The Democrats' Political Suicide

[mazzarro]

Good blogpost to read about the actions of Democratic Party leadership culminating in the recent election.

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At a time when Americans feel more discontent and view their prospects more darkly than on any occasion since the depths of the Great Depression, the Democrats have defaulted. They offer no interpretation that conforms to their bedrock principles; they offer no narrative that fits the pieces into a comprehensible whole; they offer no vision for the future. Instead, they have adapted themselves to the Republican narrative and Republican motifs. They present no robust defense of government as the people's instrument for meeting communal needs and wants. Rather, they incline toward the assumption that government and public programs should be viewed skeptically.

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The overwhelming majority of those abandoned by their government are Democrats. Consequently, the populist passions that have raged since 2008 have been diverted from Wall Street to Washington. Almost all American politics is a contest for populist imagery. It provides the only vocabulary for political discourse. Democrats, for more than a century, identified and encouraged that current of populist thinking that found its target in the established power of big business and banking. Republicans have tried strenuously to counteract that tendency by playing on skepticism of government -- especially the federal government. That great battle produced the historic victory of the Democratic conception as embodied in the New Deal. It now is in the process of being reversed.

That is the outcome of a long-term strategy that gained momentum in the Reagan years. Its successes have gone far beyond anything that could reasonably be imagined at the time. The Great Financial Collapse promised to stop the movement in its tracks -- to regain lost ground and to consolidate what had been won. That the diametric opposite has occurred represents the ultimate failure of Democrats and their allies. There is much blame to go around; surely, though, the largest share goes to Mr. Obama. In this sense, his presidency indeed has been one of the most consequential in our history. To call it a success, though, is to embrace the thinking of the radical reactionaries who are celebrating their triumph. Have years of appeasement -- intellectual and political -- led to a silent conversion?

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The Democrats' Political Suicide -- Michael Brenner

Essentially it supports the several views of DU'ers that have been critical of the party leadership including President Obama - sadly. It is my view that if we are to really deal honestly with what happened in the election, no one should be spared from blame - if it applies.

[RKP5637]

1. Bottom line, something went wrong, it was not by chance, there are reasons! Frankly, I think

the democratic party has lost its appeal to many voters. To me, there is not enough differentiation and too much arguing. In short, the democratic party is often a bunch of quarreling tribes while republicans unite and move together in unison. I think the democratic party has lost its core principals and waffles far too much for today's political climate. I'm not claiming I'm right or wrong, just saying what I see and many have agreed with me (not speaking of DU) off line.

[WillyT]

2. K & R !!!

[CrispyQ]

3. The only thing I disagree with is I would move #3 to #1

and they should have started doing it back in the 80s with Reagan.

Three, permit the Republicans in Congress to exploit to the fullest their irresponsible tactics by never denouncing them for what they are or moving to challenge them on their own electoral turf. As a corollary, go along with the coy designation of the Tea Party controlled radical reactionary Republican Party as self-styled "conservatives."

They've been weak & look like cowards since 1980. Ketchup is a vegetable. Really? They couldn't do something with that? All those years with bush2 - comedic gold and they were crickets. Remember when bush2 said something to the effect of OB/GYN practicing love with women all over the country - here, looked it up:

Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB-GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country." ~George W. Bush —Poplar Bluff, Mo., Sept. 6, 2004

If a dem, any dem much less the president, said something this fucking asinine, the repubs would be all over it.

And this, this just burns me:

The near total neglect of the Detroit crisis pulls into focus these multiple flaws and faulty judgments. A great American city is allowed to founder at the very moment that the federal government is spending hundreds of billions to salvage predatory financial interests. Not only is this tragedy allowed to occur without assistance from Washington, it is studiously ignored.

Money out of politics is the only solution. Publicly funded elections at all levels. Election season starts 6 weeks before the election, not immediately after the last one. But I don't know how you do that when the ones who can change the laws are vested in the status quo.

[RKP5637]

4. THIS IS IT >>> "They've been weak & look like cowards since 1980." Tails tucked between their legs!

[Scuba]

5. K&R