"We need to find something to scare the Democrats away. What are they scared of?"
"Well... they're scared of guns, cigarettes, loud noises, people spending their own money, certain spiders..."
"No, I mean what really like frightens them and keeps them up at night?"
"The thought of blacks getting educations, good jobs, and then voting Republican?" Ari ventured.


:D

No my friend you have it all wrong.

The Democrats are afraid of; a failing economy, a return to budget deficits that had disappeared as of 4 years ago, a historically high national debt, massive unemployment, tax cuts that will only result in specuative trading with no real increase in jobs, A failing educational system, a failing medical care system (as in 40,000,000 people with no medical insurance), cutting a deal with Mexico to accept an influx of millions of illegals in exchange for allowing Big oil companies to run Pemex, a president who is totally out of touch with the American working class, an administration that is in bed with big business to the point that a failure like Enron could occur shortly after Enron developed our national energy policy, an FTC that would allow a merger of Exxon and Mobile, but not allow a merger of Nestles Chocolate and Breyers Ice Cream, (could you please expalin that one?), and a rapid shift towards a two class society. This is only the short list.

It is the Republicans who are afraid of the noxious little things you mentioned as they live in their expensive homes in gated communities with their panic rooms to retreat to while the democrats chase away the boogey man.

In addition, the Democrats are scared silly of the voters. The liberal position requires for its support base a constituency reasonably educated and well-intentioned. That climate has been evaporating for twenty years at least.

Without an educated support base, the liberal position runs a danger of degrading into radical leftism. And until the radical left actually comes up with a new idea, I'd prefer they stay on the fringe.

But as the country gets stupid, the Democrats are left scratching their heads. Those that stuck with their convictions weathered the 2002 storm, those that sold got rolled. This, of course, leaves the power-elite, who tend to waffle like Clinton could only aspire, paralyzed because if they rush to fix their mistakes, it looks really really bad. But they can't afford to appear indifferent. Why else did they let Al Gore take point for a while? They needed someone to get carved so they could figure out what to do next.

But when you're on the right, this climate favors your position. It's easier to take advantage of the stupid when you have fewer ethical standards against it. People give Clinton crap for moving to the center, but we might notice that the party left him nowhere else to go. The proper left has been asleep for a decade, and the Democrats know they can't keep the charade up much longer. It would be best to sacrifice the Congressional cycle by simply dropping all pretense of being nice and returning to fundamental leftism: labor, liberty, cooperation. Sure the ranking members of Congress will get slaughtered, but Kennedy will survive, at least. And that would give them an opportunity to foist a harder left presidential ticket that might be able to crack the Bush veneer. There's a lot at stake; when the economy's afloat and nobody's shooting at us, it's easy to dick around in the government. But the time for that is up. If 9/11 wasn't the alarm sounding, if the USA-PATRIOT Act wasn't enough, if two freaking sideshow-wars weren't enough, perhaps it's time for the Democrats to step aside and the people to look to the left they traditionally fear.

:m:,
Tiassa :cool:

and the people to look to the left they traditionally fear (tiassa)

yes cmon kids lets take a look (http://dsausa.org/about/index.html) huh?

We are socialists because we reject an international economic order sustained by private profit, alienated labor, race and gender discrimination, environmental destruction, and brutality and violence in defense of the status quo.

We are socialists because we share a vision of a humane international social order based both on democratic planning and market mechanisms to achieve equitable distribution of resources, meaningful work, a healthy environment, sustainable growth, gender and racial equality, and non-oppressive relationships.

Thank you, Spookz, and not just for the link. It's a dubious strategy to use lines like "the left they traditionally fear", but it's strangely reinforcing to have you post that link. My wavelength isn't utterly alien ....

:m:,
Tiassa :cool:

the democrats in texas ran to oklahoma because they were scared of getting redistricting by the repubs.

In Arizona two key moderate republicans have gone into hiding because they fear voting on a proposed state budget which would devastate education and health care.

edgar how fair is it to rewrite district lines when you know it benefits you and takes away your opposition. the texas republicans have gone mad with power. districting lines are rewritten every ten years with the census. what they were trying to pull in texas was totally shady.

tiassa i agree with you. the democratic party is killing itself. they need to quit trying to be agreeable to the republicans in power. they need to make a fuss. republicans in power are much better at making a fuss and using propaganda. dems need to expose the failures of the current administration instead of being enablers. a few outspoken dems need to stand up, express their views, criticize bush, tell the people "this is what bush is doing and look where it got us, here is what worked before and here is what will work now." they need to show those swayed that dems do not have a history of a weak military and security. that is simply fallacy fostered by the ultra right. they need to show that social security isnt a failing system. they need to show the true numbers behind it to show that all that crap it running out was hype. they need to shout out that bush promised a million new jobs with his first tax cuts and how many jobs have been lost since then. he is promising a million new jobs with the current tax cut proposal. what is the likelihood of that being true? they have to be willing to go under fire by the ultra right witch hunters. unless those powerful dems show some conviction and leadership then i can see us becoming a one party system pretty fast. i can honestly say we are f***ed if that happens.