What has happened to the party of FDR? Many people I call friends still subscribe to the fundamental principles of this once-proud party, but increasingly cannot vote with their party in major elections. Premises like individual rights and responsibilities. Equality under the law. Reasonably free and reasonably fair enterprise. Lower taxes, the right to bear arms, and the right to organize on the job. The conviction that our ideals are worthy and that the spred of them around the globe is not an intrinsically terrible thing, and that people with strong religious views are not stupid zealots or de facto evidence that they desire theocracy.
The populist, "down with the people" strengths of the Dems are fading quickly. Is there any room left in the Democratic Party for the Joe Liebermans and Zell Millers? I could never in my wildest dreams imagine a JFK or a Scoop Jackson sneering at their opponents and those that support them, decrying them all as stupid. Since the late 60s the tide has been turning, culminating in continuing, sound defeat in the 2004 elections.
Many Bush policies are less than spectacular... at the very least this country needs some sort of progressive alternatives. This will only happen when the Dems acknowledge Middle American values, not the elitist values, and celebrate upward mobility not fantasy-land celebrity. The Dems must be a party that can reach the mainstream where they live and work.
Harvard political theorist Michael J Sandel notes, "The Democrats have ceded to Republicans a monopoly on the moral and spiritual sources of American politics. They will not recover as a party until they have candidates who can speak to those moral and spiritual yearnings." He is correct- by addressing those things the Dems can lead voters into their causes and policies. But as long as so many people mock and ignore Middle America, the Dems will kiss goodbye any real success.
Might the liberals take a moment and ask themselves whether their conservative neighbors are truly stupid, ignorant, racist, homophobic, sexist, religious freaks before launching yet another scathing attack on them? Or better yet, might the moderate Dems properly distance themselves from this vitriolic hate that's killing their chances at electoral success? Well if P&N is any example, this doesn't appear to be happening anytime soon.
The populist, "down with the people" strengths of the Dems are fading quickly. Is there any room left in the Democratic Party for the Joe Liebermans and Zell Millers? I could never in my wildest dreams imagine a JFK or a Scoop Jackson sneering at their opponents and those that support them, decrying them all as stupid. Since the late 60s the tide has been turning, culminating in continuing, sound defeat in the 2004 elections.
Many Bush policies are less than spectacular... at the very least this country needs some sort of progressive alternatives. This will only happen when the Dems acknowledge Middle American values, not the elitist values, and celebrate upward mobility not fantasy-land celebrity. The Dems must be a party that can reach the mainstream where they live and work.
Harvard political theorist Michael J Sandel notes, "The Democrats have ceded to Republicans a monopoly on the moral and spiritual sources of American politics. They will not recover as a party until they have candidates who can speak to those moral and spiritual yearnings." He is correct- by addressing those things the Dems can lead voters into their causes and policies. But as long as so many people mock and ignore Middle America, the Dems will kiss goodbye any real success.
Might the liberals take a moment and ask themselves whether their conservative neighbors are truly stupid, ignorant, racist, homophobic, sexist, religious freaks before launching yet another scathing attack on them? Or better yet, might the moderate Dems properly distance themselves from this vitriolic hate that's killing their chances at electoral success? Well if P&N is any example, this doesn't appear to be happening anytime soon.
Facebook
Twitter