Democrats Split Over Election Strategy

The demise of the Democratic Party began whit the election of Ronald Reagan. The return from the abyss that Jimmy Carter brought us to removed the blinders of the public to the value of conservative principles. Reagan's success and popularity eventually emboldened conservatives to not just criticize liberalism, but offer an alternative. A further chipping away came in the form of an alternative media. Rush Limbaugh, The Washington Times, Fox News and the Internet are examples of the outlets for conservative ideas. had it not been for Bill Clinton's defeat of George H.W. Bush all would have been lost.

President G.H.W. Bush failed reelection can be viewed as a warning to the Democrats. He failed because he had nothing to offer except he had been Reagan's VP. That was enough for a first term, but one has to take one's opportunities and build on them to see future success. Clinton offered ideas, liberal though they were they seemed to have merit over Bush's half hearted conservatism. Bob Dole's campain just offered more of the same with the same result.

Clinton could have revived the Democratic party had he been interested in any future other than his own. The eight years he held office were used to transform the party into a Clinton support team. After he left office all the party officers were Clinton people. Gore was the natural successor but a poor choice. He nearly won because his challenger, G.W. Bush suffered from his father's legacy. What the loss revealed was there was outside of Clinton's personality the Democratic Party had nothing to offer that was much different from what they had in 1980. If anything had changed it was the move to the far left was completed with Al Gore's nomination and defeat. His loss caused such finger pointing and calls for ideological purity that negativity became the loudest message. A second defeat only threw more fuel on the fire.

The latest gathering of Democratic leaders seeking to form a winning agenda only served to highlight how bereft they are of ideas.

The Democratic leaders in Congress -- Pelosi and Sen. Harry M. Reid (Nev.) -- are the party's chief strategists and architects of the agenda, which they view as a way to market party ideas on energy, health care, education and other issues. They have held countless meetings to construct the right list, consulting with governors, mayors and just about every Democratic adviser in town.

"By the time the election rolls around, people are going to know where Democrats stand," Reid said.

But many in the party have their doubts. On Feb. 27, Reid and Pelosi appeared before the Democratic Governors Association. At one point in the conversation, Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, noting that the two leaders had talked about a variety of themes and ideas, asked for help. Could they reduce the message to just two or three core ideas that governors could echo in the states?

According to multiple accounts from those in the room, Reid said they had narrowed the list to six and proceeded to talk about them. Pelosi then offered her six -- not all the same as Reid's. Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski said later: "One of the other governors said 'What do you think?' and I said 'You know what I think? I don't think we have a message.' "

The danger to all political parties is finding the member's only real reason for running is merely to be elected. This occurs when a large number of members are long term incumbents or the party has fractured it's ideology to such an extent that no one can find common ground. Although the Democrats are basically all leftist their ideology is obsolete and their constituencies are competing for a shrinking pile of largess. They can't wait out the Republicans by putting on a moderate face until they can win back the majority because the Republicans are only beginning the process of forgetting why they are there and the voters aren't fooled so easily by the ruse. Without Bill Clinton's charisma is are difficult gambit at best.

Most likely scenario is the Dems will fade as a national party being replaced by the Republicans as the big government liberal party .A new conservative party will emerge as did the Republicans when the Whigs imploded.


Carnival of Liberal's Wrongs #8