In just under a month, Democrats may well find themselves controlling Congress. Should that happen, they shouldn’t be too quick to pat themselves on the back. The Republican implosion is self-inflicted through a tawdry, heady cocktail of corruption, incompetence, hypocrisy and outright idiocy. The Democrats are like political vultures, picking up the seats of Republican congressmen who killed their own careers.
The GOP collapse is certainly entertaining to watch: Katherine Harris, Tom DeLay, Curt Weldon, Rick Santorum, George Allen, Randy Cunningham, Conrad Burns, Bob Ney, Tom Reynolds, and of course Mark Foley, whose scandal may yet ensnare Dennis Hastert. But Democrats can’t take much, if any, credit for the polls. They’re not winning voters on issues, they’re winning because the other candidates are too detestable to vote for. New York’s Republican candidate for Attorney General is such a disaster that she has inspired a new term meaning “major political faux pas”: a “Pirro-ette.”
So Republican comeuppance is taking care of the first, most immediate problem for Democrats: how to get elected. But once they’re in power, the trick is to stay there. For that, they should look closely at Rovellian philosophy. Adopt what works, avoid what doesn’t.
Democrats should not be afraid to pander to the base; forget “swing voters” and attempting to woo conservatives by being Republican lite. That’s not where the votes are. But they should also realize that the vast, untapped liberal resource in this country are the millions of people too disinterested or too disillusioned to bother showing up on election day.
To attract them, Democrats should abandon their two main themes: 1) “We’re not that different from Republicans!” and 2) “We’re not Republicans!” Start saying, “We’re Democrats!” and be prepared to explain what you mean by that.
Abandon the Bush emphasis on unity and loyalty. Mandatory group-think results in things like Iraq. In order to resuscitate bipartisanship, you must allow politicians to vote their conscience and express dissent.
Transparency, transparency, transparency. Give Americans reasons to trust you. Have a zero-tolerance policy for unethical behavior. Deny nothing. Roll heads.
For appointed positions, Democrats should look toward academics and other experts, not partisan loyalists, corporate donors, or college roommates. Stop putting industry executives in regulatory positions. Americans have had enough of the Bush hackocracy.
Engage the faith communities – not by faking it, as when Howard Dean famously said Job was his favorite New Testament book. Not all evangelicals are panicked about same-sex marriage: a growing number of them list poverty and global warming as their top priorities. Those are issues the Republican party will never embrace.
The Democrats are about to catch a lucky break this November. Let’s hope they don’t squander it.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
The first thing they will do is to take steps to protect their new position of power. The second thing they will do is to reap gains from their new position of power. By the time of the 08' election, we will be talking about Democrats the same way we are now talking about Republicans. Power corrupts absolutly.
I think your timetable is off. Bush will still be the President during the 2008 election, so I'm sure there is more than enough Republican corruption and idiocy to keep the country angry for two more years. And then some. The American public isn't that fickle -- think of how many people are still mad at Nixon.
Amen to this post Andy. Amen of course means "Let it Be"- if what you're saying is so then Amen, but you are probably overstating our losses.
some good points, to be sure.
but democrats cannot say what they are for and still get elected.
the GOP has given up its right to govern. their base will stay home, and that will cause their defeat.
but the dems havent made the case yet why they deserve to govern themselves.
'bush sucks!' is NOT a policy statement.
i predict hillary will win in 08, and the GOP will sweep, a la 94, back to power by 2010.
The GOP will no doubt lose seats in the House and Senate, but it's probably a bit early (and unrealistic) to talk about what a Democratic majority could learn from the failings of an ousted, minority Republican party.
There are too many seats in the House that the Repubs would have to lose and the Dems would have to win for there to be a likely change in majority status.
Now, the Senate is a different scenario, and if we're going to switch, it will likely be there (but it's still by no means certain).
I repeat: the GOP will lose seats in the House and Senate this year. Will it be enough to change things? Eh...
I'm still waiting for the October surprise and for the GOP machine to sabotage yet another set of elections. What exactly has been done to prevent Diebold from doing it again?
Start saying, “We’re Democrats!” and be prepared to explain what you mean by that.
I don't think they know anymore.
Also, when it comes to appointments, they're as incestuous as the GOP. They're likely to appoint lots of worthless hacks, too.
My real fear is that they'll have two years of Congressional control, get outsmarted by the neocons working from the White House and will look like useless fools in time for 2008.
Post a Comment