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November 04, 2004

What Do Democrats Do Now? « Politics As Usual »

I think this is fairly accurate:

All of the biggest guns in the left's arsenal - Hollywood, the trial lawyers, the unions, the New York Times, CBS, newly-minted strident liberal talk radio, bombastic and inaccurate "documentaries," all of the skewed members of the MSM... all of them brought their A-game, threw themselves into this fight... and lost to the blogs, talk radio, alternative media, conservative religious groups, and a well-organized GOP ground game.

It's over. None of the left's old tools works anymore. They have to scrap it and start over, and that's why you see the weeping and the wailing and the hair being pulled out.

So what happens? Republicans/conservatives are fond of telling Democrats what they should do next, or at least musing over where the anger will go now. A plethora of Democrats are sinking into the mire of Cargo Cult politics*, telling anyone who will listen that they need to figure out the magic formula of faking Republican sincerity so they can be in power again.

But I guess I'm one of the conservatives musing over the outlet for liberal anger now.

And I really have no idea. For all that I insist the highest levels of the Democrat Party are more about having power for powers' sake rather than helping people as they purport to, just getting defeated in several elections doesn't make people abandon their convictions. No ideology has been proven wrong, but liberalism has obviously losing support among the common person, partly because President Johnson's Great Society spent money like water and just made things worse, partly because gun control (a major liberal platform) has been strongly demonstrated to increase violent crime, partly because a majority of the population now wants far more strict restrictions on abortion. But the issues themselves haven't been disproven enough to change anyone's mind.

So whether the Democrat party collapses or not, I still believe a good 1/3 of the nation's voters remain committed to a liberal ideology, and is despairing of ever convincing enough people to adopt their view.

What happens?

To tell the truth, I'm a little scared. Democrats are quick to point out the DU inhabitants, the gunshots through GOP HQ windows', the swastikas burned into lawns, the most rabid "Bush lied" crowd, the domestic terrorists like ELF and PETA are all examples of fringe and fringe activities. But there are a staggering number of events, when you add them all up. Look at how much chaos spread in Italy by the Red Brigades, or in Germany by the Bader-Meinhoff Group. Or in the United States by Bachman-Turner Overdrive.

Do we face the possibility of leftist terrorist groups forming?

*don't you hate it when you think you've been clever enough to coin a new term or concept and someone already did it more than a year earlier?

Posted by Nathan at 03:26 PM | Comments (17)
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Comments


BTO is a threat that should not be underestimated.

HOWEVER, you give the dems too much credit. They couldn't wire a pipe bomb if their live depended on it.

This election broke their collective, weenie little backs. Remember when Reagan defeated Carter? Who did they run the next two elections? No one (of any consideration at least.)

The Democratic Party is over. Done. Finito. Bush crushed them, the House, the Senate, the state legislatures, the Governors were all nails in the coffin.

Here's what will happen...MoveOn and Howard Dean will take over the left. Being so out of touch, they will lose an other primary to...Hil'ry. Hil'ry will run in '08 and the entire country will laugh in her face.

John McCain/Jeb Bush will win two terms, and Jeb will win at least a third. After being dominated for two decades, the dems will simply cease to be.

Which is fine with me because I am sick of their anti-Christian, pro-gay stances anyway. (I, for one, look forward to the laws that will promote Christianity in the classroom--please tell me that the Genesis creation story should not be taught but sex education should).

We run the show, and there ain't nothin Sean Penn gonna do 'bout it now!

Posted by: Takin Care of B'ness at November 4, 2004 03:50 PM

Takin Care of B'Ness:

The Genesis creation story should not be taught (except perhaps in literature classes), but sex education should. There you go.

As for the Democrats: They either have to repudiate the far left as the Republicans have repudiated the far right, and move to the center just as the Republicans have, or die. I don't expect them to get the message in time for 2008.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at November 5, 2004 12:15 AM

I disagree a little bit. I don't think conservatives moved to the center much at all. If anything, all they did was open up the tent to include more of the center, i.e., not requiring someone to be pro-life to be a member. We've got plenty of South-Park and 9/11 Republicans who helped put Bush in office without sharing significant platforms views. You could argue that represents a shift because it puts the average point of compromise farther to the left, but I think the core constiuency of Republicans has not shifted at all.
Also, we have repudiated our far Right. White Supremacists are denigrated everywhere within the Party. Pat Buchanon and Pat Robertson don't influence Republican policy. Jerry Falwell is no longer a force in Republican politics.

...but that's just the way I see it, and I can admit there might be a perspective influence there.

Posted by: Nathan at November 5, 2004 05:31 AM


Pixy--whatever.

The moderates need to kiss our Christian Coalition butts right now. If it weren't for us, you would have been watching Bush's concession speach on Wednesday.

In short, you owe us. And we expect to be paid handsomely.

Otherwise, we WILL sit home during the midterms elections which, if case you have forgotten, are only 18 months away.

Pucker up sweet Pixy.

Posted by: Takin Care at November 5, 2004 05:57 AM

Takin Care:

Sorry, not a chance. We'll work with you gladly to get done what needs to be done, but don't expect to get paid for doing the right thing.

'Cause if you hadn't voted for Bush, you would have gotten Kerry too.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at November 5, 2004 06:11 AM

Nathan, repudiating the far right was the critical thing. That allowed the moderates and centrists (not the same thing!) to join the Republicans in good faith and with a clear conscience.

Until the Democrats likewise repudiate the far left, they're not going anywhere.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at November 5, 2004 06:13 AM

Sorry, I see what happened. Typo in my original post, "haver" should read "have", not "haven't" or whatever, which is what I assume you took it to be.

Yes, that's why I feel comfortable as a centrist supporting President Bush, because the far right has been repudiated.

As for perspective... Well, there's the averaging effect, and then there's the fact that I myself have moved to the right. ;)

Posted by: Pixy Misa at November 5, 2004 06:17 AM

Pix:

Well, that's so nice that you extended that olive branch. If anything, the offer of reconciliation show the weakness of your bargaining position. What if Bush had taken the same approach to fighting terrorism?

I don't know if you noticed but because we have our faith, the guy who lives in the White House matters much less to us. If Kerry got elected, we would keep on doin' what were doin'--gettin' into heaven.

You, on the other hand, would have to cry yourselves to sleep each night.

We ain't backin' down. And we ain't voting for no pro-gay, anti-Christian moderate. The GOP has--permanently--drifted to the right. Take a good long look at Senator DeMint. He is the future. What's your alternative? To vote for a Democrat?

Do yourself a favor--go to church on Sunday and see what this revoloution is all about.

Posted by: Bid'ness at November 5, 2004 07:26 AM

What if Bush had taken the same approach to fighting terrorism?

You mean, like welcoming assistance from other countries in Afghanistan and Iraq?

If Kerry got elected, we would keep on doin' what were doin'--gettin' into heaven.

Yeah, but to do that you've gotta die first. That's not high on my list of priorities.

And we ain't voting for no pro-gay, anti-Christian moderate.

So you'll sit in your corner and pout? Fine by me.

What's your alternative? To vote for a Democrat?

Not likely. I live in Australia.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at November 5, 2004 08:30 AM

The President and the majority of the Republican Party, not to mention Conservatives, owe nothing to the Christian Coalition or the Religious Right.

I speak as one of them, being Republican, conservative, and strongly Christian, with my understanding of sin influencing the political decisions I make based on what how it impacts human nature.

If the Christian Coalition is unhappy with how the Bush Administration proceeds, they (we?) can form yet another minority party. Luckily, the Bush agenda includes many things important to Christians, but the party as a whole absolutely should not be held ransom by a significant minority bloc. Influence, but not dictate. Or else you end up slaughtering the goose that lays golden eggs.
Bottom Line: My Republican Party does not care so much about power that it allows itself to be blackmailed by special interest groups. Leave that sort of crap to the Democrats, okay?

Posted by: Nathan at November 5, 2004 08:41 AM

Sorry, I see what happened. Typo in my original post, "haver" should read "have", not "haven't" or whatever, which is what I assume you took it to be.

Yeah, I think that's what happened. I was reading quickly, and interpreted the extra "r" as "n't". Which doesn't make sense in the syntax, so I'm an idiot. Anyway, I went ahead and fixed it.

Posted by: Nathan at November 5, 2004 08:55 AM


All I am saying is--adopt a Christian agenda or lose 4million plus voters in '08. Do the math right now: 59,459,765-4,000,000=John Kerry.

Accept it.

And I don't mean by "welcoming assitstance" which is just another euphemism for asking for a permission slip from the UN. I mean by playing nice with rogue actors. Some people only understand power through force. Appeasement gets you nowhere.

Why am I arguing American politics with an Aussie? Let me ask you this--what is Austrailia's greatest contribution to world political culture? Crockodile Dundee?

Posted by: Gettin Bizzy at November 5, 2004 09:26 AM

Why am I arguing American politics with an Aussie? Let me ask you this--what is Austrailia's greatest contribution to world political culture? Crockodile Dundee?

Ah, such intelligent discourse today!

Posted by: Jo at November 5, 2004 09:33 AM

Gettin Bizzy,
You do the math: there's at least 4 million pro-choice Republicans. Would you accept an argument that you have to swallow a pro-abortion agenda now?
Of course not!
We work together. We are a big tent. Blackmail will not work, or you'll just find yourself kicked out of the tent in the same way we did White Supremacists.

...besides, 4 million was an estimate from the last election. Not necessarily true now. And if it was 4 million that wouldn't have voted but did, well, that 4 million got their reward in 11 states amending their constitution to ban gay marriages (for veracity: I'm pleased with the result). So what else should the Republican Party owe you? Try: "nothing". Work with us, and we'll work on adopting parts of your personal agenda. Persuade more people to adopt it, and you'll get more of it integrated into the Republican platform.
But remember the old warning about ultimatums!

Posted by: Nathan at November 5, 2004 09:43 AM


Dundee was a joke--lighten up people! I think the reason y'all so tetchy is that you know I am right...far right!

Posted by: Bizzy at November 5, 2004 10:04 AM


What's the matter? Cat got your tongue? Or did you see the Senators announcement today about fillibusters to block judiciary appointments which was in response to Specter's little faux pas?

Bye bye Rove v. Wade, bye bye!

Posted by: Bizzy at November 5, 2004 01:34 PM

Let me ask you this--what is Austrailia's greatest contribution to world political culture?

East Timor.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at November 6, 2004 03:23 AM
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