we must continue our fight with intensity and determination. We are fighting a fearce evil that is on the ropes. Dangerous ideologies do dangerous things when desperate. Be strong. Be vigilant. Fight on to supreme victory for America.

[Southack]

No, it isn't true that Hillary avoided being labeled as a Leftist. She has been stuck with that label ever since she tried to illegally nationalize our health care behind closed doors.

But here is what Peggy is trying to do: she wants to get Hillary to run in '04 rather than in '08.

Why? Because right now the Republican Party is at its strongest. We have our best leader and the most outstanding campaign fundraising operation in world history (literally).

So if Hillary runs in '04 she will be going up against GWB's re-election, after Iraq, after Afghanistan, after the economy has turned around, and while Democrats don't even hold half of the state governorships.

And once Hillary has been SOUNDLY defeated, then she's toast.

So run Hillary! Run in 2004!

[thurules]

Thank you for the very polite replies.
As I said previously in this thread(or at least meant to imply):The Democrats have already won the war of IDEAS and now we are holding the bag about who gets what..... Medicare, Medicade, Midnight Basketball. The Republican Party has adopted this very same mindset , with the exception that they will give less of your money away than the Democrats. They still believe that your money is THEIRS to give away!
Percentages do not define a philosophy

[SevenDaysInMay]

Noonan omitted the fact that the corruption of the socialist Democrat Party's politburo and the criminal ruthlessness of the Clintonazis is American fascism. Their lust for effective control of America's critical factors of production with the police powers of the State drives these "progressives". They want their cut$ of the 10 trillion dollar economy, buying votes with other peoples' money.

Clinton's legacy: Let them all wear blue dresses or visit Ft. Marcy Park.

[Southack]

You must be some poor, misguided libertarian.

This culture war isn't about money or percentages so much as it is about ideology, good, and evil.

If you want to look at the stark differences between Republicans and Democrats, look first to pro-life versus pro-choice, then to pro-gun versus pro-gun-control, then to tax cuts versus tax hikes, then to anti-International Criminal Court versus pro-ICC, anti-ABM Treaty versus pro-don't-defend-America, drilling in ANWR versus being dependent on the Middle-East, etc.

If you still think that Republicans are only arguing about Democratic Party percentages of ideas, then you're a lost cause and have no place on this forum (as you aren't going to change any minds if your own mind is so closed).

[SBprone]

"I think maybe she's trying to trick them into twisting the knife that's already in the party's chest."


No, Peggy's not like that. She's sweet and nice. She wouldn't send the Demos a gift-wrapped sh*t sandwich, would she?

But on the other hand she can't be blind to Hillary's many shortcomings, such as her defective political instincts and her lack of personal charisma. Hillary simply creates havoc and destruction everywhere she goes and I don't know how much more damage she could inflict on the Demos if she tried.

Peggy must know that this woman is a make-believe politician who could only be elected to a safe seat. And the White House in not a safe seat for anybody. Peggy has to know this. So what is she trying to do with the column?

[MissAmericanPie]

"If the answer is only we want more--give us more money and more power, and we will give more welfare and more government--it won't work, not in the short term at least."

What ever could he mean by "the short term"? Obviously it will work in the long term.

[Arthur McGowan]

What is the Democratic Party's reason for being?

To kill babies.

Actually Peggy is subtle. She has a way of shoving in the stiletto while appearing to ooze with kindness. I suspect her point is, "You Democrats are so corrupt and vile and brainless, if you crawl UP into the gutter with Hillary, you will be making progress."

Maybe Peggy would disagree with my interpretation.

[thurules]

Well, you got one out of three right: I am a Libertarian
but only on Thursdays.
Poor? Please define.
Misguided?
Every day of my life.
Come back down from your place in judgement when you get a chance and let me know when my opinions are worthy of this forum.I haven't been around here as long as you.
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[Tall_Texan]

Dear Peggy:

(and I hope you really do come here and read our comments)

I will always admire your ability to express yourself. I am grateful Ronald Reagan had you on his side.

Whenever I read your columns I am torn between the pearls of wisdom you dispense and the sense of touchy-feely group therapy you seem to evoke. "There, there Dems. Lay down on the couch and tell Dr. Peggy allllll about it..."

I would not feel sorry for the Democrats because their heydey is not far off. You see, their specialty is exploiting the weak and the victimized for political gain. As long as we have open borders, public school sex education and racy television programming, there will always be new waves of people with low money, low morals or both to promise the moon to. The poor and the deviant, alas, will always be with us.

The Democrat Party's salvation will come as self-indulgent Baby Boomers, with collapsing IRAs and 401Ks that won't be enough to satisfy their lifestyles, flood en masse into their senior years, needing more medicines, more health care and more benefits - all of which they will demand from an ever-dwindling workforce, many of whom are survivors of the Abortion War their self-indulgent parents and grandparents fought for.

And who will ride to their rescue to make sure the aging Boomers can steal their "fair share" from their children? Why the government, of course! And who will make government theft a priority in their politicking? Why, the liberals, that's who. And who are the liberals? Why, it's the Democrats, that's who.

When 2012 arrives, I predict the Democrat Party will consist *primarily* of poor minorities, the elderly and sexual deviants. They will be the ones the Democrats can still promise the weighty hand of government can serve - plundering the country's producers for as much loot as they can possibly get.

And before you write that off as "the fringe", realize that all three groups are expanding as few other segments of our society. The ones who can most elequantly state their needs and espouse their positions will be voted into power.

Republicans will stand up for the working class, the producers, the military and the self-reliant. And it won't be enough. By 2020, if God so allows us to continue, we will resemble Sweden.

[BreitbartSentMe]

I can't believe no one jumped on this great Peggy tidbit.....

Now they have only the media. That's a lot, but Paula Zahn is not a state, at least not yet, and she doesn't get a vote in the Senate.

I need a new keyboard after than one!! I noticed early Wednesday she seems to have packed on some pounds........

Things that make you go hmmmmmmmm

[dano1]

Thanks for posting this great book chapter. I very much agree with most of it, and it's quite insightful, but like others I disagree with Noonan's assessment of Hillary's potential to point the way for the democratic party. Noonan herself says that Hillary "hates the other side", and hate ultimately won't help the situation. Hillary may be the Joan of Arc of the culture wars, but she is no politician. She has the rhetoric, but she hasn't got ideas, experience, people skills, nor has she demonstrated any sense of constructive compromise and coalition building, (unless the anti-child car safety seat lobby is stronger than I think). As far as I can tell Hillary has really accomplished nothing particularly noteworthy during her public life, and has just narrowly escaped major personal scandals several times to boot (e.g. W.H. travel office, FBI files, pardonGate). I think I read that her approval rating in upstate NY is something like 15%. She could probably be elected to the LA City Council on her own, but I think Che Guevara could too. Based just on her qualifications she would never be seriously mentioned as a presidential contender. The problems Noonan discusses in the democratic party are really what created "Hillary" as we know her. No, IMHO, Hillary ain't the answer. If I was going to give any advice to the Democrats, it would be to begin as if they were going to follow the dollars, but then start walking backwards, and keep walking backwards for a long time.

[JohnHuang2]

Thanks for the ping, friend =^)

[JohnHuang2]

Peggy Noonan Mega Ping!!!