Posted on 02/21/2003 9:36:25 AM PST by PhiKapMom
An Open Letter to Democrats at the DNC Winter Meeting from RNC Chairman Marc Racicot
February 21, 2003
In the 2002 elections, the American people told both parties they wanted solutions, not finger pointing. They rejected criticism without solutions. When Democratic leaders said no to presenting a budget, to a Department of Homeland Security, to terrorism insurance and to judicial appointments, the American people said no to Democratic candidates.
Election day polls showed Republicans with double-digit leads over Democrats on who the American people trusted on homeland security, keeping America safer, and having clear ideas.
On the most dominant issue for voters, the economy, Republicans held a seven-point advantage on election day. But, success is rooted in more than just positive policies. It was clear on election day that the President provided the necessary leadership. Americans continue to see the President as a strong leader today with 64% saying the President works well with both parties, 86% believe he is willing to make hard decisions, 76% believe he is a strong and decisive leader, 70% believe he is honest and trustworthy.
After every election political parties have the opportunity to listen to the American people and adjust accordingly. Without compromising our core values, both parties must outline our policies in a way that reflects the American people’s voice. It is a process of adjustment and renewal that gives life and endurance to our democracy.
Some Democrats argue that in 2002 the problem wasn’t their message, but that they couldn’t or didn’t get that message out. From complaining about a conservative media to decrying turnout tactics, these Democrats would rather blame someone else. Yet election day polls consistently showed that the public did hear, and in nearly every case reject, the Democrats’ message. The problem was the message was almost completely negative - from dealing with the economy and Social Security to a variety of other issues. The Democrats thought the best message was to just attack without offering a real alternative.
Despite the American peoples’ clear verdict, recent hyperbole by Democrat party leaders and Presidential candidates suggests that too many Democrats still don’t get it. Democrats assail the President on everything, including the war on terrorism going so far as to allege that the one person who is most responsible for the safety and security of all Americans, the Commander-in-Chief, has underfunded the war on terrorism.
That’s not only wrong, which is bad enough, it should be counterintuitive given the Democrats' unsuccessful efforts to politicize homeland security in 2002.
Healthy political debate should be unabridged and vigorous, but must also be honest and responsible. Its purpose must be to advance and improve the political life of the nation. Suggestions that Republicans have turned a blind eye to the war on terrorism are not only spurious, they fail to advance the debate or allay the anxieties we face as Americans. Ultimately, scathing rhetoric as pure political theater becomes transparent and those who rely on it are identified only by their naked ambition or opportunism.
Honest political debate is designed to distinguish the differences in governing philosophies represented by political parties. Then the people of this nation can either identify with or legitimately disagree with those philosophies. It is a process that makes America stronger.
The performance and leadership of the President of the United States is always subject to review and comment, but the Democratic presidential candidates should not confuse inaccurate and opportunistic attacks on America's leader with real policy disagreements.
It’s hard to unify around a positive agenda when you lack the White House or majorities in either house in Congress or a majority of state houses. It is even tougher when a large number of senior party officials are competing for their party’s presidential nomination.
Democrats should use the opportunity at their National Committee meeting this week to do a little soul-searching to determine if they are capable of articulating a positive agenda that will advance the debate between our parties -- not just to say no. Jockeying Democratic presidential candidates and other Democratic Party leaders would be well-served to remember the words of an old Democratic governor who once told me that "good policy makes good politics."
Ahh...I keep forgetting that you're confidence in the American people is not as high as mine.
Ya know, if one were to strike out Dubya, and insert Reagan in the excerpt above it'd seem just like the 80's.
...and we all know how dogs took to RR.
Treason being virtue if it leads to party power.
They're below the reach of words to describe.
Best just to keep them wiggling like maggots--brrrr.
I love Racicot's brilliant honesty. He's not going to win and influence those democrats though, as most are engaging in blind reckless ambition in which they gleefully shoved aside their obligation to their sworn oath of office.
Democrats refuse to see the results of the mid-term elections. While their factions unite for their so-called anti-war protests, which incidently are funded by some really big anti-American groups, many Americans are chomping at the bit and can't wait to unfurl their flags and saddle up and ride when President George W. Bush gives the order to Rumble!
The left continues to underestimate our good President. Let them because I just love it when they end up looking the fools as the Iraqi people celebrate in the streets breathing in the vibrant air of FREEDOM!
The ONLY Federal Spending to actually be cut in REAL Dollars during Clinton's Treasonous 8-year reign...MUD
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Ahhh, my young grasshopper, you still have soooooo much to learn...IT**'s already happening to McAuliffe, and his utter destruction is NIGH...MUD
**IT's Radioactivity!! And McAwful's got IT!!
Allegedly...MUD
Yer livin' in the past, my FRiend...while the DemonRAT Machine continues to attract young, IGNORANT minds to parrot their inane political ideology, there are simply too many other ways fer folks to learn the Truth and once you are EXPOSED as a LIAR--as all the Networks have been--you just can't get back that trust so easily. I've always been a RadicalRightWingWhacko in most of my friends and associates' eyes...that hasn't changed; however, these same EX-Lib'rals now realize that there are two sides to every issue and are increasingly learning that the Left is INVARIABLY WRONG!! It took a while, but I'm a patient dude.
Don't believe the bilge the NETWORKS are spoon-feedin' ya, my FRiend...McAuliffe is a LawBreaker and he will be brought to Justice in the severest possible terms!! BET ON IT!!
Heh heh heh...MUD
BTW...and don't fergit, the Discovery Phase of the McAuliffe Trial will result in the massive amount of evidence required to Prosecute William Jefferson Clinton for a Panopoly of Criminal and TREASONOUS Actions!! What fun we shall have!!
D'ya mean BrokeJaw is protecting US from the CRUEL REALITY that the EX-Traitor-in-Chief is a Serial Rapist by refusing to release the Juanita Broaddrick interview in it's ENTIRETY?! Sure, they might use that as an excuse, but increasing pluralities of Americans realize the RAT-Medyuh PUNKS are Lyin' Hypocrits!!
FReegards...MUD
BTW...we all know Katie Couric slept her way to her present position of Power amongst the Vast,LeftWingMedyuhWhore'd...d'ya reckon Oprah got to the top on her knees and back, too?! BWAHAHAHAHA!!!
Ah hah!! And YOU make certain that what YOU are perceiving and considering an ImmutableReality is not causing YOU to believe that what the Networks say is IMPOSSIBLE is--in actuality--UNDOABLE. You can call yerself a Pragmatic Realist, but the Incurable Romantic within US all realizes that Where There is the Will, We Shall Find The Way!!
The World's Changing in Wonderful Ways, my FRiend, and the RATS are increasingly incapable of stemming the tide...MUD
They couldn't possibly be wrong!
that was great...my favorite part! :)
Hey, me too...MUD
Yep...MUD
"that was great...my favorite part! :)"
Mine, too...then again, it's my Blues Harp...LOL!!!
FReegards...MUD
got here after reading "wonderful ms. coulter" praise the site in "slander...." like coming "home", it was!
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