I was listening to Randy Rhodes yesterday when she talked to Howard Dean. It was frightening to me that she ended up educating the chairman of the democratic national committee. It was quite obvious that he could care less about issues that not only concern the base of the democratic party and independent lefties like myself but issues that concern both traditional conservatives and centrist conservatives. Issues that out-weigh other issues that would generally cause them to vote republican.
The democrats seem to be stuck on republican light and it is going to be the death of the democratic party if they don't wake up and realize that the majority of Americans are ready to talk about taboo issues like some form of nationalized health care, clean air and water, meaningful social reform and, the biggest, campaign finance reform.
I think that one of the fears many democrats have is that real campaign finance reform would lead to the death or at least a decrease in the relevance of the democratic party. While this is true they need to realize that there is a large place for individuals in both republicratic parties of integrity to help lead a fresh system that more accurately represents the will of the people of this great nation. I fear that greed and corruption are so rampant in the halls of capital hill that both parties would rather drive this country into the ground than abdicate this destructive system to one that could lead America back to the forefront of the global community, stepping forward to lead the world into the twenty-first century and beyond. Instead it seems that no one will heed the call of millions of Americans crying out for someone to lead us from the absolute depths this country has sunk to.
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Sorry, DuWayne, but even YOU are missing the biggest issue, as is the Democratic Party. Hello! The War on Terror! The American people simply do not trust the Dems with this task. And really, all the other issues will be nothing is we don't win this major fight, my friend.
First of all the American people no longer believe that the republicant's are making us any safer either. When money that is earmarked to make our ports pf call safer goes to Wyoming instead of to by explosives and radiation detectors to scan incoming cargo - we aren't safer. When FIMA can't prepare for a major disaster that we had plenty of warning of - we are not safer.
The other point would be that if we just let the republican'ts bleed us dry and destroy this country then it won't matter that we win the war on terror - we won't have America any more. These issues do matter, even above and beyond - or more to the point because of, the war on terror. If we don't get these morons who cut funding to programs that actually protect us out of there we will die.
I will post a much more detailed, wonkish post a little later.
You have a good point about disaster relief planning, but I am the sort of person who would like to think proactively and put major efforts into preventing terrorist attacks so that we won't have to worry about needing a response after the fact.
I think many issue we all have the same goals but different ways to get there. Such as health care. If we could put partisanship aside and look at the options, we should be able to come to an agreement on the best way to confront the problem.
I am working on a post that gets more wonkish about the war on terror and how to fight it effectively. One of the best ways to directly fight it would be too spend money on detectors and sensers to inspect all cargo coming into this country. They are available and sensitive enough that one needen't open carriers to find whether there is anything explosive or radioactive inside - the same could be used for baggage at airports. I am all about developing intelligence that will help catch terrorists - legaly and without overwhelming the FBI and CIA who seem to be anoyed with the mass of information that they are being given that is useless.
The point about being prepared for the worse is that if these terrorists manage to cause significant damage to our citizens it would be nice to be ready for it. We are not in any way prepared for such a disaster and after 9/11 that is unconcionable. I am not saying don't try to stop terrorists - I am saying we also need to be ready if they do manage to attack.
Except that I don't know what wonkish means, I agree with everything you just said. I look forward to your wonkish post, whatever that means!
I am writing a post about what I believe would best protect Americans. Basicly a policy argument - or wonkish argument.
Overall, DuWayne, I think its the far left Democrats that are ruining the party for everyone else. You even mentioned Howard Dean not getting it in your post.
Atually I think that most politicians are disconnected in the same way that Dean is. With their staffs they should well be able to keep up on what is important to their constituents but instead they pay far more attention to those who give them money.
I don't believe that the problem the dems are having is listening to the far left - they don't. The problem is that they are trying to be to far to the right. While the republicans have gone far to the right the dems have gone to the right of center and alienated their base.
The same can be said of the republicans, they have alienated their base - traditional conservatives. They have embraced extreme federalist views that are the antithesis of traditional conservatives. They believe in a more powerful governement that reigns over the states. They believ that the role of interpreting laws should be in the hands of the president and the courts should be beholden to congress. Making the president the most powerful branch of government with congress coming next and the courts behind them. This is the antithesis of the constitution which made all three branches co-equal so as to ensure checks and balances. This scares the hell out of traditional conservatives as much as the inflation of the federal government and the record deficit spending mostly financed by China.
Both parties have gotten away from their base, both by embracing right end agendas at different extremes.
Yes, traditional conservatives such as myself are not toally happy with the Republican party, but I beg to differ about the Dems being right of center. Maybe Sen. Miller and Lieberman are, but Clinton, Kennedy, Dean - these are people are so far left they may fall off the chart!
Looking at the democratic party from a broad view (states included)they are moving firmly to the right. Clinton is in fact moving that way in her seeming desire to run for president, Dean as the chairman of the DNC is pushing the movement to the right - even while he maintains certain lefty values to maintain his position as governor of Vermont. Kennedy is and will maintain his position on the left because that keeps him in office.
The truth of the matter is that most Americans are keen on clean air and water, healthcare for all Americans, civil liberties, the right to privacy and getting rid of corruption. These are not extreme left agendas these are centrist ideals that most Americans share.
Like I said, we all share the same goals, just sometimes we have different ways of getting there.
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