Posted on 10/07/2003 11:04:37 AM PDT by dpflanagan
DEMOCRATS PEAK, THEN BEGIN A LONG SLIDE
In 1992, shortly after Bill Clinton's stunning victory over incumbent George Bush gave Democrats control of the House, Senate, and White House, it seemed as if the Democratic Party had entered a new golden age of power and influence. As golden ages go, theirs was relatively short-lived. Just two years later, Democrats were tossed out of the House and Senate in record numbers, and Republicans took control. Shortly after, Republicans also won a majority of governorships in the US. Then, in 2000, George W. Bush defeated then V.P. Al Gore to become the 42nd President of The United States.
So, in just eight years, Democrats in Washington went from monopoly to minority; from feast to famine. In November 2002, just a year after Senators Daschle and Jeffords managed to disenfranchise Vermont voters and shift the balance of power in the Senate, Democrats again lost the Senate to Republicans. Not only that, they also lost seats in the House they had expected to gain and failed to win the number of governorships they had expected.
For Democrats, the worst part was the fact that President Bush, who took an enormous political risk in supporting his fellow party members during the midterms, was the key to success in several strategically close races. Somehow, certain victory had been turned into stunning defeat, and hard-line Democrats have grown increasingly frustrated with each defeat suffered over the past decade.
Thus has heralded the rise of what conservatives now call, the “Angry Left.” They cannot fathom why it is they have been consistently rejected at the polls by mainstream America. What they do know is that their party is on a consistent losing streak and SOMETHING has to be done about it. They just do not know what can be done other than supporting Howard Dean, the man with their same leftist vision but no future in politics.
NOW WHAT?
Now it is 2003, the thirteenth year marking both the beginning and the end of the golden age of the Democratic Party. Will year thirteen prove better for Democrats? Well, if we look to California, THE liberal bastion in America, which at this very moment is undergoing a recall election of the Democratic Governor, Grey Davis, because of his monumental incompetence, its not looking good.
But the story behind the recall and all of the factors leading to this moment are not really as important as the question we must now ask: If Grey Davis loses today, how will the Angry Left react to yet ANOTHER stunning defeat?
In truth, the possible answers worry me. My personal opinion? I think the Angry Left is going to morph faster than the “Mighty Morphing Power Rangers” into something more like the “Engraged Left,” or the “Berserk Left.” In other words a group that loses control entirely.
The fact that Davis and the LA Times have thrown every bit of dirt possible at Schwarzenegger in the last days of the race says nothing of the desperation the left will experience should these typical Davis tactics NOT work. So, what have Democrats done in recent years to turn things their way when they don’t like what voters have given them?
Its more than obvious that, should Davis lose, they will immediately appeal the results of the election, hoping that a court like the radical 9th Circuit will again play accessory to the crime of voter disenfranchisement. What other tactics might we see? I shudder to think, but I am convinced that it will make the pre-election sleaze tactics from the left look like a pleasant stroll in the park. Expect that they’ll pull out all the stops and go for broke. They’ll do whatever it takes to retain power, and the law or the will of the people will not stand in their way if they can help it.
DUCK AND COVER
Another Florida recount scenario? No, expect FAR worse. First of all, Davis will not give up the office without an intense fight, secondly, Democrats on the local and national level will use delay tactics and stonewall any moves to transition power to a Schwarzenegger administration. Meanwhile, expect reports of bullying at the polls, manipulation of votes, demands for multiple recounts, and multiple third party lawsuits from groups like the ACLU to stall or overturn the election results.
In the end, if they STILL lose, then expect a plunge by the Angry Left into some new level of denial and an increased effort to lash out at conservatives in general and the President in particular. Liberals will posture and condemn the whole process; they will demean the Governor-elect, and plot ways to scare Americans into thinking that Republicans are actively subverting the democratic process in America. It will be a sad and disturbing sight, no doubt.
I hope I’m wrong, but I’m afraid that I’ll be wrong only in that things will be worse than even I imagined. One way or another, we’ll know how bad, or good, things are in the next few days. Lets hope for the best… and prepare for the worst.
David Flanagan
Viewpointjournal.com
You're forgetting the Dem's reserve storm troopers: the Bloods and the Crips. I remember the gang summit that was organized in 1993, and how Clinton sent an address to them that was read in "closed session". I always wondered what Clinton said.
Expect the next civil war to start out as widespread inner-city riots
That same hatred while stirrig up their base caused many to change their voter affiliation to Republican. Nobody wins elections on hatred.
We also thought, and still think, he's pretty dumb — though you're not supposed to say it and we usually don't.
Folks on our side like to complain that Pubbies don't know how to fight political fights. That we're wussies who always let the left take the cheap shots, and never retaliate. Well I'll tell you who is really clueless: It's the left. When you persist in thinking that the guy who's been cleaning you clock for years is stupid, what the heck does that make you? If you can't muster any respect for your adversary how can you anticipate his initiatives?
It's all about respect, or the lack of it. God knows if there's anything the left respects besides raw official power, when they're the ones wielding it.
We've had those before but it didn't lead to civil war. The National Guard is mobilized, the riots are put down, ghetto businesses are destroyed, the ash is swept up and we get on with life. Why would another set of riots be any different?
Civil Wars are political events. Riots are emotional events and basically shopping sprees for the underclass. The underclass isn't smart enough to forment a civil war, at least ours isn't. Riots will have potential to be that when you see actual symbols of power (not police) being systematically destroyed. As long as rioters only want TV sets its not the start of anything.
The 'black block' while tiny, is overtly political. But almost no one, even on the left, agrees with them. Also, they are so confused that think Starbucks is a symbol of something.
In summary I don't believe either the (mostly black) underclass nor the far left anarchists have the ability to start anything more than a LA-style riot. That's plenty bad, but it's not a step towards civil war.
See my post above. Yes, the next time South Central blows up there will be a lot of guns. So? If you live anywhere reasonable it's not going to be an issue. Look at what wasn't touched in the King riots: Santa Monica, Malibu, West Hollywood, Pacific Pallisades, Glendale, Pamona, etc. etc.
The rules are clear, if really pissed you ignorant serfs may burn your own houses and the few liquor stores in the hood down.
I don't believe that the mob is controlled (conditioned, like in the King verdict, yes) and probably a bunch of people in the hood like Arnold (who they can probabably relate to through his many movie roles) more than they like Davis, who looks like a charicature of "the man". In summary this is not a trigger event.
I will make an exception in this case to say "Good Analysis".
Now on to the rest of the thread. :o)
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